So I'm guessing the "X marks the spot" campaign fell flat?

myopinion13,

That would be a first. An organization using public funds that REDUCES its funding request from one year to the next. Stranger things have happened, especially right here in Victoria. I hope you are correct as it is going to be difficult to go up on the funding if the fund balance is drawn down this year and there is not a significant increase in hotel tax collected. I believe the new ExDirector said it would take 2-3 years to see results. Wonder how year 2-3 will be funded?

From what I understand is the CVB will not be asking for the $750,000 each year as this is getting them up to where they should be in marketing.

Many great comments from both perspectives.

This money is generated by hotel taxes and is to be used to promote tourism. That simple mandate, in my opinion, does not give the council carte blanche to spend more then is generated, which is exactly what was approved last night. The money for the community center has already been approved and now $750K for CVB puts the expenditures in excess of the projected revenue. Add in another $100K-$150K for the arts and the first year of the "new" CVB is going to draw down the fund balance PLUS spend every dollar projected to be received. What do we do in year two?

In addition to that the council approved an agreement that uses 2009 as the benchmark to measure success against. 2009 will be the lowest level of receipts in at least 3 years due to the downturn in the economy, the same downturn some on the council don't want to admit even exists.

Summary: Approve expenditures greater then projected revenue (against the recommendation of the city manager); Base the effectiveness of the investment against the lowest annual receipts seen in the city in three years; Ignore the fact that many of the venues that will be marketed are not ready to accept the events that the marketing will promote; Finally, don't even mention that a study is being done by a paid consultant as to how to better use the community center, which funding from the hotel tax can be used for to some level. This is great EXCEPT for the fact the council just spent more then is going to be generated in the next year. Guess whose pockets the costs of the community center will come out of if there are not hotel tax funds to cover them? Can we spell VICTORIA TAXPAYER?

Here is an idea.

Build a nice community center(Centre Victoria) in the quadrant across from the Healthplex. Eminent domain it if unable to purchase it.There is a hotel next door and one across the street. A perfect place. Shopping and food is nearby and plenty of empty storefronts for new businesses. Demolish the Horsemans arena in the park and build a rodeo, horsemen's arena next door to the Community Center. Victoria needs a stand out amusement similar to a huge Ferris Wheel next door to that stuff. Something that kids will remember about Victoria since the mean ole Mall owners got rid of the Merry-Go-Round.

Now for the old Community center. In the dome, have a flea market/swap meet every weekend. Convert the animal pens to a local farmers market.

Funds could come from City employee's lawyer accounts, VEDC budget, and the VDC or whatever it's called.

I’m not against using the money to promote the city, I just think that there should be something to promote first. Instead of using that money for advertizing, the money should be used to create things that could be advertized later.

If the bottom line is to bringing in tourist to the city to create revenue then how about expanding the city limits to incorporate the 20 some sub divisions that are just outside the city limits? This will bring in lots of needed tax dollars. It will also increase the population for the city and make it appear that the city is growing.

Given the criteria associated with how these funds can (and should) be used, let's give this a chance. Would you rather ALL the money go into a semi-useless community center?

We are blessed with many resources in our area and in surrounding communities that make this plan viable.

Offer up an alternative or SUPPORT the endeavor - don't just complain. Each of you have an opportunity to make this comment section a meaningful tool. Don't waste this opportunity to present positive suggestions on how those dollars should be spent WITHIN THE LAW THAT CREATES THOSE DOLLARS. This is an opportunity to step up and help your community thrive.

myopinion13 has the grasp on this issue. This money is collected by the hotels and motels. Part of this tax is given to the city and the other part goes to the state.

State law mandates the way the money can be spent. Many of the suggestions on how to spend the money is just a flagrant violation of the law. It is used for promotion of the city...to put people in hotel rooms...to spend money in Victoria. Non local people spending dollars in our local market. Every incorporated city in Texas has this tax. And they have the same stipulations.

The tax is set up to use. It's not coming out of any local taxpayers pocket, unless that local lives in a hotel, which I think there would be very few of those. Let's use this money the way the state intended: Promotion of our community.

