Amended LT-2020-009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Collaboration *Yes, KEEN partners with several groups in Kittitas County and across the state to promote and encourage tourrsm. For Bird Fest \nie specifically partner with Seattie, Klttitas and Yakima County Audubon groups and the Kittitas County Field and Streanr ClLrb. These organizations provide epertise, field trip leaders, evenl volunteers, arrd planning committee members. We also rrvrrk with CWU interns arrd professors, epert field trip leaders from around the slate, and WA State Parks for the location of the event. This event would 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 character lirnt 5l Future 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 grows we believe ihat our sponsorship levels will increase and rare will attract 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-watching uorld, once an event is established, birders start to look for event details earlier and earlier (we have in fact, as of this writing, already heard from several birders looking lor 2020 deiails). 2500 character limt Application Questions. Parl 4 6l Additional lnformation Provide any additional information which will assist the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee in evaluating your project and its benefit to tourism. Additional lnformation Unfortunately KEEN was nol be able to undertake the Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest in 2019 and lvas forced to decline the lodging tax funding rir,e vr,ere avrarded. The Washington Ornithological Society planned their annual meeting and field trips (essentially the exact same model as our event) for the same r.q,eekend in Moses Lake. Many of our field trip leaders are members with that organization and could not attend both. We could not move our uieekend due to other conflicting dates within our organization and oiher nearby bird festivals. WOS nroves their conference location every year, but this year it happened to conflict with ours. We u,ere intensely disappointed, and expressed our concerns to WOS clearly, but ultimately decided that we couldn't compete with something so similar so close by. Please eryress our deep appreciation to the nrembers of the combined Lodging Tax Advisory Commiltee. We are thankful for their support and look forraard to applying again for 2020 and having another successful Bird Festl 2500 character linit