In 2007, twenty-six community leaders from across the county were charged by the County Mayor with re-designing

the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau to be the most effective tourism marketing agency possible for Williamson County. The directives that came out of the task force were the key factor in my decision to pursue the role I now have. Mayor Rogers Anderson shared his vision with that Tourism Task Force, that Williamson County will have the best tourism development program in the State of Tennessee. I admire that type of audacious goal setting. In 2008 Williamson County was 8th in TN for the amount of money spent by tourists. In 2009 we were 7th in visitor spending and, for 2010 our visitors came and spent their money and Williamson County moved up to the # 6 spot in tourism spending out of Tennessees 95 counties. In the past four years we have seen tourism spending in Williamson County grow by 18%. In the past four years we have seen lodging tax collections in Williamson County grow by 11% In the past four years, tourism traffic to our visitor center grew by 132% Our visitors spent $295 million dollars here in Williamson County in 2010 and we are certain that number will exceed $300 million when 2011 numbers are released later this year, Your Convention & Visitors Bureau is making the dollars re-invested in tourism, yield greater results, each year. Each year, the WCCVB has its Return on investment measurements validated by a private research firm. Four years ago the s Return on Your Investment was 6 dollars to every dollar you invested Improving the Return on your Investment in tourism, through the CVB, we have grown to a 10 to 1 Return on investment . The TN Dept of Tourist Development indicates that indirect spending may take that return on investment as high as 29 to 1. Ive been a destination marketing executive for 16 years in 3 states. I have never had a harder working, more cohesive team than the current staff! Combined with the results, measurements and success I just shared and I genuinely believe we are the best tourism development program in TN. With that said.. there is still an area where we have failed. You see, in the past 4 years, Williamson County has either decreased or level funded the Convention & Visitors Bureau. In the past 10 years, our hotels have collected from VISITORS (not residents), more than $46 million in lodging taxes alone for Williamson County, Franklin and Brentwood. The County Mayors Task Force of 2007 proposed that 25% of the lodging taxes collected from visitors be reinvested in the tourism industry to keep it strong and healthy.The City of Franklin has upheld their commitment of 25% each year since 2007 but Williamson County re-investment at the 25% level lasted only one year. The Countys reinvestment has averaged 17% the last four years, totaling $646,000 less than the 25% mark.

This fiscal year, Williamson County budgeted revenue of $2.2 million in lodging tax collections. Actual calendar year collections for 2011 exceeded $2.9 million dollars. This tax revenue is great news for the county, and certainly a positive indication of a healthy tourism economy but it is a tax on a specific industry that expects representation and tourism promotion through the Convention & Visitors Bureau. You see, in 2007 we were re-designed for efficiency as a 501c6 not for profit. This re-structure allowed us to move quickly in the marketplace and garner greater financial and participatory support from the private sector. However, as a non-profit, it has also caused us to be grouped into a funding category in the Williamson County budget, with the traditional non-profit organizations. The Convention & Visitors Bureau is not a line item to be funded we are an investment account with proven, strong dividends! Within Williamson County, just under $6 million in lodging taxes are collected annually and our current budget is just under a million dollars. With 25% funding from The City of Franklin AND Williamson County our budget will be $1.27 million. That $271,000 is the widening gap between the Countys level funding and the 25% of lodging taxes. For comparison, Clarksville/Montgomery county is ranked 12th in tourism expenditures They have nearly 1000 less hotel rooms to market. Williamson Countys inventory will grow by another 10% (330 rooms) this year yet the Clarksville/Montgomery CVB has a budget of $1.9 million. Twice the current marketing power of the Williamson County CVB If you were to compare the percentage of lodging tax used as funding formulas for CVBs in Nashville, Memphis, Gatlinburg, Knoxville and Chattanooga (those are the 5 ahead of us) Williamsons CVB receives the lowest percentage of lodging tax re-investment. If you were to compare the percentage of lodging tax used as funding formulas for CVBs in Kingsport, Rutherford, Clarksville, Wilson County, Oak Ridge, Maury and Sumner Williamsons CVB receives the least percentage of lodging tax re-investment. Clearly, we are not the best in TN in this category. Williamson Countys CVB has had miraculous results from their first 4 year strategic plan but can no longer promise to move the needle forward with out a commitment to re-invest these visitor taxes each of the next 4 years. Urge County Commissioners to bring us back to the original funding formula of 25% Based on our preliminary 2012-2013 budget we have developed a plan that focuses almost all new dollars on marketing, PR and sales initiatives with only a 2.6% increase in operational costs. The Williamson County CVB now has a proven track record and the tourism industry has proven to be a dynamic revenue generator for the county The Convention & Visitors Bureau needs to be on a 25% commission, using visitor paid lodging taxes so Williamson County can finally claim to be the best in the category of tourism development.