Apr 17, 2025 Budget Committee (trimmed)

[Call to Order]

[00:00:06]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEVIN CRAMER. I'M CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. IT'S 405 ON THURSDAY,

[Roll Call]

THE FIRST ITEM IS AN ITEM OF SPECIAL DISCUSSION. TAKE AN OFFICIAL PERSON. TYPICALLY I WOULD PREFER TO TAKE THE LEGISLATION FIRST. I APPRECIATE YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK, BUT I'M HOPING WE CAN KNOCK THIS OUT REAL FAST AND THEN MOVE TO THERE. SO THE FIRST ITEM THAT

[2. O-075-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 100, SERIES 2024, RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 OPERATING BUDGET, BY TRANSFERRING $25,000 FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUND (DISTRICT 15) TO THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL GENERAL OPERATIONS (DISTRICT 15). Action Required By: September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Jennifer Chappell (D-15) ]

ASSUME COUNCILWOMAN CHAPEL WILL WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS. CAN WE GET A MOTION? MOTION. OKAY. IT'S PROPERLY BEFORE US, COUNCILMAN CHAPEL. SURE. JUST MOVING THIS MONEY OVER BECAUSE WE HAVE A THIRD STAFF MEMBER IN OUR OFFICE. AND REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT PERSON. IT'S ONE OF OUR UOFL INTERNS THAT WE HIRED THAT WAS WITH US IN THE SUMMER, OR, I'M SORRY, THE LAST FALL. AND SHE'LL BE WITH US THROUGH TO THIS SUMMER. AND SO TO SUPPORT HER ROLE AS OUR LEGISLATIVE RESEARCHER AND ALSO MY PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, WE'RE MOVING THIS MONEY OVER TO MY COST CENTER, AND I HOPE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT. COLLEAGUES. QUESTIONS. SEEING NONE. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE THAT CALLS FOR ROLL CALL. VOTE. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU PLEASE, OPEN THE VOTING. VOTING IS OPEN. COUNCILMAN OWEN. YES. COUNCILWOMAN PIERCE. RIGHT. YES. SORRY. YOU HAVE. NINE YES VOTES.

THAT'S UNANIMOUS. AND WE'LL GO TO THE OLD BUSINESS. I MEAN, I'LL GO TO CONSENT. ITEM NUMBER

[3. O-077-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 100, SERIES 2024, RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 OPERATING BUDGET, BY TRANSFERRING $35,000 FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUND (DISTRICT 8) TO THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL GENERAL OPERATIONS (DISTRICT 8). Action Required By: September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Ben Reno-Weber (D-8) ]

COUNCILMAN WINKLER. OKAY. YEAH. COUNCILMAN WEBER HAD TEXTED EARLIER THAT HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THE MEETING. OKAY. BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE BETSY WAS HERE, SO. ALL RIGHT, IF YOU'LL INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M BETSY FOSTER. I'M BEN RENO, WEBER'S LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THIS FUNDING TO ALLOW US TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE AND SOME END OF THE YEAR. EXPENSES THAT COME UP SEEM TO HAPPEN RIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS US TO ATTEND THINGS. SO WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS? DISTRICT EIGHT. SEEING NONE IS AN ORDINANCE CALLING FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE OPEN THE VOTING. COUNCILWOMAN PIERCE.

RIGHT. YES. COUNCILMAN OWEN. YES. DID YOU WANT TO VOTE? YES. OKAY. CHAIR. KRAMER, YOU HAVE EIGHT YES VOTES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND ONE OF THOSE IS COUNCILMAN PARKER. OKAY. THAT WITH UNANIMOUS CONSENT, THAT GOES TO NEW BUSINESS. I WILL GET THIS RIGHT. THAT GOES TO CONSENT

[4. O-081-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 080, SERIES 2023, RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 CAPITAL BUDGET AND ORDINANCE NO. 100, SERIES 2024, RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 OPERATING BUDGET, BY TRANSFERRING $213,776.50 FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECT TITLED LOUISVILLE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES. Action Required By: September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Kevin Kramer (R-11), Markus Winkler (D-17)]

