Y E A R I N
R E V I E W
Dear Tourism Advocate,
In a year filled with highlights for the local tourism industry, one in particular stands out: the launch of our Canadian Marketing Initiative. Working in
collaboration with the Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. and with the support of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, Visit Buffalo Niagara kicked off the initiative with a consumer research study followed by the first phase implementa-tion of a digital advertising campaign aimed at consumers throughout the southern Ontario market. Working with the Toronto-based agencies BBDO and PHD, we began the process of building on an already strong foundation of shopping trips from Ontario. The first phase of the campaign launched in mid-November and the early returns were encouraging, with more than 18,000 visitors driven to the VBN and NTCC websites. The Canadian Marketing Initiative will continue throughout 2014. We’ll report on results as they come in through the Tourism Insider Newsletter.
In the domestic market we continued our relationship with the digitally savvy destination marketing agency, eBrains. After realizing a truly impressive ROI from our 2012 campaign we re-engaged eBrains to conduct a lead generation program designed to further grow the VBN database, manage our e-newsletters and oversee a contextual display advertising campaign. A conversion study is currently underway and we should have results by the second quarter of 2014.
The conventions and meetings side of our business was also plenty busy in 2013 generating a near record 165,000 definite room nights booked and servicing an eclectic mix of conventions and amateur athletics. With events ranging from the Golden Age Games to the New York State Bar Law Examiners Bar Exam to the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) to the Color Run, Buffalo continued to fill hotel rooms from a broad base of regional, state and national clients. It’s worth noting here that the success of the HighEdWeb Annual Confer-ence was a particularly satisfying accomplishment given that it made full use of the recently installed state-of-the-
art technology upgrades at the Convention Center that resulted from a significant investment from the County of Erie and a $500,000 grant from Empire State Devel-opment. HighEdWeb delegates also fully embraced an innovative social media program devised by the staffs of the Center and VBN. Our performance drew rave reviews and set the stage for a further demonstration of our social media savvy during 2014 events such as NCAA basketball and the Congress for the New Urbanism.
I’m also pleased to report that our new Airport Visitor Center continues to live up to our expectations, servicing
nearly 84,000 customers in 2013 and hitting our target goal of $225,000 in merchandise sales during our first full year of operation. We continue to win friends and influence people at the airport, taking full advantage of our prominent position on the secure side of the concourse.
Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the transition in leadership the organization experienced in 2013. After more than three years of exemplary
leadership, Dottie Gallagher-Cohen stepped down as President and CEO in May to take on a similar role with the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. At that time, David Marzo, our Chief Financial Officer, assumed the additional role of Interim CEO. Dave performed his dual duties admirably while we conducted a national search for Dottie’s successor. In late November, we introduced Patrick Kaler, formerly President and CEO of the Loudoun County, Virginia Convention & Visitors Association, as Visit Buffalo Niagara’s next Chief Executive Officer. I have every confidence that our organization and region are both poised for even greater success under Patrick’s leadership.
Very truly yours,
DENNIS P. MURPHY Chairman of the Board, Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO, InnVest Lodging Services
The success of the 2013 HighEdWeb Conference was a
particularly satisfying
accomplishment.
ON THE COVER: Speaker during the general session of the HigEdWeb Annual Conference, which generated 1,500 hotel room nights and had an estimated economic impact of over $1,000,000.
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BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM COMMISSION
1,325,102 Unique visits to
visitbuffaloniagara.com, up 18.7% from 2012
VBN MARKETING
JUST THE FACTS: 2013 AT A GLANCESome of our greatest successes came on the marketing front, as VBN generated non-local media coverage with a total media value of nearly $1 million and increased the number of unique web visitors to visitbuffaloniagara.com to 1,325,102 (up 18.7 percent over 2012). VBN’s sales team also produced solid results in 2013, securing 164,327 future hotel room nights; booking 443 conventions, meetings, amateur athletic events and group tours; and generating 823 sales leads. These efforts will result in $122 million in future economic impact.
