Tag: approves

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EVENTS DC BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES SALE OF LAND BENEATH MARRIOTT MARQUIS

EVENTS DC BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES SALE OF LAND BENEATH MARRIOTT MARQUIS

$10 MILLION FROM PROCEEDS TO BE USED FOR CULTURAL GRANTS

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Events DC, the official convention and sports authority of the District of Columbia, announced that its board of directors voted yesterday to approve the sale of land it owns beneath the Marriott Marquis hotel in downtown DC to the hotel developer. A portion of the proceeds from the sale – approximately $10 million — will fund grants that provide financial assistance to qualified nonprofit cultural institutions based in the District. The funding is intended to aid organizations with needed resources during the recovery phase of the pandemic. These institutions that engage in the management, interpretation and distribution of cultural and artistic knowledge and offer and promote activities meant to inform, educate attract visitors and residents to DC.

“This is an important day in the promotion and preservation of the District’s unique cultural identity,” said John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. “We thank our partners at Events DC, Quadrangle Development Corporation and Capstone Development for their continued support and investment in our local economy.”

The sale is the result of a stipulation in the original lease signed in 2010 that granted the hotel developer the option to purchase the land where the hotel currently sits from Events DC and the DC government.  

“This landmark hotel has been vital to transforming this area into an events and entertainment destination,” said Max Brown, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Events DC. “With this sale, we will be able to invest in the distinct cultural institutions that make this city unlike anywhere else in the world, providing visitors to the nation’s capital with an unmatched experience. Despite the challenges we faced in the last two years, we are an incredibly resilient city and that’s because of fortitude of our diverse communities and by the strong leadership of the Mayor and DC Council.”

After opening its doors in 2014, the Marriott Marquis became the city’s largest hotel, adding 100,000 square feet of meeting space and nearly 1,200 rooms, and was named DC’s official convention center hotel as the only hotel with redirect access to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The hotel was the product of a successful public-private partnership, which has had a significant economic impact on the area since it opened.

“This moment encapsulates the importance of innovative collaborations between public agencies and private business,” said Samuel Thomas, Interim president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “Projects like this provide vital economic opportunities, attract new visitors, and support the physical and cultural infrastructure of this beautiful city for future generations of DC residents.”

Events DC is currently developing the new grant program, which is expected to launch fall 2022. Organizations interested in the cultural institution capital grants can visit the Events DC website for further information in the coming months.

About Events DC

Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the Nation’s Capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District’s hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in direct economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory, and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKFields.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and Entertainment & Sports Arena all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Events DC), and Twitter (@TheEventsDC) — and on our new hub for live and on-demand event programming on GATHER by Events DC at www.gatherbyeventsdc.com.

SOURCE Events DC

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Taylor approves funds, but not dates, for pop-up townhall events – Energeticcity.ca

Taylor approves funds, but not dates, for pop-up townhall events - Energeticcity.ca

TAYLOR, B.C. – Though the District of Taylor has approved funds to purchase promotional materials for future pop-up town hall meetings, no dates have been set for the meetings this summer.

According to district staff during the council meeting on Monday, the pop-up town hall meetings are designed to be an “informal discussion with people in the community.” Residents and users of the district facilities can engage with council members and talk about what matters to them. 

Several dates and locations were proposed. They included the Taylor Golf Course, the Visitor Centre, and Peace Island Park at times throughout the summer. 

Location-specific meetings, according to staff, are meant to reach demographics not usually engaged, as well as users of specific facilities that the district looks after.

Community engagement processes already exist in the district: Coffee With Council meetings are open discussions with specific issues on the agenda that residents can attend to hear from and ask questions of councillors.  

Though the council approved the funds to purchase supplies for the pop-ups, plans for future pop-up town halls ended there for the time being.

“I think the philosophy, the idea behind this is very good,” Taylor mayor Rob Fraser said in the meeting. “I like the idea of being prepared to have these on occasion.”

But a meeting with the public without specific topics on the agenda raised concerns over the efficiency and efficacy of the meetings. 

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Delta approves return to community events

Delta approves return to community events

Start marking in your calendar Delta because the community expects to be very busy in the weeks and months to come.

At Monday’s council meeting in North Delta, councillors unanimously approved a detailed report from parks director Carmen Gonzalez, which outlines a return to community-wide events in 2022.

The 2022 City Supported Events listing is divided into three categories: special facility events, city-wide events and recognitions/community events.

Special facility events are identified as events that take place at a specific city facility and are generally smaller in scale. Examples include Delta School District’s Professional Days, senior volunteer teas, Easter or Youth Week.

City-wide events are of a larger scale, are usually free events and cover a broad range of activities. Examples include the Boundary Bay Air Show, Luminary Festival and seasonal tree lightings and festivals like May Days.

Special recognition events are special service or milestone celebrations, grand openings, long service awards, project start-ups or completions.

“City of Delta supported events are an important aspect of community programming and contributed to the social and economic health of residents,” said Gonzalez in her report. “Staff will ensure that all events are in accordance with any Provincial Health Officer’s orders in place as a given time.”

Among some of the early highlights in the next few months include a public opening of the Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre in April, Rotary Club Easter Egg hunts in Tsawwassen and North Delta, the Easter Egg Hunt and Parade hosted by the Ladner Business Association, Youth Week events in May, the Delta Virtual Triathlon, the North Delta Centre for the Arts grand opening, Delta Idol, and Ladner May Days.

“Wow, this is quite a list of events and hopefully as we come out of the pandemic, these will all be able to take place,” said Coun. Jeannie Kanakos.

Mayor George Harvie added that he can’t wait to start having some fun again in the community and putting the pandemic behind us.