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Home My WebLink About2006-01-30 Correspondence I ~ I -....= -~ !~ai!:'t --=..... .....,~ ..,..~ CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM DATE: January 30, 2006 TO: Mayor and City Council Marian K. Karr, City Clerk ~\,t. FROM: RE: Community Events Funding Requests The attached correspondence was received supporting community events budget requests for FY2007. The City Manager asked that they be distributed this evening. Official receipt of this correspondence will occur on your February 13 Consent Calendar. Page 1 of1 Steve Atkins From: connerctr@aol.com Sent: Monday, January 30,20062:47 PM To: steve-atkins@iowa-city.org Subject: ADA Celebration budget request Steve, this is Keith Ruff of the Evert Conner Center for Independent Living, and I am writing to request a budget allocation for the ADA Celebration in 2006. I will not be able to attend the City Council budget hearing tonight due to a prior commitment, so I am emailing this request in my stead and would like it read tonight at the hearing. We are requesting the same amount of funding that was allotted last year. I would like to thank the Councilmembers for their devotion and generosity in the past years to this project, as it has helped Iowans with disabilities to remain in the community and live more independent lives. This has always been the goal of the ADA, and we plan on taking that into the future with your help. Sincerely, Keith Ruff Evert Conner Center PAS/Peer Counseling Coordinator 319-338-3870 keithedt2@vahoo.com 1/30/2006 f. James Bradley Byron G. Riley Michael K. Denney Patrick M. Courtney Donald G. Thompson Kelly R. Baier Gregory J. Seyfer Dean A. Spina Joseph E. Schmoll Bradley G. Hart William J. Neppl William T. McCartan Maureen G. Kenney Vernon P. Squires Timothy J. Hill Paul D. Burns Michoel J. Pugh Janice J. Kerkove Shannon P. Thompson Kevin C. Papp Lauro C. Mueller David J. Zylstra Kimberly H. Blankenship Sarah E. Swartzendruber Tyler G. Olson Aimee H. Rhodes Joseph W. Younker Nikki J. Johnson BRADLEY & RILEY PC ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS CEDAR RAPIDS -IOWA CITY TOWER PLACE ONE SoUlH GILBERT STREET IOWA CITY, IA 52240-3914 TELEPHONE: 319-466-1511 FAX: 319-358-5560 Counsel' Melissa Weets Anderson Boston, tvIA 1-800-353-2665 WEBSITE ADDRESS: www.bradleyriley.cam E-MAil ADDRESS:dthompson@brodleyriley.com DIRECT DIAL 319-861-8727 Council Members 410 East Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 ,,~ 0 = = ~O 0-. '- :::::". -I :2: 11 C)--<: N -iC) C.J1 ;- ...-<r- m m -U -:Xl ::x .j-l 0-- '-.J ~/'-. .r:- >' .c- -..t January 24, 2006 Dear Council Members: I am writing in support of the Application for Community Event and Program Funding FY 2007 that I submitted on behalf of the Summer of the Arts, Inc. to Steve Atkins on October 31,2005. As I am sure you are all aware, our Application for City Funding is really a combined request, as our non-profit organization was formed to raise funds and produce the following events: Iowa City Jazz Festival, Iowa Arts Festival, The Friday Night Concert Series, and The Saturday Night Free Movie Series. These four individual free community events, held in downtown Iowa City, run throughout the months of May through September 2006. Three offour of these events have enriched and enhanced the Iowa City area for many, many years, helping to make our community a cultural destination in the Midwest. The fourth, The Saturday Night Free Movie Series is a terrific addition to our offerings and is poised to grow in size and importance to our community. We requested funding in the amount of$50,000. In FY 2006, the City provided $18,075 in total support to three of our events, the Arts Festival, the Jazz Festival, and The Friday Night Concert Series. We have asked for this increase in funding from the City to help us get this new organization, the Summer of the Arts, off the ground. While we recognize that this is a significant amount of money, it is approximately 15-16% of our overall budget for the Summer of the Arts. We are committed to raising the remainder of the funds we need from private sources. {00308575.DOC} BRADLEY & RILEY PC Council Members January 24, 2006 Page 2 We formed this new non-profit organization to ensure the survival of these signature events for Iowa City and the surrounding area. It's very difficult to imagine what a summer in Iowa City would be like without these events. Funding from the City of Iowa City is an absolutely essential part of our plan to build a foundation for the Summer of the Arts that will ensure that these events continue in Iowa City for years to come. While these events are different in many ways, they share one common characteristic. They are all free and open to the general public. We believe that keeping the events free and open to everyone is as important as making sure the events themselves prosper and grow. An added component of these events is that they all happen in downtown Iowa City in the heart of the Old Capitol cultural district. The Summer of the Arts will bring thousands of people into downtown Iowa City during the summer of 2006. For example, the Arts Festival attracts approximately 22,000 people over the three-day weekend. Roughly 10,000 of these people are visitors from out of town who generate an estimated visitor economic impact of $2.2 million annually. The Iowa City Jazz Festival attracts approximately 35,000 people annually, and approximately 20,000 are visitors from out of town who generate an estimated visitor economic impact of $3.1 million annually for the Iowa City area. If I can answer any questions or provide any other information about Summer of the Arts, please don't hesitate to contact me. On behalf of the entire organization, we look forward to the City's continued support of these events through its support of our new organization, the Summer of the Arts. Sincerely yours, BRADLEY & RILEY PC - ~ dlc '" 0 = = ~O c:r> '- )>_.~ > c) --< :z 11 N 1- ~~ (.J1 -"l\...J , :<r- m r'": -0 -'1-' ::JE: ,""l 0--) '-../ ~^ ..,- )> ..,- --'l {OOJ08575.DOC} Page I of I Marian Karr From: Dirks, Gregory L [gregory-dirks@uiowa.edu] Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 9:02 AM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Support of Summer of the Arts Distinguished Council Members: J would like to urge you to provide greater financial support for our summer arts events -- Arts Fest, Jazz Fest and the Friday Night Concert Series. I have lived in Iowa City for nearly thirty years and my family has attended and enjoyed these events since their inception. I believe each of them have grown to be integral parts of Iowa City's character. They provide the citizens of our community as well as our visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and support the arts and artists in a family-oriented, small-town- friendly way. Another benefit that may iargely go unnoticed is the opportunity for families whose incomes may not allow them to attend events at Hancher or other expensive venues to enjoy the arts free of charge. The Summer of the Arts also represents millions of dollars to our local economy and helps support our downtown businesses at a time when business traffic slows due to the fewer numbers of students. As with any good venture of this magnitude, money is involved. To provide stability for these events and help ensure that they continue to operate free to the public, I ask that the council increase funding to $50,000. This is as important and beneficial as many other economic development projects the city has supported throughout the years as it helps to blend our strong cultural . environment with a much-needed summer economic boost that we can count on year alter year. I believe it would be money well- spent. Sincerely, Greg Dirks 15 S Mount Vernon Dr Iowa City 1/27/2006 Marian Karr From: Sent: To: Subject: JP Claussen [jpsmooth@gmail.com] Thursday, January 26, 2006 9:24 PM council@iowa-city.org; opinion@press-citizen.com; editorial@gazettecommunications.com Summer of the Arts To the members of the Iowa City City Council, My name is JP Claussen. I have lived in Iowa City since 1992, I moved here from a very small rural town in western Iowa t6 attend the University of Iowa, from which I graduated. My children were born here, and except for one year spent in Seattle, WA, my family and I have lived here ever since. Currently I teach special needs students at a local high school, and I am a co-founder and the director of the Mud River Music Cooperative, a local arts organization that supports local independent music thr'ough sustainable corrununity efforts. I also actively participate in the Iowa City Education Association, the Johnson County Democratic Party and have been actively involved with Uptown Bill's small Mall, an