HomeMy WebLinkAboutR2023-148 and Eexecuted SS Grant ContractsBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY OF KITTITAS
STATE OF WASHINGTON
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 2023 TOURISM-
RELATED, SMALL.SCALE MUNICIPALITY-OWNED CAPITAL PROJECTS GRANT
FUNDS
WHEREAS: Kittitas County imposes a lodging tax assessed on the sale or charge made for
furnishings of lodging according to R.C.W. 67 .28.180 and R.C.W. 67.28.181; and
WHEREAS: In accordance with the aforementioned R.C.W.'s a Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee has been established; and
WHEREAS: in accordance with R.C.W. 67 .28.1816, lodging tax revenues may be used, directly
or indirectly through a convention and visitor bureau or destination marketing
organization for supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-
related facilities owned or operated by a municipality; and
WHEREAS: Kittitas County has an approved Tourism Infrastructure Plan; and
WHEREAS: The County, through the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee has established a grant
application and review process to consider proposals for using such funds.
WHEREAS: The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee met in an open public meeting June 14th,
2023 at 1:00 PM to consider the applications, review presentations from the
applicants, and develop funding recommendations for consideration by the Board
of County Commissioners; and
NOW' THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That Kittitas County hereby awards the2023
Tourism Related, Small-Scale Municipality-Owned Capital Projects as follows:
RESOLUTION
No.2023- I 4fr
Kittitas Valley Event Center
City of Ellensburg Unity Park Shade Tents
sft Mz
$39,600.15
$50,000.00
$89,600.15
SIGNATURE BLOCKS
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
ADOPTED this day of
Vice-Chair
ABSENT
Commissioner
OF THE BOARI)
Kjo
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
2023 LODGING TAX SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN KITTITAS COUNTY AND KITTITAS COUNTY EVENT CENTER
This Contract, effective January !, 2024, is made and entered into by and between -
KITTITAS COUNTY ("County"), a subdivision of the State of Washington, and KITTITAS COUNTY
EVENT CENTER ("Contractor"), for the 2023 Outdoor LED Lighting Project ("Event").
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Agreement is to provide for activities and expenditures
designed to increase tourism,
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions contained herein, or
attached and incorporated and made a part hereof, the County and the Contractor mutually agree
as follows:
Section 1. Scope of Work
a. Contractor shall provide the services and staff described in its Application for Lodging Tax
Funds submitted to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, attached hereto as Exhibit "A"
which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
b. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, Contractor shall furnish the
following as required to perform the services, described in Paragraph (a) above, in
accordance with this Agreement: Personnel, labor and supervision; technical, professional,
and other services. All such services, property and other items furnished or required to be
furnished, together with all other obligations performed, or required to be performed, by
Contractor under this Agreement are collectively referred to herein as "Services."
c. Contractor shall commence, perform, and complete such Services in accordance with
Exhibit "8" which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2. Pavment
a. As full compensation for satisfactory performance of the Contractor's Services, the County
agrees to pay Contractor the sum of thirty-nine thousand six-hundred dollars and fifteen
cents ($39,600.15) (Kittitas Co. lodging tax funding).
b. Additional payment terms: The County will make payment to the Contractor only on a
reimbursement basis, as receipts/invoices are submitted to the County, not to exceed the
totalsum of thirty-nine thousand six-hundred dollars and fifteen cents ($39,600.15) (Kittitas
Co. lodging tax funding).
c. Services/Expenses that are reimbursed must be dated during the current year and final date
to submit reimbursements requests is January 15, 2025, after this date funds lapse.
d. Requests for reimbursements must be submitted to:
Kittitas County Auditor
Attn: Auditor's Accounting
205 West 5th Ave - Suite 105
Ellensburg, WA 98926
t2 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 7
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
a u d itorsacco unting@ co. kittitas.wa. us
e. Reporting requirements of your events will be required on prescribed forms from the
County Auditor.
f. Contractor is eligible to claim reimbursement for the following items and amounts only:
o Building permits- three-hundred and fifty dollars ($aSO1
r Electrician Labor- seventeen thousand two-hundred and eighty dollars (S17,2S0)
o All lights, hardware, parts, poles, and equipment- eighteen thousand nine-hundred and
one dollar and fifty cents ($18,901.50)
e Project sales tax (8.4%l- three thousand sixty-eight dollars and sixty-five cents
(s3,068.6s)
g. Contractor is not eligible to claim reimbursement for any items not listed in Section 2 (f) and
is further expressly denied funding for the following items as requested in the application as
defined in Section 1(a): N/A
h. Contractors requesting reimbursement for event-specific expenses shall submit all claims as
no more than two reimbursement requests with supporting documentation.
Contractors must complete the Lodging Tax Reimbursement online training course provided
by the County Auditor's office prior to filing reimbursement claim. Requests for
reimbursement will not be accepted by the County Auditor prior to the training being
completed. The training may be found online at the Kittitas County Auditor's website at the
fol lowi ng address: http://www.co. kittitas.wa. us/a uditor/defa u lt.aspx
Section 3. Performance bv Contractor
Contractor shall not (by contract, operation of law or otherwise) delegate or subcontract
performance of any Services to any other person or entity without the prior written consent
of the County. Any such delegation or subcontracting without the County's prior written
consent shall be voidable at the County's option.
b. Contractor shall at all times be an independent contractor and not an agent or representa-
tive of the County with regard to performing the Services. Contractor shall not represent
that it is, or hold itself out as, an agent or representative of the County. ln no event shall
Contractor be authorized to enter into any Agreement or undertaking for or on behalf of the
County. lt is understood that the Contractor and the Contractor's staff and employees are
not employees of the County and are not, therefore, entitled to any benefits provided
employees of the County.
Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders,
licenses, permits, and other requirements, now or hereafter in effect, of any governmental
authority (including, but not limited to, such requirements as may be imposed upon the
County and applicable to Services). Contractor shall furnish such documents as may be
required to effect or evidence such compliance. All laws, ordinances, rules, and orders
a
c
_2023 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 2
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
required to be incorporated into agreements of this character are incorporated into this
Agreement by this reference. Contractor agrees to obtain all required licenses and permits,
and further agrees to keep them in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement.
d. The County and the Contractor agree that in fulfilling the terms and conditions of this
Agreement neither shall discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age,
sex, marital status, or the presence of a physical, sensory, or mental handicap.
e. The Services shall at all times be subject to inspection by and approval of the County, but
the County's making (or failure or delay in making) such inspection or approval shall not
relieve Contractor of its responsibility to perform the Services in accord with this
Agreement, notwithstanding the County's knowledge of defective or non-complying
performance, or the substantiality or ease of discovering the same. Contractor shall provide
the County with sufficient, safe, and proper facilities and equipment for such inspection and
free access to such facilities.
f. This contract is subject to review by any Federal or State auditor. Contractor shall promptly
furnish the County or its designee, or such Federal or State auditor with such information
related to the Services as may be requested by the applicable governmental entity.
Contractor shall preserve and maintain all financial records and records relating to
performance of Services under this Agreement for six (6) years after contract termination.
For such duration after the County makes final payment of compensation due hereunder,
Contractor shall provide the County access to (and the County shall have the right to
examine, audit and copy, with or without notice) all of Contractor's books, documents,
papers and records related to the Services or this Agreement.
C. Contractor understands and acknowledges that Contractor is solely responsible for its own
reporting and accounting of all state, federal, social security, and local taxes, of every nature,
arising from Contractor's performance of this Agreement. All compensation received by the
Contractor will be reported to the lnternal Revenue Service at the end of the calendar year in
accord with the applicable IRS regulations.
Section 4. Release. Indemnitv, and Hold Harmless.
The County assumes no liability for the Contractor's actions under this Agreement. Contractor
releases and shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the County, its officers and employees,
agents, representatives, attorneys and/or volunteers, from and against all claims, costs, liabilities,
damages, and expenses, (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney fees) which arise or
may arise or be alleged to arise out of or by reason of this Agreement including:
Any fault, negligence, strict liability or product liability of Contractor in connection with the
Services for this Agreement.
Any lien asserted upon any property of the County in connection with the Services for this
Agreement.
Any failure of Contractor, or of the Services, to comply with any applicable law, ordinance,
rule, regulation, order, license, permit and other requirement, now or hereafter in effect, of
any governmental authority; or
a
a
a
2 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 3
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
a Any breach of or default under this Agreement by Contractor
Section 5. Compliance with Public Records Law.
a. ln compliance with Washington's public records law, the County will retain copies of any
documents associated with this Agreement, which may be required by law unless legally
exempt from such retention, for any applicable legally required retention period.
b. ln the event a public records request is made to the County for documents created in
relation to this Agreement, should legal uncertainty arise regarding the disclosability of any
documents under federal or state public records laws, the County shall provide notice to
Contractor pursuant to Washington's public records act, chapter 42.55 RCW, to allow
Contractor to seek a court injunction.
c. The County specifically shall not be liable to Contractor for the County's release under public
records laws of any documents not protected by trademark, copyright or other law.
Section 5. lndustrial lnsurance Waiver.
With respect to performance of this Agreement and as to any claims against the County, its Additional
lnsureds, officers, agents and employees, the Contractor expressly waives its immunity under Title 51
of the Revised Code of Washington, the lndustrial lnsurance Act, for injuries to Contracto/s employees
and agrees that the obligations to indemnify, defend and hold harmless provided in this Agreement
extend to any claim brought by or on behalf of any employee of the Contractor. This waiver is
mutually negotiated by the parties to this Agreement.
Section 7. lnsura and Endorsements.
a. The County may require through a request in writing that the Contractor provide the County
with a certificate, binder, or policy of liability insurance, acceptable to the County in an
amount specified by the County.
b. Such liability insurance shall be such as will protect Contractor, its employees, agents and
representatives, from all claims, losses, harm, costs, liabilities, damages and expenses
arising out of personal injury (including death) or property damage that may result from
performance of the Services or this Agreement, whether such performance is by Contractor
or any of its employees, agents or representatives.
c. Should the County require such liability insurance, the Contractor agrees to provide proof of
insurance prior to commencing performance of this Agreement.
d. Copies of the Cou nty's written req uest a nd the insu ra nce documents provided by Contractor
shall be attached to this Agreement and by this reference will be made part hereof.
Where insurance is requested by the County, all liability insurance policies shall be endorsed
to include the County as an Additional lnsured and shall stipulate that the insurance
e
_2023 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Poge 4
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
afforded by the policies shall be primary insurance, and that any insurance, self-insured
retention, deductibles, or risk retention trusts maintained or participated in by the Parties
shall be excess and not contributory to any other insurance maintained by the County.
Contractor shall furnish the County a certificate of insurance with Endorsement as evidence
that the required policies are in full force and effect.
Section 8. Termination.
The County may, by written notice thereof to Contractor, terminate this Agreement as to all or any
portion of the Services not yet performed, whether or not Contractor is in breach or default. Upon
receiving such notice of termination, Contractor shall, except as otherwise directed by the County,
immediately stop performing the Services to the extent specified in the notice. ln the event the
County terminates the Contractor's Services, the Contractor is obligated and hereby agrees to
refund to the County all monies paid for Services not yet rendered by the Contractor, if any, as of
the date of the notice of termination.
Section 9. Miscellaneous.
a. Contractor shall not (by contract, operation of law or otherwise) assign this Agreement or
any right or interest in this Agreement without the County's prior written consent.
b. This Agreement embodies the entire Agreement between the County and Contractor, and
supersedes any and all prior oral or written communications, proposals, conditions, promises,
representations, or understandings regarding the Services. No change, amendment or
modification of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless set forth in a written
amendment to the Agreement signed by both parties.
c. Notice for any purpose under this Agreement, except service of process, shall be given by
the Contractor to the Kittitas County Commissioners and the Kittitas County Auditor, 205 W.
5th Ave. Ste. 108, Ellensburg, WA 98925. For all purposes under this Agreement, any notice by
the County to the Contractor shall be given to the Contractor's address provided on the
signature page. Notice may be given by delivery or by depositing in the U.S. Mail, first class,
postage prepaid, certified mail, return receipt requested.
d. The section and paragraph headings of this Agreement are for reference convenience only
and are not intended to restrict, affect or be of any weight in interpreting or construing the
provisions of such sections or paragraphs.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and by facsimile, each of
which will be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same
instrument.
f. Contractor warrants to the County that the individual signing on Contractor's behalf has the
requisite power and authority to enter into and to perform Contractor's obligations under
this Agreement. Contractor further warrants to the County that Contractor has made no
misrepresentation or misleading statement in connection with this Agreement, and is not in
e
County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 5
LT-SS-2023-001-KVEC
violation of any applicable law, ordinance, or regulation the consequence of which will or
may materially affect Contractor's ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
g. lf any term or condition of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person(s) or
circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other terms, conditions or
applications which can be given effect without the invalid term, condition or application. To
this end, the terms and conditions of this Agreement are declared severable.
h. The exclusive venue for any action brought to enforce this Agreement or any of its terms
shall be in Kittitas County, State of Washington.
KITTITAS COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Vice
ABSENT
Commissioner
CONTRACTOR
Signat
Print N e
7*
f,Itcns h*rat, c,uA ? n?Jt
[Address]
s-o? '7ob -U724
[Telephone]
erk ofthe Board
APPROVED AS TO FORM
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
ry
SEAI,\
_2023 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 6
LT-SS-2023-002-El lensburg-U n ity-Pa rk-Shade-Tents
2023 LODGING TAX SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN KITTITAS COUNTY AND CITY OF ELTENSBURG
This Contract, effective January 1,2024 is made and entered into by and between KITTITAS
COUNTY ("County"), a subdivision of the State of Washington, and CIW OF ELLENSBURG
("Contractor"), for the "Unity Park Shade Tents" ("Event").
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Agreement is to provide for activities and expenditures
designed to increase tourism,
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions contained herein, or
attached and incorporated and made a part hereof, the County and the Contractor mutually agree
as follows:
Section 1. Scope of Work.
a. Contractor shall provide the services and staff described in its Application for Lodging Tax
Funds submitted to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, attached hereto as Exhibit "A"
which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
b. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, Contractor shall furnish the
following as required to perform the services, described in Paragraph (a) above, in
accordance with this Agreement: Personnel, labor and supervision; technical, professional,
and other services. All such services, property and other items furnished or required to be
furnished, together with all other obligations performed, or required to be performed, by
Contractor under this Agreement are collectively referred to herein as "Services."
c. Contractor shall commence, perform, and complete such Services in accordance with
Exhibit "B" which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2.Pavment.
a. As full compensation for satisfactory performance of the Contractor's Services, the County
agrees to pay Contractor the sum of fifty-thousand dollars (SSO,OOO; (Kittitas Co. lodging tax
funding).
b. Additional payment terms: The County will make payment to the Contractor only on a
reimbursement basis, as receipts/invoices are submitted to the County, not to exceed the
total sum of fifty-thousand dollars (S50,000) (Kittitas Co. todging tax funding).
c. Services/Expenses that are reimbursed must be dated during the current year and final date
to submit reimbursements requests is January 75,2025, after this date funds lapse.
d. Requests for reimbursements must be submitted to:
Kittitas County Auditor
Attn: Auditor's Accounting
205 West 5th Ave - Suite 105
Ellensburg, WA 98925
County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Poge 7
LT-SS-2023-002- E I lensbu rg-U n ity-Pa rk-Shad e-Tents
a ud itorsacco u nting@ co. kittitas.wa. us
Reporting requirements of your events will be required on prescribed forms from the
County Auditor.
f. Contractor is eligible to claim reimbursement for the following items and amounts only:
o Unity Park Shade Tents- ($SO,OOO1
g. Contractor is not eligible to claim reimbursement for any items not listed in Section 2 (f) and
is further expressly denied funding for the following items as requested in the application as
defined in Section 1(a): N/A
h. Contractors requesting reimbursement for event-specific expenses shall submit all claims as
no more than two reimbursement requests with supporting documentation.
Contractors must complete the Lodging Tax Reimbursement online training course provided
by the County Auditor's office prior to filing reimbursement claim. Requests for
reimbursement will not be accepted by the County Auditor prior to the training being
completed. The training may be found online at the Kittitas County Auditor's website at the
fol lowin g add ress: http://www.co. kittitas.wa. us/a ud itor/defa u lt.aspx
Section 3-nce bv Contractor.
Contractor shall not (by contract, operation of law or otherwise) delegate or subcontract
performance of any Services to any other person or entity without the prior written consent
of the County. Any such delegation or subcontracting without the County's prior written
consent shall be voidable at the County's option.
b. Contractor shall at all times be an independent contractor and not an agent or representa-
tive of the County with regard to performing the Services. Contractor shall not represent
that it is, or hold itself out as, an agent or representative of the County. ln no event shall
Contractor be authorized to enter into any Agreement or undertaking for or on behalf of the
County. lt is understood that the Contractor and the Contractor's staff and employees are
not employees of the County and are not, therefore, entitled to any benefits provided
employees of the County.
c. Contractor shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, orders,
licenses, permits, and other requirements, now or hereafter in effect, of any governmental
authority (including, but not limited to, such requirements as may be imposed upon the
County and applicable to Services). Contractor shall furnish such documents as may be
required to effect or evidence such compliance. All laws, ordinances, rules, and orders
required to be incorporated into agreements of this character are incorporated into this
Agreement by this reference. Contractor agrees to obtain all required licenses and permits,
and further agrees to keep them in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement.
d. The County and the Contractor agree that in fulfilling the terms and conditions of this
Agreement neither shall discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age,
sex, marital status, or the presence of a physical, sensory, or mental handicap.
e
2 County Lodging Tox Funding Agreement Page 2
LT-SS-2023-002-Ellensburg-U nity-Pa rk-Shade-Tents
The Services shall at all times be subject to inspection by and approval of the County, but
the County's making (or failure or delay in making) such inspection or approval shall not
relieve Contractor of its responsibility to perform the Services in accord with this
Agreement, notwithstanding the County's knowledge of defective or non-complying
performance, or the substantiality or ease of discovering the same. Contractor shall provide
the County with sufficient, safe, and proper facilities and equipment for such inspection and
free access to such facilities.
f. This contract is subject to review by any Federal or State auditor. Contractor shall promptly
furnish the County or its designee, or such Federal or State auditor with such information
related to the Services as may be requested by the applicable governmental entity.
Contractor shall preserve and maintain all financial records and records relating to
performance of Services under this Agreement for six (5) years after contract termination.
For such duration after the County makes final payment of compensation due hereunder,
Contractor shall provide the County access to (and the County shall have the right to
examine, audit and copy, with or without notice) all of Contractor's books, documents,
papers and records related to the Services or this Agreement.
g. Contractor understands and acknowledges that Contractor is solely responsible for its own
reporting and accounting of all state, federal, social security, and local taxes, of every nature,
arising from Contractor's performance of this Agreement. All compensation received by the
Contractor will be reported to the lnternal Revenue Service at the end of the calendar year in
accord with the applicable IRS regulations.
Section 4. Release, lndemnitv, and Hold Harmless.
The County assumes no liability for the Contractor's actions under this Agreement. Contractor
releases and shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the County, its officers and employees,
agents, representatives, attorneys and/or volunteers, from and against all claims, costs, liabilities,
damages, and expenses, (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney fees) which arise or
may arise or be alleged to arise out of or by reason of this Agreement including:
Any fault, negligence, strict liability or product liability of Contractor in connection with the
Services for this Agreement;
Any lien asserted upon any property of the County in connection with the Services for this
Agreement;
a Any failure of Contractor, or of the Services, to comply with any applicable law, ordinance,
rule, regulation, order, license, permit and other requirement, now or hereafter in effect, of
any governmental authority; or
a Any breach of or default under this Agreement by Contractor
Section 5. Compliance with Public Records Law.
e
a
_2023 County Lodging Tox Funding Agreement Page 3
LT-SS-2023-002-El lensburg-Un ity-Pa rk-Shade-Tents
ln compliance with Washington's public records law, the County will retain copies of any
documents associated with this Agreement, which may be required by law unless legally
exempt from such retention, for any applicable legally required retention period.
b. ln the event a public records request is made to the County for documents created in
relation to this Agreement, should legal uncertainty arise regarding the disclosability of any
documents under federal or state public records laws, the County shall provide notice to
Contractor pursuant to Washington's public records act, chapter 42.55 RCW, to allow
Contractor to seek a court injunction.
