ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY- Erik Thorvig, Community Development Director
Title
APPROVING SPONSORSHIP REQUEST FOR THE 3M OPEN
Background
The 3M Open will be held at the TPC Twin Cities in Blaine July 19-25, 2021. The 3M Open is a regular PGA Tour event with 156 of the world’s best golfers competing.
The inaugural year of the 3M Open was 2019. It was estimated the tournament had an economic impact on the region of over $50 million. The local, national and worldwide exposure of the event on social media and television was impactful. The four-day tournament has over 15 live hours and over 55 total hours of broadcast time on the Golf Channel and CBS. Tournament officials estimate 2019’s attendance at approximately 100,000.
The tournament was held in 2020 without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The EDA approved a $103,000 expenditure for the 2020 sponsorship. Due to the EDA being unable to host a hospitality venue, the tournament worked with the City to identify other marketing opportunities which included the airing of a commercial during the 2020 broadcast of the tournament on the Golf Channel.
The tournament has requested the City of Blaine to be an event sponsor again in the amount of $58,000 (sponsorship rate reduced due to the cancelation of the 2020 spectator event). The sponsorship will provide the City of Blaine access to a hospitality tent on the 18th hole, Tuesday-Sunday, and 40 event tickets per day. With the event being much more high profile and in demand than the 3M Championship, this is an opportunity to invite and host guests that play a direct role in economic development activity in Blaine. Revenue from the tournament, which includes Blaine’s sponsorship, was part of the $1.5 million in donations the 3M Open fund contributed in 2019. The three largest recipients were the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, Science Museum of Minnesota and National Park Foundation. Local organizations that received donations include The First Tee Blaine, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, Allina, SBM Fire, Panther Foundation, Blaine Police Explorers and TPC Rose.
In 2019, the City of Blaine hosted over 240 guests in the hospitality tent. Guests included real estate developers and brokers, existing and prospective Blaine businesses, financial institutions and other key community stake holders. Staff intends to create a targeted invite list and examine the possibility of themed days (developer day, broker day, Blaine business day, etc.) and review this with the EDA/Council sometime this spring before invitations are sent out.
This expenditure was included in the 2021 EDA Budget adopted in December.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the Resolution.
Body
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) of the Blaine Economic Development Authority (the “EDA”), as follows:
WHEREAS, it is one of the goals and purposes of the Blaine EDA to improve the community, strengthen the tax base and enhance employment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the 3M Open is anticipated to have a $50 million economic impact to the local area; and
WHEREAS, the 3M Open will bring significant tourism to the City of Blaine; and
WHEREAS, as the host City, the tournament has requested a sponsorship from the City of Blaine in the amount of $58,000 which provides access to the City of Blaine to a hospitality tent; and
WHEREAS, the EDA will contribute toward the tent in the amount of $58,000.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Blaine Economic Development Authority, City of Blaine, Minnesota, that the President and Executive Director of the Blaine Economic Development Authority are hereby authorized to expend said funds to promote the City of Blaine at the 3M Open Tournament held at the TPC Golf Course in Blaine, July 19 - July 25, 2021.
PASSED by the Blaine Economic Development Authority this 20th day of January 2021.