innovative and unique non profit endeavor of the Extend the Dream Foundation. I live in Iowa City because it is a special place. It is our own little secret, although I must admit that I don't like to keep it a secret. I tell lots of people about Iowa City. My friends, my family, artists who contact me about venues and the local music scene, and most of all the young hearts and minds I teach every day right here in Iowa City. It is an understatement to say that I am an ardent I'fan" of Iowa City, that even if I didn't choose to live here, this place would be on my list of one of the most unique and enjoyable places to live on the planet; I like to spread the good word. Iowa City is a wonderful place not because of mountain views, or the ocean side, it isn't the vibrancy of a large population, it isn't the Iowa River for goodness sake. It is the people. The people who make up our wonderful artistic culture, the people who educate our children, and who serve the neediest among us, the shop owners and the University professors, the healers and the writers. Certainly we wouldn't exist as we do without the University of Iowa's thousands of students, but I think for a good many "townies," myself included, the best time to be in Iowa CIty is in the summer time. There are the summertime benefits of available downtown street side parking, less vomit, sexual harassment, and generally obnoxious behavior on the Ped Mall every Thursday evening through early Sunday morning, and therefore fewer citations for public intoxication, PAULA, and disorderly conduct. This is all good, however more than the absence of any of those things, I love Iowa City in the summer time because of the art and the music. The Friday Night Concert Series, the Iowa City Jazz Festival and Arts Fest represent some of the best of what Iowa City (and indeed all of Iowa) has to offer. In my opinion, as someone who has paid very close attention to, and been a very active part of, the music scene in Iowa City over the, past 4 years, we don't highlight this aspect of our culture nearly enough. Currently there are fewer and fewer live music venues in town, and the ones that are here cater to a fairly narrow demographic, the bar crowd. Iowa City's free summer time musical offerings allow everyone to gather together regularly to celebrate and enjoy the vibrancy that exists here. Without these programs far fewer people would ever get to experience the music that is being made in our own community, and that would be a shame. These events also help artists reach out to new audiences, and bring people to our city, not just as visitors, but to live, and work, and raise families, and of course, to make more art. Iowa City is growing, we are developing left, right, up, down and all around. We are growing because this is a wonderful place to be, because of our culture; our art and education. If we fail to prioritize what it is that makes Iowa City special then we risk losing that culture, and the creative people it attracts. I know from the experiences of many of my musician friends over the years that it has become harder to be a working musician in Iowa City. In fact it is nearly impossible, I could probably count the number of musicians I know who don't have a second job on one hand; that is a sad statement. It isn't a statement about the quality of the art, it is a statement about the priorities 1 of the community'. As a community many of our priorities are well intentioned, we support education, social services, housing, diversity, safety, parks and recreation, and many other wonderful things, however I feel we fall woefully short in supporting live music. I do know that in government, where there is a will there is a way. I feel that the Iowa City City Council should fully fund the Summer of the Arts organization's request for $50,000. Free concerts every Friday night, movies on Saturday, two major, high quality festivals, all free to the public, and non profit to boot, in my opinion SOTA gives us a lot of bang for our buck. Please give them the bucks to keep up the bang. Sincerely, JP Claussen 328 B'Jaysvi11e LN #2 Iowa City, IA 52245 319-321-9018 jpsmooth@gmail.com 2 U/? Y3-c/~ fl1~ ; lZ€'c,tfEI1//p"iJ CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FY06-FYIO PLAN January 5, 2006 PRIORITIES ADOPTED BY COMMISSION, 12/14/05: CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDA nONS I. Recreation Center Exterior Renovation ($550,000) FY06=$280,000 FY07=$280,000 2. Iowa River Trail Bridge - Rocky Shore to Peninsula ($800,000) Unfunded 3. Sand Lake Recreation Area - Acquisition ($750,000) FY06=$200,000 FY07=$400,000 FY08=$400,000 4. Festival Stage Sidewalk ($60,000) FY07 5. Sand Prairie Enhancement and Preservation-Phase 1($35,000) (tree removal in preparation for prairie restoration) UBfllBaed ;::)'177 FY07 6. Brookland Park Re-development ($225,000) 7. Skate Park Restrooms ($85,000) Unfunded 8. City Park Waterline ($50,000) FY07 9. Soccer Park Improvements ($250,000) (in addition to FY06 budget of $1 00,000) FY09 10. Festival Stage Improvements ($200,000) FY07 II. Roofing Projects - Recreation Center & Mercer Pool ($300,000) FY08=$350,000 12. Willow Creek Trail West ($1,400,000) Unfunded 13. Peninsula Park Development ($900,000) (With development of dog park and disc golf in this area, the budget request could be reduced to $500,000 :1:). FY10=$250,000 14. Highway Six Trail- Sycamore to Lakeside ($400,000) Unfunded 15. Sand Prairie Enhancement & Preservation - Phase II ($215,000) Unfunded (continued on next page) OTHER PROJECTS OF INTEREST: "* CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATIONS Butler Bridge Pedestrian Trail ($515,000) (81 % funded through grants and other sources) FY07 Court Hill Trail ($505,000) (60% funded through grants) FY07 Mercer Park Ball Diamond Upgrades ($300,000) FY06=$100,000 FY07=$100,000 FYOS=$100,000 Park Shelter Replacements ($140,000) FY07=$70,000 FYOS=$70,000 Riverbank Stabilization - City Park ($400,000) (77.5 % funded through federal grants) FYOS Waterworks Prairie Park Development ($262,000) ($80,000 funded through REAP Grant) FY06. Annual Improvement and Maintenance Projects ($300,OOO/year) (parks Maintenance & Improvement Projects = $200,000 per year) (Open Space Land Acquisition = $50,000 per year) (Intra-City Bike Trails = $50,000 per year {increased from $30,OOO}) FY06-FY10 ... y,J-1n-j" rJ"-:JA /'''Rlr/;N,/(,j /_"CES5 - ;-~dck"J /J1t?~Adj /,J j/4C6'. ....~ ~ ;~. .,,- . c._ AN EDITION OF THE IOWA CITY/CORALVILLE CVB 2005 . iv.") j:J.&~p - lUteS FRIDAY Nov. 11, 2005 www.iowacitycoralville.org Breaking records and exceeding expectations LOCAL INTEREST 20 1.9 18 17 ~l.h gl_5 ~ :i 1.4 13 1.2 11 1.0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 .. Iowa City/Coralville Hotel/Motel Tax Receipts Fiscal 2005 fiscal was another year of impres- sive growth for the Iowa City/Coralville Convention & Visitors Bureau. enabling the organization to hroaden its services and have an even greater economic impact ]11 the community. Sales and servicing It was a record-setting year in the Convention Sales and Servicing department. The Bureau's convention sales staff doubled the number of bookings over the previous year, resulting in $1,382,717 in direct spending. The staff also assisted ninety- nine groups resulting in $2,449.822 in a direct spend- ing-a ten percent increase in convention servicing over the previous year. Summer 01 the Arts! Old Capitol Cultural Districts' signature festivals combine forces in downtown Iowa City. In years pasL the groups operated independently; however, each was facing financial challenges and volunteer attrition. For decades do\',mtown Io\\'a City has been home to fantastic summerLime entertainment and cultural richness, all offered to residents and visitors at no cost. The CVB recognized an opportunity for the four nonprofit groups to combine their marketing and promotional efforts as well as their fundraising resources. The Summer of the Arts initiat1ve is an opportunity to capitalize on the popularity and strengths of high quality events and ultimately reach a larger, regional audience. The lmva Arts Festival, Iowa City Jazz FestivaL Friday N ighl Concert Series and Saturday Night Free Movies Series col- lectivclv deliver more than 50 free arts and cultural cvents to people of all ages "It was important for the CVB to hecome more involved," said CYE President Josh ~ ARTS, PAGE 5A Impressive growth for the Iowa City/Coralville CVB The new Community Gift Certificate program was another major success, as revenues far exceeded expectations. A total or $1.474.699.50 in certificate sales was reported in the first tcn months of the program, a twenty-four percent increase over certificate sales prior to the introduction of the CYB's innovative commu- nity-wide program. Getting the word out