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Arroyo Grande TBID board says paid media driving measurable visits; council approves resolution of intent to levy assessment
Summary
The council received the Tourism Business Improvement District annual report, heard new location-visitation metrics showing 530 exposed visits and 99 unique exposed visitors from recent paid media, and approved a resolution of intent to levy the 2% TBID assessment for fiscal year 2025'—26.
The Arroyo Grande City Council voted to receive the annual report for the Arroyo Grande Tourism Business Improvement District and adopted a resolution of intent to levy the 2% TBID assessment for fiscal year 2025'—26, setting a public hearing for May 13, 2025.
Sheridan Bolkin, the city's director of recreation services, summarized the TBID's finances and strategy, saying anticipated TBID assessment revenue for the coming fiscal year is about $318,000 against estimated expenses of approximately $461,000, leaving a projected fund balance of roughly $295,000.
Richardson Rygaard of Common Communication, which manages the TBID marketing program, presented new "location visitation" metrics intended to measure how advertising exposure translates to physical visits. Rygaard reported that tracked media delivered about 1,490,000 impressions, which corresponded to 530 total exposed visits and 99 exposed unique visitors; staff calculated a current cost of about $40 per exposed visit. Rygaard said connected-TV and over-the-top video placements produced higher cost-per-click metrics but were comparatively effective at driving visits when measured by location data.
Multiple council members asked detailed questions about the methodology, including how "exposed visits" differ from unique visitors, how partner hotels receive bookings from the TBID's site links and what booking platforms they use, and whether the TBID was deliberately budgeting to use fund balance in the coming year. Bolkin confirmed the board intentionally budgeted expenses above projected assessment revenues to reduce the fund balance.
Several council members expressed skepticism about the program's return on investment and about low visible participation by lodging partners; however, the council voted 3'to'0 (Mayor stepped down for conflict) to adopt the resolution of intent and set the May 13 public hearing, at which any protests will be considered and the city will take a final vote on the levy.
The resolution of intent does not immediately collect new funds; it sets the process and public hearing under the Municipal Code and the TBID bylaws. Bolkin and Rygaard said staff will return with additional reporting and benchmarking as the TBID continues the current campaign.
