OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Visit Broken Arrow Board Meeting - October 14, 2025

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, October 14, 2025
BodyBroken Arrow, Oklahoma
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, October 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:39:57

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

I said you make sure you were here tonight.

0:07

Well, I should already prepped me that a lot of this stuff was uh gonna be on here.

0:11

So I was just staying because if you guys asked him when you were in our need to be the terrorist.

0:16

Oh yeah, they used to say that we try to roll pay if I nominate you.

0:22

Well it's our second thing, it's our second item for I.

1:03

Are we ready?

1:09

All right.

1:10

Call to order for visit BA.

1:13

Tuesday, October 14th, 2025.

1:16

That's me today.

1:17

Okay.

1:18

Uh Schneider, here.

1:21

Ford.

1:22

Here.

1:22

Dean?

1:23

Here.

1:24

Yardie?

1:24

Here.

1:25

Swanson here?

1:26

Hey again?

1:27

Here.

1:27

Muskrat?

1:28

Here.

1:33

All right.

1:33

Action item I or A.

1:36

I.

1:36

Jeez.

1:37

251449 presentation by Clarity of Place.

1:42

Highlights of Broken Arrow's new five-year tourism strategic plan.

1:55

This is going to be a virtual presentation, and so we are hoping there she is.

2:05

Okay.

2:06

Tina, can you hear us?

2:08

She should be able to go.

2:09

Tina, can you hear us now?

2:11

I can.

2:12

Okay.

2:13

You are up.

2:16

Oh, cool.

2:19

I should have been more previously.

2:22

Let's see.

2:23

We can share.

2:24

You don't need to share your screen.

2:26

Oh, but except can you see?

2:30

I share.

2:31

Yep.

2:32

Okay.

2:32

Yeah, we should be able to go, so just let us know when you need to switch slides.

2:36

Sure.

2:36

Well, thank you for um giving me time on your agenda.

2:40

Um and it's it's great to at least hear your voices again.

2:45

Um we wanted to before we get any further on this tourism strategic plan.

2:50

We wanted to have the chance to brief you all on kind of what we've come up with.

2:55

Um as many of you know, and it's actually if you can go to the next slide.

2:58

Um we've been working with Michaela and uh Aaron uh since the spring uh to help them develop what we're calling a church and strategic plan.

3:07

Um with the idea of taking the information that you know about the destination.

3:12

Um let's see here.

3:21

But taking the taking the information that we know about the destination that is broken arrow and trying to find ways that we can help Michaela and Aaron and the team there at the city optimize what we call the visible part.

3:35

Um generating activity uh for the through the local hospitality industry.

3:42

Um and then also kind of with an idea of creating those um data points, uh the that information, those pre points um to help with future policy decisions.

3:53

Um and then ways to connect all the different assets that you have in Broken Arrow to uh encourage more visitation, um especially overnight visitation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Film Industry Promotion████████████████████████████████████36%
Tourism Promotion████████████████████████████28%
Disability Rights████████8%
Community Engagement████████8%
Procedural██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Economic Development███3%
Arts And Culture██2%
Religious Freedom██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Visit Broken Arrow Board Meeting - October 14, 2025

The Visit Broken Arrow Board convened on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 3:30 PM in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting featured a presentation on the new five-year Tourism Strategic Plan, the approval of multiple sponsorship and film incentive requests, the election of officers, the formation of a grants oversight committee, and updates on upcoming holiday programming.

Presentations

  • Five-Year Tourism Strategic Plan (25-1449A): Tina from Clarity of Place presented a virtual overview of the draft strategic plan developed for the destination. The plan was built from data analysis, peer city comparisons (Edmond, Rogers, Franklin), and stakeholder focus groups. Five core imperatives were introduced: leveraging strategic infrastructure (like the new amphitheater), promoting authentic experiences, strengthening the visitor economy through business engagement, expanding veterans heritage tourism, and building on the creative and film sectors. Staff noted the 25-page draft would be shared with the board for review.

