Cost to city taxpayers for chambers private web site “millions” – benefit to the chamber “priceless”
In his November 30 column, the Ole Seagull asked the question, “What is the name and URL of the internet marketing site that the City owns and can transfer to any other entity that might be doing marketing for the city in the future?”Some might say “www.explorebranson.com” because that’s the internet address, URL, they see when Branson is advertised on TV and in publications, etc.They would be wrong!
The answer to the question, simply put, is, “none, zero, nada, zilch, etc!”The internet address, “www.explorebranson.com” is registered to the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce /Conventions & Visitors Bureau, PO Box 1897, Branson, MO
When asked if “www.explorebranson.com” is in fact owned and controlled solely by the chamber, Ross Summers, its Executive Director said, “True.The Chamber owns a number of URL’s including bransonchamber.com […].”When asked about any written contractual arrangement between the City of Branson and the chamber to transfer “www.explorebranson.com,” in the event that the City selected another organization to act as its vendor for the provision of marketing services, Summers said, “There is no such agreement.”
“Hey, wait a minute; wasn’t the chamber’s web site built using City of Branson tourism tax dollars?”At least a portion of it was.According to Summers, “The initial costs were shared between Chamber funds and reimbursable Tourism Tax dollars.”He further pointed out that the “Initial development costs in 1999-2000 were $75,000.”
“Has the chamber site been used to raise revenue for the chamber?”According to Summers, “Leads and advertising are sold to participating Chamber members.”Summers also stated that “Revenue last year was $72,557.””Did any of it go to the City of Branson?”Summers said, “The Chamber/CVB and the City have no mutual financial interaction regarding the Chamber website other than on-going maintenance […].”
“Whoa there Seagull, are you saying that the chamber not only didn’t share the $72,557 in revenues it raised from the chamber site last year but also used reimbursable Tourism Tax dollars received from the taxpayers of the City of Branson for the sites “on-going maintenance?”No that’s what Mr. Summers appears to be saying.”Can any business collecting the Branson Tourism Tax get access to the leads generated from the ‘Chamber website’ and advertise on it?”Not if the term “participating Chamber members” means anything.
“Doesn’t the fact that the chamber owns the only web site the City of Branson has for the marketing of Branson give it a distinct advantage when it is bidding on the city’s marketing contract?”Of course it does.On December 3, while making a presentation trying to win the city’s multi million dollar marketing contract, Mr. Dan Cowling, President of the Communications Group, pointed out that the City of Branson does not own a marketing web site and that if his organization won the contact that was an issue that would have to be addressed.
“Hasn’t the vast majority of the traffic to the chambers site been built using advertising purchased with millions of ‘reimbursable Tourism Tax dollars’ received from the taxpayers of the City of Branson?”Of course it has. “And the chamber owns the site and could use it for whatever they wanted to even if the City used another web site to market Branson?”That is true.
“Doesn’t it make sense for the City to own its own marketing web site and 800 response number(s)?Why should the city spend millions of dollars promoting someone else’s who may or may not be Branson’s vendor for marketing services next year or three years from now?”From an Ole Seagulls perspective, in order, the answers are “Yes” and “it shouldn’t.”
