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March Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board

Orange County · Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Advisory board meeting Arts and public artEconomic development incentivesEnvironment and sustainabilityFaith and cultural communities

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau board met in Carrboro on March 18, at the Drakeford Library Complex, and opened with a welcome from the Carrboro town manager and a reading by a former Carrboro poet laureate who sits on the board.

The executive director reported on final details for a sold-out Savannah Bananas event, other major April events in the county, and the bureau's plans for a July 4 event at the Colonial Inn tied to the nation's 250th anniversary.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Carrboro Town Manager Patrice Toney welcomed the board to the town's Drakeford Library Complex, describing Carrboro's race-equity and climate-action priorities and its work on a new Downtown Area Plan. Fred Joiner, the board member set to give the meeting's special reading, was listed absent, and the minutes record no reading taking place. The board approved February's minutes without changes.

Executive Director Laurie Paolicelli reported that the Savannah Bananas game already booked at Kenan Stadium is projected to bring $7 million to $10 million into the Triangle economy, with three more major events in the pipeline. She also relayed a consultant's strategic-plan findings, and after members said February's rollout of that report had moved too fast, the board voted to table forming subcommittees until an extended May meeting at the Carolina Inn.

How the votes went

Both motions passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded: approving February's minutes, and tabling subcommittee formation until the May meeting. The minutes do not break either vote down by name.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

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Agenda items (5)

Presentation · 2Staff or committee report · 2Minutes approval · 1
  1. III Welcome to Carrboro
    Presentation Environment and sustainability
    Carrboro Town Manager Patrice Toney welcomed the board, describing the town's race-equity and climate-action priorities, its Green Neighborhood Grant, and the new Drakeford Library Complex, which she said draws about 10,000 visitors a month.
  2. IV Special Reading
    Presentation Faith and cultural communities
    Fred Joiner, the board member scheduled to give this reading, was listed absent from the meeting, and the minutes record no reading taking place.
  3. V Approval of Minutes
    Minutes approval
    The board approved the February 18 minutes as submitted, on a motion from Sally Greene, seconded by Theo Nollert.
  4. VI Executive Director's Report
    Staff or committee report Economic development incentives
    Executive Director Laurie Paolicelli reported the Savannah Bananas game at Kenan Stadium is projected to bring $7 million to $10 million into the Triangle, with three more events in planning. She relayed a consultant's strategic-plan recommendations, and after members said the plan's February rollout moved too fast, the board voted to table forming subcommittees until an extended May meeting at the Carolina Inn.
  5. VII Community Updates
    Staff or committee report Arts and public art
    Board members gave updates: the Arts Commission's July 4 festival in Hillsborough, a BBQ and Biscuit Throwdown at the Carolina Inn on October 18, the Tarheel Antique Festival on April 10-11, and an America 250 living-history day on April 11.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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