COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING - COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Monday, June 14, 2004, 10:50 a.m. - - - BILL 040598 - An Ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce, on behalf of The City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, both for purposes of hosting the Army-Navy intercollegiate football game in certain years, under certain terms and conditions. PRESENT: COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR., Chair COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN JUAN F. RAMOS COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILMAN FRANK DI CICCO 2 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 - - - P R O C E E D I N G S - - -
Public hearing on Bill Number 040598, Bill Number 040598, an Ordinance authorizing the Director of Commerce, on behalf of The City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, both for purposes of hosting the Army-Navy intercollegiate football game in certain years, under certain terms and conditions. My name is W. Wilson Goode, Jr., Chair of this Committee. I note that a quorum is present. Council President Anna C. Verna is here to my right; also Committee members Frank Rizzo, Blondell Reynolds-Brown, and Juan Ramos also joining us. At this time I'll ask our only panel to come to the witness table, Mr. Bill Fox, Mr. Tom Muldoon. 3 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 Gentlemen, please statement for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Bill Fox, Jr., Assistant Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia.
Tom Muldoon, President of Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. My name is Bill Fox, and I am the Assistant Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia. With me today is Tom Muldoon, President of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau. Also available to answer questions is Wanda Paul, Vice President of Finance and Administration of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Larry Needle, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress. 4 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 I am here today on behalf of the administration to testify in support of Bill Number 040598. This bill would authorize the Director of Commerce, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, for purposes of hosting the Army-Navy intercollegiate football game in certain years, under certain terms and conditions. Because of its significant economic impact on both the City and the region, hosting the Army-Navy game has been and will continue to be a major economic development priority of the administration. The event attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year, generating over $20 million in direct economic impact and 17,000 room nights annually. Included in those figures is more than $220,000 in direct dollars and direct tax revenues to the City of Philadelphia. 5 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 In the fall of 2002, after a very competitive nine-month RFP process, we were delighted that Philadelphia was awarded five of the next six Army-Navy games through 2009. We are now preparing to sign an agreement for those games. The ordinance before you directs the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, PAID, and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau to enter into a six-year agreement with the service academies through 2009. It authorizes the City's Director of Commerce to enter into a simultaneous agreement with PAID, as well as a cooperation agreement with the Convention Bureau, in order to specifically define the City's and Bureau's responsibilities pertaining to Army-Navy. Retaining the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia, its true home, has been a team effort. The Commerce Department has worked hand in hand with all of our partners, including the Mayor, the 6 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Philadelphia Sports Congress. I would respectfully request that you give favorable consideration to this bill. I would further ask that the rules of Council be suspended to allow for first reading of this bill at the next City Council session. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. This concludes my formal testimony.
Just before I read my testimony, I'd just like to thank everybody. I know this was very short notice, for Monday morning, and Council President and certainly Chairman Good for doing this. So we are very, very appreciative. Again, my testimony regarding Bill 25 040598. Again, good morning, Mr. Chairman, 7 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 members of Council, and the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. Thank you for the opportunity to come before you today. On behalf of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and its Sports Congress, which is a division of the bureau, it is our honor to testify today on behalf of the ordinance 10 before you, regarding one of the City's great institutions, the Army-Navy game. Since 1899 Philadelphia has hosted 77 of the 104 games played in this great rivalry, including 62 of the last 70. Franklin Field, Veterans Stadium, J.F.K. Stadium and now Lincoln Financial Field have all served to host generations of Army-Navy fans in our City throughout the years. Since 1990 the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Sports Congress have been proud to facilitate this very special event on behalf of the City of Philadelphia. Each year we work very closely with 8 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 the City, the Eagles, the service academies, in order to ensure the event's successful implementation. In addition, the bureau and the Sports Congress produced more than a dozen ancillary events in connection with the game, including a pep rally, gala fireworks, fanfest, as well as coordinating all related marketing and promotional efforts for the event. The bureau funds these activities at a budget of approximately $500,000 in their entirety, separate from the Army-Navy game budget. We are honored to co-host the Army-Navy each year, both because of its significance to the City, and its broader significance to the nation. We refer to the Army-Navy as America's game, Philadelphia's honor because of the special meaning the event holds for so many, a chance to recognize young people who are on the front line in protecting our nation, a time to remember 9 040598, Commerce & Economic Develoment, 6/14/04 those who have fallen before them, and a chance to celebrate the ideals of duty, honor and country that the academies misrepresent. We welcome any questions you may have, and thank you again for taking this special time today.
Thank you both for testimony. Are there questions from members of the committee? (No response.)
No questions from members of the Committee? (Hearing concluded at 10:58 a.m.) 10 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the public hearing of The Philadelphia City Council, taken on June 14, 2004, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. _____________________________ DAVID A. DEIK, RPR and Commissioner of Deeds (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)