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES. IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS MOTION? I'M SORRY. IT'S PROPERLY BEFORE US. IF YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT IF YOU WISH. OR YOU CAN STAND WHICHEVER. WHICHEVER YOU MOST. OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS DEVAUGHN. HOLD ON. THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER. AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THIS THIS COMMITTEE COMMITTED RESOURCES FOR SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE WERE ASKING TO BE REALLOCATED

[00:05:05]

GREAT. AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS? COUNCILWOMAN CARTER? NO. YES. COUNCILMAN. HUDSON? YEAH, I SEE, I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THIS, BUT I SEEM TO RECALL THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, THERE WAS A TOPIC OF A $300,000 WINDOW THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. HAS THAT BEEN REPAIRED OR IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED? NO. OKAY. THAT WASN'T PART OF THE EXPENSE THAT THIS ORIGINAL EXPENDITURE COVER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD THAT WHY WOULD THESE CAPITAL EXPENSE CAPITAL DOLLARS NOT BE USED TO GO TOWARD FIXING THAT CAPITAL PROJECT? WELL, INSTEAD OF OPERATIONAL, WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN TO DO JUST THAT LITERALLY. TODAY I HAD A MEETING ABOUT, OKAY, THAT PLAN TO REPLACE THAT WINDOW. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED ONLY BECAUSE OF WHERE THAT WINDOW'S POSITION AND ALL THAT'S REQUIRED TO REPLACE IT. AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO DO SOME SPECIAL SCAFFOLDING AND SOME OTHER THINGS. SO THERE WILL BE A REQUEST SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE FOR POTENTIALLY POTENTIALLY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. THERE'S ALSO A GOAL NOT WITH THIS MONEY, BUT THERE'S ALSO A GOAL TO REVAMP AND RELOOK AT THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING FUNDRAISING. AGAIN, MR. HOLT'S ONLY BEEN THERE FOR A BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME. I WANT TO I WANT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYTHING I SAY TO IMPINGE OR IMPUGN THE PERSON THAT WAS THERE BEFORE, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT ABOUT THIS IS JUST A LOOK FORWARD. BUT DEVON HAS ALREADY BEGUN THE WORK. I'M SORRY, MISTER HOLT HAS ALREADY DONE THE WORK. BEYOND METRO LOUISVILLE, BEYOND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, AND EVEN BEYOND THE BORDERS OF OUR COUNTRY. AND SO WE'RE SEEING A SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE POTENTIALLY RAISING RAISING FUNDS. AND THERE'S A GREAT BIT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THAT POTENTIAL, WHICH IS WHY HE IS CAUTIOUS. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CAUTION. THANK YOU. IS CAUTIOUS IN SAYING POTENTIALLY, THE HOPE IS THAT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION WOULD BE NO. THAT THE FUNDRAISING WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT. BUT NO ONE WANTS TO PUT THAT KIND OF PRESSURE ON, AND I DON'T WANT US TO GET OUT AHEAD OF HIM. BUT I NEED TO SAY TO YOU THAT WHEN WE SAT DOWN TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT I GOT TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS, BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, MOVING MONEY FROM CAPITAL TO OPERATING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF. AND SO THIS ONE MADE ME NERVOUS. WE SAT DOWN AND HAD A CONVERSATION. STILL DON'T LOVE IT, BUT I'M NOT NERVOUS ANYMORE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS? SEEING NONE. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE CALLING FOR ROLL CALL. VOTE. MADAM CLERK. COUNCILWOMAN PIERCE. RIGHT. YES. LET ME TRY IT AGAIN. HERE.

SORRY. COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANEY. YES. COUNCILMAN OWEN? YES. NSC COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. AGAIN. THIS

[00:10:11]

SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT COMES UP, IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN AT ALL. IT'S VERY EASY TO MOVE THIS FROM CONSENT TO OLD BUSINESS SHOULD THAT SHOULD PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THE FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING. OKAY. SO I'M SENDING IT TO CONSENT.

UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION. SEEING NO OBJECTION,

[5. O-082-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 101, SERIES 2024, AND ORDINANCE NO. 100, SERIES 2024, RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 OPERATING BUDGET, RESPECTIVELY, BY TRANSFERRING $50,000 FROM THE DISTRICT 9 CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND TO THE DISTRICT 9 NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUND. Action Required By: September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Andrew Owen (D-9) ]

I ASSUME COUNCILMAN OWEN. YEAH, JUST MOVING MONEY AROUND TO COVER STAFFING AND OTHER OTHER ISSUES AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN DOING SO. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. SEEING NONE. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU OPEN THE VOTING. COUNCILMAN PIERCE. RIGHT. YES.

COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANIE. YES. COUNCILMAN OWEN. YES. YES. I GOT IT. YOU HAVE NINE YES VOTES. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN. UNANIMOUS CONSENT. THIS WILL GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THAT'S THE LAST OF THE

[1. ID 25-0157     OPERATIONAL REVIEW OF GREATER LOUISVILLE LODGING MANAGEMENT DISTRICT – Eamon O’Brien, Greater Louisville Lodging Management District]

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR HAVING US. I KNOW MANY OF YOU, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND TALK THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR. LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO SLIGHTLY EXCEED OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT. SO WE'RE COMING IN. THE ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO BRING APPROXIMATELY $7 MILLION ON A FISCAL YEAR BASIS. WHICH IS REALLY RIGHT IN LINE WITH OUR PROJECTIONS. SO AND OUR OUR PROPOSED BUDGET THAT OUR BOARD JUST APPROVED THIS WEEK. OF COURSE, PENDING METRO COUNCIL REVIEW FOR OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS ABOUT $7.7 MILLION, THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THAT, OR 7 MILLION OF THE 7.7, IS DRIVEN TO PROACTIVE SALES INITIATIVES TO DRIVE INCREMENTAL ROOM NIGHTS INTO THE CITY, WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR THE ORDINANCE. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. OH, COUNCILMAN OWEN. I MEAN, WINKLER, I'M SORRY. GOOD TO SEE YOU. JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, I WAS ON THIS BOARD FOR TWO YEARS PRIOR. I PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW THIS ANSWER AND MAYBE DIDN'T THINK TO ASK IT PRIOR. WE COLLECT THE OCCUPANCY TAX FROM AIRBNB. IS THERE A TID COLLECTED ON THAT AS WELL? DO YOU KNOW? AND DOES AIRBNB ALSO SEND A PAYMENT TO THE TID. SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT STATE IS NO. BECAUSE THERE'S A CAVEAT THAT NEEDS TO BE 51 ROOMS OR GREATER. SO IF THERE WOULD BE AN AIRBNB THAT THAT MEETS THAT THRESHOLD. YES. WE HAVE OUR ACTING CFO AS WELL, AMBER HERE. IF I'M SPEAKING OUT OF TURN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE. YEAH. SO UNDER 51. BUT IF SOMEONE HAS AN AIRBNB OF THAT SIZE, THEN THEN YES THEY SHOULD. ANYONE ELSE? WHEN WE WHEN THIS PASSED, THERE WAS A GREAT BIT OF CONVERSATION AROUND THIS. THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE TO ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD USE THE MONEY. SO YOU SAID TO DRIVE UP ROOM RATES OR TO DRIVE UP ROOM RENTALS TO DRIVE UP BED, YOU KNOW, HEADS IN BEDS. THERE WAS ALSO A CONVERSATION ABOUT HELPING OUT WITH OTHER THINGS. TRANSPORTATION, ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS. CAN YOU BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF THINGS YOU'RE DOING WITH THIS $7 MILLION? YES. SO IN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING

[00:15:03]

YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO GET OUT AHEAD OF YOU. WERE YOU GUYS INVOLVED? THERE'S A NEW DIRECT FLIGHT INTO LOS ANGELES, TOO. AM I DOING THAT RIGHT OR. YES. SO WE JUST PROJECTED. I'M TRYING TO PROJECTED. SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE BID ON TWO, APPROXIMATELY 90 DAYS AGO. MAYBE THE DATES A LITTLE BIT WRONG, BUT THERE WAS A DIRECT FLIGHT TO LOS ANGELES THROUGH BREEZE, AS WELL AS A DIRECT FLIGHT TO WITH JETBLUE TO JFK, NEW YORK CITY. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE LAGUARDIA. WE HAVE NEWARK RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T HAVE JETBLUE OR JFK AIRPORT, SO TRYING TO ATTACK THAT AS WELL.

