COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, April 21, 2010 10:40 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN MARIA QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILLS 100115, 100116, 100117, 100118, 100131 and RESOLUTION 100141 - - - 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. The first department to testify this morning will be the City Representative. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning. Kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning, President Verna and members of City Council. I am here to present testimony on behalf of the Office of the City Representative's FY11 Operating Budget request of 945,591 is. This budget request will fund seven staff positions 3 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and pay for core department operations in FY11. The Office of the City Representative is responsible for developing and promoting events to attract commerce, visitors and new residents to Philadelphia and improving the quality of life for the people who live here. Our office also works with various agencies to market Philadelphia to a worldwide audience. The Office of the City Representative handles marketing, promotions and branding internally and externally; international protocol; special events; ceremonial events; ceremonial documents and ceremonial gifts; public relations; photographic services; presentations and also oversees the Fund for Philadelphia. We also produce the Wawa Welcome America celebration and the Philadelphia Marathon, as well as other events such as the Mayor's Centenarian celebration, Police and Fire Memorial, 4 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. City Hall Tree Lighting Ceremony, among others. The office is also one of the liaison offices for special events produced by non-City entities, such as the Army/Navy football game, the TD Pro-cycling Race, the Dad Vail Regatta, the Mummers Parade and the World Cup bid, among others. We also had the pleasure of producing the 2008 Phillies Championship Parade, and we hope to do it in 2010. The Office of the City Representative has been able to carry out some important accomplishments in FY10. Some examples are: We unveiled the Life, Liberty and You logo and brand system that was created pro bono by the Star Group. It is being rolled out as needed so as not to incur any new costs. The Division of Technology, for example, has adopted it in their new website development that each City department is receiving. 5 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. In our ongoing efforts to promote the City, we have developed several similar but unique retail discount programs in conjunction with our events. The "Patriot Pass" and the "Fan Pass" were both created for visitors and residents during Welcome America and the Philadelphia Marathon weekend respectively as incentives to increase their shopping and exploration of our neighborhood businesses. We created and coordinated the Spread the Love discount program in conjunction with a number of partners at the request of the Mayor during the 2010 winter snowstorms that kept people home. This program also included SEPTA and the Philadelphia Parking Authority as partners to provide additional incentives for residents and visitors to come into the City despite the snowy roads. The Spread the Love Program evolved into the current Philly in Bloom Program, which features the daily essay contest "Why I 6 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Love Philadelphia," with prizes ranging from a $100 gift certificate to Lagos Jewelers to a weekly SEPTA pass or a free dinner at a Philadelphia restaurant, all donated items, all to promote Philadelphia businesses. We partnered with the Center City District, the PCVB, GPTMC, PIDC and other stakeholders to create the Philadelphia Retail Marketing Alliance, with a goal of promoting the City's many retailers and attracting new ones. This was initiated by the CCD. A website and marketing campaign named "Be In On It" features local retail success stories. This was created at no cost to the City and links to the Commerce Department's Business Services Portal to facilitate new business creation. Ongoing engagement of the Philadelphia Executive Marketing Council, a think tank of senior-level marketing professionals who help find marketing communication solutions for various City 7 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
department challenges in an effort to enhance the City's image, from crime to education to business services and everything in between. The Office of the City Representative's budget appropriations request of 945,591 represents a net increase of 108,100 over last year's allocation. The net increase of 127,250 in Class 200 is due to various line item changes in this class, the most significant being restoration of funding to the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. In efforts to consolidate and better support information technology and telecommunication activities, Class 400 funds have been transferred to the Division of Technology pursuant to the Mayor's Executive Order. The Office of the City Representative is committed to supporting the Administration's goal of percent 24 minority, women and disabled-owned 25 business participation in City 8 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. contracting. However, the Office of the City Representative will have no FY11 participation goal based on no available contracting dollars. However, we have a number of contracts through the Philadelphia Marathon and Wawa Welcome America with minority contractors that at this time the City does not capture, but will endeavor to do so as they move forward. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you, and I am happy to answer any questions.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Ms. Johnson.
Just a quick question, and maybe the Commerce 9 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Department is a better one to ask this, but with all the various initiatives you have, obviously to promote Philadelphia and bring people in here, is there a goal that you have as far as how much money that would translate into?
I don't have a goal in terms of numbers, but we look at everything. With the retail thing that we're doing, we're hoping with the fashion event that we're working with with CCD and a number of different avenues will bring people in from outside to hit the hotels. So we're always looking for the economic impact as well as revenue that can help contain the department's efforts.