enecUvely and eUiclently In July, the CYB launched IMPACT, a free lwice- monthly e-newsletler. Sent to CYB memhers, IMPACT highlights community events, member organiza- tions and important deadline or participation dates. TOURISM, PAGE 2A VOL. 01 NO. 03 IOWA CITY/CORALVILLE CVB ANNUAL REPORT 1-800-283-6592 r-"'" .... ~ ............. '"~ ..ull.dril'l Big opportunities for Big Ten community Attracting visitors and conventions to Iowa City and Coralville has always been the primary focus of the CVB. To increase the numbers even more, the organization is ready to play ball in the sports market In 2004, with assistance from University of Iowa graduate students led by Dr. Michael Lomax, a feasibility study was conducted evaluating ama- teur sports market trends and area sports facili- ties. The results spurred the CVB to expand its serviccs through the creation of the Greater Iowa City/Coralville Area Sports Authority. Jillian Helscher, Director of Convention/Sports Sales & Servicing, explained, "The Sports Authority will focus on researching and soliciting outside sports tournaments and will work to bring them to our area. Hosting sporting events has the potential for hugc economic impact for the greater Iowa Cily/Coralville area." Traditionally, conventions attract sole attendees to the area, sometimes accompanied by a spouse. Research shows that youth amateur sporting events draw officials, coaches, players and their families, creating an increased economic impact. ~ SPORTS, PAGE 4A Avenue of The Saints CVB's III five communities working together Travel the Avenue of the Saints, the 619-mile highway connecting St. Paul and St. Louis. and you'll pass through the Heart of the Saints. The aim of The Heart of the Saints initiative is to encourage travelers to do more than simply drive through Eastern Iowa. Community partners arc working logether to ensure that visitors will stop to experience the best of what Iowa has to otTer. ~ SAINTS, PAGE 2A The Iowa Arls Festival played a key role in creating Summer of the Arts. Inc. MEMBERSHIP TODAY'S TIMES NEWS 1.800.283.6592 z 111111!1~~~1134382 Becoming a CVB member. how & why. Join a great organizalion, For detaOs caD Lori @ Mostly sunny, cold TODAY 12 SAT 72 .~..j""" LAST YEAR, VISITORS TO JOHNSON COUNTY: . Spent more than $228 million . Spenl more than $15 million in local/state taxes . Tourism employs more than 3,160 residents making il the third largest area employer . Source-Iowa Depl. of t:corlOmic Developmenl/ Trdvellndusfry Assn 01 America 2A CVB Times, Fri., Nov. 11,2005 .. Tourism/Sports, arts, cultural development key to continued growth The CVB continues to place considerahle emphasis on strengthening and sustain- ing the arts and cultured community in the Corridor. The organization played a key' role in the development of the Old Capitol and IO\va 110ver the past four River Cultural Districts: in the efforts to unite four signature summer festivals-the Iowa years we have Citv Jazz Pesliv'aL Iowa Arts Fe;tival, Friday Night Concert grown this organi- Series and Saturday Night Free Movie Series-under a single umhrella duhhed Summer or zation by more than thl' Arts: and in lller~ing or Ii" .Ld\l""\I C ,,,"!' CIl1l'ILd eighty percent," .\\ll\.lllce with Cedar Kapids Area CulluraJ Alliance 10 form [he 10\va CU/lur:li Corridor Alliance. ~ FROM PAGE 1A This year. the eVB stafT also accepted the challenge to produce the area\ official visitor's guide in~house. By tackling layout and design as well as editorial content and ad sales. the starr greatly decreased costs. freeing dollars for the organization's ne\v sports marketing efforts. The ~O()6 visitor's guide v.'ill he available in late December. An authority on sports The development of the Greater Iowa City/ Coralville Area Sports Authority is one of the most significant initiatives of 2005. I;ormed to attract state. regional and nation~ a] amateur tournaments to the area, the Sports Authority is a result of the vision and resources of the cities of 100va City and Coralville. the tvvo cOllllllunities' Parks and Recreation Departments, The University of Iowa and the area Sports Advisory Commillee. Jason Howell has been hired as the CVB's first Sports Sales Manager. An ally to the arts and culture community among a wide variety of organizations and individuals. The CVB \vas a major player in a variety of Iowa: Visionary activities, and helped spearhead the efforts to hring F]orida to the region. Always looking forward The eVB will continue to expand services in the coming months and years. Plans to otTer hi cycle rentals for visitors and residents were temporarily put on hold due to major road construction at the CVB. Hov../ever. bikes arc cxpected to he avail- able this spring so all can enjoy the new and improved trail systems in Imva City, Coralville and North Liberty. The CVB is excited to partner with Cedar Rapids organizations to explore the feasibil- ity of hosting a marathon in the Corridor. A route under consideration connects Mays Island in Cedar Rapids to the Old Capitol in Iowa City. Bike and running clubs are excited to be a part or the event's creation. The anticipated marathon date is the fall of 2007. The eVB will continue to be a strong advo- cate for regionalism and collaboration as the organization strives for better and more cost effective ways to serve as the marketing arm of Iowa City/Coralville and surrounding comlllunities. Celebrating growth-past and future "Over the past four years we have grown this organization il]\':',' ,I:;,:, '~-i'--';:, ;<i-; '::1. p()ints out CYB' President Josh Schamberger. "I attrihute all of this to the trelllcndous vision and hard work of our board, starr and partners. That combination of vision and hard work will lead to more exciting proj- ects and collaborations in the future. We are proud to serve as leaders and partners in this community." - Josh Schamberger, CVB President Heightened awareness of the role arts and culture venues and events play in economic development was sparked in part by the research of economist Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class. During October, National Arts and Humanities Month. Florida spoke at Hancher Auditorium as part of the ambi- tious "Iowa: Visionary" series of events produced via unprecedented cooperation Old Capital Cultural District Marketing plans taking shape Photo courtesy: Astrid Bennett tOWA CITY - It's been nearlv a year since the Iowa Departm~ent of Cultural Affairs awarded low'a City \vith two cultura] and cnter~ tainment districts, the Old Capitol Cultura] District (OCeD) and the Iowa River Cultural District. App]ying for the designation \vas a collaborative effort led by the Iowa City/Cora]ville Conven- tion & Visitors Bureau and City of lovva Citv last fa]1. The citv. Johnson eou~ntv Cultural Allianc~. Iowa City Do~'ntown Association (DTA), The Universitv of Iowa and the eVB partnered to 'apply for one district designation, but were in- stead awarded two districts. The first initiative for the OCCD sough! to strengthen and sustain the four beloved free festivals held within the district: the Iowa City Jazz Festival, lov.'a Arts Festival. Friday Night Concert Series and Saturday Night Free Movie Series. Administration and marketing of the festivals have been hrought to- gether under the "Summer of thc Arts" hanner. The CVB played an active role in encouraging and enahling the merger of the various lcstivals. The cultural district designation has led to several exciting new initiatives ,-ll1d marketing o];portu- nities. The DTA is creating a new web site, slated for completion during the first quarter of 2006, highlighting retail and cultura] op- portunities in the district; the Iowa Depaliment of Cultural Affairs has provided signage for both districts in September and thirty-eight ban~ ners were created and posted over the summer; and Iowa City\ De- partment of Planning and Commu- nity Development is printing colOl"- coded dmVI1lO\vn maps. which \vill he Upd:lll'd rL':::d:lrh ;IJld pldl','d ill ,!ih'.!1!.m II k ;("';" '. ;llc:It!:c'IiI!J)~ I!)