MCC Adams Grant Task Force

Economic Development Council

Meeting: January 4, 2006, 11:30 am

Judge Welsh Room

Present: Acting Assistant Town Manager/Grant Administrator Michelle Jarusiewicz, Town Manager Keith Bergman, Bill Dougal/EDC, Steve Melamed/EDC, Alix Ritchie/EDC, Henry Tuttle/EDC, Thanassi Kuliopulos/EDC, Ellen Burbank/PMPM, Candice Collins-Boden/Chamber, Peter Bez/VSB, Hersh Schwartz/VSB, Mick Rudd/VSB, Elizabeth Bridgewater/CDC, Cherie Mittenthal/Castle Hill, Howard Burchman/Theater, Administrative Director of Tourism Bill Schneider, Dan Dray, Leslie Richardson, David Willard, Paul De Ruyter, Donna Flax, Dr. Gerry Scally & associate/TW Festival, Clyde Barrow/UMass Dartmouth

Visitor Survey:

UMass/Clyde Barrow presented a power-point summary of the Summer Visitor Survey conducted by UMass/Dartmouth. Some of the highlights included: most of the visitors are from New England and the Northeast [MA, NY, CT, NJ, PA]; most visitors have been here before or knew someone who had been here before; most are over 35, generally a more affluent group; the internet and travel guides are important after they decide to travel to Provincetown; with regard to the cultural attractions, the more they are aware of the attraction in advance, the more likely to visit; many visited art galleries which allows the galleries to be a springboard for other attractions; other parts of the Cape are great source of visitors; most people came for outdoor activities, if we capture them, can build a market; one issue – who is not coming here?

Candy commented that the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce’s survey report [also distributed], mirrored many of the findings in the summer survey such as point of origin, how they got here [mostly by car], repeat visitors, word of mouth, etc.

Some comments included: agreed that Cape was a captive audience; older visitors more likely to visit cultural attractions [such as the theater] so that was OK; but need for younger visitors to build a base of future visitors that love Provincetown; need for a strong cultural presence, need to look at ways to strengthen cultural efforts and foster a climate that encourages the continuation of the cultural assets; VSB has also recognized the need to target the Cape and Youth markets and shifting some resources in that direction; is Provincetown unique or is the rest if the Cape experiencing the same trends? How do you reach the visitors that are interested in cultural attractions? Provincetown has the product, people are looking for it, how do we get to them? One size doesn’t fit all. Competing with other cultural attractions up Cape, Provincetown has not made a strong enough market presentation, need to put it all together. Clearly have cultural attractions and tradition, should exploit it, international tourists are very interested.

A Spring Survey will be done as part of the Adams grant with the same instrument, with another to follow in the Fall of 2006.

Tennessee Williams Festival:

Dr. Jerry Scally made a presentation on the upcoming Tennessee Williams Festival celebrating his life in Provincetown -- September 28 – October 1, 2006. This is a 1^st for Provincetown, there are other festivals but they usually are academic in nature, this will be more fun with plays, adaptations, exhibits, tours. Details are still being put together. They are looking for ideas, suggestions, venues, publicity, funding, involvement, etc. and would like to involve the entire town [copies of slide show distributed].

Members were excited – there are Tennessee Williams fans worldwide. Resources suggested included PTV broadcast during the summer; Library as venue; other theater weekends next year [O’Neill and Tennessee Williams] for integration; tourism fund application.

Meeting Schedule:

v Presentation of Strategic Economic Cultural Plan by Chris Pappas at FAWC, Tuesday, 1/31/06 6:00 pm invite and encourage all members of the various organizations [BOS, PBG, Chamber, VSB, arts organization, etc.] to attend.

v MCCATF Meeting scheduled for Thursday, 2/2/06, 10:00 am.

v REMINDER: Hunter O’Hanian, along with Gabby Hanna, Chris McCarthy, Judy Cicero, and Lynne Davies will gather another rep from their groups and meet to discuss details of how this would work and be implemented, noting that the deadline for any articles on the town meeting warrant would be March 3, 2006.

v Subcommittee meeting to evaluate collaborative packaging opportunities to be set up. Volunteers included Michelle Jarusiewicz, Hersh Schwartz, Candice Collins-Boden, Bill Schneider, Ellen Burbank.

Adjourned 1:30 pm

MCC Adams grant activities funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Adams grant.