How about last year; is there any number that you can provide -- and, again, maybe the Commerce Department is the better one to 10 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. ask this -- of how much the effort has brought in? And I know it's sort of an estimate, because you don't always know what brought people in for everything, but --
Are you asking for specific events or overall? For instance, the Philadelphia Marathon, would you like to know the economic impact of that?
I would say both. If you could give me the big hits, if you will, and then maybe an overall number.
Well, for the Philadelphia Marathon, we filled 5,000 hotel rooms. The economic impact on the City of Philadelphia is estimated at about $9 million, but we are looking to see, working with GPTMC, whether we can get some actual numbers. They're looking at not just the Philadelphia Marathon, but what Welcome America does, as well as some outside entities. 11 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Yes. But that won't be available for a while, because we have to go through each event in order to gather that information. It is something that we actually have been discussing.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Ms. Johnson. How are you?
One of the 12 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. things I think I should do is thank you for saving a number -- or being a part of a team that saved a number of events in spite of a recession, and I understand the daunting task of trying to make a dollar out of 50 cents, but I would like to, on that note, ask you what is the net impact of sponsorships to these festivals and/or parades and what percentage of decreases since the recession.
Well, actually, I would say it's getting better. 2009 was incredibly difficult to find anybody to give out any kind of funding, but things are opening up a little more this year.
Do you have exact figures as to what that level of giving was prior and then --
No, I don't have an overall number. We did manage to sign 13 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Wawa Welcome America for three years for about $3 million, money plus services and products. As Dad Vail Regatta, they did a six-figure deal with the Dad Vail from Aberdeen Asset Management.
You don't have to have that figure now, but it might be good to share with this Council so that we get to see if indeed corporate America is getting healthy, that should reflect in the sponsorships and see what the trend is, upwards or downwards, that would be helpful.
Sure. I can give you some of that information, but not the Dad Vail Regatta, as they're a private entity. I don't have that number, but everything else I can probably find for you.
-- would be helpful. 14 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. By way of the recession as well, have we kept track of tourism? Is it up? Is it down? Are more groups -- and can you quantify that for me?
I think you've seen a little increase this year. GPTMC keeps track of those numbers, and I believe in 2009 that there may have been anywhere from three to nine percent increase over the course of the year.
Could you also provide that to this body, but also broken down by region of the world, and in that, is there a direct correlation of marketing to that region and if we're down and people coming from Southeast Asia or South of France, it doesn't matter to me. If there is a campaign to try to attract them, what is the rationale as to why we place a media by one region of the world versus another, and is there a correlation and benefit to travel?
I will talk with 15 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. international. PCVB actually does international, but they have a very small budget. So I will find out what their marketing goals are for the coming year.
All right. You mentioned the revenues generated from the World Series and other events. What is the model by which we determine what a profitable event is versus something that is going to cost us? What is the formula that we take into account to determine that?
There's not a specific formula, but mostly it's the economic impact on the overall businesses and the tourism industry within Philadelphia.
I'm pretty sure that by the time you get around to Ms. Sanchez, she's going to ask that. We might in the future try to a little more 16 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. hone what those true costs are versus what the true benefit is to figure out if indeed we're breaking even so we can keep track of that as a whole.
Are you asking specifically for City events or outside events?
Both. To the degree that you can get -- you mention in the Dad Vail's case, that you can't kind of get into their books to find out, but if indeed we can get an estimate, that would be helpful, and I would look at it with an eye towards knowing the difference between the Thanksgiving Day Parade and what the benefit is to the City versus one of my neighborhood festivals and what the advertising or hotel stay revenue would be from that. So knowing that in general and classifying that in general gives us a better idea how to predict what the costs will be.
Just may I ask a 17 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. few questions so I can be clear?
Most of the events that you just named don't receive City funding, so what we're doing with GPTMC is trying to find out specifically what the economic impact is of each of these to get a number, and we use that formula as to the hotel rooms, the number of hotel rooms, how many people have come in. Do you want more than just that number?
Well, kind of sort of -- what I'm moving towards -- and that's a good inquiry. What I'm moving towards is, when I met with the General Manager of Channel 6, which is the sponsor of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, he was kind enough to tell me where his profit streams were coming from and why it made sense to him. My thought to you as our City Rep would be to know that in your head gives you better leverage as to know what the tipping 18 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. point might be versus somebody threatening to walk away versus the numbers suggesting that they should walk away.