(.' dislril.'l. The C-V B r" a p~uud partner in the efforts to highlighlthc neeD. The second Iowa City cu]tural district, Iowa River Cultura] District, has certain- ly not been forgotten. CVB President Josh Schamberger remarked, "Time and resources were dedicated towards getting the OCCD moving forward during 2005. We are excited to re- ally get things moving in the Iowa River Cultural District in 2006." Saints/regional collaboration key to leisure market ~ FROM PAGE 1A The convention and visitors bureaus of Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, the Amana Colonies and Iowa City/Coralville are collahorating to present Iowa's first regionalized tourism destination. The goal is to create a region where visitors can stop to see the sights in one community, spend a night in another and tour the next city the following day while traveling along the Avenue of the Saints. "In the business of tourism we've learned that it takes a lot to pull people in from far away locations," said Kim Berger. man- ager of the Cedar Palls Tourism and Visitors Bureau. ''The Heart of the Saints gives visi- tors a reason to stay one more day or visit one more location in Eastern Iowa." Thc Hearl or the Saints officially launched in April with a media conference held on the Avenue of the Saints-literaIly-at a rest area sOllth of Cedar Rapids. Representatives from each community, mayors and conven- tion and visitors hureau board members were present to support the kick oJT. Jilhan Helscher, Director of Sales and Convention Servicing remarked, "The media coverage was excellent. It was a great way to let everyone know that this region is a quality destination. Our focus is to reach metropoli- tan areas that arc within a four hour drive from the region." Reaching out to surrounding regions With fuel costs skyrocketing in recent months, the timing of this initiative is ideal. "This is a crucial time when travelers may not drive across the coun- try," said Helscher. "but they are willing to travel four hours for a long weekend. By mar- keting our communi- ties as a regional desti- nation, we :lre ahead of the game." "Appearing in the AAA Traveler's Guide is a great example of the momentum our group is gaining. This is something that we would not be able to do individually," explained Kristie Wetjen, execu- tive director of the Amana Colonies CVB. Included in each advertisement is a convenient toll free number connecting callers to any of the five CVB offices. is entered just once but shared by the five CVBs, each of which sends visitor's guides and brochures. Bringing state legislatures to the Heart of the Saints eS% \Of'(-) 1$ 'C@ ~ Heart of the Sai nts targets travelers 111 Chicago, Omaha, Minneapolis and St. Louis. "Our communities are just four hours away from fourteen million visitors;' said Matt Krug, Marketing and Communications Director at the Cedar Rapids CVB. "By pannering with other CVBs in the region, we can reach those potential visitors and bring them to the Heart of the Saints." In September the Jive CVBs hosted a legisla- tive reception at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Nineteen legislative members were on hand to learn more about Heart of the Saints and the importance of tourism fund- ing to the state of Iowa. Krug said, "We wanted to demonstrate to the legislators that our CVBs arc working hard to stretch our limited tourism funding." In addition to advertising in high circulation Midwestern magazines and newspapers in the spring of '06, each bureau will promote all of the CVB partners in visitor's guides. There are also plans to jointly mar- ket the region at tourism and consumer tradeshows. The five CVBs have pooled their marketing efforts to reach a wider audience by adver- tising in large~scale publications. For exam- ple, Heart of the Saints will be promoted in the AAA Traveler's Guide, a highly utilized resource for travelers distributed to all AAA card members. Following the reception the visiting Grant Wood "American Gothic." everyone toured exhibit featuring A pulse beating Into the future A website-www.heartofthesaints.c(lm- has also been created to promote the region and all its attractions. The site includes a map of the Midwest listing approximate mileage from major metropolitan cities like Omaha, Chicago, St. Louis and Minneapolis. In addition, the website offers prepared two and three-day tour ideas targeting a variety of locations within the five communities as well as family destinations. It's simple for anyone to receive more information about the five communities, as contact information The potential of the Heart of the Saints seems limitless. "Since we're the tlrst in Iowa, there is no road map to follow:' said Gary Wheat, Executive Director of the Waterloo CVB. "It can become whatever we want it to be, but I have no doubt that partnering with our neighbors will strength- en each of our communities." r - CVB Times, Fri., Nov. 11,2005 3A e);:'SiOndfJ 7 The Corridor Celebrales [11'dlive Communities Olt.ber2001 eVR plays key role in producing Iowa: Visionary October Hancher event draws 1200 to Iowa City/Coralville IOWA CITY/CORALVILLE - Thc CVB played a major role in producing the sllccessful C'lents of Iowa: Visionary. the month~]ong celehration or creativity and diversity in the Corridor. The shO\\/casc of the celehration was "Visions in Pocus. An r:velling Celebrating Iowa's Crealive Communities \\'ill1 Richard Florida" on Octoher I t. The evening featured keynote speaker Richard Florida. author of The Flight of the Creative Class and Rise of the Creative Class. Dr. r;]orida spoke to a crowd of 1,200 Conidar communitv lead- ers. residents and college students at Hancher Auditori- um. To engage the Corridor's popula- Richard Florida tion of more than SO,()()O college students, the CVB partnered with the Uni- versity of fO\\/<I Lecture Committee and The Jamcs Gang to produce Florlda's ad- dress and surrounding festivities. 'Tlw ~\lHJi~,tll\_' \\:1:-. lilkd \1. ith ....l;lll'/cnr- ridor, public and private lL'~lJcr" wl1u arc really starting to connect with tomorrow's leaders, our arts and culture community and our regional neighbors. This new connectivity is a result of efforts by Tom Cilck, Peggy Whitworth and many others v....ho worked to bring Richard Florida to Iowa City:' remarked CVB President Josh Schamberger. Florida spoke or his research linking aes- thetics, diversity and quality or lire as the leading attractors of husiness, jobs and cre- ativity. He asserts that cities that are toler- ant and emhrace creativity prosper because creative people such as scientists, engineers and artists are dra\vn to those communities and can spur new economic activity. Florida\ viSit \vas one or six major Iowa: Visionarv events. In addition, more than 120 eve~ts were produced by area arh and culture organizations in Octo her. \vhich is National Arts and Humanities Month. Governor & First Lady Christy Vilsack were on hand drumming the Iowa Groove. The Iowa Cultural to discuss the two arts and cultural onwniza- tions, 1 realized quickly that both groups had a very similar mission," explained fonner CRA- CA President Jason Wright.. Corridor Alliance Johnson County Cultural Alliance and the Cedar Rapids Area Cultural Alliance announce merger I C.C . I , a 011 October 6, a 110t- so-typical marriage ceremony wed the Johnson County Cultural Al- liance (1CCA)' to the Cedar Rapids Area Cultural Alli- ance (CRACA). A fe\v months later. on Cultural Advocacy Day, arts and culture support- ers met in Des Moines to march to the State Capitol Building as part of an effort to draw legislator's attention to the arts and culture com- munity. Approximately fifty supporters from the Corridor participated in the march \\-.'earing matching Dr. Sellss hats. cultural alliance to aCC0111- plish a variety of goals, in- cluding the CVB goal of ex- panding cultural tourism." ICCA aims to develop and strengthen important rela- tionships in the Corridor. "The arts and cultural com- munity is too onen over- looked:' Schamberger said. "They arc a strong compo- nent of economic develop- ment and by speaking \vith one voice they will he better recognized by business and elected leaders." The CVB founded JCCA ]n January of 2002 and sustained a strong leader- ship role within the group. Schamberger served as the first president of the organi- zation prior to the appoint- ment of Deb Dunkhase. The CVB has underwritten some JCCA costs and has provided office space at the CVB at no cost. Schamberger serves on the board of the new alliance and has pledged continued support to the organization. Dunkhase said. "The CVB is always thinking about draw- ing visitors to the area and increasing the economic im- pact on the community. They arc the experts at cultural tourism and the Iowa Cul- tural Corridor Alliance will continue to look to them for leadership." To celehrate the creation or the Im,va Cultural Corridor Alliance (lCCA), a mock ceremony, complete \vith a bridal party and 120 guests, was held at the Cedar Rapids Country Club. Former JCCA President Deh Dunkhase recounted. "I real- ize it sounds ridiculous. but seeing everyone in those hats unified us. It made many of us realize that the group from Cedar Rapids and the people from Johnson County all want similar things for the Corridor.'" And the winner is... 2005 Hospitality Award pre- sented to City High students TheY'rc small in number but big in heart. Their work is quietly done in a classroom hut thousands visiting the community feel the effect. This year's Hospitality Person of the Year Award was presented not