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August 1, 2013 By admin

Food with Wine Coalition Legislative/Media Project

KGA Food with Wine Coalition Logo 082707

Introduction

The Food with Wine Coalition (FWWC) is a non profit organization which was established by the Kentucky Grocers Association (now known as the Kentucky Grocers Association & the Kentucky Association of Convenience Stores) for the purpose of educating and informing Kentucky’s thought leaders about the benefits of revising existing state law to allow grocery stores to sell wine in wet and moist counties.  At present, 34 states allow grocery stores to sell wine.  Six of seven of Kentucky’s border states allow grocery stores to sell wine.

Lifestyles have changed and wine has become a healthy part of a balanced diet when consumed in moderation.  Across Kentucky, consumers are asking grocery store managers to sell wine to pair with the food that they are purchasing for dinner.  There are three compelling reasons why the law should be changed:

  • Expands consumer choice and competition in the wine marketplace
  • Supports Kentucky’s farm families by expanding the number of sales outlets for Kentucky-produced wine and increases the demand for Kentucky-grown grapes
  • Adds much needed tax revenue to the coffers of the Commonwealth without raising taxes

The FWWC retained Luke Schmidt and L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC for the purpose of developing and directing the project.

Project Scope

As consultant to the FWWC, Luke Schmidt provided the following services to the Coalition:

  • Designed project scope and established goals
  • Managed the Coalition; scheduled meetings, established Agendas and conducted meetings and teleconferences
  • Developed collateral support materials such as one-pagers, project brochure, project promotional video, Web site, etc.
  • Distributed collateral materials
  • Conducted outreach to key writers and editorial boards to all daily newspapers, key news talk radio stations and television stations; secured editorial support; served as the spokesperson for the Coalition; developed list of regional grocery industry spokespersons
  • Developed PR campaign strategy with press releases, op-ed articles; solicit/secure talk radio, television and other media opportunities
  • Started outreach to key local chambers of commerce, The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and built support for the issue
  • Developed and maintained the link with the agriculture community, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky’s grape and wine industry
  • Coordinated outreach to the Governor’s Office and Members of the General Assembly
  • Coordinated legislation development and sponsorship

Project Results

The FWWC positioned itself to lead the discussion on this issue.  Luke Schmidt led the development of various collateral materials which were used to support the Coalition’s position, including a new logo.

The Coalition developed a Web site which contains a wealth of information on the issue.  In addition, Luke Schmidt led the development of the Coalition’s promotional video .  The Coalition also produced a project brochure which was distributed to industry and legislative representatives.

The Coalition also produced a general one-pager, along with an economic impact one-pager, both of which were distributed to Members of the Kentucky General Assembly and were also distributed with press releases.

FWWC Collateral PieceAs consultant to the Coalition, Luke Schmidt developed an extensive media distribution list and called on over 40 key media outlets throughout the Commonwealth (and adjacent markets in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and West Virginia) during two statewide media tours, including television stations, talk radio stations, NPR radio stations and all daily newspapers which resulted in hundreds of positive newspaper articles, radio and television news stories.  (Many of the newspaper articles and television news reports can be viewed in the Media section on this Web site)  Three newspapers endorsed the Coalition’s position.  Press releases were issued as needed.

Luke Schmidt called on key local Chambers of Commerce in the Commonwealth’s Top 10 markets.  The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed the Coalition’s position.

The Coalition launched an initial statewide petition drive which included 110 grocery stores and which gathered 56,000 signatures.  A follow-up online petition drive secured another 18,000 signatures.  The petition drives were supported with unique in-store collateral pieces.

Summary

Luke Schmidt worked closely with a group of grocers which comprised the FWWC Steering Committee.  The grocers provided invaluable support, insight and counsel.  A true partnership was established.  Yet, Members of the Kentucky General Assembly continued to focus exclusively on critical issues such as the Commonwealth’s severe budget shortfall, unfunded pension liabilities, etc., all the while avoiding the controversial issue.  As such, the foundation to support legislation to allow grocery store wine sales was put into place;  however, the environment needed to pass the controversial legislation remained challenging at best.

The FWWC elected to take this issue to court, challenging the constitutionality of the law.  In 2012, U.S. District Court Judge John Heyburn ruled in Louisville that Kentucky’s existing law which outlawed the sale of wine in grocery stores was illegal and further stated that grocery stores should be allowed to sell wine and distilled spirits.  The ruling was appealed by the liquor store industry and the issue is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

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Filed Under: 2013, Government Relations Projects, Marketing/Communications/Media Strategy Projects, Projects Tagged With: communications, Government relations, luke schmidt, media

July 26, 2013 By admin

Addington Field – Elizabethtown (KY) Regional Airport Airline Service Project

EKX Logo

Introduction

The Elizabethtown (KY) Airport Board (EAB) operates the city’s municipal airport, Addington Field – Elizabethtown Regional Airport (EKX).  The EAB decided to respond to numerous inquiries received from area citizens and businesses regarding the establishment of passenger airline service at EKX.