The County specifically shall not be liable to Contractor for the County's release under public
records laws of any documents not protected by trademark, copyright or other law.
Section 6. lndustrial lnsurance Waiver.
With respect to performance of this Agreement and as to any claims against the County, its Additional
lnsureds, officers, agents and employees, the Contractor expressly waives its immunity under Title 51
of the Revised Code of Washington, the lndustrial lnsurance Act, for injuries to Contracto/s employees
and agrees that the obligations to indemnifiT, defend and hold harmless provided in this Agreement
extend to any claim brought by or on behalf of any employee of the Contractor. This waiver is
mutually negotiated by the parties to this Agreement.
Section 7. lnsurance and Endorsements.
The County may require through a request in writing that the Contractor provide the County
with a certificate, binder, or policy of liability insurance, acceptable to the County in an
amount specified by the County.
b. Such liability insurance shall be such as will protect Contractor, its employees, agents and
representatives, from all claims, losses, harm, costs, liabilities, damages and expenses
arising out of personal injury (including death) or property damage that may result from
performance of the Services or this Agreement, whether such performance is by Contractor
or any of its employees, agents or representatives.
c. Should the County require such liability insurance, the Contractor agrees to provide proof of
insurance prior to commencing performance of this Agreement.
d. Copies of the County's written request and the insurance documents provided by Contractor
shall be attached to this Agreement and by this reference will be made part hereof.
Where insurance is requested by the County, all liability insurance policies shall be endorsed
to include the County as an Additional lnsured and shall stipulate that the insurance
afforded by the policies shall be primary insurance, and that any insurance, self-insured
retention, deductibles, or risk retention trusts maintained or participated in by the Parties
shall be excess and not contributory to any other insurance maintained by the County.
c
e
a County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 4
LT-SS-2023-002-Ellensburg-U n ity-Pa rk-Shade-Tents
Contractor shall furnish the County a certificate of insurance with Endorsement as evidence
that the required policies are in full force and effect.
Section 8. Termination
The County may, by written notice thereof to Contractor, terminate this Agreement as to all or any
portion of the Services not yet performed, whether or not Contractor is in breach or default. Upon
receiving such notice of termination, Contractor shall, except as otherwise directed by the County,
immediately stop performing the Services to the extent specified in the notice. ln the event the
County terminates the Contractor's Services, the Contractor is obligated and hereby agrees to
refund to the County all monies paid for Services not yet rendered by the Contractor, if any, as of
the date of the notice of termination.
Section 9. Miscellaneous.
a. Contractor shall not (by contract, operation of law or otherwise) assign this Agreement or
any right or interest in this Agreement without the County's prior written consent.
b. This Agreement embodies the entire Agreement between the County and Contractor, and
supersedes any and all prior oral or written communications, proposals, conditions, promises,
representations, or understandings regarding the Services. No change, amendment or
modification of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless set forth in a written
amendment to the Agreement signed by both parties.
c. Notice for any purpose under this Agreement, except service of process, shall be given by
the Contractor to the Kittitas County Commissioners and the Kittitas County Auditor, 205 W.
Sth Ave. Ste. 108, Ellensburg, WA 93926. For all purposes under this Agreement, any notice by
the County to the Contractor shall be given to the Contractor's address provided on the
signature page. Notice may be given by delivery or by depositing in the U.S. Mail, first class,
postage prepaid, certified mail, return receipt requested.
d. The section and paragraph headings of this Agreement are for reference convenience only
and are not intended to restrict, affect or be of any weight in interpreting or construing the
provisions of such sections or paragraphs.
e. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and by facsimile, each of
which will be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same
instrument.
f. Contractor warrants to the County that the individual signing on Contractor's behalf has the
requisite power and authority to enter into and to perform Contractor's obligations under
this Agreement. Contractor further warrants to the County that Contractor has made no
misrepresentation or misleading statement in connection with this Agreement, and is not in
violation of any applicable law, ordinance, or regulation the consequence of which will or
may materially affect Contractor's ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
_2023 County Lodging Tox Funding Agreement Page 5
LT-SS-2023-002- El lensbu rg-U n ity-Pa rk-Shade-Tents
g. lf any term or condition of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person(s) or
circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other terms, conditions or
applications which can be given effect without the invalid term, condition or application. To
this end, the terms and conditions of this Agreement are declared severable.
h. The exclusive venue for any action brought to enforce this Agreement or any of its terms
shall be in Kittitas County, State of Washington.
KITTITAS COUNTY
BOARD O COUNTY COMMISSIONERS co
Signat re
Vice Chair
ABSENT
Print Name
Ci/,,L/b^cq,-
Commissioner /
[Address]
[Telephone]
14-
Clerk of the Board
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
_2023 County Lodging Tax Funding Agreement Page 6
APPLICATION FOR LODGING TAX FOR TOURISM-RELATED, SMALL-
SCATE MUNICIPLAITY.OWNED CAPITAL PROJECTS AND
OPERATIONS
Applicant tnformation
Name of Municipality:
Mailing Address:
Contact Person and Title
Phone:
Email:
Project Title:
Project Location:
Funding Request:
.(@r operations (circle one or Both)
Citv of Ellensburs
501 N Anderson
Ellerlsbure. WA 98926
Frad Case, Parks & Recreation Directgl
-8639
ca seb@ citvcfellensbu r&ors
Unitv Park Shade Tent:
Sso.ooo.oo
ffirecE,vED
lI'
lfrlililint' i
'$;#BH#f,l$['*.o""
l'lo z
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Application Requirements
/ 1. The project qualifies for lodging tax funds as a capital expenditure of a tourismrelated
facility owned or operated by a municipality or is supporting the operations of tourism-
related facilities owned or operated by a municipality.
{ 2. The municipality has submitted no more than three applications for capital project
funding in the current year.
I 3. The municipality's lodging tax advisory committee (or equivalent) has been informed
of the project and endorsed it (not required for Kittitas County). A letter from the
m unicipality is included.
t/ 4' Lodging tax capital project funds are not being substituted for other funds that are
already secured or applied for (if applicable).
t/ 5' Municipality has secured matching funds of at least i.0% of the total project costs.
- L 5. A completed project budget is included in the application (if applicable).
"/ 7' A detailed 8 %x 1't'vicinity map that clearly shows the project is included (if
applicable).
Tourism-Related, Small-Scale Municipality-Owned Capital Project Budget
All applicants for capital project funding must supply a detailed and complete project budget utilizing
the followlng basic format:
Funding Sources
Lodging Tax Funds Request 550.000.00
*Other Grant Funds
List By Source (indicate if secured or applied)
*Other Local Government Funds 550.000,00
List By Source Citv of Ejle_nsbue park lmpact Fees
*Private Funds
List By Source (may include in-kind)
Total Available Funding
Project Expenses
Real Property or "Right-of-Way" Acquisition Cost
Capital Asset Cost
Construction Cost or "Hard" Cost See attached proigcj bud$et worksheet
lnclude an itemized list of generalcosts
For example: asset type and cost, site prep, building foundation and structure,
mechanicalwork, finish work, site restoration, electrical work, technology, etc.
Soft Cost
lnclude an itemized list of soft costs
. -, r^-,,.y;-, vLJr6r.ooo, r-r,or, vlrrvrr rrrqrrq6grtlErrL rggJ, )vr vgy LvJLJ,
engineering fees, permitting costs, special inspections, cultural resource surveys,
etc.
Total Project Costs
*Verifying documentation must be provided and attached to this budget. This documentation may
include award letters, letters of commitment, or loan approval documentation. You must include this in
order to meet the matching funds requirement. lf the funding source includes applicant funds, proof of
available funding in the form of a letter of commitment from an authorized body or representative of
the applicant is adequate.
Tourism-Related, Small-Scale Municipality-Owned Capital Project Narrative
1" Project Description: Please describe the project in detail. lndicate the major work to be
completed, any milestones that need to be overcome in order for the project to move
forward and include a comparison of existing and proposed conditions.
The scope of this project is for the purchase of sun shade screens for the performance stage at
Unity Park, the future downtown park located at the intersection of 4th & pearl. Design work
on Unity Park started in 20L9, with a focus of creating a park that could be used year around by
our local community and to provide an enhanced performance area for events that take place
downtown.
2. Kittitas County Tourism lnfrastructure Plan: Please explain how the project meets the goals
and priorities in the Kittitas CountyTourism lnfrastructure Plan as adopted. Also, describe
the specific county tourism infrastructure needs the project addresses and how the project
directly increases tourism, Explain how the improvements will promote tourism in Kittitas
County and indicate specifically how the improvements will directly increase economic
activity resulting from tourists (see the definition of tourist on page 3 of this application).
The development of the property will benefit tourism by creating a unique "destination" multi use
park in a centralized public space. The park will dramatically increase programming opportunities
that attract visitors to our community. Unity Park will become a signature attraction and prime
marketing tool for conventions, businesses, and tourism. Organized programing opportunities
include but are not limited to, events and festivals for arts, food, music, movies, sports and
holidays. When a potential visitor comes to an event, they have made or will make additional
arrangements which can include hotels/motels, restaurants, fuel, retail, and recreational
adventures' The additional economic activity impacts the community, as well as the communities
traveled through to get to a destination.
Unity Park is uniquely situated in a location that makes it useful and usable year-round. There are
many tourists that attended events in Ellensburg that last more than three days length. Of note is
the Ellensburg Rodeo which boasts over 60,000 tourists each year. ln support of the Rodeo are
several events that occur at the Unity Park site such as the Rodeo Kick-Off breakfast, and the
Hoedown in the Downtown. lt's not a reach to suggest that most of the Rodeo attendees have
lodging in Ellensburg, which have an average overnight expenditure of SgS/pp (source; Dean
Runyan Associates) and the Rodeo is a significant supporter of County tourism as a destination.
Worth mentioning, too, is The Ellensburg Music Fest (EMF), formerly known as Jazzin the Valley,
also a multi*day event, which attracts an estimated 5,000 tourists who travel >50 miles from their
residence/place of business to attend this very popular musical event. ln its 25th year, this annual,
reoccurring event supports the County as a tourism destination, with attendees having multi-day
lodging stays in Ellensburg and the County. ln total it is estimated that over 65,000 people annually
stay overnight in Ellensburg for events that utilize the Unity Park property, of which 65,000 people
travel from an area greater than 50 miles to attend these events.
3. Use of Grant Funds: Please explain exactly how the requested funds will be used. lnclude an
itemized list.
Grant Funds will be used for the following tasks:
To purchase shade tents and supporting infrastructure (poles) for the
Unity Park stage.
4. Real Property: lf real property acquisition is a component of the project, please explain.
lnclude any information of property already secured or evidence of the ability to secure the
real property,
5. Capital Assets: lf capital asset acquisition is a component of the project, please explain.
lnclude any bids solicited and received from potential vendors willing to supply the asset. A//
capital dsset purchoses require at least three bids.lf you have already selected one of the
bids, please provide justifications in writing.
6. Coordination: Plaasc cxplain how this projcct has been coordinated with other
jurisdictions as well as affected stakeholders. Please include letters of support from
stakeholders.
The planning effort for this park has spanned the last four years. Six separate stakeholder
groups have convened over that time, made up of community members who are involved with
events that have historically taken place at the Unity Park site, downtown business owners and
neighbors of the park, as well as city staff members and boards and commission members. ln
addition, there has been numeroLrs cpportunities for"the general public to participate in the
planning process through community planning events, and through Be Heard Eburg, the city's
on-line civic engagement platform, which has had online surveys and information available
about the park planning process (https:/lwww.beheardeburg.com/unity-park).
7. Studies: Please attach any feasibility or other studies that demonstrate linkages between
the proposed project and the anticipated tourism impacts. Also please include your
operations/maintenance funding strategy and business plan for long-term project
sustainability (how the facility or facilities will be operated and maintained for at least three
years following com pletion).
;; '* ;;, ;; ;';;. # il il ;.;;'i ;.* il il; il ;;;; il; ; ; "il ffi .';; il; -
prepared by Arnett Muldrow, The importance of Unity Park as a downtown public park and the
role it will serve a san event venue and economic generator is displayed throughout both plans.
lnformation on the JarRay study, related to the projects impact on tourism can be found on:
Page 10 & 62, Local events or festivals attract the most visitors to Ellensburg
Page 2L, Long-range Community Goals Benefitting Tourism, Downtown development
ln the Arnett Muldrow study, information related to the downtown park can be found on:
Page 26, Section 4.0 Recommendations, Reinforcing the Center
Page 26, Section 4.L Reinforcing the Town Center,4,7,7 tmplement Ellensburg Town Square
as a gathering ploce. High Priority,
Page 28, Figure 9, Ellensburg Core Area plan
Page37, Section 4.4, Enhancing the Visitors Experience, 4,4.7 Relocate visitors; centerto
the core of downtown.
The long-term management of the property will fall under the City Parks & Recreation Department.
Four years ago, the City adopted a new special event process to better streamline and support
event planners, this process is administered by the Parks & Recreation Director. The day to day
maintenance of the property will be the responsibility of the City Parks Maintenance Division.
Additionally, the park restroom has a concierge's office that will be staffed daily during summer
months by a part time employee or volunteer, Their role will to ensure that the park and restrooms
are clean, address park issues as they arise, and to provide information about the downtown.
8, Project Readiness: Please provide a detailed project schedule, including milestones
necessary for completion as mentioned in question 1 above. On the schedule, indicate items
completed and exactly where in the schedule the project is at this time. Be sure to include
expected completion date.
Park construction is anticipated to begin in July 2023, the construction timeline has the park being
completed by December 2023. Park design has already been approved by the City Landmarks &
Design Commission, plans are currently in the review process, which is overseen by the City of
Ellensburg Community Development Department. The bulk of the funding for this project is coming
from funding the City received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and City park impact
fees. The budget for park construction is $2.4mm.
9. Applicant Certification: Please sign below in agreement with statement of certification.
Certification is hereby given that the information provided is accurate and the applicable
attachments are complete and included as part of the application package.
I further ce hat the application thresholds are met at the time of application
h"t7v
of Offi Representative Title Date
Tourism-Related Facility Operational Funding Narrative
(Municipality Applications Only)
L' Operational Spending: Please explain your request for operational funding and how it is directly
related to supporting the operations of a tourism-related facility owned or operated by a municipality or
public facilities district.
2. Sustainability Strategy: Please describe your strategy for long-term operational sustainability. tnclude
any specific progress toward this goal.
3. Applicant Certification: Please sign below in agreement with statement of certification,
Certification is hereby given that the information provided is accurate and the applicable attachments
are complete and included as part of the application package.
I further certify that the applieation thresholds are met at the time of application.
Signature of Official Representative Title Date
@*bw
May 24,2023
Kittitas County Comrnissioners
205 W 5th Avenue, Suite 10g
Ellensburg, WA 98926
RE: Letter of Support for Tourism-Related, Small-Scale Municipality Owned Capital
Projects
Dear County Commissioners,
At the May 24,2023 meeting, the City Lodging Advisory Tax Committee was informed
of and endorsed the City of Ellensburg sponsored project through the 'Tourism-Related,
Small-Scale Municipality Owned Capital Projects' program calling for the purchase of
shade tents for the Unity Park performance stage. Construction on Unity park is
scheduled to begin later this summer and will serve as an amazing venue for events
and gathering space for the community. Please let us know if you need any further
information or have questions.
Sincerely,
,-../d,-,titt'na
Chair, City of Ellensburg Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
ffiEDA{{ffi*ffi*
May 30, 2023
Kittitas County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Commissioners Office 205
W sth Avenue Suite 108
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Dear Committee Members,
On behalf of the Ellensburg Downtown Association, I would like e to strongly support the City of
Ellensburg's application through the 'Tourism Related, Small Scale Municipality Owned Capital
Project' for the purchase and installation shade tents at Unity Park. As both a supporter and
organizer of localevents, the EDA sees the benefits of this much needed project. Unity Park
will serve as the hub for our beautiful historic downtown, and the opportunity to enhance the
park and create a much more user-friendly environment for performers and event attendees will
provide maRy eeonomic benefits for our County. As a result of this project, event organizers
will be able to offer a better performance environment that performers are looking to experience
Thank you for your consideration of this project, our office would be happy to answer any
additional questions you may have.
Si
,/\4b'}
Kelle Vandenberg
Board President
\"_-, _ "_)
Ellensburg Downtown Association
May 37,2O23
Kittitas County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Kittitas County Courthouse
Com m issioners Office 205
W 5th Ave Suite 108
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Dear Committee Members,
For the better part of the last 25 years, the U n ity Park site has been home f or Jazz in the Valley,
now known as the Ellensburg Music Fest (EMF), which is an annual music event drawing
thousands of visitors to Kittitas County to enjoy three days of music, sun, and our beautiful
downtown.
Hearing that the City is applying for funding through the 'Tourism-Related, Small Scale
Municipality-Owned' project program has the EMF Board of Directors very excited. Each year
we run into challenges providing something as simple as shade for our performers, which is
especially important given the fact that our event takes place the last weekend of July, which is
arguably the hottest time of year in Ellensburg. The addition of a shade tents at Unity park will
benefit both the performers and attendees and will undoubtedly have a significant impact on
our ability to provide top talent and entertainment year in and year out for our community.
We hope that the Committee will look favorably on this project and award funding. please feel
free to contact with me any additional questions.
Sincerely,
/sl
Tony Swartz
President/Director
Ellensburg Music Festival
PREFERRED C0NCEPT PLAN I AUGUST 2027.
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O Lawr
O ComfortStation
O water
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O PicnicGrove
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UNITY PARK
City of Ellensburq . \ryashingfonWALKERM.ACY
Afi RN$[Yfl VI IW LOSKI NG NW
O Siage(permaneni)
(} Lawn
O ComfortSiation
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Shade Structure (permanent)
Picnic Grove
Lighting / Sound Suppori
Screen i \{lnd Block
Permanent Seaiing
Petrelief Area
$?EA$51
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WALKER iU,ACY
ENTRY FROM 4TH & F [ARt
UNiTY PARK
Clty of €llensburg , !!ashingtonWALKERIMACY
DCW Cost Management
Prepared for:
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 2
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
Preparedby:
^DCW\.4
Brian Bishop
Walker Macy
217 Pine St, Suite 550
Seattle, WA 98101
QAq 582-3874
Katya Gamarnik
DCW Cost Management
415 lstAve N, #9671
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 249-7383
!M 1 .:
l,
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
Overall Summary
Scope of Work
Basis of Estimate
New Construction
Alternates
50% Construciion Documents Cost Plan May 2,2A23 3
15
4
q
6
7
Contents
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
507o Consirr.rction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 4
22,811 117.06 2,670,296f New conskuction
Overall Surnmary
SF $/SF TOTAL
TOTAL RECOMMENDED BUDGET 2,670,296
ALTFRNAIES
Alternate 1: Curved wall at stage (Brick in lieu of concrete)
I Alternate 2: Building Option 'lA - Unconditioned concierge area
f Aternate 3: Building option 1B - Unconditioned concierge area, reclLrced walr
I ArreTnare 4: tsurorng uptron z - Reduce srze
I Alternate b: Building oprion 3 - portland Loo
t22,.164)
(46,,r?'?\
16 i 053)
{'224,e86;
(33:j,lj86)
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 5
Scope of Work
Project Scope Descrrption
The project comprises cost planning for the Unity Park located at 400 N Pearl Street in Ellensburg, WA.
The intended design package consists of new construction of a park within Ellensburg's downtown historic district boundary. The
park is intended to host a range of performances and events throughout the year while also serving daily activities as the downtown
'living room'. Primary program elements include a new comfod station building, permanent stage,
'nteractive
water feature, informal
seating, and planting.
