[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6608539,"mediaKeyId","2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9","parentId",2939433,"title","Commission approves March minutes, elects officers and restarts STR working group","audioSeconds",6356,"startMs",40000,"endMs",6396000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9&start=40&end=6396","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9/thumbnail_40000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6608539/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Commission-approves-March-minutes-elects-officers-and-restarts-STR-working-group","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608539-d5f86f943dd18318ed46e77078e808ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010275&Signature=MTEOLELhQj6Qf2LbeN~kqfOJEzlPckQaeMbKjQBGujFCQHA0aDvJm8ZHhSCJqLc2AHYu11gy0~79vns95QfpUU671jUDSFekiatlRCJdsgqOPT9repsAN83P-epqGH3QC2tnLzJU0pKkNlOropa4S1zb4gJq~sy5t09wNFHLurFi4Jdo9Ou5fWnxMbd00p3IFdSqhjCcCQzNnDQHhnjVLF6uw3jPbrpR8~lQayLgaXRHu3QAzDc24QajYcpWuMJQxROB6dYAHfIh0xks3AI9sb502r-Qbl5GYHIZVcWZ2HDergDP-3oNt54zOQH-vSJmmZjSFAYnGsoqY3t3HblW9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Austin Tourism Commission took several formal actions on April 9.

The commission unanimously approved the minutes for its March meeting. Commissioner Anna Panosian moved to approve the minutes; Commissioner Chanin seconded, and the chair called the vote as an affirmation.

In officer elections, the commission moved to retain Daniel Ronan as chair and to continue Ed Bailey as co‑chair. Commissioner (surname recorded in the minutes as) Penosian moved the nomination and Commissioner Stephanie Mathis seconded. Both nominees accepted the nomination; the motion passed by unanimous affirmative vote.

The commission also voted unanimously to reestablish its short‑term rental (STR) working group to monitor city council progress on STR policy and the collection of hotel tax. Commissioner Channing moved to re‑start the working group with the same members and a monitoring mandate; Commissioner Panosian seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Ending: The commission recorded the motions and directed staff to note the restarted STR group’s monitoring role and to coordinate officer roles for the coming year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Tourism Commission - Apr 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 9 meeting the Austin Tourism Commission approved the March minutes, re-elected Daniel Ronan as chair with Ed Bailey as co‑chair, and voted to restart its short-term rental working group to monitor council action on STR policy and hotel‑tax collection.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608544,"Austin ISD tells Tourism Commission district facilities and parking can support events, produce revenue",776,4228000,5004000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9&start=4228&end=5004","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9/thumbnail_4228000.jpg","/articles/6608544/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-ISD-tells-Tourism-Commission-district-facilities-and-parking-can-support-events-produce-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608544-67d45c292cb791de5ff7381750e9ec32/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010275&Signature=QUqtxGD3B5aE0zgG1ngVBZp968hvLod2XlZ5MFKJotsXjd75Ei-wX5oHEeeOIXAjgxaed7NQtBuqdktUKvZIR2Glo7Pade7EPWRlqyiBdtqzy~DxsSG2dVfAk8XRmm3vEeMJknpG8vwKYOeXeCA-jG49arDL5Xdf6lRKahl6VnD3BbLQZC2aLVO4nIQRfGNGmY945iwoOct~-T86jdesqN5A6P31JdH6rkachruTjuyTL2LjSY3YKPE2-eBgxIioobhfFzNDKEhnu7DSrUCuHmDFWiwIe~uQbz6KpAwXzc00-k0-A9JPdetQpcYzcy4nkQqSAgVbEHv1i4qNntAmTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeremy Striffler, Austin ISD director of real estate, told the Austin Tourism Commission on April 9 that the district makes school facilities available for public rental outside school hours and that rentals return revenue directly to campuses and programs.

“At the district, all our facilities are available for use by the public outside of regular school hours,” Striffler said. He told commissioners the district lists spaces on an online rental platform and that last year campus rentals generated more than $1.8 million, with proceeds going back to campuses, athletics and fine-arts programs.

The nut graf: Striffler and ISD staff presented facilities ranging from stadiums and gymnasiums to the Mueller-based Performing Arts Center (PAC). They urged the commission and Visit Austin to promote those assets as venues for athletic tournaments, performing-arts events, film scouts and other tourism-generating activity — particularly while the downtown convention center is offline for renovation.

Jason Glenn, Austin ISD executive director of athletics, described marquee athletic venues such as House Park and Nelson Field and said college teams and commercial producers have expressed interest in renting those fields for practice and shoots. Brad Distelhorst, PAC coordinator, summarized the PAC’s capacity: a 1,221-seat main hall, a 200-seat black-box theater, a 5,200-square-foot stage and an outdoor plaza; the PAC hosts about 80 events a year and has produced sold-out student productions.

