Greater Raleigh Tourism e-News
Welcome to the sixth issue of Greater Raleigh Tourism e-News … presented by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB). This monthly e-News is the metamorphosis of two CVB communications tools (Visitor Advance and Matter of Fax). Please let us know about any news pertaining to Wake County's billion dollar visitor industry for possible inclusion in future issues.
IN VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6:
• PONY Softball Returns for Fourth Year from July 26-31
• Cary Lands State Games in 2005 and 2006
• More March Madness in 2008
• Annual Luncheon Highlights
• 2003/04 Annual Report Now Available
• TGIF Girls' Night Out Promotion
• 2004/05 Cooperative Marketing Opportunities
• Ad Sales Begin for 2005 Visitors Guide
• New Convention Center/Hotel Update
• Assisted Bureau Bookings in June
• Bureau Brings Home Five RPRS Awards
• Events in Greater Raleigh This Month
PONY Softball Returns for Fourth Year from July 26-31
For the fourth consecutive year, the PONY Softball Fastpitch Nationals will take place in Wake County, July 26-31. The tournament has grown each year here, and with more than 275 teams expected, it is one of the largest annual youth events on Greater Raleigh's sports calendar. It is a great boost to local hotels as well, generating nearly 15,000 total room nights last year and $3.9 million estimated economic impact.
This year, teams ages 16/under and 18/under, will play at more than 30 fields in Raleigh and Cary. It is hosted by the City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation, the Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and the GRCVB.
Primary sites include Walnut Creek and Buffaloe Road in Raleigh, and Thomas Brooks, Middle Creek and Bond Park in Cary. Tickets are available at the gate. Click here for more information.
Cary Lands State Games in 2005 and 2006
The State Games of North Carolina will be held in Cary for the first time ever in 2005 and 2006. The three partners in the successful bid were the Bureau, Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and SAS Institute, which came on board as the primary sponsor. The games typically draw between 10,000 and 13,000 athletes, making it one of the state's largest sporting events.
The State Games were held in Winston-Salem in 2003-04 and were in Raleigh from 2000-2002, where attendance topped 13,000, reaching record highs. Greensboro was awarded the event in 2007-08, Charlotte in 2009-10 and Winston-Salem in 2011-12.
The 23-event, Olympic-style festival is owned and managed by the nonprofit North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS). The State Games are open to all ages, but most competitors are in the 10-18 age range, and come from all 100 North Carolina counties. The games take place on weekends throughout the month of June, culminating in the featured weekend at the end of the month.
More March Madness in 2008
The NCAA announced that Raleigh has been named as a site for NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, First & Second Rounds, in 2008. Games will be played Friday and Sunday, March 21 and 23, at the RBC Center. N.C. State University will serve as the official host institution.
The announcement follows on the heels of a successful 2004 NCAA tournament in Raleigh, when the RBC Center was sold out for all six games. Those games with more than 12 hours of national television exposure on CBS highlighted Raleigh and the RBC Center for millions of viewers representing potential future business. The 2004 tourney also proved to be a winner for the local economy, as the event generated approximately 4,844 total hotel room nights, with an estimated economic impact of $2.3 million.
Of note, Charlotte will host NCAA first and second round action in 2005 and regional finals in 2008, while opening rounds action will be in Greensboro in 2006 and Winston-Salem in 2007.
Annual Luncheon Highlights
More than 400 people attended the Bureau's 17th annual luncheon on July 14.
Kirk Watson (pictured right), a former two-term mayor of Austin, Texas and a catalyst in Austin expanding their downtown convention center, delivered a highly charged and humorous keynote speech by offering timely advice and words of wisdom as to how Austin businesses benefited from the new convention center and its expansion.
Meanwhile, luncheon emcee Jim Cain challenged the attendees to partner more with the Bureau to extend their marketing reach and business objectives, help book meetings and conventions for the new convention center, raise service standards across the community, build other necessary visitor infrastructure, and advocate even more marketing resources for the new convention center and tourism promotion.
With some of the luncheon's focus on the proposed new convention center and headquarters hotel, the Raleigh City Council and Wake County Commissioners were the 2004 recipients of the Thad Eure, Jr. Memorial Award for their many efforts moving this significant project forward. Dr. Betsy Bennett received the John B. Ross, Jr. Leadership Award for leading the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences through its dynamic period of expansion, elevating it from a hidden gem to a recognized leader in environmental education and natural science research, and attracting the recent blockbuster exhibition Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit, which drew 240,000 to the downtown Raleigh museum.
