Update: MTCVB's Performance Audit Points To Need For Greater Attention To Member Needs and Accountability

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Pima County established an independent team to evaluate The Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitor's Bureau ("MTCVB") performance.  The County announced last week that it will implement the result so this review.

The team, led by a consultant, issued its report last year (July 27, 2011).  Though, admittedly, the report is a bit dated, it does point to some of the problems that we perceive between Oro Valley and MTCVB.

MTCVB is funded by Pima County, the City of Tucson, and the Town of Oro Valley, .  Both Pima County and the City of Tucson have done "performance audits."  Oro Valley has funded MTCVB using the "blind faith","they are doing a great job", "let's think regionally", "no audit needed here" audit approach.

The County's report does not evaluate the success of MTCVB.  It looks at MTCVB's operations and its relationship with its constituents.

Many people from Tucson and Pima County provided input in the study. No one from Oro Valley did.  Clearly, the study consultant did not think Oro Valley's input would be valuable to the study. In fact, Oro Valley is mentioned only twice in the 124-page document. Fact is: Oro Valley is a the "small dog" in relation to its fellow members.

The study has implications for Oro Valley, since any changes that will impact our town. 

In our prior postings about MTCVB, we have observed both a lack of accountability and a lack of demonstrable performance in relation to Oro Valley from MTCVB.   This report validates our comments.  The following are some the "Key Observations" from pages 8 and 9 of the report:

• There exists a perception with governments that the MTCVB views itself with an apparent sense of entitlement.
• MTCVB has a complacent attitude in dealing with government and is not partnering with officials to produce greater performance results through funding development.
• Last year the MTCVB booked for the community about $170 million in visitor spending principally from new conventions, sports and leisure tourism bookings [Note: There is no support for the dollar estimate provided in the report].
• MTCVB is capable of producing much more with performance productivity recommendations provided throughout this audit.
• MTCVB does not consistently provide transparency, accountability and a focus in communicating out to stakeholders and to the community its performance productivity, including future goals to be achieved. Also missing is the return-on-investment from major marketing initiatives.
• The MTCVB Board of Directors is not fully engaged, energized or pro-active in representing the stakeholder community. 

Report recommendations include:

• Developing a standardized model agreement format that can be applied for each jurisdiction (report page 23)
• Creating MTCVB performance measures based on third party independent validation (report page 25)
• Developing a true brand identity with strong community collaboration from its stakeholders and partners. (report page 40)
• Developing a Marketing Plan in a team effort with strong stakeholder input, beginning in early planning stages (report Page 44)
• Providing funding partners with a comprehensive understanding of what is to be produced as well as the anticipated goal based  results (report page 45)
• Drafting a new mission statement (report page 49)

Our takeaway from the study is that:

• MTCVB should work more closely with its funding partners, like Oro Valley, to develop its plans.
• These plans should include specifically, agreed-upon targets
• MTCVB should provide more concrete proof of the results of its efforts.

Another takeaway is that Oro Valley is a "grain in the sand" when it comes to MTCVB.  We are the smallest contributor with the least representation. We are a "tag along."   Oro Valley has, at best, two voices on the MTCVB Board: Council Member Mary Snider from 2010 to June of 2012 (now Council Member Brendan Burns) and MTCVB Chairman, Lynn Ericson, from the El Conquistador.   They sit among  32-members of the MTCVB Board. 

Our final takeaway is that Oro Valley has to be serious about its involvement with MTCVB.  We are funding it. We are counting on it to bring room bookings to Oro Valley. We are counting on MTCVB to brings swim meets to our new Aquatic Center, as they have promised.  It is important to us.  Active Oro Valley involvement on the part of Oro Valley is imperative, especially as MTCVB makes changes to accommodate the "big dog."
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