TO: ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM: JAMIE EARL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
DATE: APRIL 22, 2025
Reviewed by:
City Manager: AP
SUBJECT:
Title
CLAREMONT TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT (FUNDING SOURCE: GENERAL FUND)
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SUMMARY
The Claremont Tourism Business Improvement District (CTBID) was established by City Council resolution on November 10, 2009, pursuant to the California Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994, to promote tourism in Claremont. The CTBID levies a two percent assessment on certain lodging businesses to carry out specified activities and services. This assessment is collected by the City on behalf of the CTBID in a manner similar to the ten percent Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) levied by the City on hotels in Claremont.
On January 1, 2010, the City of Claremont signed a formal agreement authorizing the Claremont Chamber of Commerce to administer the CTBID for an initial five-year term (expiring December 31, 2014). In June 2014, the City Council approved a resolution renewing the CTBID for an additional ten-year term (January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2024). On January 14, 2025, the City Council approved a resolution renewing the CTBID for a second ten-year term (January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2034).
This report outlines key highlights of the CTBID Annual Report (Attachment A) and CTBID Annual Budget (Attachment B) submitted by the Chamber of Commerce as administrators of the CTBID.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council receive and file the Claremont Tourism Business Improvement District Annual Report.
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Request additional information.
B. Take no action.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The CTBID Board approved an initial calendar year budget of $357,677 for 2024. Additional expenditures were approved in subsequent CTBID meetings. CTBID expenditures for 2024 totaled $376,805.14. The CTBID checking account balance and the CTBID Reserve Fund maintained by the Claremont Chamber of Commerce on January 1, 2025, were $48,161.05 and $146,886.67, respectively. The total amount paid by the City to the CTBID for the four quarters of 2024 totaled $324,116.65.
Staff support for the District as well as the time to prepare documentation and complete the staff report is estimated at $750. These costs consist of staff time allocated to the project and are included in the operating budget of the Administrative Services Department.
ANALYSIS
Staff has reviewed the report and finds that it provides the required description of improvements and activities conducted by the District in 2024. Additionally, the District is required to explain any changes to its boundaries. No such changes occurred in 2024, nor are any planned for 2025. Assessment amounts and methodology also remain unchanged at two percent of room rates collected via a similar methodology to Transient Occupancy Tax.
Key highlights outlined in the 2024 Annual Report include:
• New brand imagery and style guide. The team partnered with IE Design to update the visual look and overall theme of future promotional content from Discover Claremont. After initial reviews with the CTBID board, an overall "fully unexpected" theme was developed. The brand’s style guide was updated to reflect a more contemporary look and color palette for future imagery and messaging. The first output from these efforts, a print ad headlined “Delightfully Unexpected” will be featured in the 2025 State Visitors Guide and on Ontario Airport visuals.
• Discover Claremont funded a ¼-page ad in the 2024 California Visitor Guide. The ad provided placement on the pullout visitor map, an additional Claremont destination listing, and incoming visitor leads for future outreach. The CTBID mailed the 2024 Claremont Visitor’s Guide to fulfill over 190 incoming requests generated from this during 2024.
• The CTBID continued running three, 15-second spots on Ontario Airport’s digital display boards in the baggage claim areas at Terminals 2 and 4. The campaign aims to attract Inland Empire visitors traveling through Ontario Airport to return to visit and stay in Claremont. Claremont’s Kris Petersen (KPE Media) created a new series of digital spots for use in 2025. During December, an additional 10 ads created by Petersen were featured on the international terminal’s exit LED display as a bonus run.
• As part of its support for the Claremont Shakespeare Festival, a promotion that drives room nights during the slower season, the CTBID funded a newsletter advertorial campaign reaching LAist (newsroom) and KPCC (radio station) members/subscribers promoting overnight “summertime” stays in Claremont.
• The CTBID continued to create more editorial and visual content for the website and social media. Travel writer Chanin Victor authored monthly story content for the website and the online platform Localhood, which Visit California supports. Stories posted through Localhood are indexed through Google Search, reaching potential visitors.
• The DiscoverClaremont.com website serves as a landing page for CTBID’s marketing efforts, to refer traffic directly to hotel sites for bookings. Google Analytics tracked more than 163,000 unique visitors to the site in 2024 and directed 2,141 visitors to the hotel’s booking sites (with another 12,350 directed to a linked Claremont business or event).
• The CTBID spent more resources on social media in 2024 than in previous years - both advertising spend and production time. As a result, the number of impressions generated through Discover Claremont’s channels increased by over 150 percent versus 2023. The total organic and paid social media reach for Discover Claremont in 2024 was 2.9 million impressions: 1.8 million on Facebook, 688,850 on Instagram, and 336,450 on Pinterest.
• Below are the occupancy rates for the past five years, as reported by the properties.
Additional information regarding CTBID activities and accomplishments can be found in the 2024 Annual Report and Budget attached to this report.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following: Council Priorities, Economic Sustainability Plan, General Plan, and the 2024-26 Budget.
CEQA REVIEW
This item is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Jamie Earl Katie Wand
Assistant City Manager Deputy City Manager
Attachments:
A - 2024 CTBID Annual Report
B - 2024 CTBID Annual Budget