Receive 2025 Business Expo Summary and Select 2026 Venue and Date

Purpose:
Provide EDA with 2025 Business Expo event summary and to select 2026 venue and date

Background:
Adrenaline Sports Center has proven to be a successful location for the Ramsey Business Expo. Staff has put together a short presentation summarizing the 2025 Event and suggestions for the 2026 Event.

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The 2025 Event:
The May 3, 2025 Business Expo was full with 60 vendor booths, the same as previous years.   Attendance was estimated to be around 500 people, a bit lower than last year (600). There was not another event occurring simultaneously at Adrenaline, as in previous years. There were two other large events occurring in the city: Spring Recycling day & Food Truck Festival at St Katharine Drexel. Staff incorporated Facebook ads, local websites, radio, business flyer postings and local newspapers for marketing. Ramsey businesses made up 87% of booth vendors at the event, which is up from 84% last year. Staff has received mostly positive feedback and suggestions from the vendors, venue and attendees. Survey feedback is requested from all vendors. Ramsey businesses who submit the survey are entered into a drawing for a free Ramsey Resident ad. Based on the results, staff will look for ways to increase event awareness, improve marketing and traffic flow even more.

The Budget (2025 Event):
The EDA allocated $5,500.00 for the 2025 Business Expo. Total Revenues (including EDA Allocation) for 2025 were $8,785.00 with 2025 Expenses coming in at $8,594.23 leaving a $190.77 net cash reserve for the 2026 event.  
  
The Future (2026 Event):
Staff would like to set April 25, 2026 for next year to get on the event reservation schedule for Adrenaline. Staff has put together the attached proposed budget for 2026, with the same 2025 EDA allocation of $5.500.

There were some common themes that showed up in the surveys and verbal comments by the vendors and attendees, including:

• Like BINGO, do it again
• Like venue, keep it at Adrenaline (ASC) 
• Continue Facebook and other social marketing. Expand advertising.
• More signage.
• Food options
• Parking was better this year with no other events and clear direction for vendor parking
• Early vendor tear down was still an issue. Perhaps signs at each booth are needed as a reminder since the registrant may be different than the actual person in the booth.

Staff believes that keeping BINGO, increasing marketing and keeping the event at Adrenaline is a good idea.

No formal motion is needed to implement changes above, just the provision of staff direction by consensus.

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Select Adrenaline Sports Center as the venue for the 2026 Business Expo and reserve April 25, 2026.

and;

Approve a $5,500 allocation from the EDA budget for the 2026 Business Expo.

Motion to select Adrenaline Sports Center as the venue, reserve April 25, 2026 and approve a $5,500 allocation from the EDA budget for the 2026 Business Expo.