So knowing that kind of counterintelligence, if you would, gives you a better hand. And I know you negotiate these. You're famous for your negotiations, but knowing their cards in their hand gives you a better way to strategize as to what this is worth to that entity.
No problem. I'm going to pass and I'll have some more questions on the second round, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
Thank 19 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. you. Good morning.
I wanted to talk -- as you know, we've been in discussions with the Administration quite some time around these festivals, and I wanted to ask, because one of the discussions have been the ability to raise money through the Philadelphia -- the Fund for Philadelphia. Can you tell me who is on the Board of the Philadelphia Fund and how much money we have on hand and how do we currently use it?
The Fund for Philadelphia is an entity whereas City departments may go out to corporations, foundations or grantees to request funds for a project. So, for instance, say DHS went to William Penn to get money for a project that they were doing. The Fund for Philadelphia serves as a depository 20 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. for those funds, and they administer those funds on the behalf -- on behalf of DHS. So that money belongs specifically to DHS for that reason. The Fund in the past has also been used for any initiatives that the Administration may have. For instance, when they were talking about raising money for pools, they considered using the Fund as a way for people to put money in as a private citizen or through corporate sponsorships or foundations. That money is not used by anyone other than the intended person who deposited that funding in there.
I can give you a list. It's four people, and we're in the process of looking at some other people to add to the Board.
And how much money do they currently have on hand? 21 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
I don't know that specifically, but I would say the deposits overall probably don't exceed $6 million.
About $6 million. Can you share that with the Chair. And you said there's currently four people on the Board and you're looking to add people?
Yes, we are. We're looking at revamping the number of people that we have, adding a non-profit lawyer, someone that is versed in the non-profit law, as they have changed in the number -- the last couple of years, 22 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. and we want someone who is up on that.
So if we were to use this as a vehicle to deal with some of the parade situation, who is the person that we would have to talk to? We're going to have hearings on this coming up and I want to know -- I want to have an idea prior to that hearing.
Actually, as the Chair would be me, as well as the Executive Director, Karen Leslie Henry.
The Executive Director is Karen Leslie Henry. A parade fund could absolutely be started, and private citizens can actually donate money to that parade fund, and that money would then be kept in that parade fund and administered. There would have to be someone who was the point person for that fund and how the fund -- the money got distributed, because we don't make those decisions for 23 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the individual deposits.
Okay. And then Karen Leslie Henry, does she work for you?
She is not. She is paid through the Fund for Philadelphia as a 501(c)(3) employee. She's not a City employee.
And update -- if you could provide us with an update with the Welcome America, where we are since Sunoco is no longer funding it.
Wawa is our title sponsor. 24 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
Any updates on that as it relates to it? I know it's one of our signature events.
Well, one of the things that over the years we worked really hard in tying in Welcome America to the different communities in the neighborhood, including a Latino part of it. Is that still going to happen this year?
We have the Party on the Parkway on the 4th. We usually have a multi-cultural stage. Last year our Go Forth and Learn did three events. One was at Penn University Museum and the other one was at the library in Chinatown. So we try and do a cultural Go Forth and Learn, and the one that we have on the Parkway is always very diverse, and we always have booths from different organizations to provide information so that we're hitting all of 25 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the diverse communities in the City. At least we try to do that. So, yes, we're still looking at that, and it's continuing to grow as long as we have the funding to add more things.
I understand the multi-cultural piece, but there was like a whole Latino-focused initiative. You're saying that that's getting merged into everything else?
That initiative was funded in 2007 by Goya, who is no 15 longer a funder, and it was a salsa contest that they had put together, I think you're talking about. No, that wasn't part of it since we came back in 2008. So we've done other things to add the Latino community, but we don't have the funding for that piece that we had before.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Ms. Johnson.
I have a couple of questions here, and I don't think -- I don't know whether this is your office, the Managing Director's Office or Public Property, but does your office have anything to do with community special events?
It depends on in what way you're asking. We do -- we are the liaison for some of the events if they come through, but primarily we sit on the task force for permitting. Someone in my office represents our office for that. 27 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
What about the rental of equipment, special events equipment, such as stage, sound, the dropping of wires?
We don't really have a lot of equipment anymore for that, and Public Property doesn't do as many special events.
