SR 11-01-2016 9A
Ci ty Council
Report
City Council Meeting : November 1, 2016
Agenda Item: 9.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Andy Agle, Director , Housing and Economic Development, Economic
Development Division
Subject: Renewal of the Santa Monica Tourism Marketing District and Amended and
Restated Services Agreement
Recommended Action
Staff re commends that the City Council:
1. Hold a final public hearing and adopt a Resolution renewing the Santa Monica
Tourism Marketing District (SMTMD); and
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an Amended and Restated
Service s Agreement with Santa M onica Travel and Tourism, a Cal ifornia -based
organization .
Executive Summary
Recognizing that tourism is a mainstay economic drive r in the community, and that
strategic marketing provides an opportunity to increase local benefits from tourism while
re ducing external impacts , Santa Monica Travel and Tourism (SMTT) and the City’s
l odging businesses are seeking a renewal of the Santa Monica Tourism Marketing
District (SMTMD). Council’s consideration of the adoption of a Resolution renewing the
SMTMD repre sents the third and final step in the multi -step public hearing process
required to renew the SMTMD. If the SMTMD is renewed, an additional nine and one -
half years would be added to the term of the SMTMD and the additional responsibilities
related to the management of the SMTMD would be reflected in the Amended and
Restated Services Agreement (Services Agreement) between the City and SMTT. As
the existing Services Agreement is set to expire on December 31, 2017, an extension of
nine and one -half years to t he Services Agreement is recommended in order to
continue SMTT’s existing services, programs and responsibilities related to renewing
the SMTMD.
Background
The proposed Santa Monica Tourism Marketing District (SMTMD ) renewal was initiated
by the Santa M onica Travel and Tourism (SMTT) in conjunction with Santa Monica
lodging businesses for the purpose of extending a self -assessment on qualifying hotels
to generate additional revenues for tourism promotion and marketing. The original
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SMTMD is effective for five years commencing on January 1, 2013 and expiring on
December 31, 2017. The renewal of the SMTMD would extend the term by nine and
one -half years beginning in January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2027. The renewal
requires submittal of petitions from lo dging businesses representing more than 50
percent of the total annual assessment.
On August 23, 2016 (Attachment A), Council accepted petitions from qualified lodging
businesses representing 70 percent of the proposed assessments and adopted
Resolution No. 10987 (CCS) declaring its intent to consider renew al of the SMTMD and
set ting a public hearing for October 25, 2016 , to receive additional public testimony on
the renewal of the SMTMD. In addition, Council heard testimony from district members
represe nting lodging businesses with an average daily rate of $100 to $199.99 (Tier 3
businesses ), who provided input regarding the proposed assessments. Specifically, it
was requested that the assessment formula for the Tier 3 businesses be reevaluated to
addre ss equity concerns.
Based on the input received from the Tier 3 lodging businesses, the SMTMD
Management District Plan was revised to reflect changes to the Tier 3 assessments.
The SMTMD representative of the Tier 3 lodging businesses is supportive of the
proposed changes. On September 28, 2016, the SMTMD Committee and the Santa
Monica Travel and Tourism Board of Directors unanimously voted to support the
modifications to the proposed SMTMD Management District Plan. On October 25, 2016
(Attachment B), C ouncil reviewed and considered the revised SMTMD Management
District Plan and held a public meeting to receive additional testimony on the renewal of
the SMTMD.
Discussion
The proposed Resolution of Renewal (see Attachment C ) sets forth the assessments
t hat would be levied on lodging businesses in the SMTMD. The assessment rate is a
fixed amount per occupied room , per night. The amount charged per occupied room
per night is based on the business’s average daily rate during the previous year.
In accorda nce with the revised SMTMD Management District Plan that was reviewed by
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Council on October 25, 2016, the assessments rates are as follows:
Tier Average Daily Rate Assessment Per Occupied Room Per Night
1 $300 and above $5.25
2 $200 - $299.99 $4.25
3 $100 - $199.99 $1.50
Lodging businesses with an average daily rate less than $100 are not assessed and not
included in the SMTMD. The assessments may be subject to an annual increase of no
more than $0 .10 per year for the Tier 3 lodging businesses and not more than $0 .25 per
year for the Tier 1 and 2 lodging businesses. The maximum assessment rate for each
tier is summarized below:
Fiscal
Year
Tier 3
$100 - $199.99
Tier 2
$200 - $299.99
Tier 1
$300 and Above
2018* $1.50 $4.25 $5.25
2018 -19 $1.60 $4.50 $5.50
2019 -20 $1.70 $4.75 $5.75
2020 -21 $1.80 $5.00 $6.00
2021 -22 $1.90 $5.25 $6.25
2022 -23 $2.00 $5.50 $6.50
2023 -24 $2.10 $5.75 $6.75
2024 -25 $2.20 $6.00 $7.00
2025 -26 $2.30 $6.25 $7.25
2026 -27 $2.40 $6.50 $7.50
*Fi scal year 2018 covers a 6 -month period (January - June).
The SMT M D is estimated to generate approximately $4,130,000 in the first full year of
operation . SMTMD assessment funds are intended to supplement, not supplant,
existing City funding. The City wou ld continue to allocate base funding to SMTT for
tourism marketing through its annual budget process. The proposed assessments
would be used to continue enhanced services of international marketing and sales
campaigns to promote Santa Monica and its lodgin g establishments. An administrative
fee is retain ed by the City to cover the City’s administrative cost associated with monthly
collection and transmittal of the SMTMD assessments to S MTT ($19,101 for FY 2015 -
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16). The administrative fee would continue to be subject to an annual increase of five
percent.
In addition to adopting the attached resolution, staff recommends Council authorize
modif ications to the existing Amended and Restated Services Agreement with Santa
Monica Travel and Tourism (SMTT) to i ncorporate the additional responsibilities related
to the renewal of the SMTMD and to maintain the services provided by SMTT.
SMTT would continue to provide tourism and marketing programs, operate Visitor
Centers, organize summits, conferences , and commun ity events, and promote Santa
Monica through print and social media outlets. The additional responsibilities related to
the renewal of the SMTMD include providing enhanced sales and marketing services to
promote assessed businesses as tourist, meeting and event destinations with the goal
of increasing overnight visitation and room night sales. The modified Amended and
Restated Services A greement would become effective on January 1, 2018, concurrent
with the commencement of the adopted SMTMD Management Dis trict Plan.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The City would retain $20,056 of the SMTMD assessments as an administrative fee to
cover the City’s costs associated with the monthly collection and transfer of the SMTMD
assessments. A revenue budget of $2 0,056 is included in the FY 2016 -17 Adopted
Budget.
Prepared By: Nia Tang, Senior Development Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
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Attachments:
A. August 23, 2016 Staff Report
B. October 25, 2016 staff report
C. Tourism Marketing District Resolution
Reference:
Resolution Nos. 11005
(CCS)
Reference:
Resolution No. 11005
(CCS)
&
Amend Agreement No. 10391
(CCS)