HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-27-TOUR2-minTown of Lexington
Tourism Committee
Notes
October 27, 2025
Hybrid
Parker Room, Town Office Building
1625 Mass Avenue
Lexington MA 02420
and by Zoom
3:30—6:00pm
Members Present: Marsha Baker, Margaret Coppe (Chair), Pam Fowler, Marie -Tristan Rago,
Select Board Liaison: None
Center Committee Liaison: Kat McDonald
Staff Present: Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director
Jay Abdella, Senior Economic Development Coordinator
Stacia Cooper, Visitor Center Manager
Tour Services Coordinator: Jackson Rhodes
Quests: Fred Johnson
Dawn McKenna
No quorum.
Economic Development Report Jay Abdella/Sandhya Iyer
a) Operations data
i) VC People Counter— September 2025, 13,00 up 14% over 2024
ii) VC Sales —2025, $3,900 22 % increase over 2024
iii) Tours sales —September 2025; 15 Busses, 35% increase in people
iv) Liberty Ride Trolley sales —September 2025 Average of 56% ridership;
v) Sperling Reports:
https://reporting.sperlinginteractive.com/app/view/dashboard-2JBaxMVZTUCFt-eCEd-
f6Q?period=l.
vi) Fall Initiatives/Plans
RFP out for internet ads vendor (Sperling is one of the bidders) Total ad
budget is same as previous year
Wayfinding signs on bikeway close to completion
Waiting for state grant to expand wayfinding signs
11
Minutes
No quorum, September minutes will be held over to November meeting.
Liberty Ride
Discussion on
a) Funding; Revolving Fund is healthy; Dawn pointed out that the increase in meals/hotel
tax over the years is in the 14-21 million range; Marsha asked if that increase can be
attributed to the Liberty Ride
b) Should revisit collaboration with Lexington History Museums
c) Fred remains opposed to including Concord in the Liberty Ride itinerary
d) Suggested short term goals are to collaborate on tickets to History Museum houses,
work on script, see if MBTA bus announcements can reference Liberty Ride and/or
Lexington attractions
e) Suggested long term goals include a new vehicle and financing
f) Marsha and Pam will review the current Liberty Ride script and report back
g) Marie reported on small electric trains used in Europe.
4) Updates and Miscellaneous
a) Updates from Committee Members
Center Committee: Kat MacDonald Nothing about Liberty Ride at last meeting
Lexington History Museums: Marsha Baker reported that a decision was made to
remain open on Veterans Day, November 11; will be streaming the Ken Burns
special at the Depot; Buckman Tavern will open at 9:30 AM next season;
admissions to houses up 24%, museum shop up 33.5%, Ghosts and Graves had
100 people this year.
Website and email: No report
Cultural District: Meeting on October 29 to plan for next round of grants
Next Meeting: Monday November 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM, Hybrid
Respectfully submitted:
Margaret Coppe
November 5, 2025
iA