HomeMy WebLinkAboutVisit Tri-Cities - Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau - Promotion of Tourism 2021-2025RENEWAL AGREEMENT FOR THE
PROMOTION OF TOURISM
THIS RENEWAL AGREEMENT is entered into between the CITY OF PASCO, a
municipal corporation, hereinafter referred to as the "City", and the TRI -CITIES VISITOR
AND CONVENTION BUREAU, a Washington non-profit corporation, doing business as
"Visit TRI- CITIES," hereinafter referred to as the "Bureau."
IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants as set forth herein, the parties agree
as follows:
The Bureau agrees to perform promotional services for the City including, but not
limited to, advertising, publicizing and otherwise distributing information for the
purpose of attracting visitors and encouraging tourist expansion to and within the City.
In providing such services the Bureau shall:
Develop and implement a marketing and promotional plan that advertises and
promotes the Tri -Cities and the City for the purpose of attracting visitors.
Appropriate activities would include the production and distribution of a visitor
guide, brochures, participation in travel shows, conducting advertising
campaigns and other activities designed to promote the attractions of this area
in targeted markets.
2. Manage and execute a comprehensive website and digital marketing campaigns
designed to educate travelers, drive demand, assist local businesses in staff
recruitment & relocation efforts, and complement City economic development
strategies.
3. Provide City staff with accurate and detailed information on tourism statistics
including but not limited to hotel occupancies, economic impact figures, and
group histories to support the City's efforts to recruit businesses within the
hospitality industry.
4. Act as a membership organization and liaison to small businesses located in the
City of Pasco that are dependent on tourism spending for financial success.
5. Solicit convention business and sports tournaments for the Tri -Cities and the
City at the regional and state level through activities such as:
A. Making contact with convention and sports planners and executives of
organizations and groups to solicit sports, meetings and conventions in
the Tri -Cities and the City.
B. Researching convention and sports leads and contacting convention
representatives of association groups and tournament representatives of
sports groups, promoting the Tri -Cities and the City and offering
convention and sports planning assistance.
Renewal Agreement for the Promotion of Tourism - Page 1
C. Preparing and distributing invitational convention and sports bid packets
including information on the Tri -Cities and the City and the convention and
sports facilities available therein.
6. Provide prospective sports organization and convention representatives with
familiarization tours of venues and convention hotel facilities in the Tri -Cities and
the City for the purpose of assisting in the selection of a hotel(s) and/or other venues
in which to hold sports tournaments, conventions and meetings.
7. Provide convention chairpersons and/or association executives and sports
tournament directors with a bid packet and a planner's workbook to assist in
planning conventions and/or sports tournaments.
8. Assist future conventions and sporting events in maximizing attendance through
pre -event promotion. Produce promotional videos, collateral material, press
releases, display booths and marketing materials to be used twelve to eighteen
months prior to the event to increase awareness and create enthusiasm for
attendance at Tri -Cities events.
9. Operate a visitor information center in the Tri -Cities to promote the Tri -Cities as a
destination of choice and encourage visitors to enjoy local attractions and
amenities, driving economic impact.
10. Include advertising material in promotional packets and other releases promoting
regular tourism related Tri -City activities and events.
11. Reserve a seat on the Bureau's Board of Directors for representation by the City
Manager or City Council Member.
12. Specific activities to be undertaken by the Bureau each year reflecting actions to be
taken in the above -noted categories of service shall be detailed in an annual work
plan. The work plan will be presented to the City for approval in March of each
year.
II. For the services herein contemplated and more fully described in the annual work plan,
the City agrees to pay the Bureau fifty percent (50%) of the annual average hotel/motel
tax receipts of the City collected from the first two percent (2%) levied for the five-year
period immediately preceding each year of the contract period. The Bureau shall invoice
the City for such services on a monthly basis on the 11t of each month for the services
provided the month prior.
1. Provision for Economic Downturn: In the event of an economic downturn wherein
there is a -15% decline in hotel/motel taxes over a period of six months the parties
agree to a payment for services as described herein.
