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Tusayan renews marketing tool, approves drone show and advances planning for Sports Complex and 7 Mile Lodge
Summary
Council renewed the town’s Placer Labs marketing agreement, approved the Open Sky Drone Show contract with manager discretion to add one event, and discussed the 2034 General Plan, Sports Complex Master Plan final draft and the planned demolition of the 7 Mile Lodge.
The Town of Tusayan advanced multiple tourism, community programming and planning items at its Nov. 12 meeting, approving a marketing-software renewal and the Open Sky Drone Show contract while continuing master-planning work for the Sports Complex and the 7 Mile Lodge site.
Town Manager Hendrix described a successful first marketing campaign using Placer Labs, the tool the town uses to track attendance at events and visitation. The council voted unanimously to renew the Placer Labs agreement for one additional year after Council Member Josh Collet moved the renewal and Vice Mayor Greg Brush seconded the motion.
On events, the council approved the Open Sky Drone Show contract at the same price as last year and gave the Town Manager authority to negotiate an additional show at her discretion to accommodate community or trade-delegation needs. Mayor Clarinda Vail moved the approval; Council Member Kathryn Kanallakan seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Staff indicated the drone show storyboard for the Christmas event had been populated with prior animations and that the show dates include an added Jan. 24 ‘Stellar Show’ intended for visiting trade delegates.
Council also reviewed community-programming notes: the Santa Shack was scheduled to open Dec. 9, the Healthy Living Library Check-out Program would have community participation Nov. 20, and astronomy telescope nights were planned in January. Staff noted an APS grant supported some event costs and the Santa Shack.
Planning items dominated later discussion. Council received stakeholder outreach feedback for the 2034 General Plan (roughly 18 attendees at the stakeholder meeting), with common themes including preserving the town’s naturalistic character (dark skies and soundscapes), transportation options (seasonal shuttle ideas), utilities and phasing for the Sports Complex, and potential public services at the remodeled 7 Mile Lodge. Staff said the final draft of the Sports Complex Master Plan was expected imminently and that demolition contracting for 7 Mile Lodge is moving forward under the consent authorization.
What’s next: Placer Labs will be renewed and the drone show contract executed; staff will continue to refine the Sports Complex plan and proceed with demolition preparations for the 7 Mile Lodge site.
