Southern Minnesota Tourism Association

Southern Minnesota Tourism Association Thursday May 4, 2017 9:00 am Jay C Hormel Nature Center 1304 21st St NE Austin MN

Stephanie Busiahn, SMTA President: opened the meeting at 9:20 am Nancy Schnable welcomed everyone to Austin

Self-intros were made- Adelman Katie [email protected] Visit Mankato Bach Arloa [email protected] Red Wing Chamber & Visitor Center Becker Jessica [email protected] ex dir of --- museum Busiahn Stephanie [email protected] SMTA President Fairmont CVB Carlson Kate Visit Winona DeWolfe Anne [email protected] Tiger Oak Media Elliason Pamela [email protected] La Qui Parle Co Gillespie Mary [email protected] Granite Falls Chamber Godfrey Katie [email protected] Director Events and Tourism-Owatonna Havelka Lisa [email protected] EMT Southern Regional Manager Hawkins Jennifer [email protected] Extension Service Hayes Bridget Visit Owatonna Johnson Anne [email protected] Redwood Falls Area Chamber & Tourism Johnson Nort Faribault Chamber & Tourism Kijenski Carrie [email protected] Krage Cheryl [email protected] Krenz Eileen [email protected] Lanphere Jane [email protected] Rock Co Lasar Jan [email protected] Lyon Cindy [email protected] Blue Earth Mutter Pat [email protected] Visit Winona/Winona Co Myers Mick [email protected] Pipestone Co Nerbonne Evy [email protected] Peterson Lisa [email protected] Northfield Chamber of Commerce & Tr Peterson Mark [email protected] MN Field Trip Library, Tour MN Assoc Piga Jim [email protected] Rahm Darin SMTA VP Visit Marshall Rathman Angela St James Super 8 Riley Christy-SMTA Past President-Murray Co Rodester Kathy Jo [email protected] Lake City Roper John Faribault county commissioner Schnable Nancy [email protected] SMTA Treasurer Austin CVB Schreckenghaust Cassi [email protected] Steckman Patricia [email protected] Henderson/Sibley Co Swatosh Tom [email protected] Younger Jim Tiger Oak Media Zwart Jeanne [email protected] LeSueur Co Guest Speakers: Sarah Psick and Lucy Botzek

1Southern Minnesota Tourism Association May 4, 2017 Minutes Tourism Discussion- Annual Reports – what is included, who does it go to, how is it used? Reports from each group: Cindy Lyon, Katie Godfrey, Carrie Kijenski and Nancy Schnable.

Cindy - reports to EDA, City Council, and County. Use reports as tool. Darin – Banners at event as support as opposed to monetary (Visit Marshall, website) Jane-Visitor Pass folds to 3.5”x2”–Luverne (print 6000, use all year/date for 2 weeks)

Agenda-Stephanie Busiahn: motion to approve (M/S/P Mick Myers & Nancy Schnable- unanimous)

Minutes of March 2, 2017: motion to approve (M/S/P Christy Riley & Pamela Ellison- unanimous)

Budget and Financial Report-Nancy Schnable (green handout): reviewed the report. Motion to approve (M/S/P Jeanne Zwart & Darin Rahm-unanimous).

County Funding-Lisa Havelka: (green handout-back) reviewed the 2017 county funding. She has contacted the counties that have not paid as yet. Some will be paying after May 15. The 2018 invoices will be mailed out in June.

Executive Committee-Darin Rahm: met with Derek Ramthun from EMT on 2017 Marketing Plan. SMTA budgeted $19,043 with a total of about $29,000 into marketing. Digital - Pandora ad and Take 5 Media. Print – Midwest Living and SD Magazine. Also reviewed some of the “make-goods” from Greenspring Media. Tiger Oak is here today and will be giving a report on the 2018 guide. Jim Younger-Tiger Oak Media: brought Casey Beldo designer was at exec meeting and editor was on speaker phone with us. Looking at dividing the guide by seasons. Anne DeWolfe-rate sheet available today. Feel free to contact with questions. There will be roundtable discussion/brainstorm on sub-regions and seasonal activities at July meeting in Marshall. Ideas and improvements: paper better quality and heavier cover; map placement with color tabs, insider tips, “can’t miss”, index Anne DeWolfe is willing to help by coming to communities and meet with potential advertisers. There will be an online edition and the capability of getting leads online.