Consent Calendar & Routine Approvals

  • Meeting Minutes (25-1413A): The minutes from the September 9, 2025, meeting were approved unanimously.
  • 2026 Meeting Schedule (25-1379C): The proposed schedule of regular Tuesday meetings at 3:30 PM was approved unanimously.

Elections & Appointments

  • Chair and Vice Chair (25-1367B): The board unanimously elected Brian Dean to continue as Chairman and Tommy Yardy as Vice Chairman, with a term expiring September 30, 2026. The board also recognized the recent appointment of new member Sarah Lopp.

Discussion Items and Financial Approvals

  • Gatesway Powwow Sponsorship (25-1451D): Representatives from Gatesway requested a $4,500 sponsorship for the second annual Disability Awareness Powwow, which replaces the former Balloon Festival. The event drew approximately 275 attendees last year and is expanding to a full weekend. The board unanimously approved the request but strongly encouraged the organizers to engage Visit Broken Arrow earlier in the planning cycle, noting the application came just days before the event.
  • Film Incentive Rebate (25-1462E): Producer Cassidy from Red Clay Studios presented a request for a $41,000 film incentive rebate for the feature film "Live Like That" (budget $6.7M, Sony Affirm). The production is expected to generate over 550 room nights and $1 million in local spending, with five to seven shooting days planned in Broken Arrow beginning November 10, 2025. The board unanimously approved the rebate, noting that this request effectively exhausts the $100,000 pilot incentive budget for the fiscal year.
  • Event/Hotel Rebate (25-1469F): An additional hotel room rebate of up to $12,500 for the same film production was approved unanimously.
  • Broken Arrow Film Festival Agreement (25-1423G): Brad Heath presented a proposal to establish a film festival and convention in Broken Arrow, planned for October 2026 at Regal Cinema. The first-year budget request is $50,000, with the goal of making the event self-sustaining in future years. The board unanimously approved the professional services agreement, which requires final approval from the City Council at its next meeting.
  • Sponsorship Grant Review Committee (25-1452H): Tourism Director Michaela expressed concerns that the community sponsorship grant program lacked clear parameters, relying on unspecific requests. She recommended forming a temporary working committee to develop clearer guidelines and accountability measures. The board unanimously approved the committee, appointing Sonja Schneider, Lisa Ford, Brian Dean, and Trevor Swanson to serve.

Director Report & Holiday Preview

  • Tourism Update: Michaela reported that September lodging tax collections and year-to-date figures were up over the prior year. She announced a new booking for an AJGA junior golf tournament at Indian Springs and a Grey National Grange conference expected in August 2026, both projected to generate significant room nights.
  • Christmas Programming: Tourism Manager Aaron outlined a series of holiday events, including the Tree Lighting ceremony on November 13th featuring live reindeer and a new "Oaky Igloo Village." The "Carrols and Cocoa" event is set for December 12th. Staff were directed to explore the feasibility of securing rights to the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (written by former Broken Arrow resident Ralph Blaine) for use in the city's official Christmas theme.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned unanimously.

Meeting Transcript

I said you make sure you were here tonight. Well, I should already prepped me that a lot of this stuff was uh gonna be on here. So I was just staying because if you guys asked him when you were in our need to be the terrorist. Oh yeah, they used to say that we try to roll pay if I nominate you. Well it's our second thing, it's our second item for I. Are we ready? All right. Call to order for visit BA. Tuesday, October 14th, 2025. That's me today. Okay. Uh Schneider, here. Ford. Here. Dean? Here. Yardie? Here. Swanson here? Hey again? Here. Muskrat? Here. All right. Action item I or A. I. Jeez. 251449 presentation by Clarity of Place. Highlights of Broken Arrow's new five-year tourism strategic plan. This is going to be a virtual presentation, and so we are hoping there she is. Okay. Tina, can you hear us? She should be able to go. Tina, can you hear us now? I can. Okay. You are up. Oh, cool. I should have been more previously. Let's see. We can share. You don't need to share your screen. Oh, but except can you see? I share. Yep. Okay. Yeah, we should be able to go, so just let us know when you need to switch slides. Sure. Well, thank you for um giving me time on your agenda. Um and it's it's great to at least hear your voices again.

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