Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Experience Columbus in support of the organization's efforts to market Columbus for sporting events, conferences, and convention planning activities.
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. In 2018, Columbus hosted the NCAA Women's Final Four. In 2019, Columbus will host the American Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting & Exposition, which on its own will attract 5,000 attendees, filling 16,800 hotel rooms. Experience Columbus serves as a key partner in marketing Columbus as a destination city and in attracting conference and conventions, and this funding will facilitate the organization's efforts.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund and the Recreation and Parks operating fund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in conference planning activities by Experience Columbus.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Experience Columbus in support of conference and convention planning activities; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Recreation and Parks operating fund; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus is increasingly seen as a destination city and host candidate for major national conferences and conventions; and
WHEREAS, these events result in tens of thousands of visitors to Columbus and millions of dollars in direct and indirect spending; and
WHEREAS, Experience Columbus serves as a key partner in marketing Columbus as a destination city and in attracting conferences and conventions; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize a grant agreement with Experience Columbus to avoid any delay in conference planning activities all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Experience Columbus in support of conference and convention planning activites.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $50,000 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, to the Director of the Department of Development per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $50,000 in the Recreation and Parks Operating fund, fund 2285, to the Department of Recreation and Parks per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $100,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this legislation.
SECTION 6. 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 7. That for the 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.