to a single individ- ual, but to a group of important people who have supported the CVB staff in countless ways. Thc winners of the 2005 Hospitality Person of the Year A\vard arc the City High Special Needs Students. Traditionallv the award is presented 10 an outstanding' individual who has demon- strated lc~~dership within the community. The recipient is selected by the CVB staff to aeknmvledge a person who exemplifies sig- nificant commitment and enthusiasm in as- sisting the staff to achieve CVB goals. The impact of these students, however. required a presentation to the entire group. For years the students have partnered with the CVB to fill guest welcome bags with pens, paper and visitor's guides. This year they have also agreed to help the CVB hy filling ]0,000 Community Gift Certifi- cate envelopes \vith a list of participating vendors. "There is no doubt this is a hig job, but our kids \\'ill do it,"' expressed Dave Waters, Transition to Adulthood Case Manager and leacher at City High School. The sludents will gain valuahle experience by completing Last fall, thc CVB helped ini- tiate menler talks. Leaders of JCCA a~d CRACA quickly came to realize that the two cultural alliances could work together to bet- ter support each other's elTons and increase pub- lic awareness of arts and culture throughout thc COlTidor. The boards of hoth organiza- tions voted unanimously in Septemher to merge the alli- ances. Rob Cline \vas named Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance President. "Josh and the CVB lit afire under all of us in the arts and cultural communitv. They rallied us as a single unit. The merger alJO\vs the "Last Novem- bcr when Josh Schamberger and I first met This year the CVB's City High partners stuffed more than Community Gift Certificate envelopes in preparation for the holiday season, The students especially enjoy delivering their completed work to the CVB office whcre they spend time with staff. the vvork. Waters explained that a large scale assignment gives students an opportunity to complete tasks, maintain a routine. help leachers develop standards, and gets kids thinking about the community. "'My hope is that during the holidays the kids vvill see someone receive a Community Gift Certifi- cate, or get one themselves, and say 'I was a part of that.'" Everyone wins in this partnership. Waters commented, "If \ve'rc working on guest welcome bags or gift certiJicate envelopes, it stimulates the kids to ask questions about what's happening in the area. This is a valu- able project that benetits our program as well as the CVB." CVB Membership Manager Lori Fiehelkorn organizes projects with City High and has enjoyed \vorking with students for years. "They arc a great bunch of kids that arc a joy to work with:' she said. "'W'e appreciate everything that they do for us:' The CVB has also recognized MC Ginsberg Jewelers as the 2005 Member of the Ycar and Summer of the Arts as the 2005 Attrac- tion or the Year. _ ginsberg I OBJECTS o F ART SUm Iller of th ~ ~ e .JJ 2005 Iowa City/Coralville CVB Member of the Year 2005 Iowa City/Coralville CVE Attraction or the Year 4A CVB Times, Fri., Nov. 11, 2005 - Sports/authority good investment. ~ FROM PAGE 1 A The Sp0l1s Authority will secure and create events as well as work with organizations holding existing tournaments in the area in effort to enhance those events. In addition to attracting state, regional and national tournaments, the Sports Authority will cre- ate awareness in local school districts. the hotel community. and area attractions and the wider com- munity-anyone who can benefit from events held in the greater Iowa City and Coralville area. In October Jason Howell joined the CYE's Sports Authority as Sports Sales ManiH!er. HO\vell is primed to bring sporting cvcnt~ to the community. "From a community stand- point. the greater Iowa City and Coralville area has so much to offer to any athletic event: the highest quality athletic facilities plus great hotels and restaurants all in one location." Jason Howell Sports Sales Manager Howell is well versed in large-scale sport~ ing events; he was a University of Iowa wrestler. His sports knowledge combined v.,Iith prior sales experience make him a great fit for the position. The Sports Authority will have its O\vn identity including a specialized logo and website. The websitc has been developed so any athletic organizer can learn about com- munity facilities and Sports Authority ser- vices. Special services offered by the Sports Authority include assisting outside sports organizations with volunteers and forming local organizing committees made up of individuals who can help with the logistics of tournaments. Community Support, Community CoUaboratlon Expansion of CVB services has been pos- sible because of the support of the cities of Iowa City and Coralville, Through addi- tional hotel/motel funding the CYB has had the means to establish the Sports Authority program. "We support the Sports Authority because it is a great investment for the area:' said Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth. "There is no doubt that the invest- ment will repay itself by bringing more people to the area and creating an economic impact on Coralville and Iowa City:' Through the combined efforts of the CYB, the Iowa City and Coralville Parks and Recreation Departments, The University of Iowa and representatives of the hospitality industry, a community Sp0l1S advisory com- mittee was formed and was instrumental in helping the CYB collect data and make informed decisions about the area's sports facilities. Much of their work was incorpo- rated into the newly updated and expanded CVB Meeting/Sports Planner Guide. Mike Moran, Superintendent of Recreation at the Iowa City Parks & Recreation Department and active member of the Sports Advisory Committee said, ''This has been a cooperative effort, bringing everyone together for the good of the community. It has forged friendships that wouldn't other- wise have been attained and we're all work- ing for one cause." . . The Sports Authority aims to lure many more of these amatuer tournaments to the Greater Iowa City/Coralville area. The Sports Advisory Committee will con- tinue to support the CYB's Sports Authority. Their aim is to assist Jason Howell in writ- ing bids for events to be held in the area. Many valuable relationships were formed through the development of the Sports AuthOlity. including the CVB's collabora- tion with Sports Studies Department at The University of Iowa. Dr. Lomax commented, "Working with the CVB gave graduate stu- dents practical market research experience that enhanced their learning. I feel that we can provide a great service to the CVB and I look forward to working with them again." Moran credits the CVB for taking the lead in this project. "This has been a great com- munity effort, but it would never have been possible without the CYB. This was their brainchild and they were the driving force behind it." This fall. Helscher, along with Justin Hannah from the Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center and Matt Traetow from the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel, will rep- resent the Greater Iowa City/Coralville Area Sports Authority at the TEAMS Conference. the nation's largest sports conference where youth, collegiate, amateur and professional sports organizations arc represented. Community Gilt Certilicate program recognized nationally lor innovation I I~// L~?:~<,:::"('P !.:ll;;~,~::LLU[gl, W'\\'..\.,."m:I5..",,~ ~~''''''"",L . PAYA15L-E AT J1!} ~~<~~.;~~~~ /2.211)2/i:1'1 ~ /" 9ft Certf'ade ~ $ nm"...,"'o,.,.,.,,",,,,,,o.,,.'.'q, """""".,.,""..,,,.,,,",.,...'" ...'^".....",,'" "",.....,,'". ,.. '..." ".,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"",,,,,..'h "WH"'~~ z.