The cost report is based on the following documents:
- 230329_Unity Park - 50% CDs, dated 3.28.23.
- 230329_Unity Park Landscape lmprovemenis Narrative, dated 3.29.23
- 230106_Unity Park - Light Fixture Cutsheets, received 3.30.23.
- 230106_Unity Park - Light Fixture Schedule, dated 3.30.23.
lt is anticipated that the project will be delivered by the typical low-bid method. lt is expected there will be 4 to 5 qualified General
Contractors to maintain competitive pricing. lf the projeci is delayed for any reason, cost modifications will be required.
Projoot
,Procurement
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 6
Basis of Estimate
AssumBtions and Clarl{ications
This estimate is based on the following assumptions and clarifications:
1 Hazardous materials abatement is NOT included.
2 The majority of work will be performed during typical claytime hoLrrs.
3 Project location will be made unoccupied during construction.
4 Excludes jurisdiction fees and Owner's contingency.
5 Sales Tax is NOT shown and is assumed to be included in Owner's Project Cost Estimate.
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50%o Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 7
New Construclion Summary
70 $/SF TOTAL
G10
G20
bJTJ
G40
Site Preparation
Site lmprovements
Site Mechanical Utilities
Site Electrical Utilities
Contingency 7.50o/o
Gross Area:
10o/o
55o/o
4o/o
70)t/o
6o/o
22,8115F
4a aa
64.17
4.?8
8.06
272,193
1,463,865
97,590
183,B00
0.00 151,309
G Burlding Siiework 764/o 88.44 ?,A17,448
SITE ELEMENTAL COST BEFORE CONTINGENCIES 76o/s 88.44 2.A17 448
SITE ELEMENTAL COST CONTINGENCIE$81o/o 95.08 2168.757
General Conditions
General Requirements
Office Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
6.50%
6.50%
5.50%
1.50Yo
5o/o
6%
5Yo
10k
6.18
6.58
5.93
1.71
140,969
150,132
135,292
38,927
by Owner
SITE CONSTRUCTION CO$T EEFORE ESCALATION 99'/t 115.47 ?;634,078
Escalation to Start Date (Q3 2023)1.38o/o 1%l.3v 36,219
10070 117.06 2,670,?96
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Docunrents Cost Plan May 2,2023 B
New Construction
IotalQuantity Unit Rate
ControlQuanttlm
Program Areas
ROW
Asphalt - alley
Unit ptrvers
Concrete
Pedestrian Paving
Concrele, vehicular rated
Unft pavers, brick
Site Development
Concrete stage
Concreic sta/rs
Concrete rarnp
V/ater feature
Cornfort Station - building
Landscape
Planting area
Lavttn
Gravel - dog areas
22,811
1,090
485
445
160
14,050
12,971
1,073
2,534
1,116
aq
208
365
75A
5,137
1 ,917
3,130
90
ctr
5r
SF
SF
JT
JT
SF
SF
SF
L-a
-\l
sF
SF
SF
SF
SF
SF
SF
G10 Site Preparation 22,811 SF 11.93 272,193
G10'1 0 Site Clearing
SPCC Plan
Construction fence
Street cleaning
Temporary toilets
Construction entrance
Trafflc conirol - part time
Erosion control
Tree protection - fencing
Utility protection
Construction survey, incl. layout
G1020 Site Demoliiion and Relocations
Demo - building
Demo - canopy, drive-through
Demo - concrete, incl. subgrade materials
Demo - asphalt, incl. subgrade materials
Demo - sawcut
Demo - curb
Demo - planters
B2O SF
1,305 SF
6,280 SF
11,140 SF
712 LF
1,1 15 LF
3,890 SF
18.50
12.50
2.25
2.50
7.5A
9.00
0.75
15,170
16,31 3
14,130
27,850
5,340
10,035
2,918
4
22,8
1
75
6
6
1
6
11
EA
LF
MO
MO
EA
MO
SF
LS
LS
2,500.00
13.00
'1,500.00
900.00
5,500.00
1,200.00
0.17
9,500.00
25,000.00
2,500
6,'t 75
9,000
5,400
5,500
7,200
3,878
,V/U
9,500
25,000
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2A23 I
New Construction
TotalQuantity Unit Rate
Demo - irrigation
Demo - tree
Demo - liqht poles
Demo - utilities, incl. power and telephone services
Demo - storm sump pump
Demo - storm system
Demo - cap existing services for reuse (water and selver)
Demo - wood pavilion, incl. conc steps and conc wall
Salvage and relocate - bull statue
Salvage - bell tower
Salvage - wind sculptures
Salvage - basalt columns and boulders
Salvage - benoh
Salvage - metal pedestal
Salvage - wall plaques
Salvage - light pole
Salvage - flag pole
Salvage - signage
G1030 Site Earthwork
Site cut - 1' depth
Haul and dispose
Fill - stockpile, assume 20olo
Grading and contouring
Base aggregates
G1040 Hazardous Waste Remediation
No work anticipated
804
644
161
2i,721
302
20.00
22.0A
12.AA
0.35
55.00
16,090
1 4,1 59
1,931
7,602
16,583
3,890 SF
EA
LS
0.1 5
550.00
850.00
15,000.00
5B4
4,950
3,400
15,000
incl. above
incl. above
incl ahnve
6,788
'1,700
1,200
2,254
2,000
4,900
254
400
2,100
2,400
2,000
I
4
1
s05 sF
1EA
1EA
3EA
1LS
14 EA
1EA
2EA
2EA
3EA
1LS
7.50
1,700.00
1,200.00
7s0.00
2,000.00
350.00
250.00
200.00
1,050.00
800.00
2,000.00
CY
CY
CY
CY
N/C
G20 Site lmprovements 22,811 SF 64.17 1,463,865
G201 0 Roadways
Demolition
Demo - brick, incl. subgrade materials
Sawcut
Demo - curb
Pothole existing sewer
Site prep and earthwork
Tree protection
Site and utility protection
Site cut - 1' depth
Haul and dispose
675
310
98
1
LF
LF
LOC
3,038
882
2,500
3,750
3,500
807
711
5EA
1LS
40 CY
32 CY
4.50
1EA
9.00
2,500.00
750.00
3,500.00
20.00
22.00
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 10
New Construction
TotalOuantity Unit Rate
Fill - stockpile, assume 20%
Grading and contouring
Base aggregates
New
Asphalt grind and overlay - alley, B" thk. as rcquired
Unit pavers, mortar - ROW
Concrete - vehicular
Restripe parking stalls
Curb and gLrtter
Mountable curb
B
1,090
20
97
382
1,1 10
12,977 SF
1,473 SF
2EA
72 LF
35 LF
2EA
4EA
IL EN
122 LF
16.50
28.50
117,148.80
41,100.00
'1,800.00
250.00
150.00
11,829.00
3,166.00
1,976.00
65.00
1,382
10,013
2,640
709
2,625
690
NIC
214,121
30,581
117.149
incl. above
incl. above
41 ,1 00
485
445
160
945
75
ZJ
l.6a
22.50
't6.50
0.75
35.00
30.00
CY
SF
CY
SF
SF
SF
SF
LF
LF
12.00
0.35
55,00
G2020 Parking Lots
No work anticipated
G2030 Pedestrian Paving
Concrete - vehicular
Unit pavers, brick
G2040 Site Development
'Pricing provided by Streeflffe
Shade struclures
Stand-alone module
Extension module
lnstallaiion
Site furnishings
Bollard, removable
Conc seat wall
Conc seat wall w/ wood topping, 18"
Swing bench, custom
Bench with back
Bench, square 2x2
Low cable fence
Stage
Elevated concrete stage, 18"
Access ramp
Seat stairs, concrete
Concrete wall - curved
Cont. footing, 3'x1'
3,600
18,000
5,250
23,658
12,664
23,712
7,930
49.50
40.00
55.00
67.50
750.00
CF
'A'
8,320
5,225
58,219
21 000
1
4
8
1
L5
EA
EA
IA
1,1 16 SF
1,116 SF
208 SF
95 SF
863 SF
28 CY
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 11
New Construction
TotalQuantity Unit Bate
Water feature
Basalt pavers - I2"x24x4"
Rccirculating water feature
Mechanical equipment - pumps, filters, disinfectant and controls
Mechanical vault w/ recessed hatch access
Concrete support pad - 5'x5'x4'
Granite slabs, irreqular, 6-9" thk.
Basin w/weir
Comfort station building
Foundations
Stem wall
Cont. footing, 2x1 (CMU)
SOG,4"
Footing drain
Steel - pipe
Superstructure
Exterior walls - CMU
HSS beams, 6x6x3l8
HSS bcams, 6x6x8/8
W'12x26
Joisis - 2xB, 24'OC
1/2" plywood sheathing
Tapered plaster soffi t/roof overhang
Light well - metal claci
Exterior enclosure - CMU
Claddino - brick
Exterior glazing - storefront incl, operable ticket window
Door - HM, single
Door glczod, doublo
Wayfinding
Roofing
Membrane roof system - TPO
Coverboard
Vapor retarder
Roof insulation, R-49
lntegral gutter w/ downspout
Skylight
lnterior construction
Partition - CMU
lnterior of exterior - GWB
Door - WD, single
JrJO bf
365 SF
45 SF
1LS
IL5
27 SF
15 FA
3EA
I lu 5l-
42.50
200.00
60,000.00
20,000.00
20.00
2,250.Qr)
1 .1 00.00
4 C tr4 A
9,000
60,000
20,000
540
33 75n
3,300
55.00
750.00
13.10
30.00
685.00
6,600
15,944
9,432
3,600
1,370
120 LF
21 CY
720 SF
120 LF
2EA
oll
z.+5
2.50
0.21
2,304
1,190
Qatr
145
QC
TN
TN
TN
LF
5F
cf
62.50
1 3,1 00.00
1 3,1 00.00
13, 100.00
1B.50
5.50
45,00
85.00
qq nn
1 10.00
2,500.00
6,125.00
1,500.00
62.50
8.50
2,240.00
3S,1BB
31,859
32,694
a aatrL,I 'J
42,624
6,545
16,875
12,325
?1 7qn
24,530
7,500
o, tzc
1,s00
22,269
9,650
4,739
7,423
3,900
E Can
30,000
5,330
2,200
674
223
3
1
1
cc
trA
EA
LS
11/-'
I 4 int,la1
1,142
1,142
150
AO10
cc
cr
SF
LF
19.50
8.45
/ 4F
6.50
26.00
115.00
4BO SF
627 SF
1EA
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 12
New Const.ructlon
TotalQuantity Unit Rate
lnterior finishes
Floor - concrete, sealed
Walls - painted
Walls - tile
Ceiling - GWB, painted
Ceiling - tile
Restroom - fit out
Plumbing
Water closet
Lavatory
Service sink
Hose bib
Floor drain
Drinking fountain
Floor cleanout
WS - pipe
SS - pipe
lnsulation
Hot water heater, 20 gal
Water circulation pump
Backflow preventer
Expansion tank,2 gal
Valves and flttings
Stainless steel scuppers
Mechanical
Minisplit
Exhaust fan
Grilles, registers and diffusers
Electric unit heater
Ductwork
Controls
Testing and balancing
Electrical
Main distribution board
Electrical panel
Feeders
Light flxtures - XL4
Light fixtures - XL7
Exterior lighting
XL6
XLB
Convenience power
4,500.00
4,100.00
210.00
1,200.00
14.50
8.50
135.00
4,500
4,100
1,050
4,800
13,247
9,707
5,400
25,000.00
7,500.00
4.50
450.00
400.00
25,000
15,000
3,240
3,600
800
2EA
2EA
1EA
2EA
5EA
1EA
1EA
195 LF
224 LF
195 LF
1EA
1EA
2EA
1EA
1LS
12 EA
720 SF
1EA
1EA
5EA
4EA
914 LBs
1.142 SF
40 HRs
720 SF
1EA
ltA.
720 SF
8EA
2EA
72A SF
975 SF
540 SF
450 SF
81 SF
laA
2.75
2.20
20.00
11.50
20.00
7s0 00
425.00
800.00
495.00
1,980
2,145
'10,800
5,175
1,620
1,500
3,500
2,800
1,350
1,37C
4,000
4,800
850
8,775
10,091
? o?q
2,000
1,850
7,300
1,500
7,500
4,200
2.975
2,400
I OlA
1,750.00
1,400.00
1,350.00
685.00
800,00
4,B00.00
850.00
45.00
45.00
15.00
2,000.00
1,850.00
3,650.00
1,500.00
7,500.00
350.00
7
3
6
EA
EA
EA
DCW Cost Manaqement
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 13
New Construction
TotalGuanlity Un'lt Rate
Equipmeni connections
WAP
Controls
Equipment/furnishings
Fire extingr"iisher cabinet
Knox box
G2050 Landscaping
Trees
City Sprite Japanese Zelkova, 3" cal.
Honey locust, 3" cai.
Norway maple, 3" cal.
Red maple, 3" cal.
Top soil
Tree grate
Planting area - shrurbs and groundcover
Top soil - 18" depth
Mulch - 3" depth
Shrubs- 1gal.,24"o.c.
Lawn - high performance
Top soil - amendment
lrrigaiion
Planting area - shrubs and groundcover
Lawn
Bubbler nozzles at tree grates
Devices and controls - incl. controller, back flow and double check
Metal edqe
Gravel
Landscape boulder
1,917
3,1 30
3
1
ta
a
5
2.00
1.75
450.00
5,000.00
1A qn
65.00
225.00
3,834
5,478
1,3s0
5,000
?on
217
1,125
8EA
1EA
72A SF
s50.00
2,000.00
5.00
375.00
200.00
45.00
40.00
1a tri
1 jtr
20.00
4,400
2,000
3,600
EA
EA
375
200
11 EA
5EA
3EA
1EA
2EA
186 CY
3EA
1,517 SF
107 CY
18 CY
475 EA
3,130 SF
116 CY
650.00
650.00
650.00
650.00
45.00
1,700.00
3 250
1,950
650
'1,300
8,350
5,1 00
4,793
710
a ool
5,478
2,319
SF
Jt-
EA
LS
Itr
CY
EA
G30 Site Mechanical Utilities 22,811 SF 4.28 97,590
G3010 Water Supply
Connection to existing
Devices and controls
Water meter, 1 1/2"
G3020 Sanitary Sewer
Connection to existing
Devices and controls
1
1
EA
Lb
EA
IQ
3,500.00
15,000.00
3,500.00
15,000.00
3,500
15,000
incl. above
7,000
15,000
2
1
G3030 Storm Sewer
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
507o Construction Documents Cost Plan May 2,2023 14
New Construction
TotalQuantity Unit Rate
Connection to existing
Area drain
Catch basin
Cleanout
Storm drain, 6"
Trench drain
336
EA
EA
EA
EA
LF
LF
1
4
2
2
3,500.00
3,500.00
3,000.00
850.00
65.00
75.00
3,500
14,000
6,000
1,700
21,840
10,050134
G40 Site Electrical tftilities 22,811 SF 8.06 183,800
G401 0 Electrical Distribution
Power distribution
Convenience power - receptacles, WP
G4020 Site Lighting
Event pole light - Pl, incl. footing - 16' ht
Event pole light - P2, incl footing - 1B'ht.
Spot light - XLl A and XL1 B
Bollard light - Xl5
G4090 Other Site Electrical Utilities
Event power, allow
1.5" conduit
EV charging station - infrastructure
Conduit
610 LF
13 FA
145.00
650.00
6,000.00
6,500.00
485.00
1,500.00
BB 450
8,450
2
a.)
10
5
EA
EA
EA
EA
12,000
19,500
4,850
7,500
ILJ
110 LF
2EA
60 LF
15,000.00
'125.00
2,800.00
145.00
15,000
13,750
5,600
8,700
DCW Cost Management
City of Ellensburg
Unity Park
50% Construction Docunrents Cost Plan May 2,2023 15
Alternate 't: Curved wall at in lieu of concrete)
DEDUCT
Concrete wall - curved
ADD
Brick wall - cr.rrved, 10' ht.
Concrete wall - curved, 18" hi.
Altemate Cost Before Markups
Contingency
General Conditions
General Requirements
Office Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
Escalation to Start Date (Q3 2023)
863 SF i37 .a,a) (s8,219)
75A
442
CE
bt-
55.00
67.50
41 ,250
7,554
/,1,\ OAO\
7.50Vo
6.50%
6.50%
5.50%
1.50a/o
1.38Yo
(\ t7.i:
a'i ili_il
'.'t."4:3't
:,': 't,l,ti\
(':)t')
by Owner
iiij5;
{?2,460)
Option 14 - Unconditioned2: Bui area
DEDUCT
Exterior enclosure
Exterior glazing - storefront incl. operable ticket window
Door - glazed, double
lnterlor finishes
Walls - painted
Mechanical
Minisplit
Ductwork
Controls
Electrical
Feeders
Light flxtures - XL4
Convenience power
Controls
ADD
Exterior fence - decorative
Access gate - double
Alternate Cost Before Markups
Contingency
General Conditions
General Requirements
Office Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
Escalation to Start Date (Q3 2023)
t223) SF
{1) EA
(320) SF
(1i EA
(208) LBs
{26C) SF
i260r SF
(4j EA
i1) EA
(200) sF
1 10.00
6,125.00
2.20
185.00
4,850.00
(24 530)
(6 1 2s)
4,500.00
14.50
8.50
(4,5Cr))
i3,016)
( ) 21n\
4.50
450.00
495.00
5.00
\ r. r 'ul
i 1 ,BC0)
(4s5)
i1 3C0i
(70j1)
5,920
4,850
(35,080)
LF
EA
7.50%
6.50%
6.50%
5.50%
1.50o/o
1.3BYo
i2,631)
12,451\
|2,611,)
i 1 2:1\
{577)
by Owner
(630)
(46,432)
Alternate 3: Building 1B - Unoonditioned concierge area, reduced wall
DEDUCT
Foundations
Stem wall
Cont. footing, 2x1 (CMU)
Superstructure
Exterior walls - CMU
Exterior enclosure
Exierior glazing - storefront incl, operable ticket window
Door - glazed, double
lnterior finishes
Walls - painted
Mechanical
Minisplit
Ductwork
Controls
Electrical
Feeders
Light iixtures - XL4
Light fixtures - XL6
Convenience power
Controls
ADD
Exterior fence - decorative
Access gate - double
Altemate Gost Before Markups
Contingency
General Conditions
General Requirements
Office Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
F-saktion f,crSte.rt- netc /O3 ?.03 1\
(r 7i
{l)
LF
CY
55.00
4,850.00
f i0.00
6,125.00
4,500.00
14.50
B.5n
(e35)
(6,1 07)
(170) SF
i22:3) SF
(:) EA
(32C) SF
(24,53C)
{6.125)
2.20 \7An\
62 50 (10.625)
(1)
i2frB)
(;?6r.'r)
EA
LBs
SF
{26C) SF
?'+i EA
/{ \ ra
{1) EA
i260) sF
(4,500)
i3,0 16)
(2,? i 0)
4.50
450.00
425.04
495.00
5.00
185.00
4,850.00
i] '70)
(i 8lJ0)
i425)
i4?5)
i'.3ii0)
5,920
4,850
(46,130)
32 LF
1EA
7.50o/o
6.50%
6.50%
5.50%
1.50o/o
't -3c4./-
{3,a0c;
/a n12\
i-1,433;
/? .1ol \
{89C}
by Owner
(61,058)
4: Building Option 2 - Reduce Size
DEDUCT
Foundations
Stem wall
Cont^ fooiing, 2x1 (CMU)
soc,4"
Footing drain
Superstructure
Exterior walls - CMU
HSS beams, 6x6x3/B
HSS beams, 6x6xB/B
Joists - 2x8, 24" OC
'1 /2'' plywood sheathing
Tapered plaster soffitlroof overhang
Light well - metal clad
Exterior enclosure - CMU
Exterior glazing - storefront incl. operable ticket window
Door - HM, single
Door - glazed, double
Roofing
Membrane roof system - TpO
Coverboard
Vapor retarder
Roof insulation, R-49
lntegral gutter M downspout
Skylight
Exterior enclosure
Exterior glazing - storefront incl. operable tjcket window
Door - glazed, double
lnterior construction
lnterior of exterior - GWB
Door - WD, single
lnterior finishes
Walls - painted
Mechanical
Minisplii
Ductwork
Controls
Electrical
Feeders
Light lixtures - XL4
i 1 lai)
i|.35)
ri) 87\
{30{-lt
i27 !;';
( iilCt
{145)
(:r5)
(?'2:i';
{r;
{J;
(2?3t
(1j
cc
EA
EA
(35) LF
(2isi sF
i35t LF
55.00
185.00
13.10
30.00
62.50
1 3,1 00.00
1 3,1 00,00
'18.50
5.50
45.00
85.00
1 10.00
2,500.00
6,125.00
1 10.00
6,125.00
8.50
2,200.00
2.20
4,500.00
14.50
8.50
4.50
450.00
i1 925)
(247i
i3 603)
a1 {,.50)
irc,62a)
!\1 1 ,15'.\
(,11 ,14i4\
(14.91ti)
( i ,!:1 1\;
(/i,500)
(?_,3?5\
SF
TN
TN
LF
5r
Qtr
SF
i192) SF
i1g2\ sF
i1a2) sF
r 1Cl)t Qtr
(:25| LF
.,48) SF
i 1;J { ini
i;2,ii00)
(i.^r'.1.1'1
iJrl. )Jrl l
(6..25,\
19.50
8.45
4.15
6.50
26.00
115.00
t.l,74tl
i.i:62?\
{7t)7 t
('i,:248t
(lj5il;
,, q. ( li'.,
SF
EA
I1) EA
t3:2ii) sF
i1) EA
\248i LBs
i260) sF
(1 .A96)
(7,20{)t
t7A4j
{'26a)
(4,
QI:
EA
(a,5aa)
(3,0 r6)
Q,r)14)
i1 .";7A)
(1,8C0)
DCW Cost Mana@neehience power
Controls
Altemate Cost Before Markups
(11 EA
{260) SF
495.00
5.00
(4etP
{1,300)
(169,980)
Contingency
General Conditions
General Requirements
Offlce Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
Escalation to Start Date (Q3 2023)
7.50o/o
6.50%
6.50o/o
5.54o/o
1.50o/o
0.00%
1.38o/o
(12,74s)
(11,87i\
{12,649)
(1 1 ,39t))
(3.2e0)
(3,052)
(224,S86)
Alternate 5: Building Option 3 - Portland Loo
DEDUCT
Comfort. Station
ADD
Portland Loo
Alternate Cost Before Markups
(1) ls 581,651,50 (5el6s?)
