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Mr. Kelly thanked all those involved in bringing the event to Eugene. He was happy about the trials coming <br />to Eugene. He said the event was exciting and significant for the community in terms of connections and <br />opportunities. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly asked about opportunities for cross-promotion of other events. Ms. Jones said the entertainment <br />committee would calendar other events with the goal of increasing room night stays. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly asked if there were any new hotel projects planned. Ms. Westlund responded that there had been <br />some new hotel projects announced, including a Holiday Inn in the Gateway area. There were rumors of <br />other projects that would provide rooms not included in the bid process. She did not anticipate housing <br />would be a problem because many of the seats would be filled by local residents. There were also rooms <br />available in neighboring communities. Eugene would work with those communities to make sure that <br />visitors had easy access to the event. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly suggested the event could be an educational opportunity about track and field and said perhaps <br />the committee could provide guidebooks about track and field for distribution in the schools and to residents <br />like himself who knew nothing about track and field before arriving in Eugene. Mr. Masback said that a <br />curriculum that crossed many subject matters could be developed. There was also cultural history attached <br />to track and field. He thought there was an educational component that would serve to promote the event. <br />He said that there had been progress in getting fans to understand what was going on, including internal <br />event broadcasts and brochures. He said The Register-Guard traditionally did a good job in covering the <br />Prefontaine Classic and thought it would do a good job with the trials as well. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé also thanked those involved in bringing the event to Eugene. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé determined from Ms. Westlund that a new Holiday Inn would be constructed on the site of the <br />former Quality Inn, for a net addition of about 40 rooms. Those rooms were accounted for in the bid. Ms. <br />Westlund confirmed that athletes would be housed at the Hilton Hotel and the media would be primarily <br />housed at Gateway. She noted that the bid requirements called for a minimum of two 350-room hotels. <br />Eugene’s largest hotel had 272 rooms. The hospitality industry had been very cooperative in helping the bid <br />committee meet the requirements. Ms. Westlund acknowledged another large hotel would be useful. <br /> <br />Responding to a question from Mr. Papé, Mr. Masback said USA Track and Field was a not-for-profit <br />organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was a product of the Amateur Sports Act, passed in 1978. <br />The organization had about 100,000 members across the country. It created the rules for track and field. <br />The organization certified records and sanctioned 5,000 races and events each year. It collaborated with the <br />U.S. Olympic Committee and had responsibility for putting on the trials, working with local organizing <br />committees to actually stage the event. USA Track and Field received no government funding. Revenues <br />were from memberships, sanctions, merchandise sales, and corporate sponsorships. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé suggested that, although it was not an Olympic event, the trials include a twilight mile race for <br />“old time’s sake.” <br /> <br />Responding to a question from Ms. Taylor, Ms. Kousky said that the UO would set aside rooms to be used <br />by athletes and spectators. The new Living Learning Center would be used to house athletes. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 8, 2006 Page 3 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />