Project Advisory Team Meeting #1 June 26 th, 2014

Today’s Agenda o Welcome and Introductions o CMP Background o Role of the Advisory Team o Upcoming Activities/Opportunities for Input o Upcoming Meetings

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS  Introduce yourself and share one way that your work relates to the river

CMP Background o Introduction to Great River Road o Legislative updates o Mission of MN-MRPC o Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o Current CMP Update Tasks

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o Shortened Route o Focused marketing and development on a single, shorter Great River Road route to best highlight the River o Achieved National Scenic Byway designation o Destination Areas o Developed Mississippi River Destination Area themes for marketing campaigns

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o Byway Gaps o Requested the MN Scenic Byways Commission designate eligible gapped communities and segments o Work with non-eligible communities to gain designation through local outdoor off-premise advertising ordinances o Regional Meetings o Tourism Grant o Developed plan for FY 2002/2003 tourism marketing program grant solicitation

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o MN-MRPC Structure o Added Regional Commissioners o Amended statute to allow non-traditional funds to be received and spent o Capital Projects o Identified highway and amenity project needs o Route Adjustments o Reviewed the National Scenic Byway route o Made recommendations for revisions to the route in Little Falls, St. Cloud, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Hastings

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o Roadside Storybook Project o Developed plan for Great River Road interpretation o Secured funding, developed and installed o Lake Itasca State Park o TH 371 Rest Area o Sand Prairie WMA o Sibley House o Inver Grove Heights Swing Bridge o Iowa State Entrance

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o Unpaved Roads o Identified all remaining unpaved sections of GRR o Three counties paved all sections except one o Mississippi River Trail o Identified route (70% on GRR) o Signed route from Iowa to Elk River 2013/2014 o Elk River to Headwaters to be signed 2015 o Marketing and bicycle-friendly assessments in MRT Host Communities

Accomplishments of 2001 CMP o MN Great River Road Map o Hospitality Training o Increased local tourism industry awareness o Developed MN-MRPC hospitality training program o Developed GRR travel booth, Exploration Guide, and map tablets for each Destination Area

CMP Update Tasks and Schedule

Role of the Advisory Team o Meeting schedule and timeframe o CMP Team expectations o Advisory Team member expectations

Upcoming Activities/Opportunities for Input o Data collection methodology o Deployment of field team o Community meetings o Weeks of July 21 and July 28 o MetroQuest online survey o Website and social media

Upcoming Meetings o Next meeting: August/September o Homework o Bring your agency or work mission/vision and research ways that the CMP and its implementation can add value to work you are already doing o Suggest venues for CMP outreach/activity/ meetings