Carlsbad CTBID Annual Report to City Council, Tonight

The Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District's advisory board will appear before the Carlsbad City Council tonight and present it's annual report of activities (AB# 19,046). This will be the second time that the CTBID advisory board has reported to Council since the enactment in November 2005 of the hotel assessment district.

Mayor Lewis will call Council into session at 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers.

New Director Sits, Bureau Contracts Approved

The Carlsbad Tourism BID advisory board met yesterday and welcomed Hector Baserra, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Carlsbad By the Sea, to fill the unexpired term of his predecessor. Welcome to Carlsbad, Hector!

The board approved funding for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, for both the Carlsbad CVB and the San Diego North CVB. The board gave both organizations a 10% increase over what they received from the previous contract year.

The industry seems to be tracking at about 62% average occupancy in Carlsbad, based on the Smith Travel Report. Assessment collections ($1 per night) are ahead of last year, and the reserve fund, set at 20% of what is collected, continues to grow. We sort of need to know where those funds will eventually go!

If you're not already receiving email notice of upcoming CTBID advisory board meetings, you need to get yourself on the list, read the agenda and various attachments that come before the board. It's easy to do!

The next meeting is in September.

More, later!

New Carlsbad Resort To Open In January 2008

Today's North County Times ran a story update on the new Sheraton Carlsbad Resort, which will be opened in phases, beginning in January 2008. Most of us have seen the construction across from GIA and along Cannon Road as we dash about on area streets. According to Tim Stripe, co-president of Grand Pacific Resorts, the new property, when completed, will add 350 additional hotel rooms to our local inventory as well as 350 timeshare units.

Good luck for continued success, Tim & Dave!

Carlsbad Council Approves New Marriott Hotel

The Surf Motel, one of Carlsbad's longtime landmarks, will soon give way to a new Marriott Springhill Suites hotel. Last night, the Carlsbad City Council finally approved plans for construction to get underway to build one of the country's most recognizable flags. No doubt this will be a fine, new addition to the Village.

We wish all the best to everyone associated with DKN Hotels, and look foward to welcoming the Marriott Springhill Suites.

And, to the Surf Motel, thanks for all the wonderful memories.

You will be missed; and, so will the Armenian Cafe!

CTBID Meeting May 4th

The Carlsbad Convention and Visitor's Bureau contract renewal is on the agenda for the CTBID meeting scheduled for this Friday May 4th. It will be at 11:00 am in the City Faraday building in room #173A. If anybody can make this meeting to support our local CVB, it would be appreciated. If you wanted to say a few words about the job the CVB does, that would be even better! Hope to see you there!

Vacancy To Be Filled By Mayor, Council

With Francis Kauhaahaa's recent transfer to Loma Linda, the CTBID advisory board has one vacancy that will soon be filled upon the appointment by Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis. This vacancy was discussed at the last CTBID advisory board meeting on March 30. Hotel industry representatives who are interested in possibly serving on the CTBID advisory board are encouraged to contract Mayor Lewis. It is expected that both the mayor and council will vote on Francis' replacement in the coming weeks.

CTBID Board Position Vacancy

I was recently informed (as a few of you may have been) that Francis Kauhaahaa, General Manager for the Holiday Inn Carlsbad, will be leaving for a new assignment closer to his home in Yorba Linda. Francis was one of the original seven members of the Carlsbad Tourism Improvement District's Advisory Board and his departure will soon leave the first-ever vacancy on that Board.

Kim Akers, General Manager at the West Inn and Suites, and I have written to Mayor Lewis to ask about the process for filling this upcoming vacancy. Here are excerpts from that letter:

"Our understanding as to the composition of the CTBID Advisory Board is that three of the seven seats are deemed permanent. Four Seasons Resort Aviara, La Costa Resort and Spa and Grand Pacific Resorts would maintain permanent status, regardless of who the assigned designee is for each property. The four remaining seats were awarded to individuals, and not to properties.

As the original appointment was not for a designated property, we would assume that any lodging representative from within the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District could be selected by the Council to fill the remaining time on Mr. Kauhaahaa's original term."

We have requested to meet with Mayor Lewis because we believe the ordinance that created the CTBID currently leaves the appointment process with the mayor and council. We would like to help in any way we can to have the vacancy filled as soon as possible.

Best wishes to you, Francis, in your new assignment!

Meetings with the Mayor and Council Members

I spent last week meeting with Mayor Lewis and all of the Council members. In all, I would have to say that each of my meetings went well. I was happy to have Kim Akers, General Manager of the West Inn & Suites, join me as it always helps to have a tag-team at these kinds of meetings to make sure we don't miss any important points. It was important, in my opinion, to clarify with City Officials that the verbage in the last contract between the City and the Carlsbad CVB showing that the BID would be supplemental was the reason for the request for funding. This didn't change any minds, but at least the communication is starting to improve. So, at least for now, the Carlsbad CVB is entirely reliant on BID funding.

