City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: REPLACE DATE HERE
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing, Second Reading, and Final Passage of an Ordinance Abolishing the Alexandria Marketing Committee and Coordinating Council.
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ISSUE: The proposed ordinance abolishes the Alexandria Marketing Committee and Coordinating Council.
RECOMMENDATION: That Council pass the ordinance to abolish the Alexandria Marketing Committee and Coordinating Council.
BACKGROUND: City Council established the Alexandria Marketing Committee in 1993 as an economic development initiative to oversee the administration of the City's Marketing Fund. The goals of the Marketing Fund were established by Council and were amended in 2005, 2007 and 2011 to continuously improve the membership of the Committee and the review criteria for applications to the fund.
Over the past 24 years, the Committee and fund provided matching grants to local business associations and non-profits, encouraging both to market the City within the region to potential retail and restaurant customers, as well as to potential attendees of arts and entertainment events. These efforts resulted in additional private sector revenues as well as additional taxes paid to the City as a result of increased economic activity.
DISCUSSION: During the FY2018 budget process the Marketing Fund was eliminated- over recent years, the number of new applicants dropped significantly and repeat projects were no longer eligible for funding. The associated funding was repurposed to focus on targeted marketing projects such as advertising targeting MGM National Harbor's guests, the expansion of a retail pop-up program and one-time funding to provide a concierge-style orientation to the new workforce of the National Science Foundation.
As a result of the elimina...
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