Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Plano City Council convened on April 27, 2026, in open session with all members present. The council first recessed into executive session to discuss legal, economic development, and real estate matters. Upon reconvening, the council received a presentation on the Tourism Master Plan and discussed a shift in arts funding from organization-based grants to event-based support.
Michael Talley, Director of Economic Development, introduced Mark Thompson from Visit Plano, who in turn introduced Richard Miller from CSL International to present a tourism growth strategy. The strategy was based on extensive research including over 60 stakeholder interviews and market analysis. It identified 34 actionable recommendations across seven categories: infrastructure, visitor experience, arts and culture, wellness/sports/recreation, branding/marketing, governance/partnerships, and community inclusion. Key market segments include affluent suburban travelers, multi-generational families, and culturally engaged visitors. The plan emphasized alignment with community values and quality of life for residents. Council members asked about community impact, wellness tourism coordination, and success measurement. The presentation concluded with a commitment to return in 6–8 months for a status update.
Andrew Fortune, Director of Policy and Government Relations, presented recommendations from the arts subcommittee to transition from organization-based funding to event-specific grants. Key proposals include funding up to 50% of an event budget, a maximum of 10 applications (each event may be a series), a funding cap of $1.5 million total with no organization receiving more than 35%, and a phased approach with a ±25% cap in the first year to mitigate impacts. The shift aims to standardize processes, increase transparency, and allow emerging artists to access funds. Council members expressed support for the direction, with requests for further detail on funding formulas. The council gave direction to move forward with the events-based approach and to bring back detailed formulas for final approval.
No items were removed from the consent or regular agendas.
I now declare the Plano City Council is convened in open session that all council members are present. The council will now recess into executive session in training room A to hold a closed executive meeting pursuant to the provisions of Vernon's Texas Codes annotated government code, Chapter 551. The Open Meetings Act, in accordance with the authority contained in Section 551071 to consult with the attorney to receive legal advice and discuss litigation. Section 551087 to discuss economic development matters and Section 551072 to discuss real estate matters. Thank you. That all council members are present. Our first item on the preliminary agenda is consideration and action resulting from executive session. Our next item is item two tourism master plan presentation. Michael Talley. Good evening. Mark Thompson. Mark, good to see you. Good evening, Mayor Council Michael Tally, Director of Economic Development. At this time, I'd like to invite Mark Thompson from Visit Plano up to introduce our speaker on the tourism master plan. Mark. Thank you. Thank you. It's been a while since I've been in front of you guys. So thank you very much for giving me just a minute. As some of you know, during the past year, we have been working on a strategic plan for Visit Plano. A number of you were actually part of it. Well, we have just finished the research part of that plan, and we partnered with uh the um excuse me, CSL International, and we've asked um uh Peter excuse me. I'll start. We asked Richard Miller to come and join us today from CSL. He was the lead consultant on putting this project together, and he wants to give you a high level look at the project and kind of look at some of the things that they're recommending and what came out of this. So I'll turn it over to Peter. Great, thank you, and good evening. Um like to thank you for the opportunity to present um our work to you today. I'm here to walk you through the tourism growth strategy for the city of Plano, a forward looking framework designed to strengthen Plano's position. Go to the first slide. There we go. Plano's position as a competitive, competitive, high quality destination within North Dallas and North Texas and beyond. This strategy is grounded in research, stakeholder input, and a clear understanding of where tourism can support broader economic and community goals. The at its core, this initiative is about alignment and opportunity. Tourism is not just about attracting visitors, it's about supporting local businesses, enhancing quality of life for residents, and reinforcing Plano's broader economic development strategy. What I'm presenting today is a roadmap that ensures tourism growth is intentional, sustainable, and beneficial to both visitors and the community. This strategy is built on a comprehensive and highly engaged process. We started with a detailed tourism market assessment to understand who's visiting Plano today and where opportunities exist. We conducted more than 60 stakeholder interviews across the community, city leadership, businesses, arts organizations, and residents to ensure this plan reflects local priorities. Plano is positioned to become a modern, inclusive and innovation-driven destination, one that reflects its diversity, quality of life, and evolving identity. This is not about becoming something new. It's about elevating what Plano already does well, its global culinary scene, its vibrant districts, its family friendly environment, and its strong sense of community.