Well, last year some of the groups that have historically put on festivals, et cetera, in my district were not able to get stages or any of the equipment that they normally would rent from the City. Would you happen to know -- and this really should have been a question for Public Property, but I actually forgot to ask. Would you happen to know -- last year I don't think the City rented out any of that equipment. Do you know 28 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. if they're doing it this year?
I think that -- and I don't want to speak for the Commissioner, but I believe that based on some of the cuts that department has received, they no longer have the staff to provide some of the services that they did in the past, which could possibly mean that the staging and the equipment that they have are no longer available for rental. But I'm not sure.
Okay. I'll find that out. Thank you. Also I'd like to ask you about the ceremonial gifts. In the first of your testimony you say that you've given out -- or 3,500 have been presented annually. What are those gifts?
We have a number of different ones. One is the large Liberty Bell. The other is a small Liberty Bell. We have key chains. We have books on Philadelphia, books on the history of City Hall. We're in the 29 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. process of putting together some prints of City Hall that we received that we actually found when we were doing some archiving of our records. We have lapel pins. Some are the round pins that show the City seal and some are in the shape of the Liberty Bell. We also have pins that have the new brand on it, Life, Liberty and You. That's pretty much what I can remember. Oh, we have the brag book that we were in partnership with GPTMC to produce. So we have some of those, and they basically show what Philadelphia has to brag about.
How do Council offices access some of those gifts to give to our constituents? Traditionally -- I've been here 17 years, and traditionally people call us and ask us for Liberty Bells, et cetera. What is the process?
I haven't 30 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. been able to get any of those for the last two years.
Unfortunately, I don't recall seeing anything from your office, but I will say that we usually get a form. Most Councilpeople send me an e-mail and request it, and we go from there.
And I did not get one. And I don't -- you and I could probably talk about it. I'll set up an appointment to talk to you.
But there does seem to be some difficulty. I have another question regarding -- on the second page of your testimony, in your partnership with Center City District and PCVB, it's the second bullet point, and it talks about promoting the City's many retailers and 31 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. attracting new ones. Is this initiative solely for Center City or is it for neighborhood commercial corridors?
It's for everything. Basically we're trying to put an event together that would be able to highlight the different fashion retailers in the different areas, depending on who is producing the show. So basically the website promotes primarily at this point Center City because it was just launched through CCD, but they're hoping to expand that as it gets bigger.
Okay. I guess the best way for us to follow this and get updated is just to go on the website?
Yes, or we can provide you with some information depending on what it is you need.
Well, one of the things that some of the commercial corridors -- I know certainly the ones in 32 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. my district -- need are retailers. Many of the stores are empty, and that's a need, and I'm probably sure that -- I know in the Northwest part of town, we have empty buildings, from Chestnut Hill on down to 22nd Street. So that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for retailers that want to take up some of this space.
Well, we've been working with some of the different districts to see how we can pull them in. It's not something that has happened immediately, because we just got this. This just launched probably at the end of last year. So as we're moving forward, we'll probably be reaching out more to the different districts in the neighborhoods to see how we can link up.
But I will try and get you some information on when that will actually happen.
Okay. 33 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. And can you talk a little bit about the third bullet point, the Philadelphia Executive Marketing Council and the types of activities that they'll be engaged in.
Absolutely. When we first came into office in 2008, I reached out to a number of different businesses to ask if they would be interested in sitting on this Council, and one of the first things we did was just kind of get to know what some of the work they were doing, so that everybody would be basically in the know. So what we've done in the past, we have had this group talk to different departments. We have speakers come in. Kevin Dow came in one day and talked about what was going on with the Business Services Portal and could we give him any information on how we might market that. We talked to Public Service Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison came in. So we sit down, we talk about that, what some of their goals are and 34 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. how marketing can help them do what they're doing. We also did it for education and we did it for, by conference call, on the flash mobs to come up with some ideas on some of the ways we could outreach to not only media, but maybe to the School District and try and see whether we can get this to stop. So that's some of the ways that they've actually been able to offer services for us.
Good morning, 35 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Councilwoman.
Let's start off with some old business; namely, a status and an update on the tour guide legislation, bill, law, lawsuit.
Well, basically we won, but there is an appeal process going through. And I don't know if you can categorize it as an actual win. What the judge said is that there was no way with the funding that we didn't have to actually initiate this, so until that time when the funding became available to actually get the program up and running, there was no point in saying yes or no. 17 So it was kind of a draw. The defendants -- I'm sorry; the plaintiffs in the case basically didn't agree with that and decided they were going to do an appeal. So right now the appeal process is going through the courts, and that's basically where we are. It could probably take another six months if the judge decides to hear the 36 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. appeal and see what happens.