Striffler highlighted Facilitron, the district’s online reservation system, as a single point of entry where event organizers can view availability, book spaces and arrange insurance and payment. He and commissioners discussed the timing constraints (campuses are generally available evenings and weekends) and the district’s interest in recurring partnerships such as UIL competitions and athletic tournaments that bring multi‑day stays and hotel room nights.

Ending: Commissioners and staff noted that district parking, buses and facilities are underused assets for tourism and events. Commissioners encouraged ISD to coordinate with Visit Austin and the TPID and suggested the district explore naming-rights deals and other earned-revenue strategies to support schools. “That brings in revenue for that goes right back to our students' education experience,” Striffler said.","Austin ISD staff told the commission that 116 campuses and about 20 additional district facilities are available for rental outside school hours, generated about $1.8 million last year for campuses, and could support sports, arts and film-related tourism in partnership with Visit Austin and local hotels.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608549,"Austin Film Festival says its competitions and TV show drive tourism and local creative jobs",761,2497000,3258000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9&start=2497&end=3258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9/thumbnail_2497000.jpg","/articles/6608549/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Film-Festival-says-its-competitions-and-TV-show-drive-tourism-and-local-creative-jobs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608549-6d6bdd4b8e3981dab2a592b7415fc73a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010275&Signature=CoQhYqmRwa1HP3eRz5K2XBa8JHzzzGV6JbLpQTj7tcddTtNKe7teWnpzkceeVb2CwBXmnAELNf9Svs5fcWXKaf1NOy9H4ITMetwxjgDs3jjNS-6SmKE2AJq4InSOknccCllctLDOd5aDteRyfXbTWnPNw85SNkq3RL~vOPVPh0hFUT2dnvrCEFTdtQ15iEX5VC8vDl0mcPASC9TooZ-xl~GQr7Z~jTToWTCbNaN4~O9eR8hbjG8uXaUjMZjTUXBrlqt3P85Oe-TPXsvHYsd8tICUk9w9BnEzJfJ306YlnkqKhTgplDAVKTge7gSI1kxt3rFQEMJLraShTg74iI9WNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Barbara Morgan, co‑founder and CEO of the Austin Film Festival, told the Austin Tourism Commission on April 9 that the festival’s screenplay competitions, panels and a nationally distributed PBS show create measurable tourism impacts and support local creative employment.

Morgan said the festival’s mission “furthers the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and all artists who use written and visual language to tell a story.” She told commissioners the festival’s screenplay competitions are industry-recognized and serve as an incubator that regularly attracts studios and production companies to discover new writers.

The nut graf: Morgan said the festival is a tourism generator that brings thousands of attendees — many from outside Texas — and contracts with hotel partners, producing tracked room nights and local spending. She warned that downtown hotel rates, rising venue costs and limited downtown screening venues are placing pressure on the organization and that additional city support or flexible cultural-funding mechanisms would help keep the festival anchored in Austin.

Morgan shared data from a recent consultant engagement: the festival books roughly 5,400 room nights and generates an estimated $13 million in economic impact during the event window. She said 58% of attendees travel from outside Texas and roughly 75% come from outside the Austin metro area.

She described the organization’s programming — a four‑day writers conference, 70-plus panels, about 80 film screenings, an industry-facing PBS program called On Story, and year-round development programs — as both career-development and tourism drivers. “If you win or place in our competition, it's not really just an accolade, it's a career defining moment,” Morgan said, and she said films by festival alumni have generated more than $5.2 billion at the global box office.

Morgan said the festival has considered changes to address cost pressures, including scaling, relocation or other structural shifts, but emphasized the organization’s desire to remain in Austin. She asked commissioners to consider strategies that would help cultural events retain access to hotel/motel (hotel) tax funding or other supports that recognize events that demonstrably fill regional hotel rooms.

