Board approves $56 million budget
| • | Convention Center to shift marketing |
Advertiser Staff
In other news at the Hawai'i Tourism Authority board meeting yesterday:
• The board approved its own $56 million budget and a new $46 million convention center enterprise special fund, contingent on other measures passed yesterday including the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau marketing plan and the SMG convention center marketing contract.
The tourism authority budget included $33.8 million in multi-year contract commitments, $4.2 million in projects already approved, $1 million to manage, improve and protect Hawai'i's natural environment and areas frequented by visitors, and $17 million for sporting events, greeting programs, leisure and corporate meetings and incentives marketing, convention center marketing, administration, planning and communications.
The convention center fund includes $26.4 million for bond debt payments, up to $16.2 million for operations, $1 million for major repairs and maintenance and $2.4 million for sales and marketing of the convention center.
• The board authorized $75,000 for an audit of the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau as required by the state Legislature. The tourism authority plans to meet with the auditor's office to begin the process as early as next week. The audit by law must be completed by June 7, 2003.
• The board authorized the state attorney general to move forward with a filing or negotiations for intellectual property rights over an Internet domain name related to the name of the Hawai'i Convention Center.
• The board approved $40,000 for the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival on Kaua'i, O'ahu and the Big Island.
