Title
Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board: 1) find that it is more economical and feasible to engage an independent contractor for the provision of television production services in accordance with Ordinance 3.13.030; and 2) authorize the Chairman to execute an agreement with Todd Stanley doing business as Todd Stanley Productions for the production of "Experience El Dorado," subject to approval by County Counsel and Risk Management. (General Fund)
FUNDING: Hotel and Motel Tax (HMT).
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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Total Estimated Cost |
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$50,000 |
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Funding |
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Budgeted |
$50,000 |
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New Funding |
$ |
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Savings |
$ |
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Other |
$ |
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Total Funding Available |
$50,000 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$ |
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: The amount of $50,000 has been budgeted within the 2009-2010 County Promotions budget. There is no change to net county cost.
Background: Experience El Dorado is the brainchild of Todd Stanley, of Todd Stanley Productions and Jaime Tafoya who met while conducting business visitations in the Coloma-Lotus area in October 2007, on behalf of the Office of Economic Development. Initial investors in this unique public/private marketing partnership include El Dorado County Office of Economic Development, the El Dorado County Visitors Authority, Red Hawk Casino, AT&T, and McDonalds Corporation.
Experience El Dorado is a half-hour television program, viewed monthly combined with a 24/7 online streaming video presence that features local attractions and events, interesting destinations and interviews with area personalities and visitors.
The aim of the Experience El Dorado is to brand and market the County's unique community, quality of life, and business attributes to a wider audience via television and new media channels. In doing so, we are creating a partnership umbrella that encompasses local communities, business and trade groups, not-for-profits, and other community service based organizations. The end-result is the creation of a recognized brand that plays to the competitive strength of El Dorado County - the entrepreneurial legacy of the Gold Rush - and all that encompasses that sense of spirit and freedom in Experience El Dorado !
Focus of this investment is to utilize private sector expertise and global name recognition in the continuation of the county's overall branding and cooperative marketing campaign. End result, retain and create jobs; promote economic development; and attract consumers to the county.
Reason for Recommendation:
The El Dorado County economic development strategy, as adopted by the Board of Supervisors on October 2, 2007, as an initiative within the Business Retention and Expansion element, directed staff to establish a brand and marketing campaign. This initiative was recently elevated in priority within an inter-departmental 12-month Action Plan for Economic Development, approved by Board of Supervisor action May 18, 2009.
A summary of the organization and program to be funded is as follows:
Experience El Dorado and Todd Stanley Productions - $50,000 to fund a continuation of a collaborative public/private marketing partnership between the County of El Dorado and Todd Stanley Productions. The producer has created a half-hour pilot episode with the intent of subsequently producing a series of half-hour programs, profiling three unique travel destinations within The County per episode. The pilot, and each subsequent episode, will feature three local attractions, including but not limited to such stand alone and tour based public and private destinations as wineries, breweries, restaurants, lodging establishments, retailers and community based attractions, ski resorts, campgrounds, state parks, hiking and fishing destinations, and uniquely El Dorado areas such as historic gold country, Lake Tahoe, the Sierras and others. The style of the program will be documentary in general with an interactive, exploratory and informational first person approach. The series will expose viewers to a wide variety of attractions, introduce them to the people behind it all and entice them to visit to see for themselves. Given Producer's background, position within the television industry and significant involvement with many currently airing national programs, including most notably "Deadliest Catch" on The Discovery Channel, the production will be of exceptionally high quality and have a modern, high energy feel sure to draw viewers and thus visitors.
The Board is asked to find that it is more economical and feasible to engage an independent contractor to provide these services, as television production services are not expressly identified in an existing County job classification.
Approval of the contract will strengthen El Dorado County's dominant position within Northern California as the only public/private marketing partnership with a half-hour television show featuring local content.
Action to be taken following Board approval: The contract will be routed through County Counsel and Risk Management and submitted to the Board Chair for signature.
Contact: Sam Driggers 5595