A. The base for comparison will be the same six-month period during the
Renewal Agreement for the Promotion of Tourism - Page 2
prior year, or the average of 2017, 2018 and 2019 (whichever is greater).
B. The -15% reduction in hotel/motel taxes will trigger a joint
conversation between all parties to this contract to establish, in good faith,
a mutually agreeable annual contract payment amount.
C. Should the parties be unable to come to an agreement the annual
contract payment will be adjusted by the same percentage decline
experienced over the six-month period identified above.
D. The duration of Payment Adjustment will be a minimum of six months, a new
calculation will be performed at the end of six months to determine if another six-
month adjustment is warranted. If not, normal payment amounts will resume
under the normal contract payment amount and be the basis for monthly invoices
from the Bureau.
2. Future Annual Contract Payment Calculations: For purposes of calculating the five-
year average used to determine the annual contract payment, the annual hotel/motel
tax amount for any year in which the provision for an economic downturn is enacted
will be replaced with the prior year's annual hotel/motel tax, assuming it is a higher
amount, and would serve as the adjusted future annual contract payment amount
supporting the basis for monthly invoices from the Bureau.
3. Reporting: On or before August 15 each year, the Bureau shall deliver a mid -year
review and provide a written status report detailing the services provided and the
activities and accomplishments of the Bureau. A formal presentation to the City
Council will be made if requested.
III. Pursuant to the governing statute, (Ch. 67.28 RCW), restrictions have been placed on the
use of hotel/motel tax funds as set forth in relevant part as follows: "... used solely for the
purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of tourism promotion, acquisition of tourism -
related facilities, or operation of tourism -related facilities." RCW 67.28.1815
Funding is conditioned upon the Bureau entering into thisAgreement Agreement setting forth the
purposes for which the funds will be used, providing a procedure for a project -end
accounting and insuring compliance with the statute.
To this end, the parties agree as follows:
1. The Bureau agrees to expend such funds to promote tourism in compliance with
Ch. 67.28 RCW.
2. At the conclusion of the calendar year, the Bureau shall provide a complete
accounting of the expended funds and the purposes therefore.
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3. In the event the accounting indicates that funds were used for purposes not
permitted by law, the Bureau shall, within 30 days of notification by City to the
Bureau of such improper expenditures, remit the disallowed amount back to the
City.
4. The Bureau shall maintain accurate records, regarding expenditure of funds related
to its purpose of promoting tourism in compliance with RCW 67.28, to support its
annual accounting for a calendar year, which shall be subject to inspection by the
City upon 30 days' notice of its intent to inspect the same.
5. Failing of the Bureau to either provide the accounting or remit disallowed funds as
required herein shall constitute a breach of this Agreement. The remedies available
to the City shall include but not be limited to, return of all funds delivered to the
Bureau and denial of the right of the Bureau to apply for any future funding.
6. In the event of a dispute regarding the enforcement, breach, default, or
interpretation of this Agreement, the parties shall first meet in a good faith effort to
resolve such dispute. In the event the dispute cannot be resolved by agreement of
the parties, said dispute shall be resolved by arbitration pursuant to RCW 7.04A, as
amended, with both parties waiving the right of a jury trial upon trial de novo. The
substantially prevailing party shall be entitled to its reasonable attorney fees and
costs as additional award and judgment against the other.
IV. This Agreement shall be effective on January 1, 2021, and shall expire on December 31,
2025; provided, however, the City may terminate the Agreement with at least one (1) year
written notice delivered to the Bureau.
IN WITNE S WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
this /OZ" day of , 2020.
CITY OF PASCO:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
S;wil Ma✓.e- 'Zabe I Kerr guson Law, PLLC
oaf y Attorney
TRI -CITIES VISITOR AND
CONVENTION BUREAU,
a Washington non-profit corporation
d/b/a Visit Tri -Cities APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ichael Nova ovich, President & CEO
Renewal Agreement for the Promotion of Touris