Ending: Morgan said the festival’s nationally distributed on‑air program and its industry reputation create ongoing promotion for Austin and that a coordinated city response to rising venue and hotel costs could preserve the festival’s tourism and economic contributions. “We are a tourism event,” she said: “we bring industry titans in … and highlight the journey from script to screen.”","Barbara Morgan, co‑founder and CEO of the Austin Film Festival, told the Tourism Commission the festival is a global screenplay incubator that generates hotel room nights, national media reach and local production opportunities — and that rising downtown costs threaten the event’s future in Austin.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608553,"Visit Austin official outlines film industry’s tourism value and waits on big state incentive bill",1375,167000,1542000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9&start=167&end=1542","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939433-3d17d81ff2ea2178c0effbe275dd7ad9/thumbnail_167000.jpg","/articles/6608553/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Visit-Austin-official-outlines-film-industrys-tourism-value-and-waits-on-big-state-incentive-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608553-6069ffcab7d12b113a28ebe17294487b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010275&Signature=JCHcy~oiSNedp4QdrMJ1XpxduPseuQtmGnvr1nt8cXzu08fdPJHQKMmLdYaE5~VUk7uTpXNg90O1flYGHF7QG349M8CkyYqIdAgeIkUmX1aFm84o1xfEDiE~fpXL2nYw7BQuv0n8VfNV-ajT4a8xy-NhXXrF9Un6LKEHQqQxzMAb5yyZ1QMfVpPRPy4CpqYCgs8EVtvyeOv0OR~R-76nCSpIOOfgmzZtKl28xeWr-12Uiyk4fdO~HElxiqfXVrZb3UswEDrxrbNd63LkDeIJRjPJhppgKcbYtlfXjMxvaYUVZdKunIOP-TOsPLAYAbsYJHgosCH30cYBZVgTGC~lwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brian Gannon, senior director of the Visit Austin Film Commission, told the Austin Tourism Commission on April 9 that commercial, television and feature film production are a steady source of tourism-related spending and local jobs — and that state incentives will determine how much production Austin can attract.

Gannon said Visit Austin markets the region’s diverse locations and local crew base to productions that primarily originate in Los Angeles, and that the office serves as an intermediary between productions and permitting and police contacts. “We advocate for production that's on the ground,” he said. “We don't finance or regulate, but we point productions to permitting offices.”

The nut graph: Gannon gave concrete recent examples of production impact in Austin and said the outcome of proposed statewide funding — referenced in the meeting as Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 4568 — would be a major driver of future production, room nights and local spending. He urged the commission to view film production as a sustained tourism generator that also supports local vendors, hotels and crew careers.

Gannon outlined the local film ecosystem: an accredited city-level film office inside Visit Austin; studio and retrofit facilities such as Austin Studios, ATX Film Studios and Troublemaker Studios; a vendor and crew marketplace; and marketing and sales missions to Los Angeles. He said commercial shoots are “kind of the bread and butter” and described film tourism products such as a local film-tour guide that maps movie locations to businesses that can benefit from visitor spending.

He provided recent production impacts that his office tracks: Walker averaged about 1,700 room nights per season and about $45 million in local spend; Fear the Walking Dead produced about 8,500 room nights and $55 million in local impact per season while it filmed in the region; and the series 1923 generated about $38 million in local impact and about 26,000 room nights during its production year in the region.

Gannon also described tools that lower production costs: a city incentive that, per the presentation, returns a percentage of qualifying local wages and a state-level sales-tax exemption for production materials. He said the Texas Media Production Alliance and other industry groups are advocating for more robust state incentives; meeting remarks cited SB 22 and HB 4568, a legislative package described by speakers as proposing sustained funding and higher base percentages for production incentives.

On the policy outlook, he said lawmakers were moving the bills through committees and that public testimony from Austin-based talent and producers had drawn attention. “If this bill passes, I think there'll be a before and after,” he said, describing the proposals as a potential long-term funding stream that would reduce the biennial volatility of the current program.

Commissioners asked about competitors and the role of incentives. Gannon named Georgia (Atlanta, Savannah), New Orleans, Albuquerque and Tulsa/Oklahoma City as jurisdictions that use incentives and built studio capacity to capture production. He stressed that incentives are the single biggest lever in location decisions but added non‑financial advantages — fast permitting, local crew depth, varied locations and a hospitality infrastructure — are important in Austin’s appeal.

Ending: Gannon concluded by urging the commission to view film production as a tourism and jobs engine that supports hotels, restaurants and local arts workers, and to track the state incentive legislation’s progress. “We'd hopefully see a huge spike in production” if the bills pass, he said.","Brian Gannon, senior director of the Visit Austin Film Commission, told the Austin Tourism Commission on April 9 that film, television and commercial production generate significant room nights and local spending, and that proposed state incentives (SB 22 / HB 4568) could substantially increase activity if passed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves March minutes, elects officers and restarts STR working group

Austin ISD tells Tourism Commission district facilities and parking can support events, produce revenue

Austin Film Festival says its competitions and TV show drive tourism and local creative jobs

Visit Austin official outlines film industry’s tourism value and waits on big state incentive bill