Combine the annual EDA Business Expo with the annual Happy Days Business Expo.  This discussion was listed on the City Council's adopted strategic plan (as originally suggested by staff).

(1) Considering the three annual EDA events (expo, golf tourney, networking), staff believes the business expo provides the lowest value to the community (based on attendance and informal verbal feedback).  Attached to this case is the City's 2014 citizen survey.  Page 11 depicts rankings of City sponsored events.  The EDA Business Expo ranks 6 of 7.

(2) Staff believes the EDA business expo is "losing momentum" for a two major reasons.

(A) through 2012, the EDA business expo was combined with the annual EPB Environmental Expo--which provided various positive overlaps and momentum between both events (for customers and vendors alike; and for coordination/ marketing).  The EPB expo was dissolved in 2013.  The EPB decided to shift their resources to Happy Days. 

(B) the competing Ramsey Happy Business Expo has seen greater success in attracting vendors and patrons than the EDA business expo.

(3) The EDA Business Expo and the Happy Days Business Expo are City organized, executed, and funded events. Both events serve similar businesses/vendors.  Both events serve similar patrons.  By eliminating one of these events, the City is able to reallocate its limited resources (specifically human capital).  Eliminating one of these events is a large savings in staff time.  Additionally, it will allow staff to concentrate efforts on one business expo, rather than two--which will hopefully improve the end product.
 

Please see attached proposal and data sheet.  NOTE: the attached data sheet includes event attendance estimations--these estimations are anecdotal (from staff's viewpoint only).