83 Out-of-town
media hits
83 Local media
hits
Record breaking
figures are in red
BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION CENTER
258 Days the Center was
occupied
151 Events hosted
34,055 Hotel room nights utilized due to events at the Center
BUFFALO NIAGARA SPORTS COMMISSION
72,480 Hotel room nights
92,187 Attendance
225 Production days with
Film Office involvement
37 Projects
completed
54 Completed
production scouts
Media value of out-of-town media coverage
Local direct spend due to Film Office activity
$7.6 million
VBN CONVENTION, SPORTS & GROUP TOUR SALES
$122 millionFuture economic
impact
823 Future
sales leads
443 Conventions, meetings,
amateur athletic events or group tours booked
Hotel room nights booked
164,327
Amateur sporting events serviced
in 2013
129
People attended events at the
Convention Center
294,384
$993,000
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Fresh Online Solutions: eBrains partnership continues to drive resultsVBN continued our
engagement of
eBrains, the online
marketing agency
that focuses on
measurable returns
via lead generation,
email, search and
display ads. Building
on our highly
successful 2012
campaign that
delivered 4,150 new
visitor parties and
more than $3 million
in new spending –
an ROI of more
than 30 to 1 –
VBN charged
eBrains with
growing our cus-
tomer database,
managing our news-
letters to engage and
convert subscribers
and deploying
a contextual
display advertising
campaign to reach
prospects when they
are viewing content
compatible with
the VBN message. Messaging focused on arts/culture, history/
heritage, family activities, Niagara Falls, gardening, shopping and
the culinary sector.
Employing this multifaceted strategy, eBrains delivered the
following high-level metrics:
14.6 million measured impressions of Buffalo Niagara
89,417 clicks/visits to the site
118,818 additional meaningful actions on the site past the click
Texas A&M University will be engaged to conduct a conversion
study to determine how many of these potential visitors came
to Buffalo Niagara and the economic impact they left behind.
The findings of the research study will be available in spring 2014.
CANADIAN MARKETING INITIATIVE: Winning Hearts and Minds in Southern OntarioBuffalo Niagara’s unique position on the Canadian border gives us enviable access to eight million potential visitors in southern Ontario. As a result of a $195,000 New York State Regional Economic Develop-ment Council grant, VBN and the Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. were able to launch a Canadian Marketing Initiative in 2013. Designed to entice Canadians to do more while they’re here and visit more often, the initiative is grounded on in-depth customer research conducted on our behalf by Longwoods International and Protean Strategies. Employing this research to hone our message and identify the best prospects, VBN launched an all-digital presence (paid search, banners, social media) in this key market in November. Phase 1 of the consumer advertising campaign, which ran through Dec. 31st, delivered more than 18,000 engagements with the visitbuffaloniagara.com and niagara-usa.com websites by Canadian consumers. Phase 2 is currently underway and will run through the end of February 2014.
A $250,000 grant from the Western New York Power Proceeds Allocation Board, matched by a $150,000 commit-ment from VBN and $100,000 from the NTCC, will enable the Canadian Marketing Initiative to continue throughout 2014.
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Each year, a delegation of Visit Buffalo Niagara staff members
and representatives from our region’s retail districts and malls
attend the National Women’s Show
in Toronto to drive more
cross-border shopping.
This year, they came
equipped with a sleek
new tool – the 36-page
Buffalo Niagara
Shopping Guide,
which includes maps,
directions and insider tips
on the best places to stay,
play, shop and eat in Buffalo Niagara.
2013 was another tremendous year for Buffalo in the
national – and international – media. As a result of
VBN’s media relations work, The New York Times
was particularly attentive to Buffalo in the year just
past, running stories about the success of economic
development initiatives at the Buffalo Niagara
Medical Campus and the Larkin District, as well
as pieces about the Buffalo Niagara International
Airport, Garden Walk Buffalo and a feature in the
Sunday Times Travel section devoted to the exciting
developments at Canalside and elsewhere in the city.
The Canadian media also set their sights on Buffalo
in 2013. In November, the website for Chatelaine,
Canada’s largest circulation magazine, ran the story
10 fantastic things to do in Buffalo, NY. Not to be
outdone, Canada.com raved about Buffalo’s arts,
culture and dining, titled Brilliant, resilient Buffalo
New York. To round it all off, the Toronto Star ran
an entire special section devoted to Buffalo in
December. Other highlights included coverage in
the Boston Globe, USA Today, Traditional Home
and Long Weekends magazine.
BUFFALO IN THE NEWS
Guiding Canadians to Our Stores
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The HighEdWeb Conference made full use of the state-of-the-art technology upgrades at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
WEBSITE VISITORS
VISITOR INFO ON-THE-GO
508,875
MOBILE VISITS TOTAL OF VISITS TO DEDICATED MOBILE SITE AND MAIN SITE VIA A MOBILE DEVICEJanuary 1-December 31, 2013
3,111iPAD APP DOWNLOADSJanuary 1-December 31, 2013
30%of all website visitors
are from Canada
UNITED KINGDOM
GERMANYAUSTRALIA
INDIA
c d
e f
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
446,998 pageviews
SHOPPING442,146 pageviews
FAMILY FUN137,265 pageviews
TOP 5 COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN FOR NON-U.S. WEBSITE VISITORS
MOST VISITED CONTENT
TOTAL VISITS
1,325,102An increase of 18.7% over 2012
All Wired UpThe Buffalo Niagara
Convention Center (BNCC)
recently wrapped up a
complete technology
upgrade, made possible
through support from the
County of Erie and Empire
State Development.