Very well. So with that said, we should remember that Temple University School of Hospitality offered their savvy skill-set, resources to help craft that document for your office. So whether or not there's nothing in the City's budget in your department for it, Temple University is prepared to step in and make that happen for us.
So your office not having the funds should not be an impediment; would you agree?
Yes and no. 18 There are a number of different people involved, not just Temple University, and if it's a City-structured event, the City has to have someone who is going to be able to put it out there, and the City -- there has to be a test, and that means incorporating L&I and having someone -- and setting up the test so people can 37 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. come in. There's also a cost to that for people in setting that cost. So we can gather the information. There are any number of different organizations. They actually started one that includes Temple University, get the actual test done, but after that, you have to have --
Exactly. So I think it will eventually happen. I just don't know when.
But I'll look into talking with Temple again and give you an update.
We'll continue to follow that in the press as well. Let's move to MBE, WBE activity. On the last page of your testimony, you state, and I quote, the 38 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. last paragraph --
About the contracts with Philadelphia Marathon and Welcome America?
What provisions, stipulations or requirements exist for ensuring that Wawa and anyone else are honoring the Mayor's Strategic Plan with regards to MBE, WBE activity?
Well, both of those organizations, Philadelphia Marathon and Wawa Welcome America, are actually 501(c)(3)'s and, as such, aren't really part of the Mayor's initiative to increase that, but because they reside in my office, we try to follow that. So I try and make sure that we do have minority vendors when we work.
And for 39 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. the record, that is the same hurdle or brick wall we're now facing with DHS. Being a 501(c)(3) soon will not exempt you from being a part of this mandate that the Mayor has made exceedingly clear.
We don't want to do that at all. That's why we do reach out and make sure we have it. Absolutely.
Thank you. Why do you believe that non-profits are exempt?
I didn't say they were exempt. I'm saying that that was not something that was part of things that were done in the past, but since I've been there, we have managed to have an increase in the minority vendors that we use since 2008 for both Welcome 40 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. America --
I don't have goals set yet. We're still working with OEO in order to set those for outside. They're doing internally, but until they get to us, which we hope is very soon, we've set our own goals just to make sure that we have those minority participation.
I'd like to have at least percent. I think I've 17 managed to get at least ten percent for 18 minority vendors. 19
It's not formalized. It never existed before. It's something that I'm trying to do now.
Every other department has come here and given 41 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. testimony, has formalized their goals and have told us what those goals were. You chose not to put it in your testimony, act as if it was some exercise for future years. There should be goals presented with the budget testimony.
I agree. I haven't had dollars in the General Fund money in order to have those contracts, which is why it doesn't exist in my budget, because I don't have it yet. But I brought forth information for Welcome America and the Philadelphia Marathon so that you would see that we do actually have contracts with minority vendors in my office even though it's not General Fund funding.
I'm not sure, whether it's General Fund funding or not, it makes a difference.
I understand, which is why, Councilman, we do have minority vendors for these events. I agree with you. 42 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.
I don't have the goals yet because we didn't have the funding for it.
So you do anticipate funding for Fiscal Year '11 or you don't?
I anticipate increasing the numbers for the Philadelphia Marathon and Welcome America.
Okay. On June 19th, 2008, -- well, let's go to this first. In your budget detail, 43 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. , there's no restoration of funding for the Avenue of the Arts.
They're not in my budget anymore. They reside in the Office of Culture.
Okay. So I'll wait until that office comes before us. On June 19th, 2008, my office introduced a resolution for the City to include the flag of Bangladesh in the display of flags on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The resolution did pass with the support of my colleagues. Update us on where that is.
We're working with Center City District to try and 44 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. increase the number of poles and determine the amount of money that may need to be raised to have flags. At this point, there weren't any -- the only place we identified to put them on the Parkway was Logan Square. So we're trying to find out what the cost of that would be and if we can work with individual groups who want the poles so that we can increase and how that would work, since they're all in alphabetical order. So we actually started that process and hope to have an answer very soon.
And the process is collaborating with the area organizations on the Parkway to ID the dollars to make that real?
That completes my testimony, and I'll wait to hear Councilman Goode's additional questions around MBE, WBE activity.
