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What is the Austin Convention & Visitor Bureau?
The mission of the ACVB is as follows: "The Convention and Visitors Bureau is organized as a 501(6) Non-Profit corporation operating for the purpose of attracting overnight visitors and conventions to the community and therefore advancing the economic impact such visitors and conventions have upon the entire community."

For visitors, CVBs are like a key to the city. As an unbiased resource, CVBs can serve as an official point of contact for convention and meeting planners, tour operators and visitors.

They assist planners with meeting preparation and encourage business travelers and visitors alike to visit local historic, cultural and recreational sites.

Funding for the CVBs, including the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), comes from a local lodging tax that is collected from visitors staying in local hotels. The current lodging tax in Austin is 3%.




Meetings, sports and tourism events are important because:

Travel and tourism enhances the quality of life for a local community by providing jobs, bringing in tax dollars for improvement of services and infrastructure, and attracting facilities like restaurants, shops, festivals, and cultural and sporting venues that cater to both visitors and locals.

What is the impact of Austin tourism?

In 2007, Austin hosted over 160,000 visitors who attended conventions, sporting events, were leisure travelers, group tour participants and Festival goers. These visitors have been attracted to the city and state through the efforts of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau and their tourism partners in Austin and across the state. These visitors spent an estimated $20,000,000 in Austin during their 2007 stay.

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.         REQUEST TO PRESENT CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU UPDATE – SUSIE PETERSEN, CVB DIRECTOR

City Manager Simonsen explained that Susie Petersen, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director, would give an annual report update to the Council.  Ms. Petersen stated that the lodging tax had increase from 2006 to 2007.  The CVB has been actively supporting all of the wonderful things in Albert Lea.  They have scheduled several tours of our area and thanked the City Council for all of their support throughout the year.  Mayor Erdman thanked Susie Petersen for the good job.

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City Manager Simonsen explained that the City of Albert Lea and the Convention & Visitors Bureau entered into an agreement on October 26, 2004 for services funded by the lodging tax.  Due to an increase in lodging tax collected in 2006, the agreement should be modified to increase the monthly payment to the Convention & Visitors Bureau from $12,000 per month to $13,000 per month.  If excess revenue is collected by the City, it will be held for future deficits or special projects.  The CVB will submit a written request for any excess funds they may require.  The City does retain 5% of lodging tax revenue to administer the tax.



Resolution 07-16 was introduced by Councilor Marin, seconded by Councilor Baker.  On roll call vote, the following councilors voted in favor of said resolution: Councilors Rasmussen, Baker, Marin, Olson, Severtson, Brooks and Mayor Erdman.  Mayor Erdman declared the resolution passed.