Belmont and Music City Prepare for Presidential Debate In just two weeks, more than 3,000 campaign staff and media will ascend on Belmont University and the city of Nashville for the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate. The eyes of the world will be on Music City and Belmont University for this event. From the hotel check-in experience, to available transportation and friendly service it will take all of us working together to make sure Nashville makes a good impression on traveling media and campaign staff. Music City and Belmont are also working together to promote environmental sustainability, a key issue this election year. Steps are being taken to ensure the debate is environmentally friendly, from the use of sustainable materials to on-site recycling efforts. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau is also partnering with Polar Technologies on a special initiative to improve the environment by mitigating the carbon footprint of debate attendees on the city of Nashville. Thank you to all of you who have been willing to assist in planning and executing the debate. We are very appreciative of your support and willingness to make sure Nashville shines on this very special night. Second Public Meeting Set for Convention Center Design The Metropolitan Development and Housing Authority will host a public meeting on the master plan for the proposed new downtown convention center on Sept. 30, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at the Adventure Science Center. This meeting, the second in a series of public meetings on the project, will continue the discussion of the master plan for the area south of Broadway where the proposed downtown convention center will be located. Representatives from the convention center design team will be on hand to discuss design issues regarding the proposed downtown convention center. Visit www.civicdesigncenter.org to view feedback from the public during the first public meeting on Aug. 15. Marketing Plan Now Available The 2008-2009 NCVB Marketing Plan is now available. If you would like to receive a copy, please contact Renae Minicozzi at renae@visitmusiccity.com or (615) 259-4793. Make sure Nashville is Voted America's Favorite City America's Favorite Cities, the annual survey from travelandleisure.com, measures 45 characteristics of 25 cities across the country, and while voters can pick the best (and worst) spots for dining, shopping, attractive people, and more, they have never been asked to select the absolute best city...until now. That's where you come in! Go to travelandleisure.com/afc/2008/game and vote for Nashville as your favorite American city! This interactive game from travelandleisure.com pits 25 cities against each other in a head-to-head battle to the finish. Visitors to travelandleisure.com/afc/2008/game can vote for their favorites; then each week, the losers of these competitions will be eliminated, while the winners will advance to a new round of voting. America's #1 city will be announced on Oct. 15. Lets make it Music City! Southwest Airlines Committed to Low Fares, No Hidden Fees  Southwest Airlines knows the importance of not nickel and diming customers each time they fly. That is why Southwest is committed to low fares with no hidden fees - what you see is what you pay. When you book a ticket on Southwest, be prepared not to pay a fee for your first or second bag. Additionally, you won't pay a fee to sit in the window or aisle seat, to check your bags curbside, to make your reservation over the phone, to change your reservation or even to pay a fuel surcharge fee. As always, snacks, sodas, and smiles are all complimentary.
The next time your travels take you to the skies, know that you can still count on Southwest Airlines to provide high quality air travel at a low fare, without a lot of extra fees. The CVB appreciates Southwest Airlines as a premier marketing partner to Nashville. For more details, please visit www.southwest.com/nohiddenfees. Get Involved in Nashville's Music Industry The Country Music Association is offering Patron memberships to companies outside of the music industry. The membership will give businesses access to CMA member benefits including the ability to purchase select CMA Awards tickets, multiple copies of CMA's Industry Directory with online access, discounted rates for advertising in the CMA Awards and CMA Music Festival program books and a link on CMA's website to yours. CMA Patron members also have the opportunity to utilize CMA Sales and Marketing support, including MRI Research charts tailored personally for a company's needs. CMA Patron memberships range from $500 to $5,000 annually. For more information, visit www.cmaworld.com/membership or contact Betsy Walker at (615) 244-2840 or bwalker@cmaworld.com. |
Hit of the Month  Do you love Music City? If so, September's Hit of the Month is for you. The Spirit of Nashville art collection celebrates some of Nashville's most unique and famous landmarks. And, throughout the month of September, 11" x 14" prints, regularly priced at $12.95, are 20 percent off at both Nashville Visitor Information Center locations. Discount cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. |
| The CVB Sales, Marketing & Membership Teams: Sales The Sales team attended the FEA Tradeshow in Miami and the CESSE Tradeshow in Detroit. The team conducted appointments with 56 clients and returned with five leads for a total of 18,300 room nights. The Sales team also conducted a series of sales calls in New York and returned with a lead for a total of 5,350 room nights. Marketing Conducted the second annual Music City Songwriting Competition, garnering over 1,000 entries. Coordinated our first YouTube promotion with the FlipSide of Nashville video contest. Produced Music City J.A.M. on the Riverfront over Labor Day weekend. |
| Membership
September 25 Sell Nashville Meeting NCVB Boardroom 7:45-8 a.m. Networking 8-9 a.m. Sell Nashville Meeting October 14 New Member Orientation & Branding Session NCVB Board Room 11:15-11:45 a.m. Lunch 11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m. New Member Orientation 1-2 p.m. Music City Branding Session Learn how you can make the most of your NCVB membership at the New Member Orientation then stick around for a Branding Session where our creative marketing staff will discuss ways to incorporate the Music City brand into your business plan. Lunch provided by Demos' Steak and Spaghetti House Maximize Your Membership Use your NCVB membership benefits to grow your business! For great information on how to maximize your membership please contact Fatima Thompson, Manager of Member Services, at 615-259-4744 or fatima@visitmusiccity.com. Training Opportunities for Your Business Your NCVB membership offers complimentary training programs. This service is provided in hopes of enriching the guest experience through increased knowledge of the city and providing applause-worthy service. This is done by offering three training programs: Nashville Backstage (Nashville Familiarization), All Access (Disability Sensitivity), and Creating Applause (Customer Service). For more information or to schedule a training session at your property you can contact Shannon Largen, Director of Training, at 615-259-4789 or shannon@visitmusiccity.com. Membership Invitation For a complete listing of our new members as well as existing member businesses, visit our online membership section at |
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Industry Indicators
July's hotel occupancy rate was 67.5 percent, |
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Brand Champion  As one of the Nashville's largest corporate citizens, HCA knows what it means to care for and support a community. Recent HCA TriStar ads in local newspapers illustrated this support by incorporating the Music City brand. HCA TriStar is proud of its Music City connection and we're proud they call Nashville home! Congratulations HCA TriStar, September's Brand Champion. |