The next step will be to meet with the members of the CTBID board to discuss getting more of the CTBID funds actively working for us.

Hopefully, communication will be the key to getting this CTIBD to do what is was designed to do....MARKET CARLSBAD!! Any input or ideas any of you may have that may help this process along would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

More Media Coverage About Funding

Several of the local media have taken an interest in the ongoing, uphill quest by Carlsbad's local tourism bureau to secure a funding subsidy that was once provided and was subsquently replaced by the hotel assessment of $1 per night. It is interesting how the North County Times was told that the local bureau was, "beating a dead horse." Then, two days later and in today's San Diego Union-Tribune, the headline reads, Tourism bureau won't get more money.

Could this be the end to this story ...

City Rejects Call for Tourism Funding

I just received a response from Mayor Lewis after having sent three letters to him asking to meet and discuss continued funding of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau. Interestingly, after having hand-delivered my final letter to his office yesterday, I received his response today, nearly one month after my initial letter of January 24, 2007.

The following is the text of Mayor Lewis' letter to me and cc'd to member of the city council, the city manager, the administrative services director and to board members of the CTBID and the Carlsbad CVB.

Dear Ms. Nayudu:

I have received your letter regarding the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District (CTBID), and your desire to have the City provide additional funding to the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau (CCVB). Although I understand your concerns, the actins taken by the City Council have been clear, and the City's position has been consistent with regard to the desire to give the hotel industry full control over the funding of tourism promotion programs, and to remove the City from funding tourism activities.

When I was approached about supporting the CTBID concept, both Council Members Hall adn I met with the ConVis representatives and hotel managers to hear your recommendations regarding the role the City would have in the process.

The Council supported the concept of creating a tourism business improvement district that would be controlled by the hotel industry. The Council also supported having the City cease its involvement in financing subsequent tourism programs. The City's only ongoing involvement was to be temporarily assisting the CTBID Board by providing staff support while the Board came together and determined its own course of action.

There was never any intention for the City to continue financial support of either CCVB or San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau after the CTBID was formed.

Sincerely,
Bud Lewis
Claude A. "Bud" Lewis
Mayor

I need to inform those who read this that I never raised the issue of the CTBID as it relates to funding. My stated intent was to secure funding for the Carlsbad CVB in a manner consistent with past agreements with the City. Funds would have been used to provide support for the operational and associated costs with operating the Visitor Information Center. Still, the City has stated its position, and that is disappointing. Copies of letters I have sent to the mayor will be provided to members of my own board and to the CTBID Board.

Please remain vigilant; I will continue to keep you informed.

Media Covers Carlsbad Funding Issue

In today's North County section of the San Diego Union Tribune, reporter Michael Burge provides a glimpse to readers on the issue of reinstalled City funding by Carlsbad to support tourism. It is definitely worth reading!

Carlsbad Hoteliers Meet, Re-Connect Industry Ties

In the hope of improving communication between lodging establishments here in Carlsbad, there was a meeting on Thursday, Februay 1st, at the West Inn and Suites (thank you, Kim) to discuss a few issues that are of great importance to the Carlsbad lodging community and to tourism, in general. We discussed the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District (CTBID) and informed those who were unaware of the process by which the CTBID came to be, how the money has been spent so far and when the next CTBID meeting would be held. It is SO important for as many representatives from Carlsbad properties to attend these meetings so we will be informed of the way OUR money is being spent.

The next meeting of the CTBID is on Thursday, March 1st, 1:30 p.m. at the Dove Library.

The other issue discussed was the lack of tourism funding from the City of Carlsbad. The CTBID was created with the purpose of providing SUPPLEMENTAL funding for additional marketing and promotional programs for Carlsbad. For some reason, unknown to me, the City pulled all funding for the local CVB when the CTBID became a reality. The CVB does such a terrific job of promoting ALL of Carlsbad and they deserve the backing of the lodging industry when they ask for the City to re-engage as partners.

There will be a posting on this blog of the date of the next Hotel Motel Association meeting, and I know that many who attended this meeting will be there. Please try to attend.

Lastly, I am so pleased we have this blog to better communicate our thoughts and desires within our industry. At any time you feel the need to either post a statement or to comment on one that's already been written, I know those of us reading this blog will enjoy the exchange of ideas.

Thanks!

Welcome to The Carlsbad Informer

It is indeed gratifying that so many of Carlsbad's lodging professionals have shown a very real interest in the issues that confront our industry and to learn how we can work together as friends, as competitors, and as industry colleagues.

This Blog has been created for you. It is the hope and desire that The Carlsbad Informer will provide us with a vehicle to freely exchange ideas on how we can meet the challenges that lie ahead. Information is both an important and powerful tool. Let us use whatever information comes forward on this Blog for mutual purpose and collective benefit.

Thanks!