Greater Raleigh Tourism e-News
Welcome to the Greater Raleigh Tourism e-News … presented by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB). Please let us know about any news pertaining to Wake County's billion dollar visitor industry for possible inclusion in future issues.
IN VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2:
Raleigh Rocks: Convention Center Groundbreaking
Fond Farewell
Summer Rocks Concert Promotion
FORE! US Open on Tap
Save the Date: CVB Annual Luncheon on July 13
Sales/Sports News
CVB Secures Eight Awards
Brought To You By …
Dateline Raleigh
Events Through Next Month
Raleigh Rocks: Convention Center Groundbreaking
On April 6, construction of Raleigh's new convention center officially began with a ground-breaking ceremony. It is scheduled to open in the Spring 2008 and is among a billion dollars of new projects slated to open in Downtown Raleigh in the coming years. There will also be a 400-room Marriott hotel and 980-vehicle parking deck as part of the project.
Pictured (left-right): Jay Mahan, Greater Raleigh CVB Immediate Past Board Chairman; Charles Meeker, Mayor of Raleigh; Doyle Parrish, Greater Raleigh CVB Board Chairman; Dave Heinl, Greater Raleigh CVB President & CEO; Roger Krupa, Raleigh Convention Center Director; Eric Tannery, Raleigh Convention Center Commission Chairman.
Later that evening, the Bureau and Convention Center co-hosted a "Raleigh Rocks" groundbreaking reception for meeting planners, which attracted 126 attendees and included displays and a virtual reality tour of the new center; excellent food/beverage and entertainment, followed by tickets to Smokey Joe's Café performance.
The new convention center complex is expected to result in 900 additional new jobs and more than $50 million additional economic benefit annually for Wake County. Click here for more details on downtown project and convention center construction progress.
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Fond Farewell
As deeply rooted in selling tourism business as one of the Raleigh area's signature Oak trees, director of sales Shirley Tucker is leaving the Greater Raleigh CVB after 18 years of stellar service. Shirley has been one of the most positive influences in the Wake County hospitality industry for almost two decades and has contributed so much to the local economy. The search process has begun for a new director of sales, but there will never be another Shirley Tucker.
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Summer Rocks Concert Promotion
Summer always rocks, and never more so than Summer 2005 in Greater Raleigh as the Bureau joins forces with six local organizations to unveil its Summer Rocks concert promotion via a dedicated web site www.visitraleigh.com/concerts featuring hotel deals and special ticket offers as they become available, TicketMaster insert partnership with American Express and an online marketing campaign.
Experience the 15th anniversary roster of shows at long-time area favorite ALLTEL Pavilion, or see why Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre was recently voted the nation's best small concert venue. Enjoy old favorites, like the City of Raleigh's Alive After Five or – new this year – the free, all-day, multi-show events known as Budweiser Raleigh Downtown Live featuring nationally acclaimed artists. Revel in the intimacy of smaller shows at the North Carolina Museum of Art's Park Theater, or immerse yourself in the full-on charge of the RBC Center. The choices, and the range of musicians, are unique and varied.
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FORE! US Open on Tap
Worldwide media attention and other economic opportunities beckon for North Carolina as the 2005 U.S. Open makes a return trip to nearby Pinehurst from June 13-19. The Bureau is developing future business with fellow CVBs and the North Carolina Division of Tourism.
The sales team will host some of Greater Raleigh's top meeting planner prospects, while the area is a featured stop on the 5th Annual North Carolina Golf Cup Challenge – a Ryder Cup style event bringing 25 top-flight travel journalists and tour operators from North America (United States and Canada) and Europe (United Kingdom and Germany). The latter event features representatives from Air Canada, Ottawa Sun, Ultimate Golf Vacations, Golf Digest, Great Lakes Golf Magazine, Golf International, Golf aktuell, Whole World Golf and more.
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Save the Date: CVB Annual Luncheon on July 13
John K. Smith, retired general manager of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and a catalyst in the three expansions of the convention facility, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park, will deliver the keynote speech at the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau's 18th annual luncheon on Wednesday, July 13.
Also on the agenda is the presentation of the Thad Eure, Jr. Memorial Award and the John B. Ross, Jr. Leadership Award. Previous recipients of the Eure Award include Dr. James Goodnight and Ann Goodnight of SAS Institute, James F. Goodmon of Capitol Broadcasting and Bill Cavanaugh of Progress Energy. For more information about sponsorships and ticket information, please contact the Bureau's director of operations Linda Bonine at 919-645-2662 or lbonine@visitraleigh.com.
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Sales/Sports News
The sales department hosted site visits for The United Negro College Fund, the International Chinese Statistical Association and Promise Keepers. Scott Dupree and Tori Collins attended the National Association of Sports Commissions' annual meeting. The sports team continued efforts to bring the 2006-2008 MEAC Men's & Women's Basketball Tournaments to Raleigh and Wake County with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
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The Bureau recently garnered eight prestigious awards –six publication and two online. The Communication Awards Print Media Competition recognized the 2005 Official Visitors Guide (overall publication quality and overall design quality), Raleigh Rankings Flyer (marketing/promotion flier) and "Get Plugged In" Direct Mailer/Postcard (marketing/promotion postcard). The Graphic Design USA's "American Inhouse Design Awards" Competition touted the Raleigh Rocks Concert Ticket Wrap and Raleigh Itinerary Shell.
The web site redesign with Brogan & Partners won a Bronze ADDY award from the Ad Club of the Triangle. Buoyed by the GRCVB's participation and leadership, the North Carolina Golf Marketing Alliance in partnership USDM.net was recognized for the Best Sports Online campaign by the Web Marketing Association.
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Brought To You By …
Vimal Vyas recently began work as the Bureau's new information technology manager. From his undergraduate days at NC State (2000 degree in computer science and business management minor), Vyas has spent almost a decade working at the Cary Chamber performing various IT functions and designing its web presence and other sites like the Matthews House. He also has four years of information technology experience at Nortel and GlaxoSmithKline.
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Dateline Raleigh
Said of the area in the May 2005 issue of Charleston Magazine, "North Carolina's Capital City juxtaposes the cutting-edge technology of the Research Triangle with trendy taste and Southern charm, offering an eclectic mix of outings and diversions. Hip without the hassle, Raleigh's attractions run the gamut from culinary to cultural to country."
According to the Meeting Professional in its April 2005 edition, "It is often said that Raleigh is really a park with a city in it. Therefore, it's no surprise that Raleigh is known as the 'City of Oaks.' Filled with greenways and parks, autumn finds the city cloaked in burnished gold as the centuries-old trees change into their cool-weather fashions."
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