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Home My WebLink AboutCAP 2007-04-10 Item 2A - Discussion - Seattle Southside Brand Expansion to Include Regional Economic Development City of Tukwila Steven M. Mullet, Mayor Office of the Mayor 6200 Southcenter Boulevard Tukwila, WA 98188 www.ci.tu1...wila.\Va.us TO: Mayor Community Affairs and Parks Committee Finance and Safety Committee FROM: Economic Development Administrator DATE: April 5, 2007 SUBJECT: Expansion of Seattle Southside Brand to Include Regional Economic Development ISSUE Whether to allow the Southwest King County Economic Development Initiative (SKCEDI) to use the Seattle Southside brand identity for regional economic development marketing. BACKGROUND The cities of Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila have teamed up with the Port of Seattle, King County, and Highline Community College as the Southwest King County Economic Development Initiative (SKCEDI) to build the economy of Southwest King County. As one of its projects, SKCEDI is going to do some coordinated marketing to attract business and development to Southwest King County. This marketing will probably involve some printed marketing materials, a website, and some presentations and tours of our area. It will significantly improve the marketing effort to have a consistent identity and SKCEDI has asked to use Seattle Southside's brand. For the past five years, the Seattle Souths ide brand has been used successfully to attract tourists from outside our state for the purpose of increasing overnight visitors to increase tourism dollars spent in Southwest King County communities. DISCUSSION Under Katherine Kertzman's direction, Seattle Southside has built a strong and very positive brand identity. With the right approach and management, expanding this brand to include regional economic development will be very positive for attracting tourists, businesses, and development. If this expansion moves forward, Seattle Southside will retain the rights to approve how the brand is used to ensure the quality of the brand is protected. Ms. Kertzman has expressed strong support for this expansion and on April 4, 2007 the Tukwila Lodging Tax Advisory Committee unanimously approved extending the brand to economic development. There is no additional budget request for this item. RECOMMENDATION This item is for discussion only. Council action is not required.