Champaign council backs convention bureau
CHAMPAIGN -- City council members on Tuesday night made it clear that they do not agree with the findings of a majority of Urbana aldermen who said they wanted to lower the amount of city funding that goes toward tourism promotion.
Not only did Champaign officials affirm their funding for the Champaign County Convention and Visitors Bureau, they did so with a warning that it might cost more in the future with Urbana's choice to drop out for now.
The bureau draws funds from a number of county agencies, but Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing vetoed a $72,000 allocation earlier this summer. The Urbana council will revisit the issue this month, and some aldermen have said they favor restoring a portion of those funds.
Champaign Mayor Don Gerard said he respects his counterpart's judgment, but he is "100 percent in favor of funding the CVB."
"Part of it is their reluctance to fund an organization that they don't feel has any tangible value," Gerard said. "We in Champaign feel a little more optimistic about it."
Thousands in matching funds from the state are in jeopardy with the loss of Urbana's contribution, and one or all of the agencies might need to close the gap. The city of Champaign has budgeted a $223,000 contribution.
Council member Michael La Due said city officials and CVB staff need to "persist in trying to get a commitment from all the affected stakeholders."
Council member Marci Dodds suggested that officials need to consider whether there should be consequences for Urbana.
"If one of your team members isn't playing, do you keep them in the game?" Dodds asked. "And do they get the prize at the end?"
The council's affirmation of the CVB efforts left some wiggle room, however. Gerard mentioned some specific areas where the tourism bureau could improve, and audience member Craig Walker noted that its promotions need to be more inclusive of the black community.
Council members Will Kyles and Deborah Frank Feinen agreed with Walker. Kyles said there are a lot of opportunities to promote events in the city's District 1, the northeast part of town, that have not been promoted before.
"We need to be mindful that lots of different types of events are reflected," Feinen said.
MoreCVBs are a dinosaur. The council should have surveyed several trade show managers before making its decision -- the response would surprise them. Trade show managers no longer need CVBs in order to do their research. And they are smart enough to know that CVBs are biased emissaries and take that into account when solicited.
If the Mayor of Champaign is totally committed to supporting it, let the bar owners pay for it. The Liquor Commissioner could encourage them to fund it just as their financial donations fund the elections. It is not the taxpayers responsibility to fund it. The hotels, restaurants, and bars who benefit from it financially should fund it.
Your memory may be the dinosaur. First, what trade shows of consequence go to Champaign? Why would they interview managers? You likely meant conventions and as such I believe the CVB books far more business into Champaign to merit the small amount you guys are whining about.
Second, if you really think that's all the DMO does perhaps you should look at it more because you're totally discounting any other promotional activities they do and that my friend is quite a biased opinion.
Really..... ? How much business do they book? What are the promotional activities that they do? What are the merits of it for the average taxpaying citizen? I understand the merits of it for medium to large businesses; but why should the average taxpayer be funding it? Show a financial bottom line in the black to the average taxpayer indicating how it benefits them.
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