2 EA 165,000.00 330,000
(251,652)
Contingency
General Conditions
General Requirements
Office Overhead & Profit
Bonds and lnsurance
Permit
Escalation to Start Date (Q3 2023)
7.50o/o
6.50%
6.50%
5.50%
1.5Ao/o
0.0070
1,38%
(18,874i
i17,58tt
(18,t2/,
ir 6,876i
i4,8Sil j
(4,:;18)
(333,086)
Prepared by:
JayRay
535 Dock Street, Suite 205
Tacoma, Washington 98402
DRAFT FCR
- . ,,;i-,,coMft/llTTrI REVTEW
City of Ellensburg
Tourism Strategic plan
2020-20?-4
f.t', rl cltrir:i,,.".
i1r-o-y32; -rnur1.;m lira;:egic F l;,;
2C 19
lntroduction
The Ellensburg tourism strategic plan provides a five-year guide to growing tourism as an important tool
for economic development.
The plannlng process was initiated by the Lodging lax Advisory Cornmittee (LTAC) and undertaken by
Ellensburg's destination marketing organization, the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce. The plan was
developed with input from the Strategic Plan Committee. An independent marketing firm, JayRay Ads and
PR, facilitated the planning process, research and final plan production. lnput on the plan was sought
through interviews of tourism-engaged local leaders and a survey of recent visitors. The plan aligns with
the goals, policies and objectives found in the following documents:
E Citv of Ellensburs prehensive l,lan
. City sf_fllenjbure Par.ks..:&.l1eqeatillt Curtrqlelrc{tt-y,*_PlaL[Udg}g
. E|leqshlrrgpqwntqr Ma* C_itv sf Elienrbqrg Wavfindlns PlAit
" l( it ti tff Co ryrU f{,u risry ! nf r3strq g.tr re_Pjg n
" Ki!,t!!er Yallev tvent Cgntef Mastet l.!.a!
' Ki!,tllqrs fggggy_eglqprehgflIlyg Plar
Plan Elements
The tourism strategic plan builds on and refines current marketing efforts with a focus on:
r Advertising
" Website and other content platforms
- Visitor information centers and kiosks
. Visitor information services near freeway interchanges
r Destinationpromotions
r Support of destination marketing organizations through lodging tax funds
Tourism Strategic Plan Committee
Thank you to the following individuals who participated in the advisory group and planning sessions
Amy Mc6uffin, CEO, Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
Brad Case, Director, City of Ellensburg Parks and Recreation
Caroiyn Honeycutt, Economic Development Manager, City of Ellensburg
Madison Ford, Director of Tourism and Events, Kittitas County chamber of Commerce
Matt Anderson, LTAC Member and General Manager, Holiday lnn Express
Molly lones-Kerchner, Executive Director, Ellensburg Downtown Association
Nicoie Klauss, Eilensburg City Councii Member, Chair of LTAC, and Content anci Events Marketing
Supervisor for Central Washington University Publicity Center
Teri Olin, Marketing Manager, Central Washington University
City r.ri Eiiensburg
Five-Year Tourisrri ttrategic plafl
*
G
E
I
E
l2019
Tourism Plan Executive Surnm ary, p, Z
Position/rebrand & new creative
Add outreach staff
New website
Downtown visitor kiosk & signs
Mobile visitor information center
Visitor survey
Advertising
Social media influencer campaigns
Add content on 3rd party websites
E-newsletter
Leisu re travel partnerships
lti{/,{,irtr il.i,Sl ':.ili.,t i.j t;:t:t:.
i)i?\rli': ii:;irrri,
i.',;!:t:l: .
l?!! j i:a'r
.t:.,,,',,,
'!r,"t i.: ti1.j:; t
illit,.ii:J*ir*r
itiii!i:&
Establish sports advisory group
Add sports web content
Create sports tourism guide
Begin sports tourism outreach
Sports trade show exhibits
Create sports Facebook account
Review FTE needs for outreach
Estabiish meeting tourism advisory
group
Begin meeting tourism outreach
Add meetings web content
Create meetings tourism guide
Created Meetings Linkedln page
Meetings trade show exhibits
Host meeting pianner dinners
ilr i'l o I il iielsirr.r iS
Fr'r:-'r'--ar Toiliisnr Stiateglc pl:n
2019
Research and Discovery: Executive lnterviews
Executive lnterviews
Stakeholclers from the city, business, the chamber, the university,
downtown association and local arts, events and historical organizations
in Ellensburg were intervieweel for input into this plan. lnterview
candidates were identified by the strategic plan committee. JayRay
reached out to more than 20 candidates and conducted l-6 interviews,
Questions focused on these key areas: goals, positloning, audiences,
resources and success factors.
Lea rnings
Goals
Ellensburg seeks to grnw torrrism intn arr increasingly important
economic driver, while not sacrificing the relaxed, small-town
atmosphere that makes it so attractive to residents and visitors aiike.
Rather than be a "tourist town" like Leavenworth, poulsbo or other
destinations, it seeks to offer an authentic small-town experience
enlivened by the preience of a vibrant university culture and
punctuated by regular festivals and events that earn it a reputation for
"always having something going on."
ln adelitional to leisure tourism, Ellensburg,s location, affordability and
facilities make it a good fit for small+o-medium sized group activities
from conferences to youth anel adult sports tournaments.
Positioning (how visitors think of Ellensburg, distinct from other
weekend getaways)
Ellensburg ls still very much what it has becn*a relaxing, friendly small
ranching and college town. lt's on its way to becoming msre artsy
{music, gallerier, craft beer/cuisine}, but ii hffsn,t fully leaned into any
one sf the arts. lt a[so has tremendous recreational opporturrities and
natural beauty, not only for the avid outeloorsman, but for the Sunday
nature walker, the once-a-year kayaker and the recreational cyclist. tt's
a town that likes variety, with some everrt or f*stival happening most
weekends. lt's centrally located and affordable. The rodeo is still its
most well-known event.
lf Ellensburg were to more clearly distinguish itself from its destination
competition, the most common positions mentioned by stakeholders
were:
r "There's always something happening" events townr "Western heritage" townt "A place to escape" town
r "Meet in the middle" town
City ot illerrsburg
Fi\ie-Year Touiisor Straiegic Fian
quoTss or NoTE
"Unlike Leavenworth or
Wi nt hro p, th e a ctivities
change sathere's a
rcsson to cofie back.
We always have same
lun activity gaing on.'
lou can't have testivals
all the time, but you can
have a festive
atmosphere all the time,
Ellensburg should have
more street vendors and
the city needs to hetp
make thnt happen."
"lhe rodeo ls still very
important, but the
western theme lor
Ellensburg is woning,
Our cglture has
changed; we sre more
and more influenced hy
the college ond by the
"wgt" side,"
"l'd llke to see us play up
clty dwellers who lind
the country tife
oppealing."
the Western
72019
Research a nd Discovery: Visitor Surveys
Visitor Surveys
An online visitor survey was emailed to approximately 6,800 people who had attended an Ellensburg
event or received a tourism e-newsletter from the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce. Of these, 521
people responded. lt is important to note that the email list was weighted toward event ticket holders(77%l'll also included Ellensburg residents. The answers of Ellensbuig resident were suppressed in
reporting results. The event-attendee responses were compared to non-event visitors and little
distinction was found between the responses.
Learnings
The survey provides a window into who visits Ellensburg for what reasons, and how they perceive the
town and its surroundings. This provides guidance into target audience profiles and messaging for the
tourism plan.
Who visits Ellensburg?
. 45-65+ years old. Based on the survey responses, the Age
most likely visitor is well-settled in their career, families
and life.
r Western Washington residents. More than 57 percent
of respondents were from Western Washington - Z9
percent came from King County alone.
r Upper Middle Class. More than 50 percent of
respondents said their household incomes were
$1OO,OOO or more. Western Washington respondents
reported more people in the $L50,000+ category than
other groups. Based on Pew Research categories, the
majority of respondent households are upper middle
class.
?5.34 15.14 4s.54 S5-64X 65r
Visitors' Homes r Western Wa
3%3%
" Central Wa
" Other Eastern WA
Tri-Citles
57% 'Spokane
, Oregon
!5o/o
City ol Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourisnr Strategic Plan
King County mak€s up 29 percent of survey respondents. fhe county's demographic makeup is
different from other Washington state counties in two key areas:r Medium income Sfgf a year higher than Washington state. 21% of residents are foreign-born
5ource: DataUSA,io
King County Difference
o2019
Research and Discovery: Visitor Surveys
What do visitors do in Ellensburg? Future plans?
' Most respondents stayed overnight in Ellensburg, but a significant nurnber (28 percent) made it a
day trip.
* Most will return to Ellensburg one to two times in the next 12 months (57 percent).
r ln ranking the vacation-r,rrorthy features of Ellensburg, respondents ranked visiting shops, museums
and galleries in historic downtown at the top list of their, followed by the Ellensburg Rodeo, then
Brewfest a nd beer/wi ne/cider/whiskey tasti ngs,
Ellensburg and Kittitas County offer a vacation-worthy trip. Please rank the following
features or activities, starting with the one you are most likely to visit/attend/do (#1) and
ending with the one you are least likely to visit/attend/do (#7)
123
17.59% 21.38% 20.69%
51 62 60
I
17.s9%
51
5
11.03%
32 18
6 7 TOTAL
29A
SCORE
4.76
Msitjng shops, museums and galleries
in historic downtown Ellen6burg to
Ellensburg Rodeo, Spkit o{lhe Wsst
Cowboy Gathering and similar activities
28.28o/o 13-45%'t2.76%
37
10.34%11_38%
33 290 4.52
8.87o/p 14.83o/o
26 433982
b'ewfest and beer/wina/cider/whiskey
tastings
20.x4vo 1552%
4559
13.79%
40
12.47% 16.21%
35 47
9.66% 12.41%
zo Jb 290 4.33
Jazz in the Valley and olhst
rnusic evenls
16.210/0 13-450A
47 33
13.10%
38
18.62% 14.83% 14.55% 8-970/o
54 43 43 26 290 4j7
Kiltitas Couniy Fair and 6imilar family
acuvilies
1S-31% 20_ooo/o 16.55% 20.69%56 58 48 60
5.17%
15
13"10%
38
5.17o/o
15 290 4.12
Hiking, biki(g, rock climbing, rafling and
similar activities
8.28%12"f 6e/o
3724
11.38o/o 16.55% 18.28% 78.62a/o
33 48 53 83
4.14%
12 290 3:t4
Fishing or hunting 4.14%
12
4.140/,
12
8.28o/o 8-28% 10.0070
f-ity ol Ellenshurg
Firre'/ea i' Tcirrism !lrategir: Plarr
,o2424
12.76%
37
52-41o/o
152 290 2.36
2iylg t1
Cu rre nt M a rketing
Budget
Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce is the destination
marketing organization for Ellensburg. Under this
contract, tourism marketing and its key components
have a budget of $411,680 (2019). This does not include
the support LTAC provides to events, signage, capital or
strategic planning.
This tourism marketing budget is currently allocated in
the following way:
' Visitor lnformation Center: $162,000
r Website Maintenance: $13,000
" Collateral Materials; $:O,OOO
. Marketing and Advertising: SZ0E,6g0
August Advertising Snapshot
ln August 2019, more than 513,000 was spent in media
buying for the following advertising efforts:
MARKETING BUDGET
ALLOCATION
I Visitor lnformation Center
FiWebsite Maintenance
H Collateral Materials
Marketing and Advertising
37%
s3%_t
lmpressions/
e-newsletter
opens
Clicks to
weh:ite or
landing
page
Channel eFMr*/
cPe***
E-news sign
ups
Methodl
Tactic
Hulu Video s7,499.98 232,085
Google Display 92,508.40 4.3 M
Twitter
48
31,355
21,887
Sgs cpN4
So.oe cpc
5o,og cpc
Sr.zo cpc
unknown
Facebook
Boosted
posts
Boosted
posts
s1,969.83 746,916
S1,149.6 170,633 958
Email e-news unknown 400
Google Search**** unknown
*Media costs only
+*CPM {Cost Per Mille - or cost per 1,000 ad impressions)*** CPC (Cost Per Click)
****This was not included in the August analytics report, but is currently running
C;ty of Iii{:n-.i6r.}1g
f :i/e -Y+at' Tourisrn itra tegic pian
68
65
rl2019
Ellensburg Strategic Tourism Plan
2020-2024
City of Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourism Strategic Plan
2-019 15
Situation, continued
The many faces of Ellensburg
r Walla Walla has wine, Leavenworth is little Bavaria, Gig Harbor promotes maritime and Mt. Vernonembraces tulips.
c ln stakeholder interviews, leaders frequently.stated that EllensbLrrg didn,t have just ,.one thing,,,Visitorsurveys also showed Ellensburg was vieled differently by di"fferent grorpr. i, it ,-,,noa*oTown," a "Festival Town,,' or a ,,Univeisity Town?,,
n The truth of what visitors experience-Ellensburg's brand-is likely somewhere in between. Rightnow, this experience is varied and relatively undefined, which can make marketing ror* Aifri.urt,
Challenges today and on the horizon
' Ellensburg is often seen as a stop on the way to another destination. Many travelers don,t getbeyond the gas stations and fast food near l_g0.
' CWU students from western washington often go ho me on the wee kends rath er tha n h ave friendsand family come to visit them in Elleniburg.
- Traffic.in the Puget Sound region is bad and, as the population grows, traffic congestion hasextended over Snoqualmie Pass, potentially affecting visitor ""[*ilun."r. currently travelers stillflock overthe pass (notablyto Leavenworth and chelan), hut traffic may be an issue in the future.
" Car.ownership rates in Seattle are trending down (currently about 17 percent), especially for thoseunder 35. Because Ellensburg is a road trif destination with no rail or comrnercial air, the bus or carrental is the only alternative for those without a ca r.
II
City of Ellensburg
Five-Yea r Tour'ism Str.a tegic pla n
20t9
t1
Pla n Fra mework
Goal
To support a healthy Ellensburg economy through increased tourism.
Vision
Centrally located, but off the beaten path, Ellensburg offers leisure travelers a relaxing escape while
providing group travelers {sports/meetings) a convenient, unique location for events. ln Ellensburg visitors
experience a welcoming small town where there's always something going on. lts historic downtown
provides a year-round attraction and its scenic surroundings provide opportunities for all forms of outdoor
recreation.
Strategy
Ellensburg will grow tourlsm by refining and enhancing its leisure
tourism marketing and reaching new audiences through sports and
mcctings tourlsm progroms,
1. Leisure Tourism. Ellensburg will seek to:
a) Better distinguish itself from competing destinations
b) Reach a more targeted audience
c) lmprove visitor experiences
d) Measure success through economic, as well as analytic
indicators
e) Collaborate more closely with Central Washington
University and other community partners on targeted
audiences or significant celebrations
2. Sports Tourism. Ellensburg will promote its location, the
facilities at Rotary Park, other park/public facilities and free-
time activities to amateur youth and adult sports event
planners in a systematic and measurable way. Sports tourism
will further enhance leisure tourism as people discover
Ellensburg.
3. Meetings Tourism. Ellensburg will promote its location,
meeting and the town's tourist appealto meeting planners in a
)yrr,ciltdLtL dilu ilred5uldute wdy. tvtegllngs IouflSm wlll
enhance leisure tourism.
Sports and meetings tourism efforts are dependent on additional
staffing. While tactics are outlined for both strategies in each year
of the five-year workplan, it may be beneficialto stagger the start
of sports and meetings work by one year.
Ciiy of Fliensburg
Five-Year Taurisrn Strategic plan
DEFINITIONS
Forthe purposes ofthis
plan, we will use the
following definitions:
I A,goal is a broad
primary outcome.
I A strategy is the
approach you take to
achieve a goal.
r An obieftive is a
rneasurable step you
take to achieve a
strategy.
r A tactic is a tool you
use in pursuing an
objective associated
with a strategy.
2019 l9
Pla n Fra mework
Long-range Community Goals Benefiting Tourism
ln developing the tourisrn plan, ths strategic plan committee and key stakeholders discussed several long-range goals that go beyond.the scope of this plan. These r*.or*"nirtions are important for tqurism inthe tong-tetm and benefit the cornmunity overall. Some of the following are addressed in other city plansor are within the scope of other departments
1) Downtown development. Ellensburg's downtown is a major visitor attraction as well as being acommunity gathering place. Efforts should continue to encourage the developmunioilrrin.sses andamenities that serve both visitors and cornrnunity. The new ptaia will be a great impiouumunt rordowntown' continue to strive to create a downtown that is iestive every day, not just during events.
2) Transportation' Ellensburg is .car-depenelent and this has implications for attracting travelers whodon't own cars or those traveling greater distances. rv.riuv i"rti"ations such as yakima andwenatchee have air and train access. once in Ellensburg, ti"ueters t-tau" aic"ri l" u;;;; iyft and taxiservice. However, the service is not arways avairabre or r""tiuut",
- -
a) continue work to make private and eventually commercial flights possible into Bowers FieldAirport.
b) Explore bike or scooter sharing opportunities.
c) Expand CentralTransit to visitor destinations,
3l lnterchange beautificatio.n and signage. Ellensburg's "front door,, off t-90 reflects little of the charmand character to be found in the downtown. tn adJ'ition to wiyiinalng signage, it would be beneficialto look at the "curb appeal" of these entrances and implemeni r piun to make improvements.
