Agenda - Council - 04/23/2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Howell asked how these services worked at other facilities when things were shut down for COVID. She asked what other entities own Morrissey Hospitality as far as a contract goes when operations could not be carried out. Ms. Morrissey Brown explained that the fee they charge is based on a percentage of revenue so when there was no revenue coming in, there was nothing to be paid out to them. Acting Mayor Riley asked if they were consulted on the layout of the building. Greg Houck, Principal with the Architectural firm Cuningham, shared they are still at the beginning stages of the building planning, and they can work hand-in-hand with Morrissey Hospitality to make sure the building is as efficient as possible to operate the way they want it to operate. He added that Morrissey Hospitality has a very good reputation throughout the State for what they do. Councilmember Woestehoff asked if there is a way that they can integrate amenity fees into the platform for the restaurant to improve the resident experience. Ms. Morrissey Brown said yes and shared that they welcome these kinds of conversations. She noted that if the City already has a system established that works in other places and is reliable, then they can integrate it into what they use. She highlighted that they tailor their operations to the individual concept and client. Acting Mayor Riley asked if any market analysis has been done surrounding this project. He noted that the restaurant is very necessary; however, he did not know about the catering aspect or other aspects of this project. Ms. Morrissey Brown explained that they have not taken an in-depth look into this yet. She said if this project moves on to the next phase then they will begin to do a market analysis of these aspects. She shared that they have 7,000 square feet set aside for catering at this time. Councilmember Specht noted that there is another private catering and event space in town to keep in mind as far as competition goes. Acting Mayor Riley suggested allowing someone to rent the catering space from the City rather than the City operating the catering space. He said that if the City operated the space, it would give the perception that they are in competition with the private sector. Councilmember Specht agreed. Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood explained that by entering into a public- private partnership of this nature then they would eliminate the Staff positions that would have to rent and book the banquet area and be involved in the marketing. He noted the same goes for the splash pad and concessions area. He explained they would not be figuring out staffing for this aspect of the project either. City Council Work Session/April 9, 2024 Page 2 of 8