HomeMy WebLinkAboutLTAC 2024-12-20 Agenda Packet:.Tukwila
AGENDA
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
11:30 A.M., Friday, December 20, 2024
Hybrid Meeting
The public can view and listen to the meeting with the information below or attend the meeting in person at
Tukwila City Hall (6200 Southcenter Blvd.), Hazelnut conference room.
CALL IN INSTRUCTIONS: 253-292-9750 PHONE ID: 264 793 425#
Join on your computer or mobile app: Join the meeting now
For assistance during the meeting, please call (206) 731-9071.
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Review of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
a. October 11, 2024
4. Special Presentations
5. General Business
a. Budget Update
6. Pending Funding Requests
a. City of Tukwila Basic Operations, 2025 and 2026 Funding, ($300,822, $146,413 for 2025 and
$154,409 for 2026).
b. 2025 Experience Tukwila, ($215,000)
c. 2025 PacNW Winter Classic, ($20,000)
7. Announcements
8. Roundtable
9. Adjourn
Next Scheduled Meeting: When: TBD
Location: Hybrid
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
�Ti�kwila
DRAFT
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Minutes
11:30 AM 1 October 11, 2024
Hybrid Meeting
(Via Teams and at Hazelnut Conference Room at Tukwila City Hall)
Members Present: Chair Mohamed Abdi, Miesa Berry, Jim Davis, Brian Jones, Jean
Thompson
Members Absent:
City Staff Present:
Others Present:
None
Brandon Miles, Derek Speck
None
Agenda Item
Action
Follow -Up
Welcome and Introductions
Chair Abdi called the meeting
to order at 11:40 AM.
None
Review of Agenda
Reviewed
None
Approval of Minutes of
June 14, 2024
Jim moved approval. Brian
seconded. Motion passed.
None
Special Presentations
• None
None
None
General Business
• Six Year Financial Plan
Brandon presented the six year
financial plan. Jim and Jean
asked questions and Brandon
None
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Ti.41(14ila
made some adjustments to the
projections. He noted the
document does not authorize
expenditures and is simply a
planning tool.
Pending Funding Requests
• Seattle Seawolves
Brandon presented a request
from the Seattle Seawolves for
None
2025 and 2026 not to exceed
$180,000.
Brian shared additional
information about the
community benefits of the
request. Jim asked about
promoting to Eastern
Washington markets.
Jim moved approval of the
request. Jean seconded. Brian
recused himself. Motion
passed.
Announcements
• LTAC Reappointments
Brandon asked members to
Committee members should
email him if they would like to
email Brandon if interested in
be reappointed for 2025.
continuing to serve in 2025.
• General announcements
Brian spoke about the
None
Seawolves' 2025 schedule.
Jean mentioned Seattle
None
Chocolate Company's haunted
factory experience starts next
week.
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Til(wi lot
Jim spoke about budget and is
seeking a new director of sales.
Miesa spoke about their hotel's
renovation.
None
None
Roundtable
None
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at
12:14 PM.
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Tourism Funding, Six Year Financial Plan
DRAFT - Updated March 3, 2021
Working Draft Update 2023 Actuals 2024 Budget 2024 Projected (Unaudited) % Difference 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Totals, '24-'30
Tourism Revenue
Lodging Tax $ 971,162 $ 750,000 $
Federal Indirect Grants: $ - $
Local Grants & Other Payments: $ 44,000 $ 20,000 $
Interest and Other Earnings: $ 122,651 $ 20,000 $
Total Revenues: $ 1,137,813 $ 790,000 $
Tourism Expenses
Marketing, Sales, and Sponsorships
Sponsorships $ 130,000
Small Events $ 15,000
?rience Tukwila, Branding and Marketing, Visitors $ 190,000
World Cup Planning and Activation $ 50,000
Business Attraction and Promotion $ 30,000
785,000 4.67%
125,000
910,000
525.00%
15.19%
900,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 900,000 $ 900,000 $ 950,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 6,435,000
20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 245,000
920,000 $ 1,020,000 $ 920,000 $ 920,000 $ 970,000 $ 1,020,000 $ 6,680,000
175,000
15,000
200,000
250,000
30,000
175,000
15,000
200,000
500,000
30,000
175,000
15,000
200,000
30,000
175,000
15,000
210,000
30,000
175,000
15,000
210,000
30,000
175,000
15,000
210,000
30,000
Sub Total: $ 280,180 $ 415,000 $
Special Projects (Previosuly COVID Response)
Showare Sponsorship $ 15,000
Station Domination (SSRTA)
Sub Total: $ 15,000 $
Destination Development
Wayfinding Plan Development and Installation $ 100,000 $
Art Investments $ 75,000 $
Tukwila Pond $ - $
General Administration
412,000 -0.72%
- 100.00%
670,000
920,000
420,000 $ 430,000
430,000
430,000
1,050,000
90,000
1,230,000
750,000
180,000
3,712,000
$ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 90,000
15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000
100,000
75,000
200,000
40,000
100,000
40,000
600,000
15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 90,000
150,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000
40,000 $ 40,000 $ 40,000
600,000 $ 600,000 $ 600,000
Sub Total: $ 175,000 $
Salary and Benefits
City Overhead Charge
Administrative
Sub Total:
Total Expenditures:
Beginning Fund Balance:
Ending Fund Balance:
Notes
93,001 $ 101,850 $
26,493 $ 27,818 $
11,203 $ 30,000 $
130,697 $ 159,668 $
410,877 $ 764,668 $
- 100.00%
115,917 13.81%
27,818 0.00%
12,750-57.50%
156,485 -1.99%
568,485-25.66%
175,000
240,000
740,000
790,000 $ 790,000 $ 790,000
850,000
275,000
2,400,000
3,525,000
71,954 $ 78,490 $ 80,845 $ 83,270 $ 85,768 $ 88,341 $ 604,585
29,209 $ 30,669 $ 31,000 $ 32,000 $ 33,000 $ 34,000 $ 217,696
30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 31,000 $ 32,000 $ 33,000 $ 198,750
131,163 $ 139,159 $ 141,845 $ 146,270 $ 150,768 $ 155,341 $ 1,021,031
991,163 $ 1,314,159 $ 1,316,845 $ 1,381,270 $ 1,385,768 $ 1,390,341 $ 8,348,031
$ 2,342,419
N/A
$ 3,069,355J
$ 3,410,870
$ 3,339,707
$ 3,045,548
$ 2,648,703
$ 2,187,433
$ 1,771,665
$ 3,069,355
N/A
$ 3,410,870
$ 3,339,707
$ 3,045,548
$ 2,648,703
$ 2,187,433
$ 1,771,665
$ 1,401,324
This document does not bind the City to provide funds nor does it authorize any funding. All use of lodging tax funds must be approved by LTAC and the City Council through an application process.
