Collaborative Says No Room for the Inns, Restaurants

By Desiree Parker Monday, February 22, 2010

The Historic Triangle Collaborative is a group of arguably the most influential people in the area. They have a few elected officials as members and use some taxpayer money in their mission, but their meetings are private and they’re not interested in accepting a few new local groups who have requested a seat at the table.

WYDaily talked with the new chairman of the group, James City County Administrator Sandy Wanner, to help residents understand what the Collaborative is all about, what they do and why they’d prefer not to have groups like the area's Hotel Motel Association or the Restaurant Association join their ranks.

The Collaborative grew out of a larger group that worked collectively on Jamestown’s 400th celebration to make it a regional success. Their mission is “to think regionally and work collaboratively to achieve sustainable economic and quality of life benefits for the Historic Triangle.”

The members include the chief elected officials and the chief administrators for the three local governments and the heads of Colonial Williamsburg, the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, the College of William and Mary, the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance, Busch Gardens and Water Country USA and Kingsmill Resort.

Wanner explained that the group got started because of the great synergy that developed during the 2007 celebration. “We asked, ‘how do we keep this it going, how do we collaborate as a region beyond the celebration?’” said Wanner.

A core group of members decided that the criteria for membership would be to include top decision makers who would have the leverage to get things accomplished. The group has informal meetings, which are hosted by one of the member’s organizations. Members speak freely and with candor in the meetings, Wanner said.

The three localities do have funds budgeted to go to the Collaborative, generally $10,000 or less (in fiscal year 2009, James City County contributed $10,000; in the current fiscal year they are contributing $7,000). They use their funding to pay their manager and to pay office expenses like copies and postage, Wanner said. The manager’s office is space donated by the Alliance.

So far, the Collaborative has gotten a lot accomplished, Wanner said. According to an outline he shared, the group has done a number of things to promote the economy and tourism, and to advocate for the region politically.

Some of the main goals the group is working on include moving toward a balanced and sustainable economy, focusing on coordinated comprehensive planning in 2012, sustaining and enriching cultural, educational, entertainment and recreational resources, and enhancing the effectiveness of tourism marketing.

One big task they’re working on currently is coordinating the Triangle’s involvement in the sesquicentennial celebration of the Civil War – each locality was supposed to have its own group to work on this, Wanner said, but the Collaborative requested that they be allowed to work on it as a regional group.

Asked how groups in the community might be able to participate with the Collaborative, Wanner said it's more a case of the Collaborative reaching out to other organizations to work on specific issues. Examples, he said, include working with the Young Emerging Professionals on a recent survey; periodic collaboration with the College community; and the Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee on the destination’s Web site and booking engine review. They have plans to work soon with various sub-committees as the Civil War celebration planning continues.

The Hotel Association and the Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association recently asked to be a part of the Collaborative, but were denied membership.

According to Williamsburg Hotel Motel Association President Chris Canavos, his group represents over 60 lodging facilities in the Triangle along with a host of associate members. His organization, he said, would like to be part of the Collaborative.

Aside from being part of the original, larger group working on the 2007 celebration, WHMA members “play a main part in the [local] tourism industry” and are a major contributor to the local economy, said Canavos. His organization works with other state and national partners, and “we collaborate with everyone – that’s what we do,” he said.

The Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association board also voted to request admission to the group. According to President Dean Canavos, his association heard during a business meeting that the Collaborative was the go-to group to discuss area problems and solutions. Like his brother’s organization, WARA member businesses also contribute to a hefty part of the tax base and can bring to the table how the restaurant industry is doing, Dean Canavos said.

Dean Canavos argues the Collaborative isn’t feeling the true pulse of the locality with representatives of just the biggest attractions and the governments.

Wanner said the Collaborative members discussed the requests, and voted not to accept the two organizations. There are groups at the table that can represent interests of WHMA and WARA (like the Alliance and the governments), and he said the groups can talk to members of the Collaborative any time. But, Wanner said, the Collaborative believes it is “best served by its current structure.”

WARA has a new government relations group headed by Second Street owner and former Williamsburg city council member Mickey Chohany. He said he’ll soon be meeting with members of the Collaborative to talk about how the two groups can help each other.

“We want to ensure we have a … focused voice and we’re thoughtful with our dialog,” he said about WARA as they approach the Collaborative. The goal, Chohany said, is a fact-finding mission to see if WARA can fit into what the Collaborative is doing, or just help out.

Chris Canavos said WHMA will also call the Collaborative soon to talk with them some more about the decision.