4l Development of a conference center. This is..a lo.ng-term goal that will require a feasibility study.Growth of the meetitrgs tourism program will helpleterniin" tf.r. ii*ing of this study.
5) Development of a large-scale recreation center, This long-term goal will require a feasibility study.while it would largely benefit the community, there *ouii b" toiiism benefits as well.
6l Development of a large'scale performance center. This may be done in conjunction with the reccenter' The community and university need a larger venue rbr eventt that is not weather-dependent.Large events are a major attraction for visitors.
City r;i Ellenshurg
Fnre-Year Tourisrrr Strategic plan 21
7019
Positioning El lensbu rg to Visitors
Theme Options
1. Ellensburg-Naturally independent
Free to he yaurself, free to discaver
2, Fllensburg Unfiltered
Few crowds, little pretense and more time to savor
3. Ellensburg-Where friends meet
Where no one's s stranger
Expardirrg ori tlre Naturally lndependent Theme
Leaning rnto one of these themes gives Ellensburg a chance to stand out. "Naturally lndependent" reveals
a little of Ellensburg values and gives visitors a sense of freedom and escape. Natuially lndependent
Ellensburg is a place where independent shops, pubs and restaurants thrive, where people iollow their
own path and visitors are free to relax and discover new things.
What does independent look like?
lmagery can be used to convey the values and personality of a destination, Below is a sample mood board
that has images that help convey "independent."
{irty rti Ellel1sourg
Five -Year" Torri'isrii Str"a tegic Flan
2019 73
Leisure Tourism: Goals, Strategy
Goals
Ellensburg will seek to:
1) lncrease number of potentialvisitors exposed to Ellensburg's tourism message
2| lmprove visitor experiences with wayfinding and visitor center support
3) lncrease hotel bookings and other key indicators of destination marketing impact on tourism-related business
Strategy
Tourism marketing leads the visitor through the path of.dreaming, planning, booking, experiencing andthen sharing with others through social midia and word-of-*orih.'Ell"nrbirg,s curftnt iourismmarketing program uses most available tools, Taking it to the next level is a m-atter of strengthening andrefining.
Above all, Ellensburg needs stronger positioning that sets it apart from competing destinations. Thecurrent approach offers something for everyone which isn't memorable. A position - your best faceforward - helps potential visitors form immediate impressions, makes aclvertising .r.itiu" iriip., anoattracts targeted visitors- Through the strategic planning work, several possible p-ositioning stri"*.nt,have been identified in this plan. A completelranding elfort would be beneficial,
other key priorities for the program over the next five years are to:
r lmprove digital content and visitor experience on owned channels iweb and social media)
" 'M,k" sure others share your story: social influencers, online travel sites, state travel site
* Strengthen advertising by focusing on audiences most likely to visit and A/B test creative tocontinually improve the approach
* Expand key community partnerships to reach specific audiences or celebrate major events.
Work plan tactics follow and.are rno,re fully outlined in years l.-3, with the understanding that marketchanges, visitor feedback and other factors will influence the evolution of the plan in yeJrs A-S.
City of Ellensburg
Five-Year l-ourism Strategic plan
Sacial Media
Publicity
Advertising
Suruey
vtc
Onsite
Visitor social media
VisitorWebsite
E-newsletter
Partners
Online Tourism Sites
VIC Offsite lnformation
Fartnerships
2019
Today's typical travelers to Ellensburg are in their mid-40s to mid-60s and come from King
County. They like the srnall-town vibe-friendly, clean arrcJ fun. They appreciate freeclarn from
traffic, freedom to walk in clean parks, freeclom to leave rerponsibilities behincl for a few elays.
With household incomes between $100,000 ancl $150,000, they're cornfortable but carefulwithT1.,..,,,^ -1, ^..r rll-,--l-.,.-,ttlolley. llley seeK out Lllensburg events and the ciowniown tor iun and relaxation. Natural
beauty and outdoor recreation are a bonus, bul nnl ihe tnp rlrarai They appreciate goocl food,
music and art, but aren't snobs about it.
furffi#fi
It's not about nostalgia as much as new experiencesfortravelers intheir late-2Osto early-40s.
ihey wani a crafied experience (and crafteci beverages) away from crowded get-aways like
Leavenworth and Port Townsend. The outdoors are more important to this group but they too
like the festivals and they like to travel with friends. History can attract this group, but they want
experiences, ratherthan lectures. Above all, make it shareable on social. This is a diverse and
globalgroup. (ln King County 28.7 percent of the population are people of color and 23.6
percent are foreign born. 5ource; King County website)
Secondary Audiences
Leisure Tou rism : Aud ience
Primary Audiences
1) Slow Down and Savor
' 45-64 yrs.
* $1oo,ooo+ HH income
, l(ing, Pierce, Snohomish Counties
2l Leave the Crowds Behind
r 25-44 yrs.
r $75,000+ HH income
u King, Pierce, Snohomish Counties
3) Blend Business with Leisure (Bleisure)
, 25-54 yrs,
. $1oo,ooo HH income
- l\tn6, rlerce, )nonomtsn Lounues
Business trips blending with leisure are a fast-growing trend, as is the ability to work remotely
ln the Puget Sound area, it is increasingly common for employees to be able to work remotely
one or rnore days a week. The morning commute could take them to Ellensburg for a day of
remote work and tlren an extendcd wccl<end of play.
City ol Elieirsh,';;g
Fiv,:-Ye.; r' l-our!:,i.n Sitslegia pla n 2l2019
1.
Leisure Touris m: ZO20 Tactics
Ellensburg Position and Creative
a) Adopt a new, more distinctive positioning statement and strengthen messaging to focusconsistently on experiences that underscore that position. tf ;'triaiuralty tnue-peioen/is-chosen, for example,feature the things that_show an independeni spirit-craft breweries,local artisans, places that convey u ,"ir" ol'freedom.
b) Refresh creative. with a new, more distinctive position, Ellensburg will be able to present amore focused image with new creative. some creative could be eiitecl and r.prrpor*J. inuword game would be retired.
I A new video commercial will be needed. {May require additional investment,}
r Specific campaigns can be developed to reach the audiences described earlier.
c) Enhance video and photo assets to support position. Review Ellensburg,s video and photoassets in light of the new positioning statement. Add to tiurary a.i needed for new creative.
Website and Ellensburg App
a) Refresh the look to match new positioning and creative.
b) Adopt a new URLthat'smore easilysearche.d, such as Ellensburg.com orvisitEllensburg.comThe URL should not be dependent on the advertising talinu o; a'n-y positioning statement sothat won't have to change through the years. A camiaiin randing page is more appropriatefor unique URLs.
2.
t+-
c)
h)
olb/
d)
e)
f)
create content as needed to support the new position. (For exampre, under dining options,do not list fast food first.)
Add content in "plan" that provides traver ideas for staying a day, aweekend or a week.
Ensure there is content to support any partnership work (see below).
Discuss consolidation of Kittitas County and Ellensburg travel websites with key stakeholders.we.recognize this process would take time, but the aJvantage to iriuerers of having on. ,itufor information would be significan_t, The sivings of just oneiit.i" rpu.t- and support versustwo also would be financialry beneficialto the aity and county in the]ong-run.
Add Google events and Facebook pixelto the backend of the website for tracking andFacebook targeting
Retire the existing Ellensburg App. Mobile websites are better information sites than appsunless there is a concern for.losing connectivity. Resurrect the site if there is a better way to"game-ify" the visit to Ellensburg.
Visitor Centers and Signage (May require additional investment.)
a) Continue current visitor information centers but make them more visible. Add significant signto downtown visitor center. lmprove visitor center sign at chamber of Commerce locationpossibly by using ayardflag/banner. rlv rvLqrrvr',
b) work to make brick and mortar visitor information centers more welcoming. lmproveambiance, visitor comfort {consider space, chairs, restrooms, caniylar, etc.).
c) Add digitat inforrnation kiosk to downtown visitor information center to provide informationwhen the site is not staffed.
City of Ellensburg
Five-Yea;- Tor.:rism Strategic plan
2{}1"9
29
Le isu re Tou ris m : 2020 Tactics
9. Advertising, continued
a) Join the Washington Tourism Alliance and buy an advertising package that will allow Ellensburg
more control over its profile page content and enhance its ability to compete for the eyes of
out-of-state and international travelers.
b) lf budget allows, Google Search (AdWords) can be used for leisure tourism as well as sports
tourism, which is mentioned later in the plan.
I0. Other Tourism Websites
a) Review and enhance Ellensburg's Trip Advisor and Expedia profiles. Add and manage profiles
for the Ellensburg Visitor lnformation Center and add Ellensburg, WA as a contributor on the
sites as well. Follow all site rules on contributions.
b) Hold a Trlp Advisor and Expedia tutorial for localtout'isru businesses/urgarriuatiurrs.
c) Enhance presence on ExperienceWa.conr, This is one of the main go-to sites for out-of-state,
internationaland cruise travelers. While the state site needs to be r,rpdated, it still serves an
important role. Cruise travelers embarking from Seattle, international and out-of-state
travelers seek out information on this site.
E-newsletterrt.
I1
a) Refresh the look of the e-newsletter in keeping with the new positioning.
hl Cnrrcider fha fnllararins.
. Lead with an image, l<eeping copy short.
r Have a clear call to action and make individualstories sharable.
c) Continue to build the email list through website, social and event registration opt-in.
d) Send newsletter out monthly.
Pa rtnersh ips
The Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce partners with many organizations in the region to
prornote Ellensburg tourism. The strategic planning committee emphasized the importance of
collaboration and communications among partners, Significant opportunities also were discussed
thet nffererl rtninrrp nertnarino nnnarirrnilior tranh ^^^^r+.,hi+r,l^-- )"^^- :,l^^r:.ri^J rL-+
offers special promise for growing tourism.
a) ln 2020, seek to partner with the Central Washington University Alumni Association to attract
Alumni back to CWU and Ellensburg. The Association has existing programs to do this, but
these could be enhanced and expanded to either encourage greater participation in a single
event or identify alumni benefrts that could be gained year-round. This might take the shape of
a "DlY CWU Reunion," where smaller groups of friends can create a custom-crafted weekend
for their friend groups. (May require additional investment.)
b) Establish and lead a quarterly meeting of tourism stakeholders to enhance collaboration and
communication. Strategic plan committee members could form the nucleus of this group.
e rty 0f a;lenioui.g
Fi're-Year Tnrirism Stralegi,: PIen
2019 l:
6,
7
og,
Le is u re To u ris m : 2021" Ta ctics
Online Tourism Sites
a) Review and update Ellensburg's Trip Advisor and Expedia profiles.
b) Explore other travel sites to assess value of enhancing listings there.
E-newsletter
a) Continue to build the ernail list through website, social and event registration opt-in.
b) consider adding a one-question survey to each story, "was this helpful?',
Partnerships
a) Explore partnership with Ellensburg Parks and Recreation to encourage visitor use of parks andballfields. Celebration of national "Walk in the Park" day provides a good hook to get'visitors
to explore Ellensburg's spacious, clean and SAFE parks. lieyond that,lt .an erpos*irisitors tothe ballfields and support the sports tourism effort. (May require additional investment.)
Ciry of Ellensburg
l-rve-Year Iourism Strategic plan
?-019 5J
Le isu re Tou rism : 2022 Tactics
9. E-newsletter
a) Refresh look in keeping with advertising creative.
b) Continue to build the email list through website, social and event registration opt-in.
c) Continue one-question survey to each story, "Was this helpful?"
10. Partnerships
a) Explore partnership with Ellensburg Downtown Association to promote completion of new
plaza/new look for downtown. This could be promotion of a singular event or simply an
emphasis on downtowrr messaging in this year's advertising and social. Explore the possibilities
for showing off the new heart of the city. (May require additlonal investment)
City oi Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourisnl Strategic Plar)
10/Jtl|Ote lf,
Le isu re lou rism : 2A24 Tactics
1,. Refresh Creative
a) Review and consider major refresh of ceative based on changes in Ellensburg and the tourism
marketplace. Because the website was redesigned in 2023, th-ere are likely dJsign and message
changes that should be embraced. (May require additionaI investment]
2. Website Development
a) With a new lvebsite in 2023, Year 5 will be spent refining the site and making improvements.
3. Visitor Centers and Signage
a) Refresh street banners.
b) Take mobile visitor center to at least three regional events outside of Ellensburg.
c) Evaluate need for both brick and mortarVlCs based on past surveys and visitortrends.
3. Survey Visitors
a) 2,500 new visitors (emails captured within the past 2 years). Ask the same questions as in the
2020 survey and compare results.
4. SocialMedia
a) Re-evaluate social media prograrn to find new opportunities and validate existing approaches,
Are there new opportunities with new or changing platforms?
b) Continue to build and implement editorial and boosting plan for best performing channels.
c) Host influencercampaigns if results continue to be good.
d) Host social media takeovers with industry partners,
5, Publicity
a) Leverage the story angles developed for the influencer campaigns.
bi Add to "poker hand" of media targets.
c) Continue e-newsletter of story ideas to travel writers.
6. Advertising
a) Evaluate advertising program and adjust, Refresh creative.
b) Budget and buy media early because of the political campaign year.
7. Online Tourism Sites
a) Review and enhance Ellensburg's online travel profiles.
b) Hold a Trip Advisor and Expedia tutorialfor local businesses/experiences. See if new sites should
be added to the tutorial.
Ciiy of Fllen;bur'r
Five Y€ar Touris;ri straiegic plan
2419
El lensbu rg Sports Tou rism
Work Pla n
Ciiy oi Eliensburg
Fi'ie-Year l-ourism 5trategic Plarr
2019 39
Sports Tourism: Target Audiences, Messages
Primary Audiences
' Leaders of sports leagues and organizations in Washington state
' coaches, identified through wlAA and other certification programs
o SchoolAthletic Directors
r sports tournament and sporting event organizers (runs, cycling events, etc.)
E Sports camp organizers
Secondary Audiences
' Fa milies of youth athletes
. Adult amateur athletes
' Event organizers for lesser-known sports or activities that can nrake use of the fields or other
venues/ including equestrian facilities
: lndividua{s who hunt and fish
Which Sports to Target?
Ellensburg currently has underutilized fields in Rotary Park, The first priority will be to target sports
that utilize those fields including baseball, softballand soccer. Sports like lacrosse could also be good
opportunities for open soccer fields. Targeting must take into account the current capacity of fields
and their competitiveness in attracting out-of-town sports visitors. A forrnal audit byihe parks &
Recreation Department or an outside sports consultant can provide more detailed analysis to
determ ine sport "ma rket readiness."
Ellensburg also has significant natural resources for running and cycling enthusiasts including trails,
country roads and waterways-allof which are relatively free of traffic and offer beautiful
surroundings. The disc golf course offers opportunities for play if not for full tournanrents. The Kittitas
County Event Center offers facilities for equestrian events (assuming the Bloom pavilion opens late
spring 2019).
The greater Ellensburg area offers up blue-ribbon fly fishing, as well as upland bird and large game
hunting' While this is a smaller audience who tends to camp, Ellensburg offers a base camp for
supplies and entertainment.
Sports Tourism Key Messages
* Ellensburg is close to home, in the center of Washington
* lt's a relaxing place where we make it easy to hold your event
I There's always something to do in Ellensburg (from the historic downtown to outdoor
adventure). lt's a fun and safe place for teams and their families outside of the competition.
r lt has easy access to exceptional open space, world-class fishing and upland bird and large game
hunting.
City of €llensburg
Five-Year^ Tourism Stra !.egic Fla rr
20 19 41,
6.
7
8
Sports Iou rism : 2020 Tactics
Advertising
a) Google Search campaign {Google AdWords) for key words/phrases such as "sports facilities,"
"baIIfields," "practlce fields" and "soccer fields."
E-newsletter
a) Create a twice-yearly e-newsletterfor an opt-in list from website and from collected emails of
sports event planners, league leaders, officials, coaches and school athletic directors.
Partnerships
a) Partner with Ellensburg Parks and Recreation, Kittitas County Events Center, Washington Horse
Park and other local sports venues and businesses {possibly including CWU) to cross-promote
content on website, e-newsletter and social media. {May require an additironal investment in
staff time for necessary collaboration.)
City of Ellensburg
Five-Year Tou rism Strateglc Plan
24rc
Sports Tou risrn : 2022 Tactics
1". Advisory 6roup and Sports Taurism Coorclinator
a) Review dedicated staff tirne and deterrnine if it merits a 1.0 FTE. (Waufe| require acJelitionalinvertrnent"I
2" WebsiteDevetopnrent
a) Maintain and irnprove spart$ content. Adcl video to show top sports venu€s.
3, Outreach
a) Continue outreach, leacl tracking ancl management.
tri €row association.memberships, laoking intc runrring anel cycling sports. Fxplore American TreilRunning Association and becoming a featurec! ,TraifTown.,;
ci Exhibit at Pacifie Northwest Youth sports txpo ancl evaluate othertracle show opportunities,
4. Social Media
a) Create and manage separate Facebook account for sports. Devetop annual social mec1iaeditorialplan.
b) lnclude organic and boosted posts.
c) Promote sports facility video on Facebook.
5. Pubticity
a) lnclude unique sports angles into generaltourism story mix.
b) Send out end-of'year news release on sports event economic impact to the community.
6. Adv*rtising
a) Assess pe rformance of Google Search over tirne. tf still performing well, continue.
b) Add digital banner ads to be placed in sporLs-related websites such as:
' Washington youth Sports
; Washington youth Soccer
r Washington lnte rscholastic Activities Association
r Sports Events Magazine tonlinelweb)
r Sports planning Guide (regionalty targetedI
7. E-newsletter
a) Maintain twice-yearly e-newsletter. consider refreshing the look.
b) lf there is enough content, in*ease fiequency or devote one or two of these e-newsletters tosports other than thsse using the ball fields,
c) Cofiinue to build email list through website and contacts generated through outreach
Partnerships
a) Continue partnerships with all local sports venues.
City of Ellen*burg
Fr\re-year Touri$m Strategic Ffan
L
20l'-a
El lensbu rg Meeti ngs Tou rism
Work Pla n
."': "':r 'i t$ii'"t
;r-c\'
A0{t
!
t.f
rliiy oi Llreiisburg
ijir3.Yef r Tnr"rri5r:1 Stfategi.t plan
2ar Lg 4i
Meeting Tourism: Target Audiences, Messages
Primary Audiences
r Professionai meeting planners
- lnternational Live Events Association
- Meeting professionals lnternational
- National Association for Catering ancl Events
- Professional Convention Management Association
r Washington state agencies
r Washingtonassociations
- Washington Society of Association Executives
r Executive administrative assistants from larger organizations (public and private)
- lnternational Association of Administrative Professionals pacific NW Region
: Church, school and special interest organizations
Target Markets
Target markets for Ellensburg meetings tourism are dependent on drive times. For a one-day meeting, the targetmarket would likely be no more than two hours away. For meetings with overnight stays, this could expand toabout four hours. Ellensburg's competition as washington's centrll location is yakima and wenatchee, both ofwhich have convention centers and are served by airports. lts location advantage is its proximity to snoqualmie
Pass and l-90.
Meeting Tourisrn Key Messages
r Ellensburg is close to home, in the center of Washington
' Ellensburg offers affordable, interesting meeting spaces
! Our community is friendly--our venues are easy to work with
r There's always something to do in Ellensburg {from the historic downtown to outdoor adventure). lt,s afun and safe place for meeting participants to relax and enjoy.
City ri iliens'ourg
Fir.re-Ysar Tciurisrn Strateg;g p;a.
)nto
,4 rl
t_.
Meeting Tou rism : 2021_ Tactics
Website Develogrnrerrt
a) Add contertt to the tourisnt website that features nreeting venue assets and support available
for meetings {from catering contacts tc fre e-tinre excursiorrs to potential shuttie buses). {Mayrequir* adriitiorrat intre:,t:nrerrl. }
b) Add a pap up on the meetings page to gain event plarrrrer enrails.
c) Add short meeling venile content on Charnber r:f Csnrmerce website and link to meetings
tourisfil page.