The blue shaded cells indicate updates to what was intially approved.
Salary/Benefits for Business Relations Manager is split 75/25 between general fund and lodging tax and is estimated to increase 3% annually after 2026.
The City overhead charge is charged to all special funds. It recoups the cost to the general fund to support the lodging tax fund. It includes facilities, technology, legal, accounting, and record keeping services and is estimated to increase 3% annually after 2024.
The totals include the budgeted 2025-2030 and the projected actuals for 2024.
Updated: 10/7/2024
BJM
Application to the City of Tukwila for Use of 2025 Lodging Tax Funds
Event or Activity Name (if applicable):
2025 and 2026 City of Tukwila, General
Administration, Small Marketing, Small Event
Support, Indirect Cost Reimbursement, and
labor costs.
Amount of Lodging Tax Requested:
$300,822 ($146,413, '25 and $154,409 for '26)_
Applicant Organization:
City of Tukwila, Mayor's Office
Federal Tax ID Number:
91-6001519
Mailing Address:
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Primary Contact Name:
Brandon J. Miles
Primary Contact Phone:
(206) 731-9071
Primary Contact Email Address:
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Check all the service categories that apply to this application:
✓ Tourism promotion or marketing.
Operation of a special event or festival designed to attract tourists.
Operation of a tourism -related facility owned or operated by a non-profit organization.
✓ Operation and/or capital costs of a tourism -related facility owned by a municipality or a
public facilities district.
Check which one of the following applies to your agency:
Non -Profit (Note: Attach a copy of your current non-profit corporate registration from the
Washington Secretary of State Office)
✓ Municipality
I am an authorized agent of the organization/agency applying for funding. I understand that:
• I am proposing a tourism -related service for 2023. If awarded, my organization intends to enter
into a services contract with the City; provide liability insurance for the duration of the contract
naming the City as additional insured and in an amount determined by the City; and file for a
permit for use of City property, if applicable.
• My agency will be required to submit a report documenting economic impact results in a
format determined by the City.
/s/ 12/17/2024
Signature:
Brandon J. Miles
Date:
1) Describe your tourism -related activity or event.
The City of Tukwila requests funding for 2025 and 2026 for administration of the City's lodging tax
fund, basic small marketing activities, office supplies, limited travel, professional services, small event
support, reimbursement of the City's indirect charge, and labor (.25 FTE).
Funds for this application are used for general administration, staff time (.25 FTE), and related costs
incurred by the City in managing its lodging tax program. In the past the funds for this application were
used for the following activities intended to support the entire tourism program.
• Office Supplies;
• Professional Services;
• Small Marketing Activities;
• Small event support;
• Training and Education;
• Membership, Registration, and Subscriptions;
• Parking, Travel, and Meals; and
• Indirect Cost Allocation.
• Small Event Support
In 2020 LTAC and the City Council approved a two-year funding request by the City for our basic
operations. The 2021 budget funds were $141,160 and the 2022 budget funds are $148,959. Lodging
tax supports a .5 FTE in the office of economic development, with the remaining .5 FTE being supported
by the general fund. A two-year request was approved in 2022 for 2023 and 2024. The total award was
$338,048 ($166,150 for 2023 and $171,898 for 2024). For 2025 and 2026 lodging tax is being requested
to support a .25 FTE.
The City is also requesting a charge for the City's indirect cost allocation. The lodging tax fund is one of
several special revenue funds managed by the City of Tukwila. Under State Law, the City is permitted to
charge special revenue funds for the indirect costs that are incurred by the general fund to support and
maintain these special revenue funds. These costs include, but are not limited to, legal support,
accounting, insurance, technology services, human services, and office administration. Activities that
are needed to support the lodging fund.
The City is also requesting small amount of the $30,000 for small sponsorship opportunities ($15,000
per year) throughout the year that could help build the Tukwila brand and help enhance the tourist
destination. These funds have been useful in quickly sponsoring events and activities that come up
throughout the year that are small in nature and reduces staff workload by not having to go through a
formal application process for each small request.