The one relief you may have to stop spending this money is to contact your governor, tell him hotel motel tax money is stupid. Contact Geanie Morrison and tell her the same thing. Call Glenn Hegar and express that same opinion. Then, maybe, you can make the CVB go away. But until then, the city has an obligation after collecting hotel motel tax to fund entities that will increase hotel motel usage.

it will NOT work! wasted money on a Dept that is NONfunctional and has NO networking in place.

case in point:::::
Look at VISD, hardly NO VARSITY tournaments in town. Boys basketball 'sweetens' the deal to get teams to come. Maybe golf is the only major connection--put Mike Smith as Director of Bureau.

LL, NO major tournaments to speak of and especially NO state/regional tourneys. Girls softball is worst. How many cancel tournaments both city run and select.

My suggestion...give to the groups/teams that are bringing people/money into Victoria so that they can expand their promotions. They have already done the leg work maybe they need a location that with the city's blessing can use at a reduced amount. The big Harly blood drive brings alot of people, select coaches tring to rent fields, but trying to reinvent the wheel is poor planning to start. I will sit under my pecan tree and bbq at home and watch my butterflies fly south. Ooops, to late it was passed already 4-3.

1st off - this money is generated by hotel/motel tax. It is only supposed to be spent for tourism. This money is not for streets, schools etc.
2nd - most cities spend the intended tax on tourism. This has not been done in Victoria at the correct level for years if ever.
3rd - last year the tax generated was 1.4 million and 200,000ish was spent on tourism. The arts got 185,000 and community center 330,000ish. Where did the rest go?
4th- the council decided not to dip into funds but could do this off tax only and still have funds for arts.
5th - this is not going to get hoards of people in 1 week it will take a couple of years to build up tourism so it is not a sales blitz but will gradually get tourist coming to town spending money everywhere, increasing sales tax, then we can have a bigger city budget to have more for streets, schools etc.

Help me, help you. Market our city to develop our city.

What a disappointment in the council members who voted for this big advertising campaign. These advertising dollars will be spent elsewhere. Victoria is not in the position like many other cities to be spending maximum amounts of money at this current time. The CVB needs to be like wise business people and be operating on a bare bones budget. The CVB needs to find a better way, that's what an executive does. We need to have something here to attract visitors too before we spend maximum amounts of money on advertising. Victoria remember election time.

$750K for a few tourism related minimum wage jobs. Wow, just wow.

Of course we could advertise the city as the Mexican Dinner Capital of the world....

How about this?
PUT SOME SIGNS UP ALONG 59 TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE TOWN EXISTS AND HAS PLACES TO EAT.
People drive by the city. They see truck stops and some industrial businesses. They have no idea the town is more then that.
So, how about posting some signs that will give PEOPLE DIRECTIONS AND LET THEM KNOW THERE IS MORE TO THE TOWN.
Highway 59 GOES AROUND THIS TOWN FOR A REASON.
Even the MAYOR didn't know they were working on the rail road. COME ON!
Wake up....

"The request included $423,900 for general advertising alone."

Cant wait to see those ads...
Yall come to Victoria, we have one 6 lane road lots and lots of fast food on it, heck we even gots us a walmart!

Wait a second, what about the free publicity that we got with the Ratliff's case? If we dig a bit deeper, I am sure that we could find a gem somewhere and get tons of free publicity. Mmmm, how about the Chief of police? Hey, why dont we start rumors and hopefully we can get something like the Cuero's chupacabra? Illegal aliens anyone? I mean real ones, the ones from Mars...

"What the hell," he said. "Let's give it all away."

Thank you Mayor Armstrong for publicly admitting your disdain for Victoria taxpayers. If you had your way you would give all of our tax dollars and you know what you are already well on your way to achieving that goal. What a sorry excuse for an elected official.

I can't say I expected anything different.

I was in attendance during Bise's presentation, and it looked like a media blitz to me.

It's good to see some dissenting votes for a change.