East Point CVB unveils tourism needs assessment; urges focus on overnight stays, convention space

The East Point Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) presented a needs-assessment plan to City Council on April 14, asking the city to back research and local coordination aimed at increasing overnight stays and convention business.

The CVB’s board chair, Veil Shaw, introduced Laura Mandela of Mandela Research Firm, who outlined the multi-pronged study that will survey travelers, meeting planners and tour operators to identify barriers and opportunities for East Point. "Our intention is to determine what is the potential tourism spend for East Point, and how can East Point gain its fair share of that tourism pie," Mandela said.

CVB president and CEO Shantel Francois said the organization has been active promoting East Point through festivals, media campaigns and partnerships with hotel operators. Francois described recent wins—such as the inaugural East Point Peachtree International Film Festival and partnerships with Morehouse College—that she said increased hotel occupancy during events.

The presentation summarized the CVB’s tactics: stakeholder roundtables, targeted marketing, and a deliverable that will include a visitor profile and a roadmap for increasing overnight revenue. Francois told the council the CVB also seeks a strategy for leveraging proximity to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and upcoming regional events, including FIFA matches next year.

Hotel owners who joined the presentation said the city loses potential convention business because of limited local meeting space. One hotel owner, identified as a hotel community representative, estimated the city lost about $3.7 million in economic impact between October and March because East Point lacks a conference facility. He asked council to consider directing tourism-product-development (TPD) funds toward meeting space or acquisition of a facility that could host 300–500 attendees.

Council members and staff discussed the practicality of converting the city auditorium into multiuse space. Council member Butler asked whether the auditorium could accommodate 50 tables (about 500 people); hotel representatives and staff said the auditorium is currently configured for performing arts and lacks kitchen and flexible meeting infrastructure. City staff said predesign work focused on performing arts but did not rule out a multiuse configuration; they noted additional predesign and due-diligence work would be needed.

Francois and other CVB board members also reviewed how the city’s 8% accommodations tax has been distributed since 2010 and urged transparency on the allocation of the portion earmarked for tourism product development. "There is 1.5% that goes to tourism product development. That's $13,000,000. I have yet to see the return on that $13,000,000," a hotel owner said, citing hotel-sector concerns about prioritizing funds for facilities that generate overnight stays.

Council members requested the CVB share stakeholder meeting dates and the CVB agreed to coordinate the sessions with city communications. Several council members suggested the city manager and economic development staff continue coordination with the CVB on downtown development, airport advertising and potential grant or bond strategies to fund facilities. The CVB indicated it will return with stakeholder dates and the firm’s timetable for deliverables.

The presentation prompted council direction to continue discussions; councilmembers asked staff to include the CVB in any due diligence on city-owned properties that could be repurposed for meetings or conferences. The CVB requested support for a tourism task force to coordinate steps related to major regional events such as FIFA.