LT-2019-020 EDA - Laserfiche WebLink

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Content for Part 1, Response 1: The Ellensburg Downtown Association (EDA) is dedicated to supporting our historic downtown district and is loyal to the National Main Street Center's 4 Point Approach to Downtown Revitalization. Successful projects of the EDA include adding 72 new downtown bike racks in 2017-2018, maintaining the downtown roofline lighting, printing and distributing 5,000 downtown dining guides in 2017-2018, distributing over 20,000 downtown maps each year, and supporting our businesses through promotion and events. The EDA has played a major role in downtown's progress including Hotel Windrow, lowering downtown vacancies from 60% in 2011 to 10% in 2018, and seeing a net gain for 153 new jobs. Due to our beautification, economic vitality, and promotional efforts, we have been placed in the top 10 Main Streets in the country by Main Street America. We look forward to continuing our award winning work, specifically events and promotion, with the help of Lodging Tax money. The EDA makes it a priority to seek out partnerships in order to drive our mission forward and expand our outreach. Thousands of people enjoy downtown Ellensburg each year due to its walkability, events, business mix, and historic nature. This application for Lodging Tax money will assist the EDA in promoting downtown and the events that draw people to it. These events have a regional draw and enhance what is so special about our town. Target audiences for these events include those interested in heritage tourism, empty nesters, families looking for weekend travel and outdoor recreation, music enthusiasts (Buskers in the Burg), dog lovers (Dachshunds on Parade), those who seek to create family traditions (Hometown Holidays) and families of CWU students. Primary markets for advertising include Yakima, Tri-cities, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Spokane, and Seattle/Tacoma. Dachshunds on Parade has been a long-standing tradition in the Ellensburg community run by the McKean family for many years. The Ellensburg Downtown Association was given the lead on this event in 2018 and due to amount of information needing to be transferred and lack of time, we decided to postpone the event for an epic comeback in 2019, with a strong partnership with the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce. The event regularly brings in 300 dachshunds and their owners (estimated 600+ in attendance), approximately half of which are from out of town. The day includes vendors, a costume contest, pet tricks, and dog races. Lodging Tax monies would be used to market the event via social media, online advertising, radio, and print media. Monies would also help to fund a brand new Dachshunds on Parade website with more streamlined registration, better quality photos, and updated logos. Hoedown in the Downtown is the kickoff party to the Ellensburg Rodeo and Kittitas County Fair. This outdoor concert with a beer and wine garden takes place the Wednesday before Labor Day, hosting approximately 1,200-1,600 at the last two events. Past zip code surveys, including recent one from 2018, show that approximately 25% of attendees come from out of the county. In 2017, the event moved from Thursday to Wednesday and it has