In 2025 the City of Tukwila, Mayor's Office will oversee nearly $400,000 in lodging tax funds awarded
to outside groups. Each award requires a contract and ongoing oversight by City staff. The City is also
managing the Experience Tukwila digital platform development and marketing, which launched this
year.
2) If an event, list the event name, date(s), and projected overall attendance.
This request is not for a specific event. However, the application helps support the City's ability to use
funds to support third parties and for the City to use lodging tax for possible events. Limited funds are
also providing to help support small scale events and activities in the City.
3) Is your event/activity/facility focusing on attracting overnight tourists, day tourists, or both?
Both, the City uses its lodging tax funds to support marketing activities for both day and overnight
visitors. These are for activities either done by the City or by third parties.
In the past the City has used its lodging tax funds to support Seattle Southside Regional Tourism
Authority; events such as the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon; the Backyard Wildlife Fair; and marketing
activities at the Museum of Flight and Starfire Sports. Providing funding for outside organizations
requires administrative support from several departments, including Finance, City Attorney,
Technology Services, City Clerk, and Economic Development.
Additionally, there are tourism related trainings, events, and memberships that the City would like to
be part of. These activities help support the City's ongoing tourism efforts.
4) Describe why visitors will travel to Tukwila to attend your event/activity/facility.
N/A
The request is for funding to help support City's costs incurred by the City to administer the lodging tax
fund and for expenses that are related to tourism. As discussed above, the lodging tax fund is used to
support a variety of activities in the region, which bring both day and overnight visitors to the City.
Costs associated, such as offices supplies, travel, parking, and education related to tourism and
marketing should be charged to lodging tax and not the City's general fund.
Having access to funds for small events allows the City build its destination.
5) Describe the geographic target of the visitors you hope to attract (locally, regionally,
nationally, and/or internationally).
N/A.
6) Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility in attracting tourists
The City has a long history of success in using lodging tax funds to support a wide range of activities,
including Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority, the Museum of Flight, Starfire Sports, and the
Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce (now known as Seattle Southside Chamber of
Commerce).
7) If this your first time holding the event/activity/facility provide background on why you think
it will be successful.
N/A
8) Describe the media strategy you employ to promote your event/activity/facility to attract
overnight and/or day tourists? Please list any digital or print media (newsletters, e-blasts,
social media, etc.) your agency uses or intends to use to promote your event/activity/facility.
N/A
9) Describe how you will promote lodging establishments, restaurants, retailers, and
entertainment establishments in the City of Tukwila.
N/A
10) Is the City able to use your digital and print media for collaborative marketing?
N/A
11) Describe how you will use the name, "Tukwila" in publications, promotions, and for your
event?
N/A
12) Measurements and Metrics (Note: You will be required to report these metrics as part of the
close out of the agreement between your organization and the City.)
As a direct result of your proposed tourism -related service, provide an estimate of:
a.
Overall attendance at your proposed event/activity/facility.
20,000
b.
Number of people who will travel fewer than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
19,000
c.
Number of people who will travel more than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
1,000
d.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will travel from another country or state.
200
e.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will stay overnight in Tukwila.
50
f.
Of the people staying overnight, the number of people who will stay in
PAID accommodations (hotel/motel/bed-breakfast) in Tukwila.
50
g.
Number of paid lodging room nights resulting from your proposed
event/ activity/facility (for example: 25 paid rooms on Friday and 50
paid rooms on Saturday = 75 paid lodging room nights)
200
Special Note: The numbers provided above are direct estimates for this application and related to
the proposed special events part of the budget. Many of these special events will help with the
City's overall destination development goals. Existing hotel guests will be able to benefit from the
activities.
Additionally, this application helps supports the City's efforts in funding activities by third parties.
Combined, these third parties marketed the City to nearly 2 million people. For example, in 2024
Starfire Sports received $55,000 in lodging tax funds and nearly 1.3 million people visited the
Starfire Sports campus. The ability to provide funding to these third parties could not occur without
the City's ability to process contracts and provide payment, which is supported by this application.
13) What methodologies did you use to calculate the estimates and what methodologies will you
use to track outcomes, such as total participants, estimated visitor spending, etc?
As discussed above, the City uses its lodging tax funds to support a wide range of activities. In 2025 and
2026, the City anticipates funding a variety of activities. These funded activities have metrics, which
the City will use for reporting purposes for this funding request. However, for reporting purposes the
City report the metrics for these third -party applications separately. Additionally, the City's efforts are
intended to create a better tourist economy and encourage more organic visits to the City. These
organic visitors are difficult to attract directly, but ultimately success can be tracked by increase sales at
area businesses and increase revenue from hotels.
No.
No.
14) Are you applying for lodging tax funds from another community? If so, which communities
and in what amounts?
15) Are you applying funding from Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (SSRTA)? If so, in
what amount?
16) What is the overall budget for your event/activity/facility? What percent of the budget are
you requesting from the City of Tukwila?
Total requested funding is $324,882 spread out over two years (see below):
The following is the proposed budget for the campaign (note funds in rows 1-11 might be moved
between budget rows, but won't exceed the total amount requested). Underspent funds in 2025 may
be moved into 2026. However, the total award of $324,822 would not be exceeded.
Budget
2023
2024
2025
2026
1
Office Supplies
$ 750
$ 750
$750
$750
This is for general offices supplies
and for domain names holds the
City has purchased.