Thank you, 45 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Councilwoman.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
See, now normally this is the part where I yield to my colleague because he's chomping at the bit, but I'm going to give you some breathing room in between --
-- and ask my questions. One of the things that I'm interested in kind of pursuing both with you and others involved in the marketing of the City of Philadelphia is to what degree are we making efforts to get into neighborhoods by way of tourism, by way of marketing. In my district and like many of the other districts around here, we have hidden treasures. If you go into my district, starting right on the border with Councilwoman Blackwell is the Zoo. 46 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. If you continue on, you hit the Please Touch Museum. If you continue on, Japanese House, Ohio House, Horticultural Center, ending up at the Mann Museum. Wholesome family entertainment. So if you're at the Marriott for a convention, if you want to sin, you go towards the waterfront, but if you want to kind of have Disney-type entertainment, you move west. To what degree do we market that? How are we using our synergy to get that out there that there's more to do than just hit the Liberty Bell, in neighborhoods specifically?
Right. We basically work with all of those organizations that you just talked about. We just finished the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival that incorporated the Horticultural Center, Please Touch Museum, as well as the Fairmount Park area where there was a big festival. We basically market those areas through the 47 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. Fan Pass that I talked about and the Patriot Pass for Welcome America and the Philadelphia Marathon. We also work with GPTMC through their website to make sure that attractions in Philadelphia are part of their website. And that's basically how we do that.
One of the things I do whenever I get a chance to travel, which doesn't happen anymore, is the local hotel will show what things there are to do, and to what degree can we negotiate. Comcast did a really good thing on one part of my district, in Manayunk. They just marketed for about a four-minute vignette on getting local under Comcast that I think you could replicate that for Chestnut Hill, South Street, other areas around Philadelphia, kind of saying if you're into jazz, here's where this exists.
They did a 48 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. local vignette marketing the neighborhood of Manayunk. It's about four minutes, go and get local. You can get down to that. But if we did that for about ten to 6 neighborhoods around the City, we market 7 ourselves internally as a city of 8 neighborhoods. 9
I think GPTMC 10 does that with "You Wish You Knew" on the 11 website, and the City is actually in the 12 process now of trying to get the leisure 13 site up. We don't want to replicate 14 exactly what GPTMC is doing, but that 15 could be an avenue in which we might be able to do something along those lines.
But, again, I agree that's the right direction. To the hotels, to Comcast, because they have a wider audience than just the website, and in so doing, if you're a visitor, you can get local, as it is called on the icons, and actually pick a neighborhood that may -- if you're from South Philly and you want to experience where Rocky 49 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. ran and the Italian Market, then it markets the restaurants, entertainment venues in that region for you. We had a group of physician assistants association come in town and they wanted to not just do downtown. So we gave them some instructions on how to get to Councilman DiCicco's district. I think it was Spasso's that we marketed. And I could have just as easily done Maria's district or 5th Street. So we could have done any of the districts like that, but I want to spend more of our attention not just on Center City restaurants, because that's how our restaurants in neighborhoods stay open, and if we could do a little bit to move the needle, as Blondell would say, in that direction, I think the district people would see benefit from the citywide marketing effort in their respective business strips.
I absolutely agree. We do that with the Fan Pass, 50 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. which I will make sure that each one of you has. We do citywide, so that there is marketing not just in Center City but in Germantown and West Philadelphia, anybody who is actually interested, and we do the big reach out, and we're increasing that --
Just make sure you hit the Seventh District as well, please.
Yes. I won't forget that. And we also do it now with the Philly in Bloom, which is on the website. It started out as Spread the Love because of the snow and it turned into Philly in Bloom. It goes until the 31st of May, and we're hoping to actually move that forward. But we have all numbers of stores citywide who have given donations for people in this contest. So those are two initiatives that actually touch on exactly what you were saying, and we're looking for more as well.
One last 51 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc. comment on that. If you look at the mansions in Fairmount Park, if you go from the Playhouse, Smith's Playground up to the first frisbee park in the nation, up to Benedict Arnold's Mansion straight up to the Rittenhouse where the first paper mill, where they actually let you make paper out of wood pulp, if we market those kinds of things in a strategic manner towards groups that are coming in that may be architects and historians, we can really get a lot of second-tier money into neighborhoods, and I just want it interconnected with cable and interconnected with the hotel site so that it's not just on one site that if you're expert you can find, but to mass market it in ways that that kind of draws attention to neighborhoods. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Councilman. 52 4/21/10 - WHOLE - BILL 100115, etc.