The EAB initially retained Luke Schmidt and L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC for the purpose of conducting a market feasibility study to confirm the presence of a viable passenger airline service market in Central Kentucky.  Following the completion of the feasibility study, the EAB elected to proceed with the project to formally recruit an airline to EKX and again retained L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC to direct the project

Project Scope

The Market Feasibility Study (276 pages) included detailed demographic research into each of the 24 counties in the regional air service market.  Highlights of the Study (and the updated market profile which followed) include:

  • Analysis of Fort Knox travel patterns
  • Summary of Fort Knox market (current Commands and incoming Commands)
  • Projected annual passenger enplanements by developing the Origin & Destination Study
  • Detailed demographic information on Elizabethtown Metro area
  • Analysis of regional driving distances, costs and times to all regional commercial airports

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAdditional work on the project continued, focusing on the following areas:

  • Develop communications/promotion strategy for the airport
  • Develop regional support for passenger airline service
  • Address airport infrastructure issues
  • Recruit airlines to EKX

Project milestones include:

  • Re-branded the airport by changing the airport’s name to reflect new regional mission
  • Developed new airport logo and related collateral materials
  • Developed new airport Web site
  • Developed concept design for new passenger terminal
  • Developed an unprecedented level of regional support for new passenger service at EKX along with key support at Fort Knox (included 72 resolutions and 200+ letters of support from government jurisdictions and chambers of commerce from 22 counties in support of EKX’s USDOT Small Community Air Service Development grant proposal)
  • Began efforts to develop contract military airfares
  • Started airline recruitment process with formal and ongoing discussions with all major network carriers and one low-cost carrier
  • Attended the airline industry JumpStart Conference in Pittsburgh
  • Established a schedule of airline airport charges and fees

EKX TerminalLuke Schmidt also worked with the EAB to address airport infrastructure issues.  Luke Schmidt facilitated initial meetings with former Congressman Ron Lewis for the purpose of securing funding for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) Glide Slope (which will be installed in 2013).  This included multiple trips to Memphis, TN with airport board members to meet with FAA regional officials.

The EAB commissioned a set of concept drawings for a new passenger terminal.

100_3122[2]In 2012 and in response to this project, the runway at EKX received a significant pavement overlay which now will allow for sustained operations of 76-passenger Canadair CRJ-900 regional jets for the next 15 years (along with occasional Boeing 737/757 charter flights).

Summary

Significant progress has been made towards the attainment of the goals set forth with this project.  This ongoing project has the potential to substantially impact future economic development efforts in Central Kentucky and will assist in creating new jobs.

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Filed Under: 2013, Econ Dev, Economic Development Projects, Government Relations Projects, Marketing/Communications/Media Strategy Projects, Projects Tagged With: Airline service, aviation, Economic development, luke schmidt, Marketing, media

November 28, 2012 By admin

Airport Survey Confirms Potential (Somerset) Commonwealth-Journal

 

Article was originally posted to the (Somerset) Commonwealth-Journal’s Web site http://somerset-kentucky.com/newslive/x1951907198/Airport-survey-confirms-potential

by Bill Mardis Commonwealth Journal

Somerset —

Results of a regional survey of airline travelers announced Tuesday indicate a robust market in this Southern Kentucky area for commuter airline service at Lake Cumberland Regional Airport.
Released by the Somerset-Pulaski County Development Foundation, the survey indicates a potential annual enplanement of 142,166 passengers who would use airline service in and out of the Somerset airport.
Both Martin Shearer, executive director of the development foundation and Luke B. Schmidt, president of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC, project consultant, said a airline company is interested in providing commuter service at the local airport.
“It’s like recruiting an industrial prospect,” said Schmidt. “Name of the interested commuter service is confidential at this point.” He said there is still a lot of work to do, “ … dotting i’s and crossing t’s … like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.”
Schmidt noted the survey’s two strategic goals:
• Recruit a regional airline that is aligned with a major carrier such as American, Delta or US Airways.
• Establish service to a major connecting hub.
Schmidt said the interested airline service meets these objectives. The company has service in several small markets and  “ … has been around a long time,” Shearer revealed. He said the company is interested in establishing connection with a major airline hub and flying out of Somerset.
“We have made a lot of progress toward establishing a major market profile,” said Schmidt. The survey’s findings include the following information:
• Responding companies reported booking a total of 312 round trips by air each month.
• Approximately 612 visitors fly to the region each month to meet with responding companies.
• Total number of round trips by air to/from the region with responding companies equals 923 each month.
• Lexington is currently the preferred airport for flyers in Somerset, London and Corbin.
• Hours required to drive (one-way) to the primary airport in Lexington averaged 1.5 hours.
• Ninety-one percent of responding companies will use the service if a major connecting hub with reasonable fares is provided.
Although a commuter airline service out of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport would ultimately serve 16 counties in Southern Kentucky, Schmidt said the survey focused on the Somerset, London and Corbin areas. The reason, he said, is because these communities are the core of the proposed market with a combined population of 384,000. Schmidt met personally with several large employers in Somerset, London and Corbin areas.
A Florida-based commuter airline operated out of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, first to Nashville and then to Washington, D.C., for a little more than two years. It was subsidized with about $900,000 obtained by Congressman Hal Rogers from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $100,000 in local matching funds. No sustaining local source of funding developed before the federal funds were exhausted and the airline shut down February 19, 2010.
The survey to reestablish commuter air service out of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport is an effort by Somerset-Pulaski Development Foundation, Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, Somerset-Pulaski Convention & Visitors Bureau, Corbin Economic Development Agency, London/Laurel County Chamber of Commerce, local airport board and Somerset and Pulaski County governments

Filed Under: 2012, Economic Development News, Latest News Tagged With: Airline service, aviation, Economic development, luke schmidt, media

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