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Forefront (FF): So I have a bone to pick with you. When I moved to Austin 15 years ago, I realized how awesome it was and I want to keep it that way.
Bob Lander (BL): Me too.
FF: Yet your job is to encourage more people to come here and discover the secret.
BL: And then I want them to go home and tell their friends about it. Look, the secret about Austin is out It’s because everybody who lives here gets how awesome our city is and they want to show it off. Austinites are the best advocates for Austin—not only in creating our character but in making Austin a destination. We’ve interested so many people and they want to capture the Austin experience.
FF: The experience of blaring heat?
BL: A creative city where you can work, play and learn—and do it all in flip flops and a t-shirt.
FF: But the fear is that with too many people, we’re going to turn into Disneyland and instead of t-shirts and flip flops we’re going to see white sneakers and fanny packs.
BL: That’s the last thing we’d want. Not only on a personal level, but on an economic one for the city. Visitors are making choices to come to Austin—not a theme park. They want to shop at independent stores, hear real music, eat at great new restaurants. They want to play the way we play.
When the ACVB is out on the road promoting Austin as a convention destination, we let the city do the talking. We just came back from the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in New York. First, we showed off our world class barbecue. Then Dale Watson and Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears brought down the house. So when people get here, we’re going to deliver not because they are paying for it, but because it’s a real experience, and we love it too.
FF: But those are our secrets, our musicians, our chefs. Why share?
BL: Because visitors are clapping right along with us for the things we want most in Austin. Look, at a very blunt level, without tourism, Austinites would pay about $1000 more per household per year in taxes to support the basic infrastructure of the city. But on a more subtle and, arguably, important level, visitors are part of the mix of appreciating, applauding and paying for the entertainment, meals, nightlife, clothes, art and experiences that all of us in Austin get to enjoy.
FF: So it sounds like without visitors, Austin would be a very different place.
BL: Definitely. About ten years ago, the city council made some investments that at the time were contentious, but we can see in hindsite have turned out really great for Austin and Austinites. Doubling the size of the convention center, building the Hilton Hotel and moving the airport didn’t just bump up our visitors—it took Austin into an altogether different game. The Hilton Hotel alone allowed us to book 70% more business and conventions. That’s a lot more people coming into town, eating at restaurants, supporting our musicians, spending their money at our independent stores.
FF: So they come, they spend, they leave.
BL: And they leave really happy. Play is so important and often the only chance we get to play is when we’re on vacation.
A few months ago, Peter Yesawich, of the YPartnership, was in Austin talking at our Annual Luncheon about the personal benefits of play and travel. He did a survey that shows more than half of people rated their overall health one point higher while on vacation. They sleep more during and after vacations, and 57% of the people he surveyed said the number one thing they plan to do more of in 2011 to increase their enjoyment and quality of life, is travel. They come home happier, more productive, more relaxed… it’s a win-win.
FF: So Austin makes visitors happy. We’re service providers really.
BL: And we get to reap those same benefits all year long—we get to play right in our backyard.
Ten years ago, downtown was strictly business. There were a few fun spots sprinkled throughout—a show at the Paramount, happy hour on 6th Street or a bar to see a band—but they were hard to get to and niche oriented.
Today, you can walk around downtown on any night and anyone in Austin—visitors, college students, professionals—can find something fun to do. And not just fun—world class fun. Chefs who could open restaurants in New York or Los Angeles are in the 2nd Street District next to one-of-a-kind boutiques. Musicians who are winning Grammy’s may pop in to join Lyle Lovett when he’s playing at the Paramount.
FF: Critics bemoan that we’re just building new and clean on the ashes of authentic old Austin.
BL: There’s a lot of nostalgia for the “good old Austin” but I think the Good Old Days are now. Austin is just as vibrant, innovative and creative as when we built the Armadillo World Headquarters or Liberty Lunch. Today it’s just a new generation with Bob Schneider playing at Threadgill's in between national appearances or national and local musicians playing at ACL Live at The Moody Theater.
FF: So no roller coaster along Congress?
BL: Who needs roller coasters when you’ve got pedi-cabs, beer trolleys and dedicated bike lanes?