Costa Mesa Invites Arizonans to Cool It

Costa Mesa in July isn’t exactly the epitome of cool, unless you happen to live in Arizona. The Costa Mesa Tourism and Promotion Council has cooked up a 60-second radio spot aimed at the Phoenix market that urges the sweltering masses to chill out with a visit to Costa Mesa.

It’s just the latest promotion by the Costa Mesa group, one of the state’s first “virtual tourism bureaus.” The council was formed in August 1995 after several Costa Mesa hotels worked with the city to form a Business Improvement Area and agreed to devote a portion of their room revenue--$275,000 in the first year alone--to fund the project.

The council has no staff or offices and few administrative costs. It’s run by a volunteer alliance of hotel general managers who have funneled virtually 100% of the budget into promotion and advertising.

“We have found a most cost-effective approach to promoting the city by eliminating the need for executive staff and related expenses,” said Emmett Steed, council president and general manager of the Red Lion Hotel.

The council has adopted a a logo and framed its advertising push around the slogan “Multi-Fascinating” to help build the city’s identity as a center for shopping, arts and recreation. In addition to the radio spots, the council has developed brochures and other promotional materials and has set up a toll-free tourist information line at (800) 399-5499.

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Marla Dickerson covers tourism for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-5670 and at marla.dickerson@latimes.com