WHICH IS IN LINE WITH SOME OF OUR SALES INITIATIVES, WHICH IS NOT THE QUESTION YOU ASKED. BUT IN ADDITION TO ATTACKING THAT MARKET AS WELL. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES. OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. YOUR SECOND ONE THEN. YES. SO UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. SO WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY. I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY.

UNFORTUNATELY LOUISVILLE DOES NOT HAVE A HOSPITALITY MAJOR IN THIS CITY. SO AS A STEPPING STONE TO THAT, WE HAVE FUNDED A MINOR PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AT $550,000 OVER THREE YEARS. IT'S REALLY A FIVE YEAR COMMITMENT, BUT IT'LL BE PAID OUT OVER THREE YEARS THAT WILL BE SENT TO THEM. AND WE HAVE HIRED A PROFESSOR WHO'S MOVING TO LOUISVILLE FROM UTAH, I BELIEVE SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY DOCTOR AJ TEMPLETON, WHO'S COMING IN. BUT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED A PARTIAL SYLLABUS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, AND I'M NOT IN THE EDUCATION BUSINESS, BUT WE GOT METRICS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. OR ARE YOU AHEAD OF PACE, BEHIND PACE FOR WHAT A MINOR SHOULD BE? BECAUSE OUR OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT AS A STEPPING STONE TO A MAJOR, WHICH COULD TAKE 3 TO 5 YEARS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AT LEAST. BUT THE MINOR PROGRAM REALLY A WIN WOULD HAVE BEEN 15 TO 20 PEOPLE THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROFESSOR YET LEADING UP THE PROGRAM, AND IT WAS A PARTIAL SYLLABUS. WE'RE EXCITED. WE HAVE 55 PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP FOR A PARTIAL SYLLABUS WITHOUT A LEADER. SO WITH THAT, WITH PROPER MARKETING AND THE HOTEL COMMUNITY BEHIND THAT, AS WELL AS VENUE MANAGEMENT, REVENUE MANAGEMENT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WE'RE EXCITED THAT HOPEFULLY THE FALL WILL BE EVEN GREATER THAN THAT WHEN DOCTOR TEMPLETON MOVES HERE THIS SUMMER. SO THAT'S A PART OF IT. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T COMMITTED TO ANYTHING.

AND THE TRANSITION AT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SO FAR HAS HAD ZERO IMPACT ON OUR ON OUR MINOR PROGRAM. THE MOMENTUM HAS BEEN STRONG. SHE'S SHE'S VERY INVOLVED ALREADY WITH THE LOUISVILLE HOTEL ASSOCIATION. AND JUST TRYING TO BE ENGAGED AND TRYING TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO PROVIDE INTERNSHIPS AND PROVIDE ACTUAL JOBS DURING THE COURSEWORK, AS WELL AS, ARGUABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, AT THE END, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE JOBS FOR THEM AND HIGH PAYING JOBS, BECAUSE WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING WORKFORCE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE MADE AS WELL. COUNCILMAN WINKLER. IS THERE ONE MORE QUESTION, AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR LOUISVILLE TOURISM. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS QUESTION. THE CURRENT STATE OF I KNOW WE JUST HAD A HOTEL OPEN UP DOWNTOWN TODAY, I BELIEVE, WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF OPENING. CAN YOU TALK TO THE CURRENT STATE OF WHERE WE ARE, CAPACITY VERSUS DEMAND? HOW MUCH MORE ROOM DO WE HAVE FOR MORE NEW HOTELS, BOTH IN THE CBD AS WELL AS JUST THE COUNTY OVERALL? SURE, I WILL SPEAK TO THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. I'VE BEEN HERE 1112 YEARS AND PRIMARILY IN THE DOWNTOWN HOTEL COMMUNITY. I WOULD SAY THE FIRST PART OF THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS WE'RE ABOUT A 60 TO 61% OCCUPANCY DESTINATION. SO THAT'S JEFFERSON COUNTY, THAT'S LOUISVILLE. SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S 40% EMPTY. THE GOAL IS NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS TO BE 100, PROVIDING THAT HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE AND BRINGING THE AUTHENTIC LOUISVILLE EXPERIENCE. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY CLOSER TO 100 THAN IT IS TO 60. SO THE GOAL IS TO GET MORE. SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I WOULD SAY WE WANT MORE OF EVERYTHING. BIT MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, MORE CLASS, A SPACE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, MORE HOTELS, SELECT SERVICE, FULL SERVICE TO TRY TO DRIVE LARGER CONVENTIONS AND STEAL BUSINESS FROM OUR COMPETITION