0utrenclr
a) Sign up for and ttr*nitor sources for gr:vernmentnl RFPs for meeting facilities.
h) Dnvelnl:r tneeiirtg platrner guicle ihrochure of loc;rtiolr anrl vcnue assets). lnclude facility
descriptions ancl eliegrarns. {ir4ay rr:elLiire arlelitic}fiaf inve;;{rn**ti
c) Develop outreaeh plan, identify and prioritize targete cl meeting planners, acJministrative
assistants, association leaders, etc. Create list of prospects.
d) fvaluate as$ociation membierships that offer most potential to connect with prcspects.
e) Connect with arrd offer information or tours to tneeting plarrners. Use CRM management tcrol
adopted already for sports tourism lead rnanagenrent.
o Conduct a short "awareness surverT" of r1r-rur cnntact list as a rneaningftr! way to inier$ct
wllh thenr and get valuable insight into what they neecl for meetingiancl wlrat they kncw
about Ellensburg.
f) Attend NW Fvents 5hnw to gain experience and exposrlre. Assegs other conferences for future
exhibiting.
Sociirl Media
a) Oevelop an Ellensburg Meetings Lirrkedln page. Content should be similar to web page. Create
and fsllow a meelings sditorial calendar to' ensure fresh content is postecl regulariy.-
b) lnch.rde welcome post t* groilps meeting in Ellensburg on general tourism social platforms as
part of overall social *redia editorial plan,
a) lrr collaboration witlt h:cal event venues, add their information to cnline meeting venue sites
such as: EventUp, UniqueVenues, Meetingo, NW Meeting & [yents, etc,
b) Oevetop a calendar for reviewing and updating site listings.
E"newslette r
a) Launch first issue ol a twire-ye;rrly events e-newsletter to prospects list. Feature different
venues, eaterers, iree-time activities ancl rnore.
2
3
5
C;ty ol rllensburg
Five-Year Tourisnr Slrategic plan20lt-c)5i
1
Meeting Touris m:2023 Tactics
Website Development
a) Maintain and enhance meetings page
Outreach
a)Monitor sources for governmental RFPs for meeting facilities. Respond to or facilitate respondto appropriate meeting RFPs.
Maintain and add to prospect list.
Connect with and offer information or tours to meeting planners.
Exhibit at either the Pacific Northwest lnternationalAdnrinistrative Assistants Conference orthe washington Society of Association Fxecutives conference (or other evaluatecl conference).
Host "Road show" destination dinner. Go to a key meetings market and host a dinner anddestination discussion for meeting planners. Make it tun ano on-brand.
Survey meeting planners who hold events in Ellensburg. Share the results with venues.
Social Media
a) Maintain Linkedln page.
b) lnclude welcome post to groups meeting in Ellensburg on general tourisrn social platforms.
Publicity
a) Send local press release on economic impact of meetings and on major events booked for theyear.
Online Venue Sites
a) Continue to add content to online meeting venue sites.
Advertising
a) lf booking goals merit it, consider Google Search campaign (Google AdWords) and Linkedlnadvertising
b) lf needed, consider adding regional advertising package in Northwest Meetings and Events
E-newsletter
a) Produce twice-yearly e-newsletter
b) Reach out to advisory group for news - give them space to place their top stories,
2
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
5
4
8.
6.
{lity oi Ellensburg
Five-Year Toulisni $t.ategic plan
2019
53
Appendices
Research Results
: f.i
Ciry oi Slierscu:g
Fir,:-Yeai l-cuiisfi S.':rai::sic Pla,1
2n19 )f,
Appendix A: Executive lnterviews
GOALS COMMON THEMES
These are the most commonly expressed idess relqted to these questions.
HOW IMPORTANT tS TOURISM?
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
' Tourism is important and will become an increasingly important part of the economyr Grow tourism to heip sustain local businessesr Become the destination, not a stop along the way to somewhere elser Align tourism goals with community goals* Become the place where people from Western Washington go to relax and have funr Become a destination for regional meetings and conferencesr Become a destination for sports tournaments
' Maintain and grow the rodeo to gain momentum going into the L00th a nniversary rodeo in
2023
GOALS QUOTES OF NOTE
These sre quotes that express commonly held icleas ar were especially important to note.
"We need tourists. Residents visit our businesses anC make one to three purchdses o month-this
isn't enough to sustain our businesses.,,
"l'cJ like to see tourism continue to grow at a nice poce, as it has."
"l don't think we should try to become another Leavenworth (tourism-dependent economy).',
"Whot benefits tourists shottld slso benefit the community ond makes for a more authentic
experience for the visitor."
'l think the cammunity will support more investments in tourism if they can be shown how
meetings, sp.orts events, etc. csn bring business to lacal restoLtrsnts end stores.,,
"l think the community is divided on bringing more people into town."
"There's a large group (of residents)thot says (CWU) students are ruining our town."
POSITIONING COM MON THEMES
These are the most commonly expressed ideas related ta these questions.
WHAT IS ELLENSBURG KNOWN FOR?r We're in the center of everything (and a shorter trip from Western WA than Walla Walla)
' "There's always something going on,, {events and festivals). Good weatherr We don't have a fixed imager Smalltown feelr Relaxed and welcoming: Outdoor recreation, the scenery* Quiet little ranching and college townr The rodeo and Western heritage -,,A touch of the West,,
Ciiy of Ellensburg
Firre-Year Toulism Strategic Fian
201_q
S7
Appendix A: Executive lnterviews
POSITIONIN€ QUOTES OF NOTE, CONTINUED
Tftese are quotes thot *xpress commonly held ideas or were especially important to note.
"A ploce to explore/play; known for leisure."
"We have a mile stretch of Yskima River within wolking distonce of downtown."
"The Yqkima River and trout fishing are certainly attroctions that can grow."
"Hundreds of miles of bike and hiking trails connect to Ellensburg. One of our main focuses is to
improve walking paths and trails."
"Wlotofyaungpeopleonddiversityaddstoafeetingofvitality.',
"Our ties ta LWU offer a lot to the community,but we're not a colleqe tewn."
AUDIENCE COMMON THEMES
These are the most cammonly expressed ideqs reloted to these questions.
WHAT TYPE OF TOURISM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE GROW?
WHO DO YOU WANT TO ATTRACTTO ELLENSBURG?
" The West side is our best source of touristsa Meetings and conferences, but we really need a conference center. We can host small groups of up
to 200
' Sports teams-youth and adult. May require facility improvement and siaffing
' We want to attract people with disposable income, highly-educated, recently retired and
interested in the artsr Downtown audience is empty nesters; they have the freedsm and money to travel
" Adult leisure travelers
' Millennials who are looking for cool and sharable experiences. Ellensburg lacks family-friendly amenities
AUDIENCE QUOTES OF NOTE
These are quotes that express commanly held ideas or were especially impartant to nate.
"As far os visitors, we seem to see mostly empty nesters . #L attractions for out-of-tawn guests sre
the rodeo and the university. Adventure seekers go to Roslyn - Etlensburg isn't their destination."
"We cater to the older crowd - empty nesters. l'd like to grow the younger couples. People looking for
goad beer, good food, outdoor reueqtion. Somewhere to hike, listen to live music, get a beer."
"l'd like to see us do more with CWu alumni,"
"We can attroct Jamilies through othletics, but they alwoys ask, 'What do you do here?' We dan't
have a lot af family octivity optfons."
"Explorers, adventure seekers,.,they have more disposable incame than families,"
"ln general, Ellensburg is welcoming to sdult alumni and parents. Sometimes there is frictian wlth
students ond businesses downtown. But s student's bad experience with 0 downtown business witl impact
their interest in being a future tourist here."
City of Ellensburg
Five-'lea r lourism Strategic Pia n
2019 5lt
Appendix A: Executive lnterviews
LAST THOUGHTS QUOTES OF NOTE
These ore quates thot express commonly held ideas or were especially impartant to note. These fino!
thoughts did notfit any particular cotegory.
"Growing Ellensburg os sn events destinstion will require coordinqtion of schedules."
"Using the Kittitds County Events Center for meetings is complicated by the tack of hotets in walking
distance snd lock of transit to the site." (And potentially lack of avaitability?)
"We have 86 nonprofits in EI!ensburg contpeting against ane another. I'd tike to see all organizations
working together...we all have the sqme goals.,'
"The biggest thing is .to be just weird enough to spork curiosity. For example, we're a tight group of
co n s e rva tive s w ith I i be ru I col I e q e stud e nts."
"The Upper ond Lower Valley mentolity divides us.,,
"Ellensburg needs ta stap fighting with CWU.,,
"We need d convention center!"
"We're tnissing a connection to tlte Co!umbis River, which is close and offers more recreotional
opportunities."
"We need to use lodging tax dollars to get the biggest bang for the buck. We hsve another hotel
coming in two years that will grow the pot of LTAC dollars. How does the city best use thct money?',
City of Ellensburg
Fh/e-Year Tourisnr Straiegic Plan
?fl10 b1
Appendix B; Visitor Surveys
BlleasburgTourism
Q2 Before or during your trip, which of the following information sites to
learn more about Ellensburg? (Select up to three)
Answorodr2gC thipped: 111
MyE[ansbulgco
C€ntralWlBhlngt
oncolor.com
onli[e revlew
slte...
Chamber of
Commerce
City of
Ellen9burg
C€ntral
Walliington...
ANSWER CNOICES
MyEllensbrrg.com
CenhalwashingtonColor.eonl
Onlirls €view. oita (TripAaJvisor, Yelp)
m
09o lQVa z|ya 3090 40n/o SOVo .€O% 7eh }Oo/a 90% lo0o/o
REBFOT'ISES
46.96%
4.3S6
M.12%
139
13
101
Cily of Ellonabrrg
Cential Washingrton Uoiver:sity
Total Raspondents:296
Ciiy of Eltenshurg
Fi,re-Year Touri$r Strategic Plafl
25.75%
22.97%
s8
68
2019 63
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Ellensbrng Tourism
Q4 lf you attended the rodeo, how often have you gone to this event?
Answcrod:71 $kiopecl: 336
,roa,*"f
2{tin6s
4 ol mote tlmes
AltlgwERcH.olcES
First lime
2€tinlo$
il ot more times
TOIAL
Wo l0% 20% 30o/o 40r/o SQo/o 60% Ielo &o/n g}t/o l}Onh
RESFOIISES
19.72%
21.1*h
59.15%
City ol Ellensburg
Fhre-Year Tourifin Stiategic plan
14
15
42
71
2019',65
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Ellerubulg Tourism
oo lf you attended the rodeo this 1e,ar, what days did you attend. (check
all that apply.)
Ansv/ercd:68 SkiPPed:339
Frldiy
Sahlrdny
9anday***f
bidlptlgcrp
tftd o*ader.,
AilSl1,Efi cliotcE$
Friday
Satlrday
Sgntlay
Msnday
Did.you go to the psrade oC gaErda.y?
ft€sPOilgE$
2941!/o
76.47Yo
e9.!1rA
16,18 d
2a"47sA
2o
3t
i7
,t1
'18
eiq of €ilen5[-ur.g
Fi'ie-Year Tsstism *rategic Flan
20'19 6]
Appe nd ix B: Vis itor Su rveys
Ellensburg lburism
Q8 Please check the reasons Ellensburg was selected as a location for
this business event.
Aftivrcred:20 Skipped:39?
Centrat
locatlon in..,
The prrsenca
ofCentral,.,I
Affordable
Ctoseto
Westertr-.-
Other (pleas
speeify)
AIISI,VER CHOIGE$
Csntral localion in slate
The presence ol Central Wasbingilon Uniyersity
Alfordable
Closo to Westcrn Washington, b$t change of rreathot and ,,pace,,
Other (please specfu)
Total Respondents:20
Alo 1096 2O'/o 20% 4A% 50% 6AVo TOoh BO% 90% 100%
RESPOtitsES
40,04o/o
'15.0006
40.00%
30.00%
25.00Y0
I
I
b
J
City of €ll€ns,:,urg
Five-Year Tourisrn Strategic Plan
20 19 69
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Ellensburg Tourism
Q10 Please check the reasons Ellensburg was selected as a location for
this sporting event.
Ar)sp/ored: 26 Skiplod: i38t
Central
tocrtlon 1n,..
':;IHT:|:I
Arrordabreffiffi
Closeto
Western,..
Other (please
sprify)
ANSWER CH.OICES
Cenkal localiofl in state
The pro$encs of Central Washingi,on University
Aftordable
Closa to Woslern Woshington. but change of wealhot and,,pace.'
Other {please specify)
ToIaLResasndeol"r.?6
O% 10% 20.lo 3Oo/o 40% 500/o 60Vo l0,\t glt/o 90o/o 1000/6
RESPONSES
46.15%
11.54%
23.08%
42jJ1rh
23.084/o
12
3
6
11
b
City of tllensburg
Five-Year l-ourism Strat€gic plan2019 7L
Appe n d ix B: Visitor Su rveys
Ellensburg Tourism
Q12 How often do you plan on visiting Ellensburg again over the next 12
months?
Ansyrared:389 Skipped: 18
1-2 times
4-6 tirnes
7-12 times
13 or mote
tim€s
Unliketyto
visit again
r
f-: i:i i
ffi
ffi
AI|SWERCHO|CES
1-2 limes
4-6 times
7-12 times
13 or more limes
Unlikely to vjsit €gain
TOTAL
0olo lOVo 20% 3Qo1o 4A% S0% 60% 7W g}ok g}ok 1OO%
RESP1ONSES
56.81%
21.0A%
6.94yo
10.54Ya
4.63%
City of Fllensburg
Five-Year Tourism Strategic Plan
221
flz
27
41
1B
389
2019 73
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Ellensburg Tourism
Q14 How do you feel when you are in Ellensburg? (select up to two)
Relaxed
Welcomed
Adyenturous I
Libehted : :
aurrou" ffi
Recharsedffii
,n"r',r.O I
Answcred;329 Skippcd:78
City of Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourism Strategic Plan
OIo 106/0 20% ?O0/o 40o/o 50% @% |Oq" AO% 90yo 1OO%
ANSWER CHOICES
Relaxed
Adventurous
Liberatod
Curior:s
Energized
Welcomod
Total Respondents:329
RESPONSES
75,68e/o
17.93o/o
3.M%
9.73%
1\ O70/-
9.12Yo
5A.76%
249
FO
10
32
30
167
20L9 75
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
ElJcnsburg Totuism
Q16 Piease rate how much you agree or disagree with the following
statements.
Ailsvtr.d 2g{) StlP,}:d. il/
ffiws:
'mr
$i
Evertsrnd
feetivrts
Outdoor
R-ruHMffi$i.,ffi'ffi
ffiffi
STROI{GLY
OIsAGREE
night life
EnDu6h
f6 Id% 20% 309i 46i 5O'.; 60% lo'a 80(6 godi loo%
f strongty Agree !lgree |fl Oisagrae ..:,j StrongLy Oisagree
STRONGLY
.AGREE
AGREE UNSURE
21.Soyo
20,gt'a
60
13 8Sy6
40
17.24%
50
9,341t
27
WE'GIITED
AVERAGE
1.70
2,44
256
2.54
2.5$
266
OISAGREE
25_009t
12
10.c0%
2.08.,t,
6
14.5BVo
42
21.539'0
62
17,A10/4
19.66%
5i
14.53y.
42
TOTAL
FEmily.fricndly par{s and
aclivili6
Dolrnto\'/d
Evdn(s and f€slNals
Outdoor 0coalkrA
Musie scone
Yatinray'Cohmbia Riw6
F@d. d,ink. nighl life
EnD(gh holch?
9O3!/" 427tqa
26 123
J9.790/"
29.X1
85
47.93{,.
13S
'11.03%
45.67?.
132
7.96%I 04%
3
21.530/"1.749i
43.25%
125
.10.28%
1'16
3 47%
10
1.72%
3.47%
10
6.2lot'o
18
5 54%
l6
2AA
290
2e9
284
288
288
2SO
28S
4t.67To
120
3B.62%
1tt
3 137i
s
31,94%
92 6,r
24.31y.
,-o
19.28%
53
4 l. tg%
119
29.419d
85
Actual Questions
1) You visit Ellensburg for its fanrily-{rienclly parks, restaurants and kid activities.2) You visit Ellensburg for its historic downtown with interesting galleries and museums, quaint shops and
authentic craft beverages and cuisine.
3) You visit Ellensburg for its fun, unique events and festivals.4) You visit Ellensburg for its wide-open spaces for outcloor recreation (hiking. biking. fishing, birding, etc.)5) You vi-cit Ellensburg for its access to the Yakima River. the Yaliinra River Canyon and the Colurnbia River.6) You visit Ellensburg for its restaurants, bars and good night life.7) when you visit, Ellensbr.rrg has a goorJ selection of hotels and places tostay.
City of Ellensbulg
Fitie-Year Tourism Strategic Plan
20 t-q
77
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Ellensburg Tourism
Q1B \tVhat age group are you in?
Aflswe.sd: ?86 SkipForl; 121
'"un I
,,",J
.rrnFtffi**.t
55-64
65+
ANSWERCHOIGES
18-24
25-34
35-.14
45-54
65+
TOTAL
OoA 10% 20% 30Yo 1100/6 SQo/r 60oh TOok €l0b/o 9ofc 100%
RESPONSES
0.357q
s.79%
13.9S%
2.13e/"
,.4r,ge
23.78o1o
City of Ellensburg
Firre-Year Tourism Strategic P{an
t
28
40
65
,&,r.
68
286
2079 79
Appendix B: Visitor Surveys
Elleusbulg Tourism
Q20 What group best describes your household income?
Answered:272 Skrppedi 135
$49,990 or
less
getween
$so,oo0 and...
Between
$100,000 and...
$150.0O0 or
mole
ffiii:1
ANSWER CHOICES
$49,999 or less
Between $50,000 and $74,999
Belween $75,000 and $39,999
Between $1 00,000 and S150,000
$150,000 or more
TOTAL
When Western Washington
respondents are selected out, it
shows they have a slightly higher
income with 59.50% reporting a
household income of S100,000 or
more, compared to 5L.10% of all
respondents. lnterestingly, out-
of-state a nd out-of-country
visitors responded with lower
incomes.
City of Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourism Str?tegic Plan
0% 10vo 20vo 30'/. 40% 50yo 6Qo/o 7oo/" 80% go./o 1000/0
RESPOflSES
12.87%
14.71%
27.940/"
23j6%
What group best descrihres yor.tr houselrolcl income?
; ti...1t,.41 :1.3 \9,rgti1. :
949,999 o. t€66
St6O,000 or mor6
8€se& Si4,{XX}
ffrt 514'999
B€uao S?5,0OO
ard 999JgS
gotw€m 9l00r0(xl
8nd 550,00tt
TA
40
5S
/b
63
2019 81
Appendix C: College Town Examples
Western Washington University I Bellingham, Washington
Population: 89,045 College enrollment: 11,500
1. Cross referencing on websites. Bellingham's tourism website lras a wlrole page dediealefllo WWU
a) Page talks about where the college is and why the town is great for students and parents
b) Talks abor"rt what to see and do on campus, parking, how to get there, where to find the Visitor
lnformation Center, things to see and do off-campus and key events
c) WWU website has Sgctkln frf .Li:itorithat's broken up into students and families, and
community and alumni
d) lniormation for community include athletics, campus map, parking, transit, performing arts,
lA/estern gallery {art museum of WWUi and sculpture garden (WWU's contomporary
sculptu res)
2. Some college signs on main streets.
3. Collaborativeevents
a) peg$gw1grt-j{g]! hosted by WWU
b) City promotes v"VWU:lgqti:gegkqlg
c) Annual Fainl Sellirlglri$ Elue eve rl! with a procession from Red Square to downtown to be
welcomed by alumni and the greater Western community
, Kicks off school year
r Downtown festival for WWU community
* WWU flag flies on top of Herald Building
d) Annu*ldrawing/.efi even! hosted by Viking Union gallery for students, involving local art
community
University of Wyoming I Laramie, Wyoming
Population; 30,816 College enrollment: t2,627
and Art Museum on homepage.
