Rapid Exchange

This is where we update our partners and community members on Convention Bureau activities. Please check back often for new information.

Letter from the President

Life Beyond Summertime...a City Full of Energy

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but when my daughter starts to loathe about the pending school year, it means summer is coming to an end. Though I am usually one to state that summer doesn't end until I've stored the golf clubs, I will say that most agree that Labor Day marks the end of the "true" summer season. If that is the case, then I look forward to the fast approaching autumn season. Why?

All you have to do is look at the exciting events that populate the area events calendar and you will find the answer. From exhibits celebrating Chihuly, to Princess Diana, to former First Lady Betty Ford and the extraordinary Bodies Revealed, this is a season with an array of colorful opportunities whose hues go well beyond what our autumn trees have to offer. It doesn't end there. We will be celebrating again this year the "super bowl of all events;" ArtPrize. This creative display is bound to not just repeat, but elevate the status of the wildly successful inaugural event in 2009. And this year we will actually be ready to assist in making it that much better.

Your Convention and Visitors Bureau will handle the visitor service aspect for ArtPrize, with information centers at both the Old Federal Building (ArtPrize Headquarters) and DeVos Place (home to nearly 60 art exhibits in 2010). This not only gives us a chance to provide the ultimate visitor service to guests, but also to allow cross-promotion of the aforementioned activities that will occur either simultaneously with ArtPrize or in the coming months. The sum of this effort should result in higher traffic and more leisure related hotel stays throughout the Fall season.

In addition, we have been aggressively promoting not just ArtPrize, but all events through a variety of integrated marketing strategies. From print ads, to billboards, to social media and even hotel packages, we are confident that all these events will meet and exceed their goals for attendance and ultimately increased revenues for all. This is truly our organization's mission and I am proud to say, we are doing our part to meet that objective.

I invite all of you to sing the praises of a city along the beautiful Grand River that is alive and engaged this Fall Season. This truly is an experience that not just serves to increase visitor traffic, but provide all of us with that quality of life that Grand Rapids affords us with. Bring on the Fall Season...Enjoy!!!

Cheers,

Doug

Board News

New Website & Board Access

If you go to www.VisitGrandRapids.org you will notice that the CVB has a new website. Along with the new site, the URL address for the Board Pages has changed. The Board of Directors and Hotel Advisory Board will now be able to access designated secure pages by selecting Board Access under the Community button of the website menu. Or the Board Access page can be seen directly by typing the following URL www.VisitGrandRapids.org/my-grand-rapids/board-access/ into the address field.

Once on the Board Access page members will be prompted to type in their login and password. Currently the page is under construction. Further details regarding the use of these pages will be available when they are complete. If you have any questions regarding the Hotel Advisory Board or Board of Directors please contact Kim Rangel at krangel@MeetGrandRapids.com.

Board Retreat

We look forward to seeing you at the Board Retreat on Tuesday, August 17th. The meeting will take place from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm at Frederik Meijer Gardens Sculpture Park. Please see more information below. The purpose of the retreat is to fulfill the following objectives:

• To form a collective understanding of board member roles, responsibilities and how the board functions in relation to the staff and to the Bureau's constituency.

• To better define roles and responsibilities of board committees: What committees are needed, what is their charge, how they are held accountable, committee structure (standing, ad hoc, frequency of meeting, etc.)- and how they interact with the board at large and the staff.

• To better define our constituency (for whom do we exist?) and determine how the board can best serve them within the board role. This includes consideration of how to best develop policy on priorities for staff, and handling demands on the Bureau from multiple sources.

CVB Board Retreat
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
9:30 a.m. - 2:00 pm
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Garden View Room

2010 Board Meetings & Events

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Date                      Event                                           Time                               Location
Tues., Aug. 17    Board Retreat                            9:30 am - 2:00 pm       Frederik Meijer Gardens
Tues., Sept. 7     Board Meeting/ Reception      3:15 pm - 5:00 pm       Eve in The B.O.B.
Tues., Sept. 7     Event: Website Launch           5:00 pm - 7:00 pm       Eve in The B.O.B.
Tues., Nov. 9       Board Meeting                          4:00 pm - 5:00 pm       Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Thurs., Nov. 18    Event: WAVE Awards              3:00 pm - 5:00 pm       DeVos Place

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Date                      Event               Time                                 Location
Tues., Aug. 31    Meeting           3:00 pm - 4:00 pm          CVB Office
Tues., Nov. 9      Meeting          3:00 pm - 4:00 pm          Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
 

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Date                      Time                               Location
Wed, Sep 1          1:00 pm - 2:00 pm      CVB Office
Wed, Nov 3          1:00 pm - 2:00 pm      CVB Office

COMMUNITY NEWS

Partner Net

Normally, Partners have an opportunity to see monthly sales reports included in Rapid Exchange through the Partner Pages. The Partner Pages are currently unavailable as we are transitioning to using the Partner Net. Through the Partner Net, CVB Partners will be able to view reports, track leads and so much more.