[00:20:03]

THAT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE TO LOUISVILLE, BUT OUR LEADS WERE DOWN 30% IN FEBRUARY. SO THAT'S NOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS BOARD. THAT JUST HAS TO DO WITH BUSINESS DEMANDS. THE UNCERTAINTY GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THESE FOUR WALLS, AS WE ALL HAVE SEEN, SOME OF THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL. BUT WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IS TRYING TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE AND USE THESE DOLLARS TO GO STEAL BUSINESS FROM OUR COMPETITION, THAT WE NEED TO BE SCRAPPY. WE NEED TO DO THAT CONSISTENTLY. SO WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO SO FAR, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND IF I COULD JUST ASK A FOLLOW UP, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE GO AFTER SOME OF THESE LARGE CONVENTIONS, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE FACE ARE ONE, YOU MENTIONED THE JUST GENERAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER. SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PIECE TOGETHER BETWEEN THE EXPO CENTER AND THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH IS SUBOPTIMAL. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE LARGER CONVENTIONS THEN HAVE A COST BARRIER RELATED TO THE TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN THOSE TWO FACILITIES. AND THEN I BELIEVE THE OTHER BARRIER, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THESE LARGE CONFERENCES DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO SPLIT THEIR ATTENDEES ACROSS, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR 5 OR 6 HOTELS. AND SO HAVING LARGE PROPERTIES IS ALSO IMPORTANT, NOT JUST FOR SORT OF TOTAL AVAILABLE ROOM NIGHTS, BUT TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THIS DEMAND IN THE MARKET. RIGHT? YES, THAT'S THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE KIND OF TO YOUR POINT, WE WANT BOTH, RIGHT. WE WANT TO HAVE YOU GOT TO HAVE LARGE CONVENTION CENTER HOTELS TO DRIVE THOSE LARGE PROGRAMS. AND OUR COMPETITIVE CITIES, WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, NASHVILLE, INDIANAPOLIS PROBABLY PROXIMITY WISE, THE CLOSEST, OF COURSE, CHICAGO. SOMETIMES WE PLAY IN THOSE WATERS AS WELL. BUT WE NEED SOME OF THOSE ANCHOR HOTELS, LARGER HOTELS, TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE AS A CONVENTION DOWNTOWN PACKAGE. YOU KNOW, INDIANAPOLIS, RIGHT UP BY 65, IS CONSISTENTLY NAMED ONE OF THE TOP THREE, IF NOT THE TOP CONVENTION DESTINATIONS IN THE SENSE OF THAT SMALLER FOOTPRINT, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO YOU COME HERE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTRACT WITH 30, 40, SOMETIMES 60 PLUS HOTELS FOR A HANDFUL OF OUR LARGER CONVENTIONS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, 15 OR 20 OR TEN IN A DOWNTOWN CBD.

