| | | | | | | | Agenda Item - 3.f.
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
| To: | Scott C. Stiles
| From: | Lisa Kim
| | Dept.: | City Manager
| Dept.: | Economic Development
| | Subject: | Approval of expenses for City Council travel to Denver, Colorado. (Cost: $3,000) (Action Item) | Date: | 9/26/2017 |
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| | | | | | | | OBJECTIVE
To obtain approval for travel related expenses per Resolution No. 8702-06, for two (2) City Council members and update the City Council on meetings held in Denver, Colorado.
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND
In June 2016, Investel Garden Resorts, LLC became the assignee to the Grove Resort Development Agreement for Site C (“the Project”). The Project is entitled for three hotel towers with a total of 769 rooms. The Developer is making significant progress in securing franchise agreements for all three hotels. To date, the Developer has entered into a franchise agreement for Tower 2 which fronts Harbor Boulevard with a notable hotel brand for a 200 room hotel. A “Letter of Intent” is complete for Tower 1 and the Developer has indicated the franchise agreement for a 402 room hotel is pending approval. Prior to the final approvals by the City, it was necessary to for the City Council to understand proposed hotels brands and available franchise for the Grove District. |
| | | | | | | | DISCUSSION
The travel to Denver, Colorado took place on September 18-20, 2017. Staff and two City Council members met with Ms. Tiffany Cooper, Vice President of Lodging Marriott International to discuss potential new Starwood and Marriott hotel brands available for development in Garden Grove's Grove District. Ms. Cooper introduced the new Marriott hotel brands and further explained recent brand changes as a result of the Marriott merger with Starwood Hotels. Today, Marriott International, Inc., is a leading global lodging company with more than 6,000 properties in 122 countries and territories reporting revenues of more than $17 billion in fiscal year 2016. In addition, with the recent merger of Starwood and Marriott brands, now over 110 million guests are in their reservation system. Founded by J. Willard and Alice Marriott and guided by family leadership for nearly 90 years, the company is headquartered outside of Washington, D.C. in Bethesda, Maryland.
Two City Council members and staff also met with its development partner McWhinney, developer of the Great Wolf Lodge, as well as Hilton Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites. McWhinney shared their new mixed-use development project in Downtown Denver named the Dairy Block as well as their new Maven Hotel. |
| | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total cost for the Denver trip was approximately $3,000 (three thousand dollars) which will be funded by the City's general fund. |
| | | | | | | | RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
- Approve travel related expenses for two (2) City Council Members' travel to Denver, Colorado from September 18 – 20, 2017.
By: Grace Lee, Sr. Economic Development Specialist
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