2
Professional
Services
$ 15,000
$ 15,000
$8,000
$8,000
These funds are used to assist
with tourism promotion
activities that might arise
during the year. For example,
in 2020 funds were used for
the creation of a dining guide
to highlight restaurants
offering carryout and delivery
during COVID-19,
photography, Halloween events
and activities, and other small-
scale operations.
3
Training and
Education
$ 6,000
$ 6,000
$2,000
$2,000
These funds are intended for
staff, LTAC Members, and
elected officials who might
desire or need education or
training for tourism related
activities.
4
Memberships,
Registrations, and
subscriptions.
$ 8,500
$ 8,500
$10,000
$10,000
Memberships could include:
• Seattle Chamber of
Commerce
• Seattle Sports
Commission
• Washington
Tourism Alliance
• WFEA
• Others
5
LTAC Meetings
$ 500
$ 500
$500
$500
Staff tries to minimize expenses
for LTAC meetings. Staff is
allocated funds for 2023 and
2024 should equipment or
services be needed for hybrid
meetings.
6
Parking, Travel and
Meals
$ 2,500
$ 2,500
$4,000
$4,000
This is for staff, City
Councilmembers, and LTAC
members who might want to
attend tourism related meetings.
Staff is forecasted a lower need
for these funds in 2021.
7
Small Event
Sponsorship
$ 15,000
$ 15,000
$15,000
$15,000
These funds are used to support
small events and activities in the
City and in the region. Some
examples of
use of the these funds in the past
include supporting an e-gaming
event at Virtual Sports,
Seawolves player appearances,
hosting a quarterly meeting of
the Seattle Sports Commission in
Seattle, and food truck events
with Westfield. Having access to
funds allows staff to partner
quickly to for events and
activities, without going through
the lengthy lodging tax process.
9
Labor (wages and
benefits)
$ 91,407
$ 95,830
$71,954
$78,490
This is not a new position.
Funding for the Director of
Strategic Initiatives and
Government Relations Director is
will be split 75/25 between the
general fund and lodging tax
fund.
10
Indirect Cost
Allocation
$ 26,493
$ 27,818
$29,209
$30,669
This a transfer to the City's
general fund and helps to
reimburse the City for cost to the
general fund associated with the
lodging tax funds, such as
accounting, legal, TIS, facilities,
and fleet.
11
Totals:
$166,150
$171,898
$146,413
$154,409
It may be necessary to move
funds between rows 1-11;
however, the total expenditure
will not exceed the total listed in
row 11.
17. What will you cut from your proposal or do differently if full funding for your request is not
available or recommended?
Without funding it would jeopardize the City's ability to process third party requests for lodging tax
funding. Additionally, the City might choose to require the lodging tax fund to "pay as it goes" for
support provided by the City. This could result in higher charges being imposed to the lodging fund.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis. Please contact staff to discuss the process for having the
application reviewed by the City's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Completed applications should be submitted to:
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
c/o Brandon Miles
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Or,
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Questions?
LTAC Contact:
Brandon J. Miles
(206) 731-9071
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov.
Updated: December 16, 2024
Til(wi lot
Staff Memorandum
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Funding Request
Name of Applicant:
City of Tukwila, Experience Tukwila
Address:
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Total Funds Requested:
$215,000 for 2025.
About the Applicant:
The Department of Strategic Initiatives and Government Relations oversees the City of Tukwila's
Experience Tukwila initiative, which had previously been under the Office of Economic Development.
The City of Tukwila has extensive experience in managing marketing and communications initiative,
including social media, special events, and third party sponsorships.
Funds Previously Awarded:
$190,000 has been awarded per year over the last few years to promote the City of Tukwila within the
greater Seattle region.
Funding Request Narrative:
In 2020 the City of Tukwila launched the Experience Tukwila digital initiative. The initiative includes a
dedicated website, ExperienceTukwila.com and social media. The goal is to promote the City of
Tukwila to consumers, primarily within 50 miles of the City, including hotel guests who are already in
the area. The City is seeking funding to continue to contract with a third party to run the day-to-day
operations of Experience Tukwila and to expand content development.
Experience Tukwila was in full operation in spring of 2021, with the website, ExperienceTukwila.com
going live. Experience Tukwila has provided the City and the Tukwila community a much needed
marketing tool to promote the City. Through Experience Tukwila the City has been able to:
1. Promote special events, such as the Juneteenth, on a website dedicated to promoting the City versus
using the City's government website.
2. The ability to push positive social media stories out to people about Tukwila, such as the news that the
OL Reign will move their training facility to Starfire Sports.
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
(T41(wilat
3. Social media interactions with local media, specifically sports reporters, sports teams and has started
to engage with local influencers.
4. Pushing out videos by the City and third parties to promote the City.
The City contracts with a marketing agency to manage the day-to-day operations of Experience
Tukwila, which includes maintaining the website, strategy development, project management,
special projects and content creation. The current firm is True Blue Strategies and they have
provided great, timely work to build out the Tukwila brand.
The 2025 funding request will provide the following:
1. Monthly operations of Experience Tukwila, including social media content creation, website
maintenance, and project management.
2. One-time items, including a website update, video photo shoot, and other special projects.
3. Creative ways to generate content with high school students and community members through a paid
partnership.
4. Sponsorships.
Staff Comments:
Experience Tukwila has provided the city with a dedicated avenue to promote the City, community
and businesses. Overtime it has grown to help the City tell its story and has been used as a resources
for events in the City, such as the City's Juneteenth event and other events within the City.
