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EDC approves two tourism grants: $1,500 for Umqua Valley market research, $2,500 for Urban Blends advertising
Summary
The Roseburg EDC approved $1,500 to the Umqua Valley Wine Growers Association for market research and $2,500 to Urban Blends to advertise a June music and arts festival; staff cited Oregon law guiding transient lodging tax uses.
The Roseburg Economic Development Commission approved two tourism grant awards at its Feb. 27 meeting: $1,500 to the Umqua Valley Wine Growers Association to fund market research and $2,500 to Urban Blends to advertise the second annual Southern Oregon Music and Arts Festival.
Staff explained the awards are permissible uses of transient lodging tax under the Oregon Revised Statutes because the funds would support tourism promotion activities such as market research, advertising and marketing special events. "Tourism promotion means any of the following activities: advertising, publicizing, or distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists," staff said while briefing commissioners and citing statutory definitions included in the meeting packet.
Umqua Valley Wine Growers Association Staff recommended funding $1,500 to the Umqua Valley Wine Growers Association to pay ZOE PDX Design Studio for market research that will inform a digital video marketing campaign. The association initially sought $7,499 for a campaign; commissioners previously directed staff to return with a narrowed request and a cost breakdown. Staff said the $1,500 would cover 10 hours of market research and content planning with ZOE PDX.
Ally (representing Umqua Valley Wine Growers Association) told commissioners the principal costs of the full campaign would be platform advertising fees, not production: "The main cost is paying the platforms to advertise," she said, explaining the association already owns some longer-form video material and plans to repackage it.
Commissioners discussed the risk that market research could be funded without the association later producing videos. Staff and the applicant said the research would guide production and that the association could seek additional funding later. Commissioners asked for post-grant reporting metrics; staff said final reports are provided to the commission and urged applicants to return with results.
Urban Blends Staff recommended $2,500 for Urban Blends to promote the Southern Oregon Music and Arts Festival, scheduled for June 7 at Urban Blends' Diamond Lake Boulevard site. The application lists radio buys in regional markets (Medford, Reedsport and Eugene), posters and boosted social media. Staff summarized that 14 out-of-area bands are expected to perform, with the event centered on property owned by Urban Blends.
Votes and process For both awards, motions were moved and seconded on the record and approved by voice vote with commissioners indicating "aye;" the motion summaries provided to staff stated "motion carries." Staff said the commission will ask grantees to report outcomes after the events and that revised grant application language and reporting requirements will be discussed at the commission's April meeting.
No formal conditions or amendments to the grants were recorded on the transcript; staff noted applicants could return for additional funding rounds.
