BUENA PARK : Consultant Hired to Run Visitors Office

City officials have agreed that spending about $200,000 to hire a consultant to operate the Buena Park Convention and Visitors Office is money well spent.

Officials said the office will help attract tourists and business travelers who bring much-needed dollars into the local economy--and the city treasury.

“I think the visitors and tourist industry in Buena Park is an important economic link,” said Councilman Don R. Griffin. “We have a number of different attractions and accommodations that aren’t able to promote themselves.

“It pays to promote the city as a total industry, because if it’s thriving, we receive more taxes from the transient occupancy taxes and it relieves a burden for additional taxes from the citizens. It brings in dollars from outside the city.”

The city has five major attractions: Knott’s Berry Farm, Movieland Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament and Wild Bill’s Wild West Dinner Extravaganza. The city also has more than 1,200 hotel rooms, as well as facilities for conventions and meetings.

To provide marketing and promotions for the local entertainment, lodging and meeting industry, the City Council last week approved a 15-month contract for $204,844 with Pattie Davidson & Associates to operate the Convention and Visitors Office.

“Marketing our tourist industry is a job within itself,” said Mayor Donald L. Bone. “It’s an important ingredient to continue to bring tourists to the city of Buena Park.”

The contract also provides that the consultant be reimbursed for promotional and out-of-pocket expenses, which must be approved by the city manager.

In addition, officials expect to spend about $180,000 for marketing and advertising expenses, as well as for office supplies, equipment and rent.

Finance Director Greg Beaubien said that this year about $2.8 million is expected to be generated in bed taxes, which helps pay for citizen services, including police and fire protection.

Last May, Davidson stepped in to operate the Convention and Visitors Office after a contract with Spectrum Sales and Promotions Inc. was terminated by the city. The city then launched a search for a new operator for the office.

Davidson’s firm was selected as the full-time, permanent replacement by a committee of sales representatives from the entertainment and hotel properties.

The terms of the contract require Davidson’s firm to:

* Represent the city, hotels and entertainment properties at trade shows.

* Coordinate tours to acquaint meeting planners and tour operators with the city’s facilities.

* Coordinate advertising and promotional campaigns.

* Provide office staff to answer the phones and public inquiries.

* Manage accounts and paperwork.

* Market the city’s entertainment attractions, hotels, motels, restaurants and shops.

Davidson said she will develop a marketing plan and encourage owners and managers of the attractions and hotels to participate in promoting the industry “so the community will buy off on the plan.”