Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc., dba Experience Columbus for the purpose of providing support to the organization in its efforts to market Columbus for sporting events, conferences, conventions, and planning activities, and to authorize an expenditure in an amount up to $500,000.00. Funding will be advanced on a predetermined schedule.
Experience Columbus is an organization whose vision is to be the leading force in creating and revealing the best of the Columbus Experience to the world. The mission of Experience Columbus is to sell, market and promote the “Destination Columbus” experience to visitors. Columbus is increasingly seen as a destination city and host candidate for major national conferences and conventions. These events result in tens of thousands of visitors to Columbus and millions of dollars in direct and indirect spending, supporting a significant number of jobs and businesses in Central Ohio. Experience Columbus has been very successful in attracting conferences and conventions to Central Ohio. Some of the conferences and conventions have included, the NCAA Women’s Final Four Basketball Tournament, the American Society of Association Annual Meeting & Exposition, the Professional Management Convention Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Emergency declaration: Emergency declaration is requested so that services can be begin and funding distributed as soon as possible for the upcoming travel and tourism planning season.
Fiscal Impact: $500,000.00 will be transferred from the General Fund Citywide Account to the Department of Development Economic Development Division.
Contract Compliance: The vendor’s contract compliance, 006014, is pending.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc., dba Experience Columbus for the purpose of providing support to the organization’s efforts to market Columbus for sporting events, conferences and convention planning activities in an amount up to $500,000.00; to authorize the transfer, of up to $500,000.00 from the General Fund Citywide Account to the Department of Development’s General Fund Budget; to authorize an expenditure up to $500,000.00; to advance funding per a predetermined schedule; and to declare an emergency. ($500,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, Experience Columbus serves as a key partner in marketing Columbus as a destination city and in attracting conferences and conventions to the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the organization’s vision is to be the leading force in creating and revealing the best of the Columbus experience to the world; and
WHEREAS, Experience Columbus has been very successful in attracting conferences and conventions to Central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, some of the conferences and conventions have included, the NCAA Women’s Final Four Basketball Tournament, the American Society of Association Annual Meeting & Exposition, the Professional Management Convention Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus would like to continue providing support to Experience Columbus in its efforts to market the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, that the transfer and expenditure of up to $500,000.00 from the General Fund is authorized; and
WHEREAS, to authorize funding be advanced to the organization on a predetermined schedule; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exist in the daily operations of the Department of Development in that it is necessary to enter a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc., dba Experience Columbus for the purpose of providing support to the organization in its efforts to market Columbus for sporting events, conferences, conventions, and planning activities, so that services can be begin and funding distributed as soon as possible for the upcoming travel and tourism planning season, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitor’s Bureau dba Experience Columbus in an amount up to $500,000.00 for the purpose of providing support to the organization in its efforts to market Columbus for sporting events, conferences and various convention planning activities, and is authorized to advance funds per a schedule to be included in the agreement.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $500,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund), from Dept.-Div 45-01 (Financial Management), object class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development), object class 05 (Other) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $500,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development), in Object Class 05 (Other) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this grant agreement is awarded in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contract or contracts modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.
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