~ C"p, "'HC,",,,,,TC,,,,,: Wondering what to get someone spe- cial for the holidays or any special occasion? Give Community Gift Certificates and you'lI be giving access to over 450 retailers throughout five communi- ties with a single gift. The Community Gift Certificate offers plen- ty of options because it is redeemable in a wide array of locales. The program reaches across Johnson County to include the com- munities of Iowa City, Coralville. North Liberty, Solon and Tiffin. The same cer- titieate is redeemahle at Sycamore Mall, Old Capitol Town Center and Coral Ridge Mall. The innovative program is clearly bring- ing dollars to the area. Individuals residing outside Johnson County redeemed forty percent of Community Gift Certificates sold between November 15, 2004 and September 30,2005. The popularity of the Community Gift Certificates is surpassing expectations. In the program's tirst quarter. which included prime holiday shopping in 2004, gift certifi- cate sales increased 29 percent compared to the traditional Coral Ridge Mall gift certifi- cate program. Total program sales through September 2005 reached 40,031 cCltitieates sold with a total value of $1 ,474,699.50-a twenty-four percent increase over the prior year. "Overall response to the program has been wonderful," said Lauric Haman, Coral Ridge Mall Guest Welcome Center Manager. "People who stop to purchase gift certifi~ cates call them by name, People have really embraced them and that's great for the pro- gram." Haman has seen area employers embrace the gift certificates as work incentives. pa11 of yearly bonus plans or as employee holi- day gifts. This year, certiticate purchasers will receive a printed list of participating retailers plus a convenient gift envelope. making gift giving easier. "Retailers have been really pleased with how easy it is for them to work with cer~ titicates;' explained Jennifer Howard, CVB Office Manager. "The retailer processes the certificate like a check. without any fees to them. We want it to be as easy as possible for everyone and our goal is to have every retailer participate." The CVB plans to oUer its members even more opportunities to market within the gift nTlifiCIk' l)rO~ralll during lIw L"()l1lillg Yl';tr. The CVB has developed a vvebsite dedicated to the Community Gift Cel1ificate program. Visitors to www.communitygiftcertificate.org will learn about the easy-to-use program and see a comprehensive list of participating retailers. Answers 10 frequently asked ques- tions and a guide for new retailers wishing to participate are also available on the site. CVB President Josh Schamberger is pleased with the success of the program and credits the organization's many partners. "It is very important to remember that this program would not be successful without the partner- ship of Coral Ridge Mall, Iowa State Bank & Trust, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. These organizations collaborated to estab- lish the program in 2004 and continue to strongly advocate it today:' Certificates can be purchased at both CYB locations (900 First Avenue in Coralville and at the Coral Ridge Mall Guest Welcome Center), the low; City Chamber of Commerce and at all branches of Iowa State Bank & Trust in Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty. See page 6A for a complete list of area retail participants...or visit: www.communitygiftcertificate.org: By the Numbers... 2')0 Johnson County Tourism Expenditures 200 -' _----c - - - - 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 . c ~ 150 :E 100 50 o 3.20 3.15 3.to ]3.05 . :g3.00 .,g2.95 .... 2.90 2.85 2.80 2.75 15.5 15,0 14.5 14.0 ~ 13.5 513.0 :E t2.5 12.0 11.5 11.0 Johnson County - Tourism Employment - r o Employment - C ~ ~ - ~ 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 JohDloo County - VIsitor Tax RBI.I DStatelLocal Tax Receipts -- - - 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 I Wi"" 40,031............................Totalnumber of certificates sold S I ,474,699.50................Total amount of certificates sold $822,669.50...................Total amount of certificates redeemed 24...................................Total % increase over prior year 471.................................Total number ofretail participants 39...................................Total % of visitors redeeming certificates $62,214..........................Highest certificate single-day sales total CVB Times, Fri., Nov. 11,2005 SA Arts/Collaboration key to success ~ FROM PAGE 1 A Schamberger. "These free festivals are a major tourism asset and a key quality of life component to area residents. When we learned their situations were bleak, we jumped in with both feet." The CVB collaborated with the City of Iowa City, Iowa City Downtown Association, The University of Iowa. area retailers and indi- vidual event organizers. Bob Goodfellow of the Iowa Arts Festival explained. ;'Summer of the Arts was possible because of the foresight of Josh Schamherger and the people at the CVB. They helped us realize that the nonprofit cultural and enter- tainment organizations involved have more common goals than competing difTerem;es, and working together was a viable option." Summer of the Arts will organize fundrais- ing and disburse monies for all four groups, meaning donors will be approached only oncc. Thc program is l'XJ1l'l'lLd to rally fundraising '-upport as individual and cor- porate uonors and advertisers recognize the advantages of supporting a full summer's \\'orth of great entertainment rather than four individual events. hi day Nig.ht Concert Series Director Craig Gustavl'sun said, "All or the event organizers work 50-60 hours per week at regular jobs plus volunteer for programs that we really believe in. Working together in fundraising efforts is a great concept for everyone." A Summer of the Arts board of directors has becn formed consisting of representa- tives of all four organizations. the CVB, the city of Iowa City, the Io\\'a City Downtown Association. the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce and two at-large members. Separate committees Linder the direction of the board will organize each festival. Maintaining the distinct tlavor of each festi- val \vas very important in the merger. Mark Ginsberg of the Iowa City Jazz Festival said, 'The jazz festival. for example. like the other events. will still have the same feel and quality of presentation. By working together under one umbrella like the Summer of the Ans, we will have increased fundraising, a larger budget and bring a cohesive presen- union of summertime entertainment from Memorial Day to Labor Day." The Saturday Night !','ree Movie Series, a new program that showed four free family movies last summer on the Pentacrest with much success, is glad to be a part of Summer of the Arts. Andy StotL co-founder of the program said, "We are extremely excited to he a part of this organization and to have the opportunity to partner and collaborate with events that have a long history of suc- cess in lo.......'a City." Stoll plans to expand the series to show free movies every Saturday throughout the summer in 2()()6. The future of Summer of the Arts will bring many opportunities for expansion and creative ideas according to supporter Bob Goodfellow. ';1 believe that an entity such as Summer of Arts is capable of great things. This group has no shortage of interest and energy in seeing creative and artistic enter- tainment prevail in Iowa City." Summer of the Arts plans to soon hire an executive director to oversee the festivals. A comprehensive website is also under con- struction and will be found at the following address: www.summerofthearts.org. IOWA CITY/CORALVILLE - The highly anticipated new Meeting/Sports Planner Guide is complete and distribution is under- way. The new publication features fOl1y- nine pages of colorful photos and graphics enticing planners to learn more about Iowa City/Coralville and bring their events here. There are two components included in the new publication that set it apart from previ- ous guides and make it a valuable communi- ty resource. Not only does the guide include detailed information on hotels, meeting and convention spaces found throughout the area. it introduces event planners to cleven pages of unique meeting facilities. A range of facilities is highlighted like the intimate setting of Macbride Nature Recreatlon Area to the gorgeous Brown Deer Golf Club. de- tailing their individual styles and amenities. "The new guide is bigger and better," ex- plained Jillian Helscher. CVB director of convention sales & servicing, ';We send guides to anyone who is interested in having a meeting, banquet. group tour, or conven~ tion - large or small in the area." The second enhancement to the guide is a comprehensive fifteen-page segment em- phasizing twenty-live athletic facilities in the greater Iowa City/Coralville area. This is the first time the CVB has added a sports tClCilities component to thc guide. but they believe the time is right. "By adding the athletic facilities portion to the Meeting/Sports Planner Guide. we are letting everyone know that our community is ready to host the amateur sports market." Helscher said. The addition of the athletic facilities segment coincides with the devel- opment of the Greater Iowa City/Coralville Area Sports Authority, a new extension of the CVB. The Sports Authority's focus is researching and soliciting outside sports tournaments and attracting them to Iowa City/Coralville. The CVB knows that planners arc looking for a complete package in the cities they choose to host their events: fine hlCilities, great accommodations plus exciting attrac- tions in the community. That's why the CVB.s guide also details thirty-three excep- tional area attractions. Careful consideration was given to the de- sign of the Meeting/Sports