The center received a total
re-cabling of all public spaces
in the building and the addition
of a high-density wireless
network covering the building’s
110,000 square feet of meeting
and event space.
The upgrades have increased
high-speed internet bandwidth
by a factor of ten, allowing
exhibitors and guests instant
and unimpeded access to any
applications they require.
Highlights include:
100 MB of bandwidth
More than 240 data ports
throughout the building
70 wireless access points
The ability to accommodate
up to 7,000 devices
Installation of 11 digital
signage boards throughout
the facility
Free WiFi zone in the lobby
CANADA
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A DIGITALLY SAVVY DESTINATION
What do you do when 750 tech-savvy, self-
described nerds come to your city? Blow their
minds on social media.
From October 5 to 9, Buffalo welcomed the
HighEdWeb Annual Conference, attracting
attendees from across North America. Visit
Buffalo Niagara worked closely with the
Buffalo Niagara Convention Center and the
Hyatt Regency to create a robust social media
plan that included:
Surprising guests with “random acts of kindness”
(like showing up with coffee when someone
tweeted that they could use a caffeine boost)
Running an Instagram contest that received
659 entries
Activating our “Tweet Team” of more than
40 local social media influencers
Responding to tweets on everything from
nightlife to artisanal sausage.
Along the way, VBN converted hundreds of
strangers into ambassadors for Buffalo. Get a
snapshot of what VBN and its partners did here:
visitbuffaloniagara.com/HEWEB
For years, Visit Buffalo Niagara has been an industry leader in social media. Our momentum in this space continued to grow in 2013.
Between our pages for Visit Buffalo Niagara, The 716, Shopping in Buffalo, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission and National Garden Festival, VBN had more than 138,000 Facebook fans as of
December 31. We also created Vine and Google+ accounts and grew our Twitter account to 9,300 followers (an 80 percent increase), Instagram to 722 followers and Pinterest to 540 followers.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Our Instagram contest captured the imaginations and focused the attention of the Higher Ed Web delegates, who found a visually
appealing city outside the walls of the Convention Center.
Strangers To Ambassadors In Five Days
MORE THAN
FACEBOOK FANS138,000
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Hundreds of veterans converged on Buffalo last spring to compete in the National Veterans Golden Age Games.
SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH ERIE COUNTY HOTEL REPORT
OCCUPANCY AVERAGE HOTEL RATE REVENUES 2013 65.4% $96.47 $217,886,799 2012 66.4% $93.92 $209,550,115 2011 66.1% $90.96 $197,823,142 2010 64.7% $87.45 $185,541,315
ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR ERIE COUNTY HOTELSIn 2013, Erie County hotel revenues jumped 4 percent, the average rate charged by hotels rose 2.5 percent and
monthly occupancy rates exceeded the national average
for much of the year.
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
ERIE COUNTY
JAN
NATIONAL AVERAGE
FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
43.5
53.7
60.463.0
71.676.4
83.8 85.8
69.968.3
60.0
50.2
47.5
57.4
64.7
63.469.2
71.1
69.964.0
63.7
58.5
51.0
63.8
MONTHLY OCCUPANCY PERCENTAGE, 2013
A Golden OpportunityThe National Veterans Golden Age Games, May 30
to June 4, brought 850 veterans and their families
from around the country to Buffalo to compete in
events ranging from swimming to basketball to
checkers. The event had an estimated economic
impact of $2.2 million.
Color Us HappySome 10,000 people got covered in colored corn
starch as they ran Buffalo’s inaugural Color Run
along the waterfront on August 17. The estimated
economic impact of the race was $239,795.
MAJOR 2013 CONVENTIONS Arranged by estimated economic impactNAME ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT DATE ATTENDEESNew York State Board of Law Examiners $3,435,011 July 28 2,800New York State Board of Law Examiners $2,123,410 Feb. 24 1,800New York State Bureau of Emergency Medical Services $1,769,000 Oct. 24 2,000International F. & A.M. Masons & Order of Eastern Star $1