Consistency with Six Year Financial Model:
For 2025 and 2026, the Six Year Financial Plan shows the City spending $150,000 for sponsorship,
such as this. The funds allocated for 2023 will be higher than the budget amount, but revenues for
2022 came in higher and staff anticipated updating the six -financial plan to account for the higher
revenues. The funds are being taken from two parts of the financial plan.
2025 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Experience Tukwila:
$200,000
Pending Funding Request:
($200,000)
Remaining Experience
Tukwila Funds:
$0
Sponsorships:
$175,000
Experience Tukwila Pending
Funding Request:
($15,000)
PacNW Pending Request:
($20,000)
General Operations
Sponsorship Pending
Request:
($15,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$160,000
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
(U41(wila
2026 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Experience Tukwila:
$200,000
Pending Funding Request:
($200,000)
Remaining Experience
Tukwila Funds:
$0
Sponsorships:
$175,000
Experience Tukwila Pending
Funding Request:
($15,000)
PacNW Pending Request:
($20,000)
General Operations
Sponsorship Pending
Request:
($15,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$160,000
City of Tukwila Staff
Recommendation to LTAC: Approval
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Application to the City of Tukwila for Use of 2025 Lodging Tax Funds
Event or Activity Name (if applicable):
Experience Tukwila
Amount of Lodging Tax Requested:
$215,000
Applicant Organization:
City of Tukwila
Federal Tax ID Number:
91-600159
Mailing Address:
Office of the Mayor
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Primary Contact Name:
Brandon Miles
Primary Contact Phone:
(206) 731-9071
Primary Contact Email Address:
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Check all the service categories that apply to this application:
Tourism promotion or marketing.
Operation of a special event or festival designed to attract tourists.
Operation of a tourism -related facility owned or operated by a non-profit organization.
Operation and/or capital costs of a tourism -related facility owned by a municipality or a public
facilities district.
Check which one of the following applies to your agency:
Non -Profit (Note: Attach a copy of your current non-profit corporate registration from the
Washington Secretary of State Office)
Municipality
For Profit Corporation
I am an authorized agent of the organization/agency applying for funding. I understand that:
• I am proposing a tourism -related service for 2023. If awarded, my organization intends to enter
into a services contract with the City; provide liability insurance for the duration of the contract
naming the City as additional insured and in an amount determined by the City; and file for a
permit for use of City property, if applicable.
• My agency will be required to submit a report documenting economic impact results in a
format determined by the City.
Signature: /s/ Date: 2/28/24
1. Describe your tourism -related activity or event.
In 2020 the City of Tukwila launched the Experience Tukwila digital initiative. The initiative includes
a dedicated website, ExperienceTukwila.com and social media. The goal is to promote the City of
Tukwila to consumers, primarily within 50 miles of the City, including hotel guests who are already
in the area. The City is seeking funding to continue to contract with a third party to run the day-to-
day operations of Experience Tukwila and to expand content development.
Experience Tukwila was in full operation in spring of 2021, with the website,
ExperienceTukwila.com going live. Experience Tukwila has provided the City and the Tukwila
community a much needed marketing tool to promote the City. Through Experience Tukwila the
City has been able to:
1. Promote special events, such as the Juneteenth, on a website dedicated to promoting the City
versus using the City's government website.
2. The ability to push positive social media stories out to people about Tukwila, such as the news
that the OL Reign will move their training facility to Starfire Sports.
3. Social media interactions with local media, specifically sports reporters, sports teams and has
started to engage with local influencers.
4. Pushing out videos by the City and third parties to promote the City.
The City contracts with a marketing agency to manage the day-to-day operations of Experience
Tukwila, which includes maintaining the website, strategy development, project management,
special projects and content creation. The current firm is True Blue Strategies and they have
provided great, timely work to build out the Tukwila brand.
The 2025 funding request will provide the following:
1. Monthly operations of Experience Tukwila, including social media content creation, website
maintenance, and project management.
2. One-time items, including a website update, video photo shoot, and other special projects.
3. Creative ways to generate content with high school students and community members through
a paid partnership.
4. Sponsorships.
2. If an event, list the event name, date(s), and projected overall attendance.
N/A
3. Is your event/activity/facility focusing on attracting overnight tourists, day tourists, or both?
Page 2 of 8
This is a pure branding and marketing initiative. The geographic focus are consumers within 50
miles of the City. This could include household, employees, and overnight guests who are
already in the area. For outside the 50 miles radius the City partners with the cities of SeaTac
and Des Moines through Seattle Southside RTA. Experience Tukwila provides another source of
content for SSRTA, Visit Seattle, and other partners to share on their social media and digital
platforms.
4. Describe why visitors will travel to Tukwila to attend your event/activity/facility.
Tukwila's central location, its transportation connections, and mass transit makes Tukwila a
great and easily accessible destination to get away for a day or an overnight trip. The City is
home to nearly 200 restaurants, the largest mall in the Pacific NW, Starfire Sports, and the
Museum of Flight. The City has had success is bringing people to the City. The goal of
Experience Tukwila is to get people to come more often, stay longer, and realize they are in
Tukwila (versus other cities).
5. Describe the geographic target of the visitors you hope to attract (locally, regionally,
nationally, and/or internationally).
Primary within 50 miles of the City; however, hotel guests throughout the region are part of the
target audience.
6. Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility in attracting tourists.
