Agenda - Economic Development Authority - 01/10/2013

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Economic Development Authority (EDA) 4. 3. Meeting Date: 01/10/2013 Submitted For: Patrick Brama By: Patrick Brama, Administrative Services Title: 2013 Annual EDA Business Expo; and Consideration of Annual Outdoor Expo/Event (RV) Background: Annually, the Ramsey EDA hosts a Business Expo. Preperations for the 2013 Ramsey Business Expo are begining. Saturday, May 4, 2013 was selected as the proposed event date at the December EDA meeting. Staff has secured the Fountains of Ramsey as a venue. In addition to the traditional annual Business Expo, Staff was directed to contact local RV dealerships and gauge what level of interest existed to join the existing Busuiness Expo. In summary, Staff has received input from RV dealerships (4 of 5) indicating they would prefer an event that would not require them to leave their place of business (generally speaking). EXAMPLE: "The Great Outdoors Sale Extravaganza of Ramsey." Each participating business would provide free food or give aways to attract customers. The Ramsey EDA would participate by coordinating regional advertising/marketing and organizing participating businesses. Businesses could include RV, power sport, trailer, boat and golf cart dealerships. The purpose of this case is to consider the traditional Ramsey Business Expo's future and a potentail new event (The Great Ramsey Outdoors Sale Extravaganza*) *Name subject to change Observations: Below is background information on the annual EDA Business Expo: • The EDA allocates $3,500 to the Business Expo and historically spends about a little over $2,000. • Revenues are typically about $1,500 (about -$500 net per year) • Attendence to the event is about 300-400 people • Venue has been the Fountains of Ramsey since 2010 (three years) • Exhibitors have ranged from 45-50 • Over the past four years, it has become increasingly challenging to "fill the room" with true business exibitors. The number of "craft/merchant" exhibitors has increased. See attached historical registration for reference. • Staff has received a "fair to good" opinion and reaction to this event from the public and vendors. No official survey was conducted in 2012. In 2011, 1/3 of exhibitors responded to a survey --overall, reactions were "fair to good." Below are changes that will (could) effect the 2013 EDA Business Expo: • Parting ways with the Environmental Expo Normally, the EDA and Environmental Expos are combined into one event. Begining in 2013, the Environmental Expo will be joining the Happy Days Expo. Therefore, the EDA business Expo will become a stand alone event. Which has (or will likely have) the following effects: --Increased expenses (about $3,500); no longer splitting marketing/mailing with Environmental Expo