EMT received 80,000 2017 Guides, 50,000 of the Guides were dropped in April in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader area newspaper. As of March there are 11,558 guides in inventory at EMT.

EMT Governor’s Council-Christy Riley: have mostly talked about EMT budget funding and special event funding. In 2018 the EMT conference will be held in southern: either 2Southern Minnesota Tourism Association May 4, 2017 Minutes Rochester or Mankato. It will be later than usual – it will be later February or early March due to the timing of the Super Bowl in Feb. in the Metro. Colle McVoy has been briefed on providing a bigger presence for southern at the conference.

Announcements:

MAVCB-Stephanie: MACVB summer summit June 5 & 6 – still currently looking for a host community/location for the 2-day event.

MNFEA-Jeanne Zwart: Minnesota Festivals and Events members and all those in tourism industry are invited to the TMA boat ride on May 24 in St. Paul.

Manager’s Report- Lisa Havelka: (blue handout)  EMT Website is newly updated/refreshed  Be sure to update your events on EMT to be considered for the Fall Explorer Newspaper  Request for Proposals for 2018 MN Pheasant Opener – contact Lisa. Darin can give info on applying to host.  Website feed feature you can take advantage of – bring in calendar of events to your website exploreminnesota.com/feed  SMTA meetings for 2018 will be announced soon. The first SMTA meeting will kick- off January 24 & 25 due to the Super Bowl and EMT Conference falling in March.

Other Business-Stephanie Busiahn:  Visitor Guides on back table - be sure to take to your CVB/Chamber  Marshall meeting-will do a breakout on how to present to your county commissioners  If any information is needed just ask – some cereal boxes are available.

Nancy Schnable introductions: Terry with Spam Museum –see her for door prize, Eileen-Nancy’s right hand person, Steve Kind, Josh-owner of Piggy Blues brought some special sauces to try at lunch.

Motion to adjourn at 11:35 am (M/S/P Jeanne Zwart & Pat Steckman-unanimous) Respectfully submitted, Jeanne Zwart -Secretary

Next SMTA Meeting July 12 & 13 in Marshall. Bean bag tournament, tour of Brau Bros. brewery and tour of Lyon county historical society. DOOR PRIZES / LUNCH Meeting Dates 2017 Meeting Locations Meeting Dates 2018 PROPOSED March 1-2 Mankato January 24-25 Marshall May 3-4 Austin May 2-3 Worthington

3Southern Minnesota Tourism Association May 4, 2017 Minutes July 12-13 Marshall July 11-12 Sleepy Eye September 13-14-Annual Wabasha September 12-13 Granite Falls Annual Meeting November 8-9 Owatonna November 7-8 New Ulm …………………………………………………………………….. Speakers: (during lunch)

Sarah Psick - lobbyist for Minnesota Tourism Growth Coalition www.mntourism.net “Tourism is the “front door” to economic development”

Lucy Botzek-lobbyist for MACVB (MACVB public policy committee chair is Stephanie Busiahn) Lodging tax is very important to the tourism industry. MACVB lobby’s to keep it intact for proper usage.

Q Attractions don’t know how to approach legacy funding. A. Perhaps MACVB Should work on that.

Q.What’s latest on bonding bill? A.Put forward on last night from last year $850-900 million bill (parks, facilities) in senate. From last year, add house $600 million, add governor $150 million.

The $900,000 second round for special events funding is not a done deal – call your legislator’s and ask they keep funding for tourism.

Q. User fees for hunting? A. Not approved yet.

4Southern Minnesota Tourism Association May 4, 2017 Minutes