SO. SO YOU'VE AT LEAST TWICE NOW SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'VE YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO. YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW I SAID, AND I'M I DON'T THINK I WAS THE ONLY PERSON SAYING IT THAT WE HOPED YOU WOULD DO WOULD BE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING MORE PEOPLE TO LOUISVILLE AND WE LOVE BIG CELEBRATIONS, WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT CONVENTIONS THAT COME. WE ALSO WANT FOLKS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'LL JUST USE ONE TINY LITTLE PIECE OF WHAT WE DO AS A GOVERNMENT. WHEN YOU BRING THIS MANY PEOPLE TO OUR TOWN, OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE RESPONDS NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT THESE VISITORS COMING INTO OUR TOWN. OCCASIONALLY SOMETHING WILL GO WRONG AND THEY WILL NEED AN AMBULANCE. METRO LOUISVILLE DOESN'T DOESN'T COLLECT SALES TAX WHEN THEY EAT AT OUR RESTAURANTS. THEY DON'T COLLECT THE ROOM TAX WHEN THEY STAY IN YOUR HOTELS. WE DON'T COLLECT EMPLOYMENT. OUR NORMAL WAY OF GETTING MONEY IN LOUISVILLE IS THROUGH THE LICENSED OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE FEE, WHICH THEY DON'T PAY WHEN THEY'RE COMING AS A CONVENTIONEERS, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT OWNING PROPERTY. SO NOT PAYING PROPERTY TAX, THEY'RE NOT PAYING INSURANCE PREMIUM TAX, THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FOR THEIR CARS. THEY'RE PAYING NO TAXES TO LOUISVILLE, TO METRO LOUISVILLE. AND YET METRO LOUISVILLE RUNS THE AMBULANCE WHEN THEY NEED SERVICE. AND THAT'S JUST ONE TINY LITTLE EXAMPLE. THEY RUN THE AMBULANCE. IN OUR CONVERSATION, I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY WAY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT THIS ORGANIZATION COULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE EXPENSE THAT YOU'RE ASKING LOUISVILLE TO TAKE ON, SO YOU COULD BRING ALL THESE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO LOUISVILLE. AND THE IMPLICATION WAS THAT WE WOULD AT LEAST SEE WHAT WE COULD DO. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE WHERE THAT'S BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AT ALL. AND IT IS AGAIN, TWICE NOW, AT LEAST TWICE. YOU'VE SAID YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU SAID YOU'D DO. SO EITHER I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION BEFORE, OR THERE ARE STILL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER. I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER. I THINK SPECIFICALLY TO ONE OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES AND PROBABLY SMALL ISSUE. THERE'S MANY ISSUES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, BUT HOMELESSNESS IS ONE OF THEM.

I KNOW WE HAD PRETTY IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT, AND WE ARE COMMITTED. WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET $0.50 OF EVERY ROOM NIGHT INTO OUR HEAD WAS GOING TO BE TO GIVE DIRECTLY BACK TO THOSE. AND I WOULD NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST WAY TO USE THOSE DOLLARS ARE. I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT ABOUT HOMELESSNESS. YES. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU WERE DOING THAT. EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YEAH.

SO I THINK WE KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE. WE KNOW IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE. AND I'M NOT I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH ALONE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I'M NOT INTELLIGENT ENOUGH. BUT I KNOW IT'S ACROSS THE STREET

[00:25:04]

I JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE ISSUES. SO HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY IS GOING TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS? IF WE $0.50 A ROOM NIGHT, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 90 TO $92,000 IF THE CURRENT PROJECTIONS HOLD. SO NO, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU GUYS AND THAT WASN'T I'M NOT PICKING ON YOU FOR NOT INCLUDING IT, BUT THAT WASN'T IN YOUR PRESENTATION. SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU GUYS WERE DOING THAT. RIGHT. WE JUST APPROVED IT MONDAY, SO YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT IT. SO WE'RE HOPEFULLY KNOCK ON WOOD, WE'LL HAVE METRO APPROVAL IN LATE JUNE WHEN WE GET BRING IT TO YOUR COUNCIL. THANK YOU. AND YOU HAVE HIT ON ONE THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH MIGHTILY. AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS EITHER, BUT WE APPRECIATE HAVING PARTNERS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. AND THANK

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.