Board of County Commissioners Leon County, Florida www.leoncountyfl.gov

Issue Briefing:

This items requests Board consideration of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) management review to determine the cost effectiveness of the organization’s direct marketing and visitor services (Attachment #1).

Fiscal Impact:

This item has a fiscal impact.  Staff estimates a cost savings of $670,000 over the CVB’s current year’s budget, and approximately $1 million savings over the proposed FY 2010 budget to provide direct marketing and visitor services.

Staff Recommendation:

Option #1:   Accept staff’s management review of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and approve recommendation to bring its direct marketing and visitor services functions in-house.

Report and Discussion

Background:

At the November 25, 2008 Tourist Development Council Workshop, the Board directed OMB to determine the cost effectiveness of the direct marketing and visitor services functions provided by the Tallahassee Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

Analysis:

The management review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the CVB’s organizational structure, operations, and financial records.  The review specifically analyzes the CVB’s services, activities, and expenditures for efficiency and compliance with its contract to provide direct marketing and visitor services.  The County’s Human Resources and Tourist Development Council divisions assisted OMB with the management review.

The outcome of this review will support the County’s ongoing initiative to develop and implement a strategy for revising the Tourist Development Plan.  The following options to continue direct marketing and visitor services functions are presented for Board consideration:

1.      Bring the CVB and the direct marketing and visitors services functions in-house; or

2.      If the Board chooses not to bring the CVB in-house, staff recommends reducing the CVB contract amount to $610,000, rewriting the contract to more specifically delineate the services, and incorporate performance measures to evaluate the organization’s effectiveness.

On April 24, 2009, staff presented the CVB with a copy of the management review report.  The CVB’s responses are included in the report.

Options:

1.      Accept staff’s review of the Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and approve recommendation to bring its direct marketing and visitors’ services functions in-house.

2.      Do not accept staff’s review of the Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and do not approve recommendation to bring its direct marketing and visitors services functions in-house.

3.      Accept staff’s review of the Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and approve reducing its contract amount to $610,000, rewriting the contract to more specifically delineate the services, and incorporate performance measures to evaluate the organizations effectiveness.

4.      Do not accept staff’s review of the Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and do not approve reducing its contract amount to $610,000. 

5.     Board Direction.

Recommendation:

Option # 1

Attachment:
1.        OMB: Management Review: Tallahassee Area Convention & Visitor Bureau and  associated attachments
       Attachment 1-A
       Attachment 1-B

Additional Information