HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-18 Board Meeting Minutes For Approval June 15, 2022
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
In Person Board of Directors Meeting
May 18, 2022
Board Members Present: Manish Atma, Mark Bell -Chair, Spring Council, Heidi Werner Dawson, Lili
Engelhardt, Sharon Hill, Earl McKee,Tanya Moore, Beverly Payne, Karen Stegman.
Not Present: Lisa Ganzermiller,Jon Hartman-Brown, Matt Gladdek, Damon Seils,Aubrey Williams.
Staff Attendance: Laurie Paolicelli,Susan Rice, Katie Murray
Also present: Jessica Herrschaft—Group Business Director, Clean:Advertising& Design,Jon Parker—
Creative Director, Clean:Advertising& Design,Tim Hoke.
Call to Order
Chair Mark Bell called the meeting to order at 8:07 a.m.
Approval of Minutes
Chair Mark Bell requested a motion to approve the April 20, 2022 minutes. Sharon Hill so moved and Lili
Engelhardt seconded the motion. With all members in favor, the minutes were approved as submitted.
Introductions (first in-person meeting since the Pandemic)
Welcome to the Sheraton
• $20 million spent on renovations
• The Sheraton was purchased in 2019 before Covid
• Hotel was closed for 16 months, workers were housed at the hotel
• New kitchen was put in
• Weddings have started back up, waiting for meetings to ramp up
• Manish owns several hotels—Hampton Inn Chapel Hill,the new Tru by Hilton Chapel Hill,
Courtyard by Marriott, hotels in Raleigh and Charlotte
Karen Stegman reported:
• Chapel Hill & Carrboro collaborated on Pride events for June
• Reported on the Chapel Hill Budget—looking to be in good shape
• The increase in online shopping added to the Chapel Hill revenue
• The Town of Chapel Hill is still having staffing issues
Clean Presentation
http://orangecouniync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19974/Clean Chapel-Hill-Board-
Meeting-51822?bidld=
Meeting Video:https:I/www.youtube.com/watch?v=58BKvHfhn0s
Executive Director's Report
• The Welcome Center will hold their Open House tomorrow, May 19,4-6pm
• The conference room has been dedicated to Lee Pavao
• Diversity Campaign continuing
• Dr. Kizzmekia Corbet, led the team making the Moderna vaccine (born in Hurdle Mills) grew up
in Hillsborough, made a video presentation for the Welcome Center
https://explorediversitync.com/
• Went over what was in the Board Packet emailed to Board Members
• Heidi Werner Dawson reported on the Carolina Inn,weddings are coming back, Corporate
meetings starting to come back (mid-July and beyond)
• Colonial Inn reported that they are seeing business booming
• Sunday through Thursday Business (mid-week) is a target for meetings to come back
• National Travel Press—getting travel writers, blogs to report about the area
• UNC Commencement speaker was popular, UNC 50`"year alumni walked at graduation
Earl McKee
• Blackwood Farm has been closed since July 2021 for renovations, plans are that it will
reopen late summer
• No decisions have been made about where the Intercity Visit will be yet
• Discussed the broadband initiatives, monies spent and more allocated
New Business/ Roundtable
Katie Murray
• The Arts Commission is planning a county-wide Art Project for mid-July/August of 2023
• Katie encouraged people to volunteer and get involved *(Laurie already is)
• Brand new event, modeled after Art Pride in Grand Rapids held every other year
Earl McKee
• Blackwood Farm has been closed since July 2021 for renovations, plans are that it will reopen
late summer
• No decisions have been made about where the Intercity Visit will be yet
• Discussed the broadband initiatives, monies spent and more allocated
New Business/ Roundtable
https:Hissuu.com/chocvb/docs/chocvb april 2022 events for board meeting.docx
Next meeting: Wednesday,June 15, 2022
Meeting adjourned at 9:02 a.m.
2 1 P a g e CHOCVB BOD Meeting May 18 , 2022