Page 127 of As a Last Resort
Robby looked straight at me and a hint of a smile bloomed on his face.
“Actually, Samantha, wasn’t there one other thing you wanted to go over before we move on?Something about making a ton of money and cutting a lot of the costs?”Robby asked me.And he winked.
Glenn’s nostrils flared as his face turned from a blush to tomato red.
I straightened my back and took a breath in.
“This development plan, it not only works for Rock Island, but the concepts and ideas are transferable to other properties with similar geographic locations, as well as clientele with similar demographics.We’ve created the plan to be retrofitted into existing establishments, and have also included options for a new build, which will cut development costs and timelines in half.”
“That’s a pretty big statement.”Glenn clenched through his teeth.
I saw both confusion and intrigue cross over the faces of the board members.
“It’s called the Lighthouse Collection.”I clicked through the presentation to a page with the logo, a thin elegant pencil and watercolor drawing of a lighthouse.
“Lighthouses exist to safely guide captains in and out of the harbor.They serve as coastal navigation, steering captains to their destinations.Our developments through the Lighthouse Collection will stand as a beacon, guiding travelers to the locations where they’re built.Areas with similar geography can support these establishments.We’d make changes based on what’s important to the specific clientele of the area, but essentially we’d use this plan as a foundation.”
“A coastal city in a box.”Richard Gere looked intrigued.
“That’s one way to look at it.Every site won’t have a gem naturally built in like Rock Island does with the Birchwood Beach, but every location will have something special and unique.We just have to find out what it is.It cuts the due diligence period by more than half, decreasing cost on the development side.Most of the time involved is focused on the core values of the ideal customers in these geographic areas, and finding out what makes that particular location unlike anything else.It enables us to tailor the plan in half the time, cutting costs without cutting important development considerations.”
“And cutting the number of tourists we can take in by more than half,” Glenn argued.A red blotch appeared on his neck.
“Let’s reframe the people who are coming,” I continued.Glenn’s jaw ticked as the other board members leaned toward me, intrigued.“They’re not just Disney World tourists looking for tchotchkes and cheap thrills.We’re talking about valued guests, and our developments being a beacon of light for them.We’re not aiming for a onetime customer.We’re aiming for a lifetime customer.There isn’t room for everyone all at once, and that’s part of the allure.And there’s also a large retail element for the Lighthouse Collection.Ivy?”
I nodded at Ivy, prompting her to jump in.
“There’s a huge collectible soft lines opportunity.”She confidently leaned forward in her chair.“And to help bolster the local businesses, there will be upscale home goods like custom-made driftwood furniture, locally poured candles, and art—all in limited, numbered batch runs.Once they’re sold, they’re gone.”
“For excursions and on-site offerings,” I continued, “instead of roller coasters and bumper cars, you have sunset dolphin cruises and inshore fishing charters.We’d be able to justify higher prices because it’s a better quality experience.And yes, we’ll still have pool bars and on-site restaurants, but the per head revenue is actually much higher coupled with these new higher-price-point offerings.”A few of the board members were looking toward Richard Gere.“And, part of the proceeds will go to fund the wildlife preserves in each area along the coastline.”
Ivy eagerly chimed in.“There are tons of endangered species and protected plots of land along these waters.We attract a different kind of traveler with this approach, one who appreciates nature and cares for the environment.”
“And one who doesn’t mind spending top dollar to make surethey’re not left out of visiting one of the most coveted gems in the South,” I added.“These guests will want to visit all of the top Lighthouse Collection locations across the world.Here’s a list of twenty potential locations I’ve already vetted from a desktop perspective.”
The room was silent.I cleared my throat.
“We’ve worked the numbers, and although the property would accommodate fewer people, the additional revenue streams easily make up the difference.”
Silence again.
Then, everyone started talking at once.
“Do you think the state would provide conservation funds—”
“The PR angle is interesting—”
“I love the idea of supporting local artists—”
“Top ten undiscovered—”
“Did you see the picture of the trees—”
“Ms.Leigh,” Richard Gere’s voice cut through the chatter and everyone went quiet.“I believe you’ve excited my board.”
Glenn looked like he was about to puke.Robby was sitting there with his ever-present smirk on his face, and Ivy looked like she was about to have an orgasm.
“Thank you for your presentation.The board has quite a bit to chat about this afternoon.”