Planner Guide. The CYB's familiar blue and yellow ban- ner runs throughout the pages building on the look used in their attractive tradeshow booth. Their aim is to make the CVB eas- ily recognizable to planners and event or- ganizers. An additional feature is a detailed four-page foldout map of Coralville/Iowa City, the University of Iowa campus, and a regional map of the surrounding metropoli- tan area. Convention Sales Record 2005 was a banner year for Convention Sales & Servicing at the CVB. Convention Sales doubled the number of bookings from the previous yearresulting in $1.382,717 in nev.' direct spending. Convention Servicing experienced a 10% gain from the previous year with $2,449.822 in direct spending with a total of 99 groups (10,468 people) serviced by the CVB. Visiting groups and organizations have been more than satisfied with the attention to de- tail and support they receive from the CVB.s Convention Sales & Serviei ng staff. "The Iowa City/Coralville CVB has been a huge part in planning our Equipment Expo at the Johnson County Fairgrounds! Whenever I call, the staff goes out of their way to as- sist me with whatever I need. Lori (Fiebel- korn) even took the time to stop out during our conference to check things out and see if I needed anything. I work with several CVB's in Iowa and the Iowa City/Coralville CVB is by far the most helpful," sajd Miody Wiggins from the Iowa Rural Water Asso- ciation, 2005 Hawkeye laUgater The CVB hosted a great tailgateI' October 22 for the fantastic Big Ten rivalry UI versus Michigan. This year's attendance was a re- cord breaking 23 planners. Helscher com- mented, "Each year this event grows and each year relationships with planners from all over the state develop & strengthen." The site of the tail gater, Hawkeye Village, was relocated this year near Rally Alley clo<';l' to KinniCK StaJiunl. This broul!ht the planners closer to the pulse of gam~ time festivlties and the black and gold enthusi- asm of Hawkeye supporters. Everyone at the tailgater had a terrific time and they look forward to next year's event. A couple weeks prior the tailgater the CVB convention sales and servicing staff hit the road to Des Moines. where many state as- sociations are headquartered, to promote the tailgater event. This is another avenue they utilize to continue building relationships with planners to draw events into Iowa City and Coralville. The new meeting and sports destination guide has been well received by planners. Hospitality Association To kick off the Hawkeye football season the CVB partnered with the Hospitality Associ- ation. University of Iowa. and University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association to create hotel sports packages. The packages offered two football tickets with any two-night stay at participating hotels for the Ball State and UNI home games. A total of 88 packages were sold. Fairlield Inn and Comfort Inn General Man- ager, Barry O'Neill said. 'This was a suc- cessful collaborative etJort. The packages added value to the first few home games that are typically not sell-outs for area hotels. We felt we were able to attract people who may have not intended to stay here more than one night. Our hope is, now that they have ex- perienced our hotel, they will return to us again." Other participating hotels included: AmericInn, Baymont Inn & Suitcs, Comfort Suites, Sheraton Iowa City Hotel, Country Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn & Conference Center, and Hampton Inn. 'fhis \vas the first partncr.<..,hip hl'[\Al'l'n area hotels, the U I Sports MJrketing Department and the CVB. They pooled markcting rc- sources and worked with both universities to reach Panther and Hawkeye sports fans. Plans are already underway to create similar hoteligame day packages for the upcoming mens and womens basketball seasons. The Hospitality Association is facilitated by the CVB and consists of area hotels that regularly meet to discuss trends and issues on a local level. New Location, Stronger Visibility New amemtIes and ad- ditional services provide better tourism experience When the CY B moved into their new of- fice last February they knew their services would improve, but what they didn't expect was overnight success. Located at the gateway of the city at Inter- state HO, Exit 242 they had become a wel- come center and visitors utilized their servic- es right away. "Walk-in traffic tripled almost immediately compared to our old location." said Jennifer Howard CVB office manager. She recalls a day in early February when the slaff was in the process of moving, ';Our sign \vas jusl pul in place so people knevv we were a welcome center, and people were stopping by asking for directions while we were still moving and unpacking boxes." New amenities found at the new location in- clude a 35' lighted sign in the parking lot making them easy to tind: ATM, public rest- rooms, a 24-hour entry way filled with visi- tors guides, state highway maps, maps of all area bus routes, calendar of events and cam- pus maps. "So many people are using the 24-hour entry way that we need to restock . ~ ~<< ~<< ~<< "" <<<< ~ << the information nearly every night, not just on weekends," Howard explained. The 4.200 sq. ft. building, at 900 First Av- enue, Coralville, provides room for seven offices, a sizable lobby and front desk. and lots of storage. With ample storage the CVB can keep all materials and visitors guides in one central location and do away with pre- viously used rental storage facilities. A big plus to the new building is a large confer- ence room available for 110t only the staff", but the community. Organizations and as- sociations from all over Eastern Iowa have already lIsed this great. easy to lind free meeting space. Inside the conference room are tasteful photos of local attractions plus Jackson PollHawk...onc of the terrific stat- ues from the 2004 Herky on Parade public art display. The community has appreciated the new CVB location as well. Todd Means of Iowa State Bank & Trust commented. "In their new location they offer great accessibility and visibility to visitors. The CVB really needed more space and they certainly have it now, plus there is room for future growth too." The CVB office exterior is in the process of receiving a significant makeover. The parking lot is being refined with completion expected this winter. New landscaping will accent the property plus the CVB will place their very own tourism-themed Herky to welcome visitors to Iowa City/Coralville. I 6A CVB Times, Fri., Nov. 11, 2005 COMMUNITY GIFT CERTIFICATE PARTICIPANTS - Shopping Malls Coral Ridge Mall Old Capitol Town Center Sycamore Mall Area Retailers #1 Sun Tan & Travel Inc., Coralville #1 Sun Tan & Travel Inc., Iowa City 2nd Wind Fitness. Coralville Abra Auto Body & Glass, Iowa City Active Endeavors, Iowa City Aladdin Restaurant, Coralville Aldi's, Iowa City Alexis Park Inn & Suites, Iowa City American Family Insurance, Van Buren St. Ie Americlnn, Coralville Animal Kingdom Vet etr, NL Antique Mall of Iowa City, Iowa City Applebee's, Coralville Aunan. Suzanne B.- Artist, Ie Bachmeier Interiors, Coralville Back Store, Iowa City Bakeris Family Chiropractic, CV Baymant Inn & Suites, Coralville Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast, IC Besf Buy, Coral Ridge Mall BW Cantebury Inn & Suites, CV Big 10 Rentals, Iowa City Bijou Theatre, Iowa City Blimpie Subs & Salads, Coralville Blimpie Subs & Salads, NL Blimpie Subs & Salad, Rochester Ave, Iowa City Blimpie Subs Willow Creek Dr. Iowa City body & balance. Coralville Bostick Guest House, Iowa City Boston's Pizza, Coralville Bread Garden Bakery & Cafe, IC Brenneman Seed & Pet Center, IC Brown Deer Golf Course, Coralville Brown Street Inn, Iowa City Bruegger's Bagel Bakery, Coralville Bruegger's Bagel Bakery, Iowa Ave, Iowa City Bruegger's Bagels So. Riverside Dr, Iowa City C&S Furniture Gallery, Coralville Campus Towing, Coralville Cantebury Amoco, Coralville Carlos O'Kelly's, Iowa City Catherine's, Iowa City Chameleon Cache, Iowa City Chili's, Coral Ridge Mall City Tractor, Coral Ridge Mall Claim to Frame, Iowa City Classy Chassy Cruisers, Iowa City Cold Stone Creamery, Coralville Comfort Suites, Coralville Cook's Custom Framing. Iowa City Copyworks, Coralville Coral Ridge Amoco, Coralville Coralville Bay, Coralville Coralville Futons, Coralville Coralville Parks & Recreation. CV Country Inn & Suites, Coralville Crimper's Corner, Iowa City Crossroads Tattoo, Coralville Cub Foods, Iowa City Culligan Water Tech. Coralville Culver's, Coralville Dairy Queen, Coralville Givanni's Cafe, Iowa City Golfzilla, Coralville Golden Haug Bed & Breakfast. IC Great Clips, Sycamore Mall Great Clips, Coral Ridge Mall Greenwood and Crim. PC, CPA's. IC Guitar Foundation, Iowa City Gus' Food & Spirits, Coralville Hamburg Inn NO.2, Iowa City Hampton Inn, Coralville Hancher Auditorium, Iowa City Hancock Fabrics, Iowa City Hand's Jewelers, Iowa City Hartig Drug, Iowa City Iowa City Tire & Service, Iowa City Iowa City/Coralville CVB, Coralville Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, CV Iowa Hawk Shop, Coralville Iowa Hawk Shop-Hall of Fame, IC Iowa Hawk Shop-UIHC, Iowa City Iowa House Hotel, Iowa City IMU-Food Service, Iowa City IMU-Catering. Iowa City IMU-Guest & Event Services. IC Iowa Realty, Iowa City Java House-E. Washington St, IC Java House-Mormon Trek Blvd. IC Java House-Prairie Lights, IC Mllio's Sandwiches, Coralville Milio's Sandwiches-Clinton St, IC Milio's Sandwiches-Hwy 1 W, IC Milio's Sandwiches-So 1 st Ave, IC Mission House Bed & Breakfast IC Mondo's Tomato Pie, Coralville Morgan's Bar & Grill, Iowa City Murphy's 2 Bar & Grill, Oxford Nagle Lumber, Iowa City NeoComputers, Iowa City New York Deli, Coral Ridge Mall North Liberty Pharmacy, NL Oasis Falafel, Iowa City Off-Campus Conoco, Coralville I ISH lSir !