Title
Resolution to Amend the Fiscal Year 2021 Council Approved Budget to Accept and Appropriate the 400 Years Forward: Continuing the Legacy of Heritage in Hampton Marketing Leverage Grant awarded by the Virginia Tourism Corporation to the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau ("CVB") has been awarded a marketing leverage grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation for its program that showcases African-American heritage sites and targets heritage travelers. The 400-year commemoration of the 1619 First African Landing at Point Comfort garnered international exposure for Hampton. Our coordinated marketing initiative will leverage the impact of the 2019 Commemoration and the two-billion media impressions resulting from its publicity to generate new audiences and increase Hampton's overnight visitation, attraction attendance and knowledge of Hampton as the First Africans’ arrival site in English North America, and the 400-year arc of history that followed. Partners in the grant marketing campaign include the National Park Service, Fort Monroe Authority, Hampton History Museum Association and Hampton University Museum.
Discussion:
This grant award will help support more than 12 Hampton tourism stakeholders’ efforts to attract visitors and to increase awareness of Hampton’s history. Three permanent full-time (PFT) positions will support the initiative, in addition to other responsibilities. The CVB and its grant partners will provide the 2 to 1 cash match for this grant. The CVB adheres to the City's Human Resources employment policies and performance evaluation process.
Impact:
The City has been awarded $15,000 in Marketing Leverage Grant funds. The required CVB cash match of $21,150, plus $8,850 in partner funds, brings the total grant award to $45,000. Grant funds will be used to develop marketing materials, update video production, and to advertise Hampton heritage product resulting in measurable increased visitation to Hampton.
Recommendation:
Approve.
Body
WHEREAS, the Virginia Tourism Corporation has awarded the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau ("CVB") the 400 Years Forward: Continuing the Legacy of Heritage in Hampton Marketing Leverage Grant in the amount of $15,000;
WHEREAS, the 400 Years Forward: Continuing the Legacy of Heritage in Hampton Marketing Leverage Grant requires a local cash match of $30,000 which is broken down as follows:
- Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau - $21,150
- Hampton History Museum - $4,600
- Fort Monroe Authority - $3,500
- Hampton University Museum - $750;
WHEREAS, the combined funds of the 400 Years Forward: Continuing the Legacy of Heritage in Hampton Marketing Leverage Grant with the required local cash match and partner funds, which totals $45,000, will be used by the Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau to help support more than 12 Hampton tourism stakeholders’ efforts to attract visitors and to increase awareness of Hampton’s history, and
WHEREAS, the grant award is for the period of March 24, 2020 through September 24, 2021.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia hereby amends its Fiscal Year 2021 Council Approved Budget to (1) accept and appropriate the 400 Years Forward: Continuing the Legacy of Heritage in Hampton Marketing Leverage Grant in the amount of $15,000, and any supplemental funding, from the Virginia Tourism Corporation to the Grant Fund; (2) accept and appropriate the cash match of $8,850 in partner funds to the Grant Fund; and (3) transfer to the Grant Fund the cash match from the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau General Fund operating budget in the amount of $21,150 for the purpose of supporting more than 12 Hampton tourism stakeholders' efforts to attract visitors and to increase awareness of Hampton's history in accordance to the grant agreement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia authorizes the CIty Manager, or her designee, to take any and all actions necessary to implement this grant award.