FY 2013 Operating and Capital Budget - Metro Transit

Business Enterprises
Riverfront Attractions – Budget Assumptions
The Riverfront Attractions, which include the Gateway Arch Riverboats, Arch View
Café, gift shop, bike rental concession, and the heliport, create a complete family and
tourist destination. The ability to provide these additional offerings to guests has created
cross-promotional marketing opportunities, which leverage the success of the Gateway
Arch Journey to the Top and increase per capita revenues. In FY 2013, the Gateway
Arch Riverboats will be initiating a new pricing strategy of “combo pricing” by reducing
cruise fares by $4 in combination with the ticket purchases of other Arch attractions. In
addition, the popular All Access Passes packages several offerings in a single pass,
including the one-hour sightseeing cruise and lunch at the Arch View Café. This same
strategy has proven successful in attracting over 1,500 music school participants in the
River City Days. With these partnerships and promotions, it is the goal of the Riverfront
Attractions to increase awareness and revenues of Metro’s operations on the riverfront.
In FY 2013, the Gateway Arch Riverboats, with the combined efforts and aggressive
marketing strategies of Metro and the National Park Service, will continue their
successful programs such as the award winning Riverboat Educational Program, cruises
that focus on St. Louis’ involvement in the Civil War, and the popular “Bike With a
Ranger” opportunities each Saturday along the north riverfront trail.
Revenue
Cruise revenue is based on a budget in FY 2013 of 77,765 sightseeing passengers, 10,143
dinner cruise passengers and 11,566 charter and special cruise passengers. Cruise revenue
for FY 2013 is budgeted at 1.0% higher than the FY 2012 projection. The FY 2013
Riverboats passenger counts and revenues are negatively impacted by conservatively
budgeting 18 cruising days lost to Mississippi River flooding while the FY 2012 projection
experienced the loss of 7 flood days
during the vital July 4 th holiday
week. An adult sightseeing ticket
can be purchased for $14.00 and the
child sightseeing fare is $8.00. A
base dinner cruise ticket is $42.00 for
adults.
Food
28.5%
Riverfront Attractions
FY 2013 Operating Revenue
Cruise
49.9%
Food revenue includes food sold on
dinner dance cruises and at the
concession stands on the dock and
boats. Food revenue is budgeted in
FY 2013 to increase by 1.7% from
the FY 2012 projection.
Beverage
11.1%
Other
6.5%
Retail
4.0%
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