2023 Targets
2023 Actuals
2024 Actuals
(through
November)
Website Visitors
10,000
11,200
9,500
Page Views
30,000
33,900
41,800
Total Social
Media Followers
10,000
3,400
Total Social
Media
Impressions
1,000,000
500,000
163,278
The website continues to grow in usage. This is likely a reflection of the content on the page and that
we use it to set up event specific pages. One of our strongest performances has been in organic search,
which is likely a reflection of the regular updates, including a blog that we post on the page. Over 50%
of users to the webpage are coming from organic search.
Page 3 of 8
The City has had success in social media posts regarding specific events, such as Juneteenth, the
Seattle Seawolves, and Seattle Chocolate Haunted Factory Tour.
7. If this your first time holding the event/activity/facility provide background on why you think
it will be successful.
In 2020 and 2021 our goal for Experience Tukwila was to get the social media and website up and
running. In 2022/23 the goal was to improve the operations and get a year of operation on hopefully
the downside of the pandemic. One of goals was to create more authentic content for Experience
Tukwila, which we have done with blog posts about the Seawolves and Sounders and utilizing
influencers to promote Experience Tukwila on third party sites.
Our goals for 2024 were to:
1. Building out more authentic content.
2. Creating more reels and videos for social media use.
3. Engaging with more third parties to help promote the City.
We have largely been successful with our goal for 2024. Some examples of the work we did in 2024:
1. We hired "Broccoli Guy" to be our reporter at the Major League Rugby (MLR) Finals and
allowed him to takeover our Instagram account. This resulted in fun engagement and
impressions for Experience Tukwila.
2. We created a hype video to promote the City with various groups and online.
3. Our biggest success has been third parties adding Experience Tukwila as a collaborator on
Instagram reels. This was organic, with third parties promoting themselves and Tukwila when
they dined out our had an experience in Tukwila. The best part is that this was totally free for
the City.
8. Describe how you will promote lodging establishments, restaurants, retailers, and
entertainment establishments in the City of Tukwila.
Experience Tukwila promotes the City's various lodging, restaurants, retailers, and entertainment
establishments. ExperienceTukwila.com features pages for each specific category mentioned
above.
9. Is the City able to use your digital and print media for collaborative marketing?
Yes.
10. Describe how you will use the name, "Tukwila" in publications, promotions, and for your
event?
Experience Tukwila is all about Tukwila. The brand is focused on the Tukwila name.
Page 4 of 8
11. Measurements and Metrics (Note: You will be required to report these metrics as part of the
close out of the agreement between your organization and the City.)
As a direct result of your proposed tourism -related service, provide an estimate of:
a.
Overall attendance at your proposed event/activity/facility.
200,000 social
media
impressions.
b.
Number of people who will travel fewer than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
90%
However,
hotel guests
in the
Greater
Seattle area
are also a
focus of
Experience
Tukwila.
c.
Number of people who will travel more than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
10%
(see note
above)
d.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will travel from another country or state.
5%
e.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will stay overnight in Tukwila.
5%
f.
Of the people staying overnight, the number of people who will stay in
PAID accommodations (hotel/motel/bed-breakfast) in Tukwila.
1,000
g.
Number of paid lodging room nights resulting from your proposed
event/ activity/facility (for example: 25 paid rooms on Friday and 50
paid rooms on Saturday = 75 paid lodging room nights)
3,000
Page 5 of 8
12. What methodologies did you use to calculate the estimates and what methodologies will you
use to track outcomes, such as total participants, estimated visitor spending, etc.?
The impressions outlined above are a forecasted amount for 2025. The forecast is built on
the limited historical data we currently have for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
It is important to remember that Experience Tukwila is a pure marketing and branding
effort. Tracking actual hotel stays and visitors spending through such efforts can be difficult
and at best can only show a caution, not causation.
For overall success of Experience Tukwila, we intend on tracking the following metrics.:
2021 Totals
2022 Actuals
(Through
August 31,
2022)
2023
Targets
2023
Actuals
2024
Targets
Website Visitors
5,193
4,915
10,000
11,200
15,000
Page Views
9,477
7,154
30,000
33,900
40,000
Total Social
Media Followers
2,533
2,946
10,000
3,400
5,000
Total Social
Media
Impressions
808,401
483,393,
1,000,000
500,000
500,000
13. Are you applying for lodging tax funds from another community? If so, which communities
and in what amounts?
No.
14. Are you applying funding from Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (SSRTA)? If so, in
what amount?
No.
15. What is the overall budget for your event/activity/facility? What percent of the budget are
you requesting from the City of Tukwila?
Page 6 of 8
The following outlines the draft budgeted items for Experience Tukwila for 2022. The final numbers are
still subject to negotiation with the contractor.
2024 Experience Tukwila
DRAFT Budget
2025 Estimated Costs (Monthly)
2025 Estimated Costs
(Annually)
Project Management, Social
Media Content, and Creation,
Website Content Update
$11,000
$132,000
Email Marketing
$1,080
$12,960
Ad Buys
$415
$4,980
Subtotal Ongoing Expenses:
$149,940
Special Projects
Video Creation
$25,000
Photoshoot
$15,000
Website refresh
$0
SEO
$5,000
Email Template Update
$1,500
Extra Labor, Influencer, sponsorships, and
community member social media production
$15,000
Subtotal:
$61,500
*Note: Funds may be moved between categories, but the total spend will not exceed $215,000
Annual Ongoing Costs:
$149,940
Onetime Items:
$61,500
Contingency and Ad Buys
$3,560
Total Costs:
$215,000
*Note: Funds may be moved between categories, but the total spend will not exceed $215,000
16. What will you cut from your proposal or do differently if full funding for your request is not
available or recommended?