2. No college signs or banners on main street (that we could find evidence of)
3. Collaborativeevents
a) Visit Laramie features UW athletics, Department of Theater and Dance, graduation and
hornecoming on featur€d events p*aFq
bi Laramie iubilee Days, where students can join irr on a carnivai and rodeo celebrating
Wyoming's statehood, but wgbsitg doesn't speak to university at all
Ciiy o{ Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourism Sirategi. Pl3n
2019 o)
Thank you to the community
members who pravided insights
and helped in the moking of
this plan.
City oi Ellensburg
Five-Year Tourism Strategic plan
l0L9 85
Douvntow,n Ivlarket Study and Ecanomic Developrnent Plnn
E L L E 1\ SBU R G, \,VAS I-i i F.] G O I\]
Prepared by
Ls.$.i
ot rruLt. IItutut\JVV \-.-'
i>lil; t{i!;;:,i rt te.jYC':
Prepared for
City of Ellensbutg Lodgirrg Tax Conrmission
EllDnsburg Dowrrtoryrt Associatir:n
Ellerrsbr.trg Btrsiness Develop,rer)t Ar.ithority
Kittrtas County Chamber of Comrrerce
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
With apopulation ofjust over 18,000 as of the 2010 Census, the City of Ellensburg is uniquelypositioned in central Washington at the intersection of Inlerstates 90 and 82. It is the center ofcommerce and government for Kittitas County, which extends from the Cascacles to the Westand the Columbia River to the East. It is a popular destination for travelers because of itsiocation, and a cluster of hotels and restaurants serve both exits to the community off of
Interstate 90.
Eilensburg is also known as the horne of Central Washinglon University and the annual
Ellensburg Rodeo that attracts national attention. The d,owntown has maintained much of its
historic charm including Victorian, Art Deco, and vernacular buitdings of the 1920's. As is the
case with many cornmunities, downtown Ellensburg has changed from Ueing the sole center of
commerce for the conrmunity as suburban-style commercial development has occurred in other
parts of the city. I{owever, Ellensburg has been very proactive in prlmoting and investing in thedowntown as a vibrant location for independent retaiiers, specialty dining,"a variety of business
and financial services, government offi ces, cultural attractions, and special events.
The cornmunity has not been content to rest on this success and has continncd to invest indowntown' In 2013, community leaders acknowleclged that a significant building in downtown -the Geddis Building - was at risk of becoming u *.iiou, blight in redevelopingiowntown. The
large building located at the pivotai southwest corner of 4th Avenue and pearl Street was indecline. As a result, the City of Ellensburg, the Ellensburg Downtown Association, the Kittitas
County Chamber of Commerce, and the Ellensburg Business Development Authoriiy forged an
alliance forrnally called the Downtown Revitalization Committee, but mor" .o*-only known as"The Downtowners," to purchase the building, hold it in trust, and resell it to an owner that is
actively renovating the property and pians to acld new residential units and retail development todor'vntown' The Downtowners realized that this success could be partayed into an ongoing
proactive approach to continued public/private partnership investment in downtown Ellensburg.
1.2 Study Scope
This study was commissioned to examine both the market opporhrnities for downtown as well as
the physical environment anci to recommend how the Downtowners should continue to utilizetheir knowledge and connections to create investment and development opporfunities in the
community.
This study involved two key components that are closely intertwined. The first is an
understanding of the Ellensburg market tluough a market analysis that looks at retail, rcsidential,
office, and accommodations possibilities, The second is connecting this market knowledge with
key.sites and buildings in downtown Ellensburg to prioritize poteniial for future investment. ofparticular interest to the group was higher and bettei use of upper floor spaces in Ellensburg and
over the course of the project examining a larger "footprint" loi downtown became apparent.
3
2.0 Market Study
This section of the repoft presents the findings of the market research for Ellensburg and sets the
stage for further analysis that can be used to recruit business, enhance the housing market, help
existing retailers target customers, and implement the accompanying malketing and recruitment
sfategy in a later section of this report. The goal of this market sfudy is to show commr-rnity
stakeholders and potential investors how to capitalize on potential residential, retail, and off,rce
market opporhrnities and to levet'age investments that will sustain the Ellensbutg community
while preserving the character that the community values,
Chapter 2 is divided into four sections:
Section 2.1 describes the market definition based on zip code suvey work cornpleted by
businesses in the community, It also provides insight into Ellensburg's trade area dernographics
and prcscnr's martriet data relatcd to [llcnsburg's prirutLry uuti ucLrurdily [rutlu aroas.
Section 2.2 provides demographic profiles of Ellensbur-g's primary and secondary trade aleas.
This section also presents a more detailed market segrnentation using PRIZM@ Lifestage
characteristics. (PRIZM@ is a product of Nielsen Claritas^)
Section 2.3 presents the retail market analysis that shows the amount of retail sales "ieaking"
from Ellensburg's primary and secondary trade areas. This infonnation is based on the most
recent data available and is a reliable source for understanding overail market patterns. This
section concludes with some key opportunities for retail that could be used to both enhance
existing businesses and recmit additional businesses to the Ellensburg community. This section
also leverages Ellensburg's retail and demographic data to evaluate other market segments such
as residential and office uses.
Section 2.4 provides a concise conclusion to the overall market analysis
5
market to the community, meaning that Ellerisburg is serving not only a local and regional
rnarket, but a tourism market as well.
3olo
42%'
I ElleDrburgINSlDE
I El!enrburgOlttSlDE
: ' cenfral ltfdshiugton Univ.
Xltftes
ultorp
Cle Elum
'rr South Cle Elurn
:Xittitss County
. Yaldma County
XingCounty
:';Restof Warhington
r: OtherStrtcr
rOther CoullHes
4a/o
4o/a
7%
tv/a
4o/a
Lolo
2%
t4Vt
Figure Ll: customer visits to Particiltuting Businesses by zip code in July of 2a15.
4oyo 0o/o
t4/:
Lah
lEllcn:burglN
lEllensburgOUT
:: iCt{rUSklihBt
KEittt
39% Thorp
Clo Elum
lSotrthOeElunr
Kltutas Co{rnty
".Yeldma
l6t6
.'.: Restofwashlnttrn
tOt}tarstates
lOtherCoultrloc
io/a
2o/o
4%
20o/s
tzolo
Figure 1.2: Cttstomer Yisits to Participating Businesses by Zip Code in October of 2015,
,7
2.2Trade Area Demographics and Market Segmentation
2.2.1 Ellensburg Primary Trade Area Demographics
ln 2AI5, the population for Ellensburg's primary trade area is estimated to be 33,591, The
population grew by 23.3% between 2000 and 2010 and is expected to reach 35,037 by 2020,
rvhich is equal to adding about 136 new households per year. The median age for the primary
trade arca is 30, whicli is lower than both \iVashington at age 40 and the United States at 37 and
is likely due to the age and number of CWU shrdents.
I{ousehold iucome for the primary trade area is $41,104. This income level falls below tliat of
Washington al $56,835 and that of tlie United States at $51,939. (Source: Nielsen Claritas, inc.).
Additionally, it should be noted that this report was rlln by zip code of residents; while CWU
does not have its own zip code, students are included in local census data and therefore should tie
incl'"r'led in this i'epcd from Ellensburg's zip code which r,vill naturally rlecieasc the Meciiarr
Household Income for the community.
?020 Plojection
?015 Estiluftte
2010 Census
20i)0 Census
Growlh 201 5-20?0
Cfolvth 2010-?015
Glowth 2000-?010
3 5.03?
33,59 I
3?,442
26,297
4.30%
3.5496
?3.379t
Table 2: Primury Trade Area Populution
2"2.2 lllarket Segmentation
Market segmentation is a technique used to summarize demographic information into easlLto
understand categories. The market segmentation illustrated for Ellensburg's primary trade area
uses Claritas PRIZM@ data. PRIZM.defines every U.S. household in terms of sixty-six
rrwry swrwllrrluv llrvolJM, PUrUrrCDrrrE Ugtl4VlvlS, .llIU
preferences of the customer base.
2.2.3 PMZM Lifustage Segmentation
The chart on the following page provides an easy to understand perspective on Ellensburg's
market segmentation. Broadly speaking, Green Colors represent younger households generally
without children in the honre- Blue colors represent families irith children. Red colors represent
older families who may or may not have children in the home.
ln the case of Ellensburg, the primary trade area's share of the PRIZM Lifestage categories is
hearrilrr clrprrrprl in '<Qfr.irrina (in-1." " -^+^n^-i-i^- 2.'rO/ ^f +L^ L^,.-^L^1.t^ /^^ ^L^--..^ :- -^^r-urlrSrvor worvSwrr4ru6 JL /0 wL LtlL tluuigrlurus \ds slluyI/lt lU pdlg
gleen in Figure 3). "Young Achievers" (in green) comprises lB%, and "Midlife Success" (forest
I
The charl above depicts broad categories ofhouseholds. Tiris section portrays key sub categories
of households along with descliptions of lifestyle characteristics. The descriptions below are
provided by and paraphrased from Nielsen's d.escriptions of their PRZM Lifestyle Segmentation
data. The rounded percentage of households in the primary trade area and the rounded index to
the United States is shown next to each description. An index of 100 would be a representation
that matched that of the United States. These percentages were gathered frorn the area within a
ten-minute drive tirne from the intersection of 4tl' Avenue and Pearl Strcet in the heart of
Ellensburg.
City Startups
25.2% oJ'Ilouseholds in the Ellensbtrg primary tratle area, Inclex to United Std;es; 2,369
In City Starfups, young to middle-aged, multi-ethnic singles havc settied in neighborhoods filled
with cheap apartments and a commercial base of cafes, bars, iaundromats, and clubs that cater to
twenty-somethings - one of the youngest segments in America--r,vith ten times as many collcge
students as the national average.
Greenbelt Sports
4.2% of Households in the Ellensburg prirnary trade area, Index to United Stares: 966
A segment of upscale exurban couples, Greenbelt Sports is larown for its active lifestyle. Most of
these older residents are married, college-educated, and orvn nelv homes. And few segments
have higher rates for pursuing outdoor activities such as skiing, canoeing, backpacking, boatilg,
and mountain biking,
Boomtown Singles
10.0% of Households in the Ellensburg primary trade orea, Index to Unitecl States: 939
Affordablc housing, abundant entry-level jobs, and a thriving singles scene--al1 have given rise
to the Boomtown Singles segmeut in fast-growing satellite cities. Single and working-class, these
residents pursue active lifestyles amid apartment complexes, bari, convenience stores, and
laundromats.
2.2.4 Market Dejinitioru Observations
Ellensburg benefits from a robnst mixtLrre of visitors, and yet the local and regional
population still dominates the rnarket base. This presents an important marketing
opporlunity that mandates that the comrnunity retain a message that is appealing to both
locals and those from out of town.
a
a Having completed ovet 200 market studies, pattems emerge over time. A community that
benefits from over l5o/o of its visits from out of the local county is rare to see. It indicates
that the visitor market is important. Nearly 1 in every 20 visitors is from King County,
Washington - a pattern also unusual as large metropolitan areas freqnently have less than rwo
percent market share in smailer communities over an hour's drive away. This indicates that
there is a strong market to the west of the Cascades that can be reacled through selective
media. Kittitas County Tourism is already tapping this market and these numbers are bearing
the fi.rrit of this marketing initiative. We recomrnend continuing this push to markct
Ellensburg to the cities west of the Cascades.
tl
2.3 Retail Market Analysis
Ellensburg is a retail center serving the prirnary and secondary markets defined above. This
section examines the Ellensbutg Matket to identify potential opporlunities for new or expanded
stores by examining "retail leakage." This will allorv the community to assess what kind of
additional stores would be attracted lo Ellensburg and will help individual existing businesscs
understand how they can diversify product lines to caplure this leakage.
2.3.1 Retail Leakage in the Trade Areas
Retail leakage refers to the difference between the retail expendihrres by residents living in a
particular area and the retail sales produced by the stores located in the same area. If desired
ploducts src ttot availablc within that area, corlsullers wrll ttavel to othcr plauus or use diflerent
meihods to obtain those products. Consequently. the riollars spent nnfsirlc nf the Rrea arri saici to
be "leaking." If a community is a major retail center with a variety of stores it wiil be
"attracting" rather than "leaking" retail sales. Even large communities may see lealcage in
ceftain retail categories while some small communities may be attractors in categories.
Ellensburg is a strong "attracting" community in rnany retail categories and is "leaking" sales in
other categories.
Such an anaiysis is not an exact science. In some cases large outflow may indicate that moncy is
being spent elsewhere (drug store purchases at a Target or apparel purcliases through the
internet). It is irnportant to note that this analysis accounts best for retail categories where
households (rather than businesses) are essentially the only consumer groups. For example,
lumberyards may have business-to-business sales that are unaccounted for in consumer
cxpenditures. The best example for Eliensburg is gasoline. Ellensburg can capture somc of the
inflow of dollars from gasoline stations, but it is unlikely that truckers are going to be the
potential customers who would go downtown to eat and shop. Stores such as jewelry shops and
clothing stores are more accllrately analyzed using retail leakage.
The leakage shrdy for Ellensburg is a "snapshot" in time- Consequently, there are factors that
point to this being a more conservative look at retail potential depending on what factors are
examined. For example, population growth means that there will be more customers in the
future resulting in greater demand for retail.
;.;k"' i;""a ; ;il s.G;#- ffi il ; ;. &;il.# "'"" fffi;i ;;;'d#;;;. -;
successf,tl store model can capture from well beyond the defined primary trade geography and
foster a strong visitor market, which is evidenced in the figures 1.1 and 1.2 which show over
10% of the customers are coming from outside of the state of Washington,
With these conservative factors in mind (meaning our numbers represent "minimum" potential
and not "maximum" potential) the primary trade area selected store sales equaled $520.3 million
in 2015. Consumers in the same area spent $541.9 million. Therefore, the prirnary trade area is
leaking $21.5 rnillion in sales annually.
Ellensburg is unique, however, in its location along Interstate 90. The city sewes as a stop
before and after crossing the Snoqualmie pass over the Cascade Mountain Range, and it sits at
the intersection of a major EastlWest lnterstate and a North,/South Interstate. The result is that
t3
Ilctrtil Stolcs
I;ood & Bevcrage Stores-445
Grocery Stores-445 I
Supernrarkets, Crncery Storcs-445 I I
Convcniensc Storcs.445 I 2
Spccialty Food Storcs-445i
Becr, Winc &. t,iquor Stores-4453
Ilcallh & Personal Care Storcs-446
Plrarntncies & Drug StorEs-4461 I
Cosrnctics, Bcaqty Supp, perliune -4461?
Optical Goods Stnres-446 I 3
Other I'lealth & Per.,ronal Cnr.e-446 l9
Gasoline Stations-447
Casoline Station.s tv/Clonv Stores-447 I I
Other Gasoline Stations-447 l9
Clothing & Clothing Acccssories Stores-448
Cltrthiug Srores-4481
Men's Clothing Stor-es-4481 I
Wonren's Cklthing Stores-448 I 2
Children's. Itfnnts' Clothing-448 I 3
Farnily Clothing Srolcs-448 l4
Clothing Accessories Stores-448 I 5
Other Clothing Stores-448 l9
Shoe Stores-4482
Jcwelry, Luggagc, Leather Goods-448 j
Jewclry Stores-4483 I
Lrrggage & Lcathm Goods-44832
Sporting (iooels, Ftobby, Boak, Music-45 I
Sporting Coods, Hobby, Music lnst-451 I
Sporting Coods Stores-45 I I I
I'lobby, Toy & Game Stores-451 l2
Sewing lriece Goods-45 I l3
Musical lu.strunrerrt & Supplics-45 I l4
Book, Periodical & Music Stores-4512
llook Stores & Nerys Denlers-45 12l
Book Stores-45 l2l I
News Dealers & Newsstands -4il2l2
Prere'corded Tape, CD, Record-45 122
General Merchandise Storcs,A 52
Deparlmerrt Stores,.Excl l.eased
Depariments-4521
Other Gencral Merch. Stores-4529
Misfell.aneous Stoie' ttitailers-453
Floiists-453 I
Oftice gupplies, Sratio4ery. Gitts-45j2
Officc Supplies & Srationcry-4532 I
Gifi. Novehy & Souveqir Srores-45322
Used Mcrchandisc Storcs-4533
2015 Dcnrrrrrtl
(Consunrcr
lirp.)
49,5 53,s08
46,?74, I 88
3,27932A
6,2 l_1,838
22,177,725
26,217,685
20,884..343
1,778,041
r,189,43 I
2,365,870
59,525,480
43,1s8,849
t6, t66,63 I
24,812,145
I 1,477,864
704,t43
3,01t,27-s
695,912
7,26:i,:r50
602,1 5 I
I.17t,00.t
2, I (r1,205
9.17 t,276
8, I I 7,4s9
1,05:i.8 t7
I I,s83,696
9,353, I 6 I
4,98 1,46.1
2,5 t8,868
899,831
952,999
2,2i0,535
I,998,9 I 4
1,8t9,627
179,t87
23t,72t
65,527,155
26,629,260
38,897,895
r 6.055, t8 t
-s41,812
7,403,451
3.479.820
3.925,6J I
1,341,052
2015 Suppll'
(lletnil
Snlcs)
44,529,5'13
38,572,300
5,957,273
r 5,369,485
838, I 74
14,573,777
7, I 59,605
958.012
7i0, I 28
1,726,0A2
I67.39-s,485
84,s.r t,s32
82,863,953
j,s40,007
2.115,7 t0
204,624
458.203
237,5 r I
r,46 r, te7
0
i54,t67
44t,644
382,65 3
382,653
0
15,698,524
13,959,694
I I ,l8_5,260
1,076,680
0
697,754
2,728.nA
2,728,830
2,728,830
0
0
20,967,88 t
4,739,923
r 6,227,958
5,204.68 I
256,t60
,t84,666
0
484.666
I,500,84 I
15
2.3.3 Over all Retail Marlcet Opportunities
The retail market potential for lilensburg combines many different facets of tire data gathered
above. Retail markets depend on both quantitative and qualitative information. Moreover, just
because there is retail market potential for a potential retail store type in no way ensures success
of that store type in the community.
There are n1al1y reasons why a business might succeed or fail, and the reta.ii market is but one of
those factors, The days of the downtown competing with suburban locations for primary retail
have long since vanished. The major "pro" of keeping all retail in the community is that once a
shoppel has left, they have left for the day and their money will follow. This section explores
retail development likely to develop in subulban locations in Ellensbr,rrg.
. Funzily clothing - This oategory includes stores such as TJ Maxx, Ross, and similar type
stnres that cater to all farnily members. They ilpicaliy locate in suburban market
developments. With over $5 million in leakage fi'om the primary trade area, this could be a
suburban opporhurity for Ellensburg. A store of similar type (though unlikely a chain) could
also work in a downtown setting.
o Auto Dealers - Eilensburg is honre to a number of highly successfirl auto deaierships, though
not all auto brands are currcntly represented in the market. There is an opportunity for new
car dea.lerships that would likely develop in a suburban location. There is also a growing
trend of downtown auto deaierships decamping to suburban locations for better exposure.
e Electronics - While Eilensburg is leaking sales in the electronics category, this store type has
proven io be problematic as of latc with the demise of Circuit City and the bankruptcy of
Radio Shack. A regional electronics store may he successfirl based on the markei leakage,
. Pharmacies * Surprisingly, Ellensburg leaks sales in Pharmacies. This could be a trade of
the retail dollar for in-store pharmacies at stores like Fred Meyel or, more likely, a signal for
additional demand. The location is likely to be suburban and will have little to no impact on
the downtown pharmacy in Ellensburg.
t Home Improvement Stores - This is an intriguing category for Ellensburg in so far as
independent garden dealerc, hardware stores, and similar storc types have proven to be great
for the community. A home center such as Home Depot mtght be plausible based on these
-"'-L-*. 1-"+,,.^,,1,1 lil.^l*, L^,,^ - -^--r:,,^ i..^.^^^+ ^.- ---i^ri--^ :,-)^,-^^ J-.-r --- ^,,-1 - ,L
General Retail - This category includes stores iike Fred Meyer, Target, and Walmart.
