Athens CVB Newsletter March 2013

Athens Now:

The monthly newsletter of the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau

In This Issue...

Classic Center Gala Grand Opening

Sales Updates

Hospitality Newsmakers: Athens Dining

Out and About with the CVB

Classic Center Gala Grand Opening

Excited Athenians, with state dignitaries and meeting planners also in attendance, celebrated The Classic Center's Grand Opening on February 27 with a Gala, followed by a concert by the acclaimed Boston Pops and concluding with a dessert reception.

The new $24 million expansion allows the convention center to host groups as large as 6,000 people - double the size that was previously possible. The expansion is expected to generate an additional $6 million in visitor spending in Athens, as well as create 200 new jobs in the community.

"The expansion will allow us to attract larger conventions that before would not have been able to bring their event to Athens, as well as provide the space for our current convention clients to grow in size," said Paul Cramer, Executive Director of The Classic Center. "We're excited to host some of the largest gatherings in the state of Georgia, as well as the Southeast."

The expansion was funded by a voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

Sales Updates

Classic Center Atrium
and Grand Hall

What a great time to sell Athens as a meeting and convention destination! To date, CVB and Classic Center sales departments have booked a total of 24 groups in response to The Classic Center expansion, with five more currently pending with Athens under serious consideration.

Sales Director Tripp McKenney and Sales Manager Kelli McCain attended the Georgia Society of Association Executives (GSAE) Quarterly Luncheon in Atlanta on February 20. Additionally, Tripp attended GSAE's Emerging Professionals meeting on March 14.

Tripp McKenney will attend the National Association of Sports Commissions Sports Event Symposium in Louisville, KY, April 22-25, in partnership with Georgia Sports, which met March 5 in Atlanta, with Tripp in attendance.

Sales Manager Kelli McCain will attend the Georgia Meeting Professionals International meeting on March 19.

Hospitality Newsmakers Whitney Otawka

The Athens dining scene continues to receive acclaim.

Farm 255 Executive Chef Whitney Otawka was the first Athens chef to be invited to Cochon 555 in Atlanta in mid-February. Cochon 555 is a roaming event in a dozen or so cities throughout the country, all in the name of raising awareness about heritage breeds of pigs. (Cochon means pig in French.)

Executive Chef Peter Dale represented The National at the Food Network's South Beach Wine and Food Festival in late February. Dale participated in an event put together by the Certified Angus Beef brand that produced 800 portions of Angus beef dishes for attendees.

Five & Ten has been named a semifinalist for a 2013 Outstanding Wine Program Award from the James Beard Foundation, considered the "Oscars of the food world." Five & Ten's wine program is headed up by Steven Grubbs. Finalists will be announced March 18, with the awards presented in May in New York City. Hugh Acheson took home two James Beard Awards in 2012: Best Chef in the Southeast, and for his cookbook A New Turn in the South.

Out and About with the CVB

Bread for Life Students, at the Georgia Theatre

The CVB is proud of our continued participation with the Bread for Life program, whose mission is to provide hands-on training, instruction by industry professionals, and community support for men and women with the will to improve their lives and the desire to begin successful careers in the hospitality industry. On February 28, CVB Director Chuck Jones accompanied current students on a tour of local hospitality businesses, including the Georgia Theatre.

Chuck Jones (center), The Classic Center's Alicia Brasher, and another volunteer judge the Transportation Systems competition

CVB staff, along with many other volunteers from the local community, have served as judges for student competitions during statewide conventions hosted in Athens. The Georgia Technology Students of America, in Athens Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, were just the first in a series of student conventions this spring, and featured competitions in a wide range of areas, from engineering to fashion design to Outstanding Student.

CVB staff, including Venessa Banks, Chuck Jones, and Rachel Watkins, played tour guide for several hundred Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) students on March 7. The event planner worked with CVB Sales Manager Kelli McCain to arrange for a UGA North Campus scavenger hunt to kick off HOSA's time in Athens.

Sales Account Executive Marvin Nunnally attended Career Day at Clarke Middle on February 28 and CVB Director of Sales Tripp McKenney attended a Career Day at Gaines Elementary March 1 to represent the Hospitality & Tourism Career Cluster to hundreds of students.

March 2013