Hospitality Council Meeting Notes

1130 Washington Ave. 1st Floor North Miami Beach, FL 33139 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.gaybizmiami.com OFFICE: 305-673-4440 FAX: 305-673-8883

A Not –For-Profit Corporation

Hospitality Council – Meeting Notes

Attendees – Peggy Benua, Henry Flores, Grisette Roque-Marcos, Wendy Kallergis, Jeff Lehman, Eddie Calderon, and Corey Randolph

STAFF: Jorge Richa, Steve Adkins, Scott Bader

Hospitality Council – Meeting Agenda

August 4, 2016 – 4 pm (The Betsy Hotel South Beach – THANK YOU!!!)

Agenda

1. Welcome & Introductions (5 mins) 2. GMBHA Update – Wendy Kallergis  Short Term Rental Update 3. MBVCA Update – Grisette Roque (5 mins) 4. Ocean Drive Liquor Sale 2 am cut-off (5 min) 5. MDGLCC Hospitality Council updates  Landing Page for HC  PluggedIN E-Newsletter (weekly/monthly) 6. Pink Flamingo Hospitality Certification Program  Training Schedule update  Roll-out of enhancements

Notes from Meeting

ISSUES - #1 – ZIKA Concerns and the impact on local tourism (Wendy reporting) – ACTIONS – GMCVB and GMBHA are working on controlling press to lessen impact on negative reports on Wynwood Zika outbreak. GMBHA information is included in this distribution.

#2 – MBVCA Update – Grisette presented that tax collections remain on target and should provide for a fully-funded grant cycle in 2017; Miami Beach API/AP is online; New Customer Service training for Miami Beach. ACTION – For grant organizations which receive VCA Funding - We discussed coming up with language for our LGBT Organizations who put on events to place in their communications/website to discourage travelers from staying in non-licensed short-term rental properties. ONGOING Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce EMAIL: [email protected] OFFICE: 305-673-4440

#3 - AirBnB – Wendy spoke about the local impact of recent City of Miami Beach initiatives (higher fines, MB Magazine ad informing residents of the illegal nature of most AirBnB listings). ACTION – Continue to encourage state and local authorities to force AirBnB to collect/remit resort taxes in accordance with the law.

#4 - MDGLCC Hospitality Initiatives – Landing page on website & PluggedIN e-newsletter ACTION– As part of MDGLCC’s 2016/17 planning process, both of these items will be designed and implemented by final quarter 2016. Chamber to provide proposed templates of both items and will share with Council in October 2016. Goal is to launch prior to 2017 “season.”

#5- Pink Flamingo Training Schedule Action – Trainings are ongoing and targeted to take place at applicant’s location. A Quarterly training calendar will be established for such properties which do not have the established minimum of 10 employees. These sessions will take place at the LGBT Visitor Center.

Actionable Steps

#1 – Next Meeting Date at the Victor Hotel South Beach (1144 Ocean Drive; street parking or, parking at 12th Street Parking Garage near Police station or, 13th Street garage between Collins and Ocean)

Please select from the following dates:

 Tuesday September 13th - 10 am  Wednesday September 14th - 4 pm  Thursday September 15 - 10 am