(~\y;\ \l~\~',I}y\N~ PAYABLE AT ~1(~\~tAClTY }~rt;S>..;-Citil.{'n Z (IIAMBlR(lf -"';;"''''''':<:~;:'':S::-';~ ~nlMMIRcl Jill ;~,~~~~:1~~~ 72-2162/739 ~ Ce~!lade $ R'OH"~~U_' '''R ""'R~K~~n..'. "R H"Y'C,' ON'-Y AT PAR"C'PA"~G "".RC~AN"_ ~o, H"SPO~5'5LCFaRL"",""L.N.^L1'''W OR CO"NHRF"TnH"",CAT.' REDEEMER ZIP CODE MERCHANT CODE The Community Gift Certificate program was made possible through terrific partnerships between the CVB, Iowa State Bank & Trust, the Iowa City Area Chamber ot Commerce, and the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Dairy Queen, North Liberty Dawn's Hide & Bead Away, IC Daydreams, Iowa City Delimart, Iowa City Dentist, Dr. David Henn, Iowa City Design Ranch, Iowa City Diamond Cut & Tanning, Coralville Diamond Dreams Baseball & Softball, Iowa City Dodge Street Tire & Service, IC Downtown Association. Iowa City Dress Barn, Coralville Dulcinea, Iowa City Earl May Garden Center, Iowa City Econolodge, Coralville Emma Golrlm,-Hl Clinic. 10\-,13 City Englert Theatre, Iowa City Europa Salon, Coralville Ewer's Men's Store, Iowa City Fareway-Westside, Iowa City Fin & Feather, Iowa City First Avenue Club, Iowa City Floral Preservation Design Studio, Iowa City Foraker Vacuum, Iowa City Frohwein Office Plus. Coralville Garage Mahaul Self-Storage, IC Gen X Pets, Coralville Genesis Salon & Spa, Coralville Haunted Bookshop, Iowa City Hawkeye Audio & Video, Coralville Hawkeye World Travel, Iowa City Heartland Inn, Coralville Heaven Scent Flowers & Gifts, CV Henry Louis Inc., Iowa City Herteen & Stocker Jewelers, IC Heyn's Ice Cream, Iowa City Historic Phillips House Bed & Breakfast, Iowa City Holiday Inn Express, Coralville Holiday Inn Hotel, Coralville House of Lords Restaurant, CV HuHot Mongolian Grill. Coralville Hunan Chinese Restaurant, CV Hungry Hobo-1st Ave, Coralville Hungry Hobo-So. Riverside Dr, IC Hy-Vee-1 st Ave, Iowa City Hy-Vee-Hwy 6 West, Coralville Hy-Vee-North Dodge St, Iowa City Hy-Vee-Waterfront St, Iowa City Ice Arena, Coral Ridge Mall Iowa Artisans Gallery/OJ Rinner, IC Iowa Book. Iowa City Iowa Children's Museum Iowa City Fitness, Iowa City Iowa City Landscaping & Garden Center, Iowa City Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City 2004/2005 Board of Directors: 2005/2006 Board of Directors: Chuck Goldberg, Chair Sheraton Iowa City Hotel Stacy McGauvran-Hruby, Chair University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Stacy McGauvran-Hruby, Vice-Chair University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Regenia Bailey, Vice-Chair Council Member, City of Iowa City Dale Arens, Treasurer University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Dale Arens, Treasurer University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Regenia Bailey, Secretary Council Member, City of Iowa City Mark Ginsberg, Secretary M.C. Ginsberg Jewelers, Room Service Debbie Bullion, Past Chair Heartland Inn Debbie Bullion, Past Chair Heartland Inn Kathy Bachmeier Bachmeier Interiors Kathy Bachmeier Bachmeier Interiors Tom Cilek West Bank Tom Cilek West Bank Mark Ginsberg M,C. Ginsberg Jewelers, Room Service John Harper City Circle Actir1S Company John Harper City Circle Acting Company Jay LeaVesseuer Sher-aton Iowa City Hotel Jay LeaVesseuer Baymont Inn & Suites Jean Newlin Schnake CounCIl Member, City of Coralville Jean Newlin Schnake Council Member, City of CoralVille Dennis Nowotny The Golden Haug Bed & Breakfast Dennis Nowotny The Golden Haug Bed & Breakfast Neal Roth Holiday Inn Express & SUites Craig Simpson Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center - Hampton Inn Java House-So. 1 st Ave, Iowa City Java House-UIHC, Iowa City JC's Pizzeria, Coralville Jean Phipps Interior Design, IC Johncy's Liquor Store, Coralville John's Grocery, Iowa City Johnson County Fairgrounds, IC Just Dogs Play Care, Coralville KCJJ Radio t 630 AM, Iowa City Lake MacBride Golf Course, Solon Lenoch & Cilek Ace Hardware, CV Lenoch & Cilek Ace Hardware, Mall Or, Iowa City Lenoch & Cilek Ace, No, Dodge St, Iowa City Liberty Doors North Liberty Liberty Pharmacy, North Liberty Linder Tire Service, Iowa City Linder Tire Service, North Liberty Lucky Pawz Dog Daycare & Gifts, Iowa City Many Facets, Iowa City MC Ginsberg's Jewelry, Iowa City McDonald's, Sycamore Mall McGurk-Meyers Motors, Coralville Memories on Fifth, Coralville Mercy Medical Plaza Pharmacy, IC Micky's Irish Pub, Iowa City Midtown Family Restaurant, IC Okoboji Grill, Sycamore Mall Old Capitol Cafe, Iowa City Olive Garden, Coral Ridge Mall Outback Steakhouse, Coralville Om's Gifts for Body & Soul, IC One Twenty-Six, Iowa City Optometrist, Dr. John Weihe, CV Panchero's, Coralville Panchero's-So. Clinton St., IC Panchero's-So. Riverside Dr.. IC Papa John's Pizza, Iowa City Papa John's Pizza, Coralville Paul's Discount. Iowa City Peddler's Wagon, Iowa City Pet Central Station, Iowa City Petland, Syr,amore Mall Pier 1 Coral Ridge Mall PIP Printing, Iowa City Pizza House, Coralville Play It Again Sports, Iowa City Pleasant Valley Garden Center, IC Pleasant Valley Golf Course, IC Plus Line (Plus Size Consignment Shop), Iowa City Quality Inn Hotel & Suites. IC Quizno's Subs-E Court Sf, Iowa City Quizno's Subs, Mormon Trek Blvd, Iowa City Randy's Carpets, Coralville Raquetmaster Bike & Ski, IC Red Avocado, Iowa City Red Lobster, Coral Ridge Mall River City Beefstro Bar & Grill_ CV River City Dental Care, Iowa City Riverside Theatre, Iowa City Ron Mason's Gallery One, IC Room Service, Iowa City Roominations, Iowa City Rug Cottage. Iowa City Salon, Iowa City Salon Shagz, Coralville Sheraton IC Hotel, Iowa City Sleep Resource Store, Coralville Slugger's Neighborhood Grill, CV Space for Everything, Iowa City Stuff Etc" iowa City Stuff Etc., Coralville Suburban Amoco, Tiffin Suburban Amoco-Keokuk St, IC Suburban Amoco-Scott Ct, IC Subway, Coralville Subway, North Liberty Subway, Corai Ridge Mall Subway-Broadway St, Iowa City Subway+ Washington St, IC Subway-Muscatine Ave, Iowa City Subway-No, Dodge St, Iowa City Sweet Pea's Boutique, Coralville Target. Coral Ridge Mall That Cellular Place-Second St, CV That Cellular Place, Iowa City The Brown Bottle, Iowa City The Brown Bottle, North Liberty The Cottage Bakery & Cafe, IC The Futon Shop, Iowa City The Learning Connection, CV The Look Salon, Iowa City The Soap Opera, Iowa City The Wave Length Salon, Iowa City The Wedge Pizzeria, Iowa City Theresa Lacina Salon, Coralville Touch of Glass, Coral Ridge Mall Town Square Family Foot Care, CV Towncrest Pharmacy, Iowa City Toyota Scion of Iowa City, IC Twin Image Salon & Spa, Iowa City UI Athletic Ticket Office, Iowa Cily UI Athletics Hall of Fame Iowa City UI Museum of Art Gift Store, IC University Book Store. iowa City Uptown Bill's Small Mall, Iowa City US Cellular, Coral Ridge Mall Vortex. Iowa City Wal-Mart Super Center, Coralville West MUSIC, Coralville Woofables Gourmet Dog Bakery. Coralville World of Bikes, Iowa City Z'Marks Noodle Cafe, Iowa City Zender's Lifestyle Salon/Spa, IC Iowa City/Coralville Convention & Visitors Bureau Staff Theresa Dunkin Guest Services Assistant Lori Fiebelkorn Membership Manager Amy Fisher Guest Services ASSistant Janet Haman Guest Services Assistant LaUrie Haman Guest Welcome Center Manager Jillian Helscher Director of Conference/Sports Sales & Servicing Jennifer Howard Office Manager Jason Howell Sports Sales Manager Brett Johnson Guest Services Assistant Donna Jondle Guest Services Assistant Anna Lackender-Lacina Director of Communications Bill Phillips Guest Services Assistant Mary Reed Guest Services ASSistant Joshua Schamberger President Alyssa Smith Convention,iSports Services Assistant Sandra Tonne Guest Services ASSistant Patricia McGillln Guest Services Assistant Convention and Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . Layout & Design by Brett Medema