Page 7 of 8
We would likely eliminate the contract with the third party to manage the day-to-day activities of
Experience Tukwila. This would likely reduce our posts and updates of the pages impacting quality of
the media.
Completed applications should be submitted to:
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
c/o Brandon Miles
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Or,
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Questions?
LTAC Contact:
Brandon J. Miles
(206) 431-3684
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov.
Updated: January 5, 2021
Page 8 of 8
(T41(wilat
Staff Memorandum
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Funding Request
Name of Applicant:
PacNW
Address:
100 Andover Parkway W, Suite 150,
Tukwila WA 98188
Total Funds Requested:
Not to exceed $20,000
About the Applicant:
The Department of Strategic Initiatives and Government Relations oversees the City of Tukwila's
Experience Tukwila initiative, which had previously been under the Office of Economic Development. The
City of Tukwila has extensive experience in managing marketing and communications initiative, including
social media, special events, and third -party sponsorships.
Funds Previously Awarded:
$28,170 was awarded for 2024; however, the 2"d weekend was cancelled and only $8,150 was paid at a
rate of $10 per actual room night.
Funding Request Narrative:
PacNW Winter Classic soccer tournament is held annually over two successive weekends in January
(January 10-12 & 17-20, 2025) at Starfire Sports in Tukwila. Over 500 amateur teams from throughout the
Western US were registered for the 2024 tournament. However, due to weather -related reasons,
weekend 2 was canceled by the ruling of the US Youth Soccer weather minimum standard. The 2025
tournament is anticipating 600 amateur teams.
Prior to the 2024 tournament, a strategic effort was implemented to relocate room nights from Renton,
Seattle, Bellevue and Federal Way and to Tukwila hotels. An LTAC application was submitted in May of
2023 to provide a commission to the tournament organization to encourage team hotel bookings in
Tukwila hotels for the January 2024 tournament. While the tournament increased total hotel room night
bookings (prior to cancellation of the 2"d weekend) by 23%, Tukwila's hotel room night bookings
increased 119% over the prior year.
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
1i1kwikt
Due to the cancellation of the 2"d weekend in 2024, Tukwila hotels were not able to fully realize the
potential room nights generated by the tournament. A continued effort to relocate room nights from
Renton, Seattle, Bellevue and Federal Way to Tukwila is underway for the 2025 tournament.
This application is for the unused 2024 commission for the tournament organization (that was in place in
2024 but unused due to the weather cancellation) to be put into place for the 2"d tournament weekend in
2025 (January 17-20, 2025). It is reasonable to predict that substantially more than 2,000 room nights will
be realized in Tukwila hotels during January 17-20, 2025. The unused portion of the 2024 commission
($20,000) is equivalent to 2,000 Tukwila hotel room nights in 2025.
Staff Comments:
The City will pay a commission of $10 per room night for the 2"d weekend of the tournament, January 17-
20, 2025.There is no minimum room night requirement to receive the $10/room night. All room nights
must be booked through Event Connect and all actualized room nights will be verified by Event Connect.
No commission will be paid on any room nights booked around the Event Connect platform. The city has
noted that with this late of a request, it's likely that the city is paying a rebate for room nights were going
to get anyways.
Consistency with Six Year Financial Model:
For 2025 the Six Year Financial Plan shows the City spending $175,000 for sponsorship, such as this.
2025 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Sponsorships:
$175,000
Experience Tukwila Pending
Funding Request:
($15,000)
PacNW Pending Request:
($20,000)
General Operations
Sponsorship Pending
Request:
($15,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$160,000
City of Tukwila Staff
Recommendation to LTAC: Approval
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
Application to the City of Tukwila for Use of 2025 Lodging Tax Funds
Event or Activity Name (if applicable):
PacNW Winter Classic — 2025 Tournament
Amount of Lodging Tax Requested:
$20,000
Applicant Organization:
City of Tukwila, Office of Economic
Development
Federal Tax ID Number:
20-8611780
Mailing Address:
100 Andover Parkway W, Suite 150, Tukwila
WA 98188
Primary Contact Name:
Pacific Northwest Soccer, Todd Johnson, Ex
Dir
Primary Contact Phone:
(425) 765-4468
Primary Contact Email Address:
execdir@pacnwsc.org
Check all the service categories that apply to this application:
Tourism promotion or marketing.
X Operation of a special event or festival designed to attract tourists.
Operation of a tourism -related facility owned or operated by a non-profit organization.
Operation and/or capital costs of a tourism -related facility owned by a municipality or a public
facilities district.
Check which one of the following applies to your agency:
X Non -Profit (Note: Attach a copy of your current non-profit corporate registration from the
Washington Secretary of State Office)
Municipality
For Profit Corporation
I am an authorized agent of the organization/agency applying for funding. I understand that:
• I am proposing a tourism -related service for 2025. If awarded, my organization intends to enter
into a services contract with the City; provide liability insurance for the duration of the contract
naming the City as additional insured and, in an amount, determined by the City; and file for a
permit for use of City property, if applicable.
• My agency will be required to submit a report documenting economic impact results in a
format determined by the city.
Signature: Todd Johnson, PacNW Winter Classic Director
Date: December 9, 2024
1) Describe your tourism -related activity or event.
