Item 447/2024
Final
City of Garden Grove
INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
To:
Lisa L. Kim From: Matt West
Dept:
City Manager Dept: City Manager
Date: 10/22/2024
Subject: Approval of out of state travel to Seattle, WA to tour an enhanced water park hotel for the purposes of bolstering tourism in Garden Grove. (Cost:$2,000) (Action Item)
OBJECTIVE
For the City Council to approve out-of-state, non-overnight, travel to Seattle, WA to tour an enhanced water park hotel project for the purpose of bolstering tourism in Garden Grove.
BACKGROUND
In accordance with City Council Policy Number 100-17, the City Council approved overnight conference and training expenditures during the FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26 budget adoption process (see attached). At the time of budget approval, an out-of-state site tour in Seattle, WA was not included on the overnight conference and training list. The City Council is being requested to add an out-of-state tour of an enhanced water park hotel project for the purpose of bolstering tourism in Garden Grove to the approved list of conferences under the City Manager's Office, and authorize the City Manager, and designee, to attend the site tour.
Per City Council Policy Number 100-19, the City Council is being requested to 1) concur that the costs incurred in traveling to Seattle, WA are justified based on the benefits of attending (additional detail in the below “Discussion” section of this staff report) and 2) authorize and approve out-of-state travel for the day for up to five (5) City Council members, and the City Manager and Assistant City Manager. The costs associated with the conference are provided in the “Fiscal Impact” section of this staff report.
DISCUSSION
The upcoming tour of an enhanced water park hotel presents a valuable opportunity for the City to continue to pursue opportunities to bolster the tourism industry in Garden Grove.
Located just one mile from the Disneyland Resort, the Grove District Anaheim Resort is Southern California’s premier tourist destination. The Grove District offers more than 3,500 hotel rooms and over 170,000 square feet of event space, along with several recognized Item 447/2024
restaurants, and proximity to shopping centers and major entertainment and sports venues. The proposed out-of-state travel is aligned with the City’s continued efforts to enhance the District.
Councilmembers will travel to Seattle at different times to avoid a majority being together at the same place and time, and no discussion regarding tourism or any other business of the City Council will be conducted amongst council members or staff during the trip or tours.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost for up to five City Council members and two designees from the City Manager’s Office to travel out-of-state for a day to tour an enhanced water park hotel project for the purpose of bolstering tourism in Garden Grove is estimated not to exceed a total of $2,000.
No additional appropriation is needed as funds are available within the FY 24-25 approved budget.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Concur that the costs incurred in touring the out-of-state project are justified based on the benefits of attending, add the out-of-state project tour to the approved list of conferences for the City Manager's Office, and authorize the City Manager and Assistant City Manager to travel out-of-state for the day; and Approve the out -of-state travel for up to five City Council members, and two designees from the City Manager’s Office.
ATTACHMENT(S)
1. Overnight Conference and Training List 2023-25