Currently the Partner Net is under construction. When it is complete, communications will be distributed regarding the use of the system. If you have any questions about the Partner Net or our sales reports, please contact the CVB office.

 Four Corners Marketing Update

16,720. That's the number of hotel rooms booked within the first half of the year that are considered Suburban and City Wide business. We are proud of the work and proposals that our suburban hotels are putting together to win business in every corner of Grand Rapids!

As the focus in the upcoming months is on communication, we started with an invitation for a one-on-one meeting with hotels and CVB staff. The goal was to share the look and feel of the Meetings Express proposals so that our partners can represent their property the best way they desire. Next up we are coming up with ideas for easy, continuous communication of ideas, progress, and success!

If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact Kim Rangel at KRangel@MeetGrandRapids.com.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

Have you won an award recently or accomplished something significant to the hospitality industry? We want to recognize you in our community highlight section. Please send your submissions to Courtney Hamilton.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

KCLA Golf Outing
Friday, August 13
Starting at 6:30 am
The Meadows

Save the Date
CVB Special Event
Tuesday, September 7
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Eve at The B.O.B.

CVB UPDATE

Sales Report

We hosted a group of 5 account managers and 6 clients from Arrowhead Ministries for a site inspection. We received one lead for 6000 room nights.Team Grand Rapids entertained 56 State Association executives for the Picnic Pops. It was a great night and there was a good time had by all. We brought in 2 very important customers for the Lyle Lovett concert. One is interested in us bidding for their 2016 annual convention.

Marketing Report

ArtPrize Hotel Package
The Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau is marketing hotel packages for ArtPrize to increase the number of overnight visitors to the area. All ArtPrize hotel packages include an ArtPrize bag, directory book, and two ArtPrize wristbands. We are also marketing an Amtrak Artprize hotel package which also includes roundtrip transportation to and from the Grand Rapids train station and participating hotels. We will have 18 hotels participating in the ArtPrize package and 4 participating in the Amtrak ArtPrize package. ArtPrize packages will be offered during ArtPrize from September 22, 2010 to October 10, 2010.  See the ArtPrize Packages here. 

Customer Service Workshop
The Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau team would like to invite you to participate in, "How Zingerman's Treats its Customers Like Royalty." This workshop brought to Grand Rapids by The Employer's Association and the CVB features Ari Weinzweig, the co-founding partner and CEO of Zingerman's in Ann Arbor. Come and explore the innovative service philosophy and practical working skills that Ari Weinzweig has successfully put to use. We have negotiated a discounted rate for CVB partners of $75 for this workshop. Click here for the full registration form. (Make hyperlink to form)

Tweet Elite on September 7
Have you sent your RSVP yet for the GR Tweet Elite on September 7, 5pm - 7pm? Please plan to attend our live Tweet Up where you'll help others experience Grand Rapids through your eyes. The event is in Eve at The B.O.B. If you missed your emailed invite please connect with Maggie, mkennedy@visitgrandrapids.org or 233-3553 to RSVP.

West Michigan Sports Commission

August 2010 Update

August finds the West Michigan Sports Commission winding down from a very busy summer that showcased Michigan's West Coast as a premier venue for National events (USA Judo, US Open Tables Tennis Championship, USGA Junior Amateur Championship), Regional events (Brawl for the Ball, Grand Haven Beach Vault), and Statewide events (Meijer State Games of Michigan, MJVBA Championships, MHSAA Championships). In the month of June alone, Grand Rapids experienced nearly 5,000 volleyball players, as many or more high school track & field athletes, USA Judo participants and more than 3,000 inaugural competitors in the 2010 Meijer State Games of Michigan. These events in June account for more than 15,000 athletes and nearly $4 million dollars pumped into our community through visitor spending.

The late summer heralds a host of fun events including the 2010 Millennium Triathlon hosted by the West Michigan Multi-Sport Association on Saturday, August 7th. This family friendly event includes divisions for adults and children and will be held at Millennium Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Grand Rapids Crew Cup youth soccer tournament hosted by the Grand Rapids Crew Juniors will take place from August 27th to the 29th at MVP Fieldhouse in Grand Rapids. This tournament will feature boys' U8 to U14 divisions and girls' U8 to U18 divisions. At the end of the month, don't miss the 2nd Annual Cornsackers Tournament hosted by Ritz Koney. Registration for the event is still open, so gather your team and enter for an afternoon of fun and prizes. For more information specific to these and other events, please visit our website at: www.WestMichiganSportsCommission.com.

Meijer State Games of Michigan Recap

We have already started the planning for next year's games. Please save the dates June 24 to 26, 2011. To view the results and the media coverage of the Meijer State Games of Michigan, please visit the website at: www.StateGamesofMichigan.com.