2003/04 Annual Report Now Available
A printed version of the Bureau's 17th Annual Report can be obtained by contacting Linda Bonine at 919-645-2662 or lbonine@visitraleigh.com. More comprehensive information can also be accessed online with full details about sales, sports, leisure marketing, etc.
TGIF Girls' Night Out Promotion
As the summer season sizzles, North Carolina's Capital City area is offering visitors an opportunity to pamper themselves with luxurious spa offers during its popular TGIF Weekend deals now through Labor Day. Perfect for a Girls' Night Out, the spa deals combine accommodations with discounts on an array of indulgent treatments, shopping and attractions. Once guests book a stay at one of 29 participating hotels, they are entitled to a 10% discount on five fabulous treatments at two of Raleigh's Iatria Day Spas. Soothing treatments include a Sea Salt Body Polish, Spa Pedicure, Pumpkin Enzyme or Green Tea Facial, Spa Manicure or Getaway Massage. Also register to win a free Girls' Night Out getaway to Raleigh at www.VisitRaleigh.com/spa.
2004/05 Cooperative Marketing Opportunities
From the blockbuster Matisse and Picasso exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art to exciting new retail opportunities at North Hills and Triangle Town Center and from significant sporting events like the CIAA Basketball Tournament and U.S. Open Golf Championship in nearby Pinehurst to hundreds of holiday and spring events, there are many ways to leverage CVB programs and assist your business goals through the area's billion dollar visitor industry.
Right now, some exciting cooperative partnerships have been developed starting this fall and holiday season that offer ways to join forces with CVB campaigns via online, magazine and newspaper advertising with rates starting from $250. For more information about these co-op marketing opportunities, please contact the Bureau's director of partnership and tourism marketing Shawn Braden at 919-645-2663 or sbraden@visitraleigh.com. The initial space commitments must be received by Monday, July 26.
Ad Sales Begin for 2005 Visitors Guide
Advertising sales for the 2005 Visitors Guide to Raleigh and Wake County will soon commence with rates starting from $125 for this signature publication distributed to more than 300,000 people. For more information, please contact Candi Griffin at 919-645-2676 or adsales@visitraleigh.com.
New Convention Center Update
On July 13, the Raleigh City Council and the Wake County Board of Commissioners directed the architects for the new convention center to create a design that balances Raleigh's heritage with its emerging future. The architectural team of O'Brien Atkins, Clearscapes and TVS will continue to work on a schematic design for the new center to be presented to the elected officials in October 2004.
The project's architects posed this question: What is the balance between a convention center that is the signature image of Raleigh and a center that blends into the community? How can this structure capture our Tar Heel heritage while conveying a diverse, prospering city that is leading the emerging knowledge-based economy?
The elected officials agreed that the architects should move on the assumptions that:
- much of Raleigh's identity is derived from its role as the capital of North Carolina.
- the design of the convention center should convey the transition from Raleigh's heritage to its emerging knowledge-based future.
- the building materials used in the convention center should reinforce this transition by using traditional materials in contemporary ways.
- the building should respond to the goals of the Livable Streets Program.
- the center's art should amplify North Carolina as the state of arts.
The architects will next meet with the elected officials and the public on August 10 when the subject of the presentation will be "Character Concept." On September 14 the architects will present "Evolution of Character." The public meetings will commence at 5 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center. The elected officials will hold a joint meeting on October 14 to make a decision on the schematic design, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center.
The new convention center complex will result in 900 additional new jobs and more than $50 million additional economic benefit annually for Wake County. Click here for more details.
- 2004 CASL Girls Showcase, Dec. 3-5, 2004 (8,500 TRN; $2.3 million EEI)
- NC Electric Cooperatives, six different meetings in 2004 (546 TRN; $328,068 EEI)
- Cole Layer Trumble Company, Nov. 16-19, 2004 (370 TRN; $132,270 EEI)
- Quality Stay 4 Less Pay, July 20-Aug. 4, 2004 (308 TRN; $127,308 EEI)
- Folk, Round & Square Dance Federation of NC, Aug. 19-22 (260 TRN; $101,010 EEI)
Bureau Brings Home Five RPRS Awards
The CVB captured five Raleigh Public Relations Society honors at its annual banquet last month. It won a Best in Division and Gold Award for the RaleighNow.com web site, Silver Award for Raleigh Rankings Sales Flyer and Honorable Mention for 2004 Visitors Guide and Monthly Calendar of Events. In all, the Bureau won a dozen awards in various competitions this past year.
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