Ellensburg currently has a high quality Fred Meyer in very close proximity to the core of
downtown, although separated by storage and warehousing uses that would not encourage
walking between the two. Retail leakage indicates potential for some degree of additional
general retail. The impact of such a store on downtown would be minimal and would likely
benefit downtown Ellensburg and the community as a whoie as it would retain customers that
are currently leaving the cornmunity to shop in Yakima, metro Seattle, or Wenatchee.
a
17
Overall, this str-rdy looks at a very conservative capture scenario for' leaking r.etail sales in several
ways:
' Qnly counting existing leakage in both trade areas and presuming no population growth in
the primary lrade arca (which wili continue to grow);
" Only counting local ard regional population - not visitors (who comprise over 15Zo of the
customer base);
" Using a20o/o captLrre rate used, leaving 80o% of market leakage to continue to leak elsewhere;
" Using a very conservative $200 per square fool estimaied sales across all retail categories.
The supportable square footage rurder this scenario is 95,000 square feet of total retail in the
overall trade area. Suburban developers are likety to use more aggressive numbers, leaving
anyone looking at clowntown to focus on roughly a third of this number, Even still, this could
support significant expansion of the downtown's retail footprint by simply "freezing the
demand" in current time.
2.3.5 Key Housing Murket Opportunities
Unlike retail market analysis, housing markets are much less precise to unclerstand. Using the
projections for the primary trade area for population and household $owth it can be assumed
that the Ellensburg market will add 120 additional housing units per year in Ellensburg or 600 by
2024. Builcling permit data reported through the City of Ellensburg corroborat.. thi. number
with the average of 55 new units (conservative estimate) coming onlini each year.
National trends in housing indicate increasing interest in downtown living both with millennials
and empty nesters. With Ellensburg's young average age of 30 and large proportion of college
students, there is a potential market for altemative kinds of housing such as lofts, condos ancl
apartments. A simply allocation model that captures only 50% of the demand for future housing
in the market would yield 150 new units that do not conform to the traditional single-famil!
house. This estimate for additional downtown housing is a bit more aggressive than the retail
assessment but the national trends point toward growth in this area and new product coming on
line conoborates these national trends. More detail as to the location of this housing is shown in
the plans below but they will generally cluster in upper floor units in the core of downtown and
in new mixed-use development between downtown and Central Washington University.
2.3.6 Hotel Murket Opportunities
Ellensburg is home to ten hotel properties with a total of 682 hotel rooms. The occupancy rate
across all of these properties is 58%, which is slightly lower than the national standard of 62%.It is important to note, however, that this occupancy rate accounts for some ageing properties
within the city limits of Ellensburg and that new properties experience higher or.upuo.y.
The same is true for the averago daily room rate in Ellensburg, which stands at $87 per night and
is lower than the national average daily room rate at $104 per night. Again, ageing properties
can account for ihis figure. More importantly, Ellensburg has experienced an inciease in average
daily rates, revenue per available room, and occupancy rates. The Kittitas County Tourism
19
2.4 Overall Market Observations and Conclusions
The following conclusions are based on tlre market evaluation above. These conclusions aiso
underpin the recommendations that will follow in Chapter Three.
e Ellensburg has made significant investments in both downtoiam and tourism leach and the
sllccess of downtown is rcflcctcd in the breadth and depth of the customer base.
o Central Washington University and downtown Ellensburg are inextricably linked, and the
community should explore ways possible to continue to reinforce and grow those
connections.
Growth will continue in Ellensburg, This is inevitable. The market data indicates potcntial
for both suburban and downtown growth to coincide. The days of downtowns and suburban
loca-tions "competing" for the custorner dollar are over. If Ellensburg can retain a customer in
town who might havel to another market, it will be a much easier task to get that shopper
loyal to downtown, Smaft suburban retail development generally will not negatively impact
downtown.
a
6
It
Housing is going to play a major role in the futrue of downtown Eilensburg. The trends all
point to ongoing success with downtown housing that not only caters to students, but also to
empty nesters and young professionals.
The empirical data points to increasing room rates, occupancy, and revenues that indicate
strong potential for a hotellinn that would serve as a complement (not competition) with
existing hotels in the community. To avoid being competitive with existing propertie,s this
hotel should be located in downtown Ellensburg. Concepts for this are shown in a later
section ofthis report.
Ellensburg has a distinct opporhrnity to "curate" the groMh of the community and to expand the
footprint of its downtown to better connect the dots between attractions. This will be explored
later in the report.
2I
a[GE!O
&rqnro*r Neuodgry
: oosolav( CriEy - 41 A7e. oid ldtl Sr.
$tFN$qUic sowilTo,lvr" [rAsTt{ FL4jV
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ir;
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Figure 5: Downtown Core
23
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4.1,2 Continue to pttrsue and promote upper floor mixed-use development. Higlt priority.
The private sector opportunities are shown in three categories in Figure 9 on the following page:
complete, in progress, and opportutity sites/buildings. There are nine opporrunity buildings and
one opportunity site and each is fuither explored either explicitly or tnore generally depending on
the nahre of the building or site. Eilensburg should consider-an oprn hor.*" "live iowntown"
event to promote downtown residential development opportunities, The event should be an open
house of existing residential units in downtown to sho* both potential residents and developer-s
the potential for additional living in the communify. Many plople simply haven,t experienced
what downtown living can be like. Sorne communities have even done "mock" upper floor
housing with fumishings from local decorators to showcase what downtown living "oild b.lik.
in a particular buiiding.
4.1.3 l{ork to buikl Ellensburg Gateway at cot ner of Main and Third. Medium priofity.
Currently the comer of 3'd Avenue and Main Street is an existing parking lot paved with concrete
pavers' Figure 9 shows that the same number of par-king spaces can be moved to be on streetpalking, opening up the area for outdoor dining und an uttru.tiv" clowntown gateway sign at the
northeast colner of the intersection. The restrooms at the southwest corner of the intersection
should be relocated to the center of town as outlined in recommendation 4.1.1 abo'i,e,
27
4,1.4 Implement co-worlcing space and potential malcers space,
Co-working spaces have moved from what some might consider a fad into a full-blown national
trend with over 80% growth in available spaces during the past two years. According to the
Commercial Real Estate Development Association repoft: Between 2005 and 2014 the number
of co-working spaces has gone from 1 to 781. Deskrnag monitors co-worhing spaces nationally
and cites that 60% of existing co-working spaces will expand in 2015, 4,5 new co-working
spaces are created each day, and 245 people become members globally each day.
Ellensburg has multiple opporhrnities to capitalize on this growth while building on partnerships
within the Chamber of Commerce, with Central Washington University, and even with the
creative comrnunity that thlives in Ellensburg and Kittitas County.
Dcforc dclvirrg into the specifiu reuululcridaliuns, it is irnportant to begin to defltre how each of
these spaces work, as semantics can sometimes get in the way of tnily understancling the purpose
of these new models for thc workplace environment, lt is also important to know that, although
their definitions are provided below, the fluidity within which they can function in a space is as
creative as the very ideas themselves.
Co-working spaces provide a place for individuals or small companies to work in a shared
environment. Companies can interact with one another in informal ways, form collaborations, or
simply share in the cteative atmosphere of the space. Co-working spaces may host events and
activities, but rarely provide formal business coaching. Such spaces provide conferencing
capabilities, shared printers, a kitchen, restrooms, and most importantiy high speed internei
ilcces3.
Incubator spaces are also places where businesses co-habitate as well. A key difference bctween
co-wolking and incubator spaces is the level of support provided to grow businesses. These
spaces frequently have a higher edncation partner that is helping to cultivate and coach
businesses toward success. Many incubators have the desire to "graduate" businesses from the
spacc. There is already an incubator space in Ellensburg, so this approach may not be thc most
appropriate for downtown, although the trend is continuing to evolve into other kinds of
incubators.
Accelerator spaces provide a structured way to "graduate" companies, often within a specified
period of time, Usr"rally, accelerator spaces receive significant support ftom venture capital that is
directly investing in the start-ups. 'l'he goals of an accelerator is to "spin out" successful
venftires. These spaces tend to gravitate around like businesses that have collaborative
capabilities.
Makerspaces are physical locations where people gather to share resourees and knowledge.
Unlike the spaces described above, makerspaces focus on projects and fabrication. Consequentiy,
makerspaces provide tools and facilities for the makers. While expeds or higher education-
affiliated advisors might be available, makers frequently get help fi'om other users. These spaces
began to be associated with fields such as engineering, fabrication, computer science, and
graphic design. Many makerspaces have higher education partnerships who desire to create an
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4.2 Expanding Success
4.2.1 Begin to look at downtown as s brotder City Center
Figure 9 on the following page illustrates opporhrnity sites in a much broader context than thedowntown core plan shown in Figure B. fhe sites ur. diuid"d into sixteen sites labeled as LevelI opporhrnity sites and ten sites labeled as Level 2 opporhrnity sites. The levels are to provide
some idea as to which sites are more likely to develop in the shorter versus longer term. It in noway implies that a Level 2 opportunity might not riseirp to be a very early development project,
Thc sitcs are also marked as to whether they are vacant land or lots, are undenrtilizecl propcrties
where the existing use may not be consistent with a denser and ieveloped downtown, or areplopefties where the ground floor may be occupied and tlie upper floor is vacant. Whenexamined as a whole, downtown Ellensburg .un b. viewed to extind to University Way to thenorth and across Water Street to the west. The City should adjust the zoning for portions ofWater Street to expand the downtown core.
4.2.2 Partner with existing and new investors on underutilized sites iclentified by priority in
the plnn.
The single best way to explore redevelopment of unclemtilized sites and bqildings is tocommunicate with property owners. Many owners simply do noi know that their properties havea higher or better use or may not know where to begin on considering renovation, while othersmay havc no interest whatsoever in pursuing investment at this tirne.
The Downtowners can continue to meet and work with property owners on a case-by-case basisby. answering questions, contemplating partnerships, anO offering incentives to advanecredevelopment. Some communities have contemplated creating incentives that trBat downtownbuildings as a community would any other infrastructure opporirnity. In so doing, communities
have implernented ADA grant programs to bring buildings up to code, created sLred sprinkler
systems that allow for a number of buildings to enjoy the benefit of this fire suppression codecompliance or installed shared elevator space for uppet floors fiinded through p.rUti" or quasi-public entities. Some uses may be ideally suited for property trades so that hi;he; and better usescan come into downtown Ellensburg. Many of these opporrunities are reining to property
trades along Water Sh'eet where there are uses that should bi off the street and in industrial areasof Ellensburg. The Kittitas Reclarnation District, the fooci bank, and storage lots would probably
benefit from locations that are more efficient.
3l
4.2.3 Host un investmentforum in the community.
The Downtowners should collaborate to conduct an investment forum in the community for
potential investors. This forum can provide potential business owrlers witir a profile of the
market in Eliensburg, available properties in the community, guidance on suppoft sewices
available to potential businesses through a variety of partners. The event should last no longer
than two hours, offer refreshments, and give a brief overview of the following:
s Representatives of the Downtowners should present findings of this market study and
recommendations.
" City staff can share the support services that the City of Eliensburg can provide.
. Ellensburg Downtown Association can discuss its program of work and assistance.
r Private Sectot'Property Owners/Commerciai Real Estate Representatives should provide an
overview of the space available in Ellensburg, a brief syriopsis of leasing basics, and if
possible, any incentives they have to promote local business.
n The Kittitas County Chamber of Cornmerce and the Ellensburg Business Development
Authority can provide information on the overall economy of the county, services provided
by each group, and resources for business start ups.
c The Small Business Development Center and/or a SCORE Association chapter should
provide infolmation on business plan support, starl-up assistance, and additional seruices
they provide. Ideally, the organizations should promote a follow-up consultation day in
Ellensburg so attendees can sign up for appointments.
* Existing busines$es should provide al1 oycrview of theirpersonal experiences doing business
in downtown Ellensburg (with a focus on the positives and helpful hints).
The Downtowners should leverage these parlners to help promote the event. The goal is to reach
out to anyone interested in investing or starting a business in Ellensburg.
4.2,4 Create an investment "club" for Ellensburg
Ellensburg shouid also explore a funding program that could incorporate a modest return on
investment for participating in an investment club for buildings and sites in the community. The
l"'' *t'i. ;il ;i t"*.,'"s il $ilil*;;il;;;;;;;. p*;;;" ii'# i'?." ffi;; ;
preclude local investors to create a more traditional investment program or a property renovation
company with the expectation that there wiil be a return on investment to the partners. In some
cases these operate independently of the city an in others there is a partnership stmcture to
implement a plan such as this.
It is important to unclerstand that this firnding recommendation is designed to augment existing
funding options that vary fi'om traditional bank financing to state and federai tax credits. Any
investment fund is best nsed to leverage other financial tools avaiiable for a project.
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4.3 Connecting the Community
4,3.1 Implement creative place-making
Crcative placc-making works with community members to bririg together arts and culture in
ways that connect physical space to needs in the communify. The goaiof this effort would be to
foster broader expioration of downtown by visitors while showcasing the talent of a local artist.
Ellensburg should explore working with an organizationlike the nonprofit pomegranate Center
based in Seattle that explores cteative place-making in communities as a partnershi! effort.
Creative place-making projects could be incorporated into the town center as well as create
pliysical corurcctions between CWU and downtown Ellensburg. Today, key stakeholders are
worlcing on an exciiing program to corurect through a public art program to create '.markers,, that
will be located in a variety of locations to explore between downtown and campus. The concept,
dubbed "Project Brilliance," wili implement reflector art pieces fi-orn the laie Dick Elliott, a
renowned local arlist to be placed in strategic locations throughout downtown Ellensburg to
ultimately connect the Old Heat Plant, slated to become a visitor's center for Central Washington
University, with the core of downtown, Figure 11 on the following page illustrates the potential
locations for these installations on key cofilers throughout the largei do*rrto*n ur"u.
4.3.2 Continae partnership with Central l{ashington I}niversity to bring investment into the
core of downtown aver tinte whether through progr&ms or capital projects,
Central Washington University is a strong partner with the Ellensburg community, and its
students represent a significant portion of the customer base in ciowntown. Over time, the
University and the Downtowners should seek partnership efforts that may bring programs or
even capital projects into the downtown. Some of the ideas expressed in other recommendations
ofthis report could be potential partnership projects.
4,3.3 rmplement bicycle friendly streets as idenffied in prior plans.
Ellensburg has worked on bicycle friendly streets and the downtown is very navigable bybicycle' The community should continue to implement these important recomrnendations andwill implernent new bicycle racks that have been designed in similar style to existing quality
downtown street fumiture.
4.3.4 Implement circulstor transportntionfrom CWU through downtown to hotels,
Central Transit already operates a fixed route system in Ellensburg. Over time, the possibitity of
a circulator that connects the local hotels through downtown and onto Central Washington,s
campus would be an excellent way of creating a regular service for visitors to the community.
The potential route is shown in Figure 11 below.
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4.4 Enhancing the Visitor Experience
4.4.1 Relocste visitors' center to the corc o.f downtown.
Ellensburg should explore the possibility of a visitors' center in downtown. The Wells Fargo
Drive Thru could be an ideal iocation for such a facility as it is in the heart of the community,
offers "storefront" convenience, and could also provide public restrooms in the center of
downtown.
4.4.2 Implement tltorough wuyfinding sigrts.
ln the rnost general sense, wayfinding is the process by which we navigate the world, Whether it
is our daiiy commute or a joumey to an unexplored loca1e, we rely on cues, habits, pattems,
landmarks, arrd verbal and visual directions to establish and confirm a working knowledge of our
environment.
A community wayfinding systcm takcs thcsc cucs and crcatcs a scamlcss systcm of eigns, kiosks,
and markers designed to guide visitois to destinations, remind residents of local offerings,
facilitate community engagement, and achieve community-specific goals, A wayfinding system
typically features various sign types including gateway signage, directional signage, parking
sigrage, pedestrian signage, as well as maps and information guides.
A typical wayfinding system utilizes a community's marketing brand graphics and includes
gateways, vehicular and pedestrian directional signage, street banners, district and parking signs,
building markers, and informational kiosks. Ellensburg has some dated wayfinding signs that
are difficult for the motorist to read and reflect older graphics for the community. Furthermore,
these signs only begin to appear once a visitor is already in downtown.
It is imperative that Ellensburg impiernent a compiete wayfinding pian along with a phased
implementation plan to curate the visitor experience through downtown. Examples of
wayfinding from another are shown below in t2
Iygical Si3n: Fluted Pesl T -";l
i *'"1*l Iit ll
@
;l;i;;
cl{t l'1
ffiffi
H"'*.:"
r
li
*ri:e
T
{ltif otH
ffim
QU-' hnh
bH- hl-hal!.il* trH!*BIdnF *rro
+H.{ 44iR
ItH
Figure l2: Example of Wayfinding Plan.from Greerwood, SC
37
travelers are finding that hotels with character located near restaurants and shops are more
appealing than standard hotels.
The community should also explore some creative meeting space that would accompany the
hotel. This could be part of the oommunity center mentioned in a prior recornmendution or a
stand alone creatively adapted facility. Ideally, the meeting facility would be able to
accommodate more guests than the hotel itself to drive traffic to other accommodations in the
community. Figure 13 shows several options for such a facility in the vicinity.
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5,0 Conclusion
In order for this plan to be successflll, it must have specific responsrbilities and a consensus as to how
thosc responsibilities will be implemented. Several points should be considered:
* The Downtowners will ultirnately play a critical role in the impiementation of the plan. Its primary
role will be as a facilitator between the representative partners involved in this plan that comprise
the group.
o This plan is very forward thinking and no one agency can carry the workload by itself. This
should include very specific actions strategies and realistic timeframes. An opportunity must be
tnade to pair attainable goals with responsiblc parties while also identifying funding strategies for
each task.
o A Downtowuers "sulrltlit" should be held evsry year to evaluate the progress of this effort and
shore it r,l'ith partncr stakcholdcr.s and the public.
The attached "Strategy Board" summarizes all of the projccts and recommendations included in the
Market Study and Strategic Plan for Downtown Ellensburg. The board is designed as a wgrking
document for benchrnarking and ongoing evaluation of the implementation process. Each
recommendation that is presented in brief on the strategy board is supported in recommcnrlations
above.
5.1,1 Strategies and Visions
Each of the plan strategies and visions are outlincd in the strategy board. It is impoitant to rerrrember
the ultimate marketing and deveiopment strategies that each project supports. Of course, each of these
strategies is linked with one another, but failure to achieve any one goal does not negate the ability to
achieve othels.
5.1.2 Time Frumes
The projects are divided into three periods. The first series of projects are demonstration projects that
should begin immediately. For the most part, these are simple projects that lvill be highly visible, have
significant impact and should be completed within the fir'st year after the plan is adopted. The seconcl
set of projects is labeied 'onext steps." Some of these are more advanced projccts while others are
continuations of projects that began during the demonslration period. The next step projects should be
completed within the second and third vear of the olan. The final stens are lons term and t'orwarl
thmlflng. I hey may evolve tnto shorter term projects as opportunities present themselves.
The strategy board and its recommendations represent a "living document." As time goes by and
implementation proceeds, some priorities will shift whiie other ones will arise. The implementation
strategy board should be evaluated periodically and no less than annually. This evaluation process will
allow for {inished tasks to be indicated on the board, for responsibilities to be shifted between parties,
and for time frames to be adjusted for individual projects.
Ellensburg has a tremendous track record of innovation and success. The ongoing commercial success
wili depend on continued partnerships among many different groups. It is only through this continued
spirit of partnership and commitment to a vision that the recommendations in this study can be
successflil. Fortunately, Ellensburg is poised to succeed in these efforts as it has in so many others.
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