PacNW Winter Classic soccer tournament is held annually over two successive weekends in
January (January 10-12 & 17-20, 2025) at Starfire Sports in Tukwila. Over 500 amateur teams
from throughout the Western US were registered for the 2024 tournament. However, due to
weather -related reasons, weekend 2 was canceled by the ruling of the US Youth Soccer
weather minimum standard. The 2025 tournament is anticipating 600 amateur teams.
Prior to the 2024 tournament, a strategic effort was implemented to relocate room nights
from Renton, Seattle, Bellevue and Federal Way and to Tukwila hotels. An LTAC application
was submitted in May of 2023 to provide a commission to the tournament organization to
encourage team hotel bookings in Tukwila hotels for the January 2024 tournament. While the
tournament increased total hotel room night bookings (prior to cancellation of the 2nd
weekend) by 23%, Tukwila's hotel room night bookings increased 119% over the prior year.
Due to the cancellation of the 2nd weekend in 2024, Tukwila hotels were not able to fully
realize the potential room nights generated by the tournament. A continued effort to
relocate room nights from Renton, Seattle, Bellevue and Federal Way to Tukwila is underway
for the 2025 tournament.
This application is for the unused 2024 commission for the tournament organization (that was
in place in 2024 but unused due to the weather cancellation) to be put into place for the 2nd
tournament weekend in 2025 (January 17-20, 2025). It is reasonable to predict that
substantially more than 2,000 room nights will be realized in Tukwila hotels during January
17-20, 2025. The unused portion of the 2024 commission ($20,000) is equivalent to 2,000
Tukwila hotel room nights in 2025.
2) If an event, list the event name, date(s), and projected overall attendance.
PacNW Winter Classic soccer tournament. Over 600 teams have registered for the two -weekend
event in 2025
3) Is your event/activity/facility focusing on attracting overnight tourists, day tourists, or both?
Soccer tournament that generates overnight weekend stays from visiting teams.
4) Describe why visitors will travel to Tukwila to attend your event/activity/facility.
Tukwila's quality hotels, shopping, dining and recreational opportunities and the
proximity to Starfire Sports.
5) Describe the geographic target of the visitors you hope to attract (locally, regionally,
nationally, and/or internationally).
Teams from Eastern WA, Canada, Idaho, Oregon, California, Nevada, Montana, Colorado
and Alaska participate.
Page 2 of 5
6) Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility in attracting tourists.
See # 1 above
7) If this your first time holding the event/activity/facility provide background on why you think
it will be successful.
This event has been held for many years at Starfire.
8) Describe how you will promote lodging establishments, restaurants, retailers, and
entertainment establishments in the City of Tukwila.
PacNW controls which hotels bid on providing housing. The organizer can select greater
numbers of Tukwila hotels, if the hotels have capacity.
9) Describe how you will use the name, "Tukwila" in publications, promotions, and for your
event?
Tukwila is prominently displayed on all correspondence as it is the 'home' field and the
organization's home.
10) Measurements and Metrics (Note: You will be required to report these metrics as part of the
close out of the agreement between your organization and the City.)
As a direct result of your proposed tourism -related service, provide an estimate of:
a.
Overall attendance at your proposed event/activity/facility.
20,000
b.
Number of people who will travel fewer than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
10,523
c.
Number of people who will travel more than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
9,477
d.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will travel from another country or state.
7,100
e.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will stay overnight in Tukwila.
6,000
(2,000
room
nights at
3/rm occ)
Page 3 of 5
f.
Of the people staying overnight, the number of people who will stay in
PAID accommodations (hotel/motel/bed-breakfast) in Tukwila.
6,000
g.
Number of paid lodging room nights resulting from your proposed
event/ activity/facility (for example: 25 paid rooms on Friday and 50
paid rooms on Saturday = 75 paid lodging room nights)
*Based upon current Tukwila bookings, room nights projected to be
2,400.
2,000*
11) What methodologies did you use to calculate the estimates and what methodologies will you
use to track outcomes, such as total participants, estimated visitor spending, etc?
Historical (2023 & 2024) data in addition to current Tukwila hotel room night bookings.
12) What is the overall budget for your event/activity/facility? What percent of the budget are
you requesting from the City of Tukwila?
The request is to commission PacNW for 'generating' additional Tukwila room nights. In
2023, 1,291 room nights were actualized. In 2024, 815 room nights were actualized
from weekend 1 alone. Weekend 2 was projecting 2,015 prior to its cancellation. The
total of 2,830 rn's booked prior to the cancellation reflected an increase of 119% over
the 2023 tournament.
The proposal for 2025 is for a $20,000 potential commission to be paid upon
actualization of room nights in Tukwila over the January 17-20 weekend. The $20,000
potential commission for 2025 is equivalent to the remainder of the 2024 commission
that was not spent due to the cancellation. The approved 2024 request was for $28,170.
$28,170 less the actualized $8,150 for weekend 1, $20,020 remains from 2024.
The commission request is for $10/room night actualized and capped at $20,000. There
is no minimum room night requirement to receive the $10/room night. All room nights
must be booked through Event Connect and all actualized room nights will be verified by
Event Connect. No commission will be paid on any room nights booked around the
Event Connect platform.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis. Please contact staff to discuss the process for having the
application reviewed by the City's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Completed applications should be submitted to:
Page 4 of 5
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
c/o Brandon Miles
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Or,
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Questions?
LTAC Contact:
Brandon J. Miles
(206) 431-3684
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov.
Updated: December 29, 2022
Page 5 of 5