Amended LT-2020-009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Collaboration *Yes, KEEN partners with several groups in Kittitas Couniy and across the staie to promote and encourage tourism. For Bird Fest we specifically partner with Seattle, Kittitas and Yakima County Audubon groups and the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club. These organizations provide e4oertise, field trip leaders, event volunteers, and planning commiitee members. We also r,vcrk with CWU interns and professors, e&ert field trip leaders from around the state, and WA State Parks for the location of the event, This event titould not be successful without these partnerships! We also partner with Canyon River Ranch Lodge for the dinner, auction, and social gathering for the event. 2500 characier linit 5lFuture Plans Please explain what plans exist to allow this project to become self-sustaining. lnclude any plans for ticket sales, event sponsors, and other cost-recovery models, Future Plans*KEEN increased sponsorship levels, vendor's fees, and other cost-covering fees for participation in 2018. As the event gro\ /s we belleve that our sponsorship levels will increase and r,rae Wll atlract more vendors over time causing this to continue to be a revenue positive event for KEEN and eventually to become self-sustaining. As happens in the bird-uatching raorld, once an event is established, birders start to look for event details earlier and earlier (ue have in faci, as of this writing, already heard from several birders looking for 2020 details). 2500 character linit Application Questions: Part 4 6l Additional lnformation Provide any additional information which will assist the Lodging TaxAdvisory Committee in evaluating your proiect and its benefit to tourism, Additional lnformation Unforiunately KEEN r,ras not be able to undertake the Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest in 2019 and was forced to decline the lodging tax funding v\,re \^€re awarded. The Washington Ornithological Society planned their annual meeting and field trips (essentially the exact same model as our event) for ihe same weekend in Moses Lake. Many of our field trip leaders are members with that organization and could not attend both. We could not move our \ /eekend due to other conflicting dates within our organization and other nearby bird festivals. WOS moves their conference location every year, bui this year it happened to conflict with ours. We uere intensely disappointed, and epressed our concerns to WOS clearly, but ultimately decided that r,rae couldn't compete with something so similar so close by. Please e4cress our deep appreciation to the members of the combined Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. We are thankful for their support and look forrrrard to applying again for 2A20 and having another successful Bird Fest! 2500 character linit