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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-23 Business and Economic Development Committee Minutes , � BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Sept. 23,2009,5 pm � Mtnutes Councilors: Chair Hawes, Blanchette, Bronson, D'Errico, Nealley,Stone and Wheeler � Staff: Barrett, McKay, Harrington, Bolduc, Dyer, Masters Others: Cindy DeBeck of Newburgh, Horse Show and Breeding and Jo Hight, Scarborough of the Maine Horse Association and American Saddlebred Association; � Steve Mason and Paul Beneau of Swardlick Marketing Group, Portland ME. 1. Cindy DeBeck—Proposal to Request use of the Bangor Auditorium for Horse Shows and similar ' events. Rod McKay introduced this item to the Committee stating that Cindy DeBeck will present a � proposal for the reuse of the existing Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center. Cindy DeBeck&Jo Hight presented their proposal to the Committee to use the Bangor � Auditorium for horse shows and horse events. With respect to the Civic Center they propose to use all or a portion thereof for a horse museum,gift shops and possibly a restaurant for when horse shows are held; also possibly have seminars and speakers. Jo stated that the Maine Horse ' Association affiliates 30 shows,30 weekends a year;they begin in May and end in Sept.—this does not count the breed shows and there are also four,4-day quarter horse shows. The only facility in this state with a covered arena is in Skowhegan and if you are not able to get booked there,you � have to hold your shows outdoors. She has been running the Maine Saddlebred Horse Show, which is a 3-day horseshow,for 17 years. The Maine Horse Association has about 350 family memberships; the American Saddlebred has 125 or so,figuring 3-4 people to a membership. Jo � added that they've conducted a survey of their members to find out how much money is spent in Maine on pleasure horse shows—the results showed several million dollars. Both the Maine Horse Association and the American Saddlebred have set aside profits from their horse shows for 25 years; � they also have a grent writer and are actively pursuing a new place to add along with the Skowhegan facility. If the Bangor Auditorium would be suitable to be converted they certainly would be interested in pursuing this with the City of Bangor. IEd Barrett stated that it would be helpful if Cindy and Jo would outline their overall specifications—what it is they would need, how big does the ring have to be, how many spectators � do they anticipate having, how many horses would need places to stall,so that the City has an idea: a)would the current facility work;and b)if that didn't work,and in addition to looking at the buildings, are we looking at that whole property. Is there some other way that we might be able to � address some of those needs and, of course, looking at the financial side of it and seeing if it does or does not make sense. Once this information is made available it would be a good place for the City to start taking a more in depth analysis. � Chair Hawes—Mike Dyer will coordinate with Cindy DeBeck and get the information that City Manager Barrett suggested back to the Council. ' �t ' � i 2. Airport Marketing Presentation � Risteen Masters of the BIA introduced this item by stating that the airport has contracted with � two agencies to develop a plan for the airport-Swardlick Marketing Group(advertising/marketing)and Sutherland-Weston (PR agency�. Today's presentation is by the Swardlick Marketing Group; Sutherland- Weston will make a similar presentation at the next BED meeting scheduled for Oct. 7,with an overview � of the public relations portion of the new plan. Steve Mason, Managing Director of Swardlick Marketing Group,outlined items such as branding ' & marketi�g strategies, marketing plan and campaign overview for the Bangor airport. They have spent considereble time on Bangor aviation services as a second brend of concern, particularly with regard to the change in the primary fuel contract situation that Bangor has been through and what this means in � terms of current customer base and attracting additional GA and Transatlantic customers and what has to be done to make sure that any changes do not in anyway undermine current customers continued use of the airport and the consideretion of the airport as a location for potential customers. The team at � BGR has built a strong reputation in fast turns and reliable service. This kind of brend position statement puts all other competitors in a position where they have to try to live up to BGR's position. The Marketing Plan objective is to stimulate and support consideration of Bangor's increased � passenger counts for both inbound and outbound. Additional activities have been developed in the marketing plans that would have BGR continuously more present among New Brunswick consumers; ' need to continue supporting the existing airlines and demonstrate Bangor's ongoing commitment to those carriers and the airport. Other areas to focus on are: compete effectively with Portland and Boston; improve awareness of and appreciation of the airport's role in the community, region and state � relating to economic development and the quality of life here. Will also use a mix of inedia to reach target consumers such as TV, radio and print; planning emphasis on frequenty of inessage in smaller to mid-size ads as opposed to fewer larger ads; and stretegic online advertising in the primary and the � secondary catchment area of New Brunswick. For the inbound treveler there will be a strong presence across a carefully selected group of tourism guidebooks and directories from the region and state. Also use in the GA tech stop and air cargo markets selected magazines, e-newsletters and broadcast emails. � Paul Beneau, Group Creative Director of Swardlick Marketing Group, presented the creative aspects of this issue. They will maximize the message effectively and maintain a continuity of where ' we've been; will be using a sort of route system map. Routes may change so have to be able to change the creative quickly and inexpensively to be able to adjust to those potential opportunities. Final thing is to engage the consumer with a relevant,clear and entertaining message. Print for the guidebook was � reviewed describing all that the Bangor Region has to offer tourists once they've arrived at BIA. This print will be in publications such as: Maine Invites You (the official tourism guide to Maine that goes out around the world to those who request it). Other regional guide books that the print would appear in � are: the Greater Bangor Guide; the Bar Harbor Chamber Guide;the Mid-Coast Regional Chamber Guide and those sorts of publications. There will also be testimony text from various people; and animation spots are also proposed for advertising. � � ,� ' , ' 3. Proposed Council Order Authorizing the Business and Economic Development Committee and Director of Community& Economic Development to take Certain Actions to Implement the � Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) , McKay reviewed this item for the Committee stating that the City Council has authorized the participation in the Neighborhood Stabilization Progrem (NSP). This is a federal program designed to mitigate the adverse impacts on neighborhoods of foreclosures by acquiring, rehabilitating and reselling foreclosed and vacant residential properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and � blight. The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) has made available though the State of Maine an allocation of 51,084,873 in NSP funds to the City of Bangor. These funds may be used to purchase and rehabilitate residential properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed on; and to sell � or rent,or redevelop the properties for use by individuals and families whose incomes do not exceed 120%of inedian family income. The purchase price using NSP funds cannot exceed 99%of the current appreised market value. The City has until September 2010 to commit the funds. This Order would � further authorize the Director of C&ED to have properties appraised that are eligible for acquisition under the NSP. The BED Committee would be authorized to approve an offer to the lending institution/property owner,the offering amount to be based on the appreised value, but not exceeding , 999'0 of the appreised value. Discussion continued on the various uses of the NSP funds. In response to an inquiry from a ' Committee member if vacant land parcels could be sold to abutting property owners, Kaleena Harrington stated that she has spoken with Tammy Knight of the State Dept.of Economic and Community Dev. who monitors this progrem for Bangor. Tammy related that this would not be an � acceptable use of the funding. Kaleena added that other allowed options would be to rebuild on the lot, if it's a buildable lot, or create a park or some other sort of open space for the community. ' Councilor Stone made a motion to move Staff recommendation of this item as presented to City Council. Seconded by Councilor Nealley. So voted. � A motion was made to move into Executive Session to take up the following items. 4. Executive Session- Economic Development—Negotiations for Disposition of Property- 1 � M.R.S.A. 4 405 (6) (C) 5. Committee Action on Above Item � No Committee action was taken. 1 6. Executive Session- 1 M.R.S.A. y 405 (6) (C) Discussion of the Acquisition of Property Under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program , 7. Committee Action on Above Item A motion was Made,Seconded and Passed to Authorize the Director of Community and , Economic Development to offer$100,000 for the acquisition of 41-43 Second Street under the Neighborhood Stabilization Progrem. � �