President's Report

Randy Bryant, Partner, Todd Center LLC

Welcome to our Annual Meeting! Last year, I was honored to be elected as the President of the Coliseum Central Board of Directors. In my role, I made it a point to attend the BID’s monthly committee, Board and Roundtable meetings held in 2017. These meetings allowed me to learn more about the inner workings of our committee- and volunteer-driven organization as well as connect with individual members of the BID.

Over the course of the year, I discovered first-hand that there is no shortage of great news regarding future projects, city developments, event happenings, infrastructure improvements and the like. Further, attendees used these meetings to spur dialogue and engage with one another in ways that allowed for growth and improvement throughout the city. Put simply, I saw power through connection. With the sharing of information, challenges were overcome and great things were accomplished. Amazingly, though, information shared in these meetings was not always shouted from the rooftops. Shockingly, many times the bearer of good news didn’t realize how unique or exceptional their role or business was to our community at large.

How many times have you run into a former colleague and walked away from the conversation thinking, “Wow! I had no idea of xyz?” Let’s take it one step further. How many times have you walked away from that conversation and shared the information that you learned with someone else? Now let me ask you this - have you told your own story with the same passion in which you tell the story of others? Are you putting yourself and your business in a situation where your message can be shared? Are you utilizing the available connection pathways to spread your message?

Your individual story, business and personality are unique to you. Please make sure you’re using all of your available resources to share that story with the world.

To that end, Coliseum Central is a proud partner in your business’s efforts to connect. Did you know that Coliseum Central website has a page dedicated solely to your business? This unique page includes business hours, pictures, contact information, a map, links for social media and more. There is also a form on the website where you can submit your upcoming BID event to be posted on the community calendar.

Each month, we invite you to connect and engage with one another at our Business Roundtable Meetings. The breakfasts feature a guest speaker as well as BID updates and initiatives and a time for networking. There is a schedule at your place setting highlighting the 2018 calendar. We encourage all of you to attend.

Coliseum Central’s newsletter, the Insider, is another great resource for sharing or gathering information. Each month, it is delivered to more than 1,000 businesses and BID members are encouraged to submit articles for inclusion in upcoming editions.

Also we are always accepting volunteers to our Marketing, Physical Improvements and Security committees. These committees provide direction for the Coliseum Central Board and serve as great networking opportunities and allow you to remain tapped in to the community at large. At this time I would like to acknowledge those individuals who serve on the Board of Directors, our Marketing, Physical Improvement and Security Committees.

Let us never forget the power in sharing information.

Development Report

Raymond Tripp, Executive Director, Coliseum Central

Good morning! I am Raymond Tripp, Executive Director of Coliseum Central. I am excited to spend the next few moments passing on the 2017 accomplishments of our District constituents.

Economic growth increased in our BID via new construction and redevelopment. Commercial property values increased to nearly $774 million, capital investments reached $97 million and nearly 715,000 square feet of commercial space were leased or purchased. These investments created 1,118 new jobs and generated nearly $1.4 million in taxable sales.

Tourism remained strong with 262,000 guests who attended 367 events resulting in an estimated economic impact of $207 million. Hampton hosted 97 convention, meetings and sporting events which generated an estimated $6.8 million in meals tax from visitor spending. In 2017, the Hampton tourism industry employed over 2,300 employees.

That’s a lot of numbers. So often, we attend meetings like this and are so inundated by facts and figures that we don’t have a chance to reflect on what they mean. I want to make sure that we highlight what our District accomplished.

Coliseum Central, our backyard, has commercial property worth more than three quarters of a billion dollars. Just last year, business owners like those of us in this room invested nearly $100 million in capital and, through those efforts, were able to employ more than 1,100 persons and add $1.4 million in taxable sales. I think that deserves a round of applause.

But that’s not all. We were able to share our great city with more than a quarter of a million visitors through 367 hosted events and with the help of over two thousand tourism employees! We are doing great things!

I’d like to take a moment to highlight a few projects that accounted for the aforementioned economic growth through development.

Shopping centers throughout the district are undergoing significant tenant and facility changes and additions.

Cunningham Mini Price Storage opened a four-story facility located at 1795 Cunningham Drive. This climate control storage facility is designed to give the appearance of an office building rather than a traditional storage facility.