Downtown Merchants Summit
Downtown Raleigh has a history of hosting an eclectic mix of festivals and events, and the quality and variety continues to grow! The success of these events involves a strategic partnership between the planners, the local businesses where the events are held and stakeholder organizations like the Greater Raleigh CVB, Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) and the City of Raleigh. Additionally, clear communication to all is critical—including the attendees of these events.

As we look to the future, we aim to have communication that is clear and strong as we prepare for upcoming events.

The GRCVB is proud to partner with the DRA to host a Merchants Summit on October 26 at 2pm. The event will be held in Room 402 at the Raleigh Convention Center and will feature a panel presentation by representatives from the DRA, GRCVB, Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh Police Department and the ABC Board. A Q&A session will follow the panel.

Businesses in the downtown Raleigh districts, especially those bordering festival/event sites, like City Plaza, Fayetteville Street and Nash and Moore Squares, are encouraged to participate.

For questions or to register, contact Julie Brakenbury, director of services at GRCVB at jbrakenbury@visitRaleigh.com, or Brandi Barnhart, Public Space & Events manager at DRA at BrandiBarnhart@downtownraleigh.org.

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Greater Raleigh CVB Wins Four DMANC Awards
Congratulations to the Bureau’s Marketing team for winning four Destination Marketing Association of N.C. (DMANC) Achievement Awards at the association’s annual meeting held in Concord. Jonathan Freeze, GRCVB marketing director, was on hand to accept the four awards including two Platinum Awards for the Convention and Sports Group Alert and the Greater Raleigh Video Gallery, as well as two Gold Awards for the 2010 Visitors Guide and the 2011 Meeting Planners Guide. Congratulations to all (including the Bureau’s video producers at Triangle Blvd) who put in countless hours on these outstanding, and now award-winning, marketing pieces!

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Greater Raleigh Applies to Host State Games
The Greater Raleigh CVB and its host partners submitted a regional bid to host the State Games of North Carolina. North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS), which oversees and manages State Games, is seeking host cities from 2013 to 2020. In addition to the Greater Raleigh CVB, the Triangle’s bid includes the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, City of Raleigh, Town of Cary, City of Durham, Durham County, N.C. State University, Duke University and N.C. Central University. The State Games would bring approximately 14,000 participants, from nearly all of the state’s 100 counties, to the Triangle. The event typically generates approximately 4,000 hotel room-nights and more than $3 million in direct visitor spending. The State Games were last held in Wake County in 2005-06, when the games were hosted by Cary. A decision by NCAS on upcoming host cities is expected early in 2012.

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SPONSORED MESSAGE
A Nutcracker First: Grand-Scale Illusions

The Nutcracker takes you to a magical place where it snows indoors, candy canes dance, and boats fly. This year Carolina Ballet enhances the magic with grand-scale illusions designed by Rick Thomas, one of the world’s top magicians. Carolina Ballet’s Nutcracker presented by Progress Energy, with new magic sponsored by WRAL-TV, is the classic Christmas holiday production you know and love, but now it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen. Toys come to life. Children shrink, appear out of thin air and levitate high above the stage. A celebrity guest will make a cameo appearance at each performance. The new production also features lavish new scenery by Jeff A.R. Jones and a cast of over 100 performers accompanied by live orchestra conducted by Carolina Ballet’s Music Director Alfred E. Sturgis. The Nutcracker plays in Raleigh December 16-24 and tickets start at only $25. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.carolinaballet.com.

Seeking Business and Restaurant Partnerships
Carolina Ballet is also interested in partnerships and collaborations with Greater Raleigh restaurants and businesses. If you have an interest or would like to house a rack card or season program at your location, please contact Kelly at khook@carolinaballet.com.
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Greater Raleigh in the News
It was a stellar month for destination media coverage. Numerous Wake County hospitality partners were highlighted in articles touting North Carolina’s Capital City area as an ideal place for both leisure and business travelers. Meetings South magazine highlighted The Pavilions at the Angus Barn in the article “Southern Beats.” Ideal Living Magazine touted the Raleigh area as a “Boomtown for Boomers,” and AirTran’s GO featured numerous Raleigh area hospitality partners in their feature “Raleigh: In Brief.” The Raleigh area was also highlighted in a Southeast Marketplace feature in the September issue of Successful Meetings; Southern Hospitality Traveler covered the “New Must-Do’s in Raleigh, North Carolina”; and AAA Home & Away featured ghost sites and haunted tales in the area. Wine Enthusiast mentioned the North Carolina Museum of Art and Raleigh Denim, while Southern Hospitality Traveler highlighted more than 10 area partners.

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MPI-CC Tradeshow
National sales manager Loretta Yingling, CMP, and sales coordinator Nicole Robinson participated in a Meeting Professionals International – Carolinas Chapter event held in Durham and attended by more than 80 planners from North Carolina and South Carolina. The theme of the booth was “Destination: Greater Raleigh,” for which Loretta and Nicole were dressed up as airline pilots and gave away visit Raleigh-brand luggage locks.

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Travel Media Showcase
Ryan Smith, communications director at the Greater Raleigh CVB, attended the 2011 Travel Media Showcase, which was held in late September in Oklahoma City. During the three-day media marketplace, Smith met with more than 40 travel, lifestyle, food and family travel journalists. The Travel Media Showcase offered a unique opportunity, allowing top travel journalists and travel industry professionals to meet one-on-one, at a single location, to exchange information and develop personal contacts.

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Celebrate as Greater Raleigh Goes Dutch
In conjunction with the N.C. Museum of Art’s upcoming blockbuster exhibition, Rembrandt in America (Oct. 30, 2011 - Jan. 22, 2012), the GRCVB, along with hospitality partners including Crabtree Valley Mall and the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown, are celebrating as Greater Raleigh Goes Dutch with a sweepstakes, special discounts and a spectacular hotel package. Tell your friends and families to put on their sabots, be sure to wear orange and visit Raleigh this fall, as our destination goes Dutch.

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