Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Names New Board Members
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) today announced the addition of Ed Hardy, president of Great American Country, Keith Herron, president of Regions Bank, Marcus Robertson, secondary coach of the Tennessee Titans, and Shannon Bowles, general manager of the Marriott Nashville Airport and area manager for Marriott to its board of directors. Ellen Leifeld, publisher of The Tennessean, will serve as chairman of the NCVB board for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The 18-member, volunteer board represents the diverse voices of the Nashville community. Selected for varying terms, the board is charged with directing the bureau’s work on behalf of the city and the hospitality industry.

Charles W. Bone, founder and chairman of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC, will take over as the organization’s general counsel. And, John Fleming, former NCVB board member and general manager of the Renaissance Nashville Hotel will serve as chairman of the organization’s foundation Music City, Inc.

Become a Part of Music City’s Social Network
Social networking sites are quickly becoming information resources, places where people go online not only to communicate with one another, but to learn more about goods and services, people, places and current events. With millions participating daily, social networking is a great way for Music City to reach out to new and repeat visitors, and local residents alike in real time. It’s a new and important tool in the NCVB’s overall marketing strategy.

Music City can be found on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube promoting travel deals, upcoming events and exciting news about Nashville. Since beginning our social networking program, we have signed up 12,263 MySpace Fans, 3,329 Twitter Followers and 764 Facebook Fans.

If you're already on these sites with your own personal or professional profiles, please take a minute and connect with Music City!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nashvillemusiccity

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/nashvillemusiccity

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/visitmusiccity

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nashvillemusiccity

Liberty Party Rental Hits a Home Run at MPI-TN’s FUSION
Liberty Party Rental took home two of six possible awards at the annual Meeting Professional International (MPI) Gala Awards, FUSION.

The company received the 2008/2009 Pillar Award, given annually to a company or individual that makes continual significant contributions to their local chapter of MPI. And, Account Manager Mitchell Fielder captured the 2008/2009 Rising Star Award, which recognizes a member for their enthusiastic contributions to the chapter, committee involvement, and demonstrated leadership ability during their first three years of membership in MPI and the MPI Tennessee chapter.

Music City Specialty Plates Available
Express your love for music and the city it calls home with a new Music City specialty license plate designed by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) to benefit the organization’s Music City, Inc. foundation. Applications for the plate, which will feature the city’s signature branded red music note, are currently being accepted.

There is a $36 registration deposit required for each vehicle you wish to tag using a Music City-branded plate. Tennessee residents wishing to purchase a new Music City plate can fill out a form online at www.visitmusiccity.com/licenseplate or print the form and mail it with their $36 check to the address at the bottom of that form. Forms are also available at Regions Bank branches throughout the city. A minimum of 1,000 registrations are required to produce and make the Music City specialty plate available.

Industry Indicators
May’s hotel occupancy rate was 55.7 percent, a decrease of 8.1 percent compared to May 2008.

The 2009 year-to-date occupancy rate is 54.8 percent, a decrease of 10.6 percent compared to last year.

April hotel tax collections were $1,882,542, a decrease of 26.9 percent compared to April 2008.

The 2009 year-to-date collections are $7,004,573, a decrease of 18.8 percent compared to last year.

Brand Champion
Guests staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Vanderbilt will have no trouble connecting the city of Nashville to its musical brand. The hotel has stylishly decorated its lobby and rooms with décor which promotes the Music City brand, including stylishly music-oriented rugs and artwork. Congratulations to our July Brand Champion, the Hilton Garden Inn Vanderbilt!

Upcoming Events
Music City PM
July 14
5-7:30 p.m.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
A networking event and taping of Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits, exclusively for members.

Nashville Backstage Training
July 15
2-3 p.m.
NCVB Boardroom
A complimentary training program designed to educate NCVB members on what Music City has to offer in regards to attractions, events, tours, restaurants and nightlife.

Sell Nashville Meeting
July 23
7:45-8 a.m. Networking
8-9 a.m. Sell Nashville meeting
Sell Nashville is a bi-monthly meeting that provides insight into current Nashville CVB sales and marketing efforts. This is also an opportunity to share information on upcoming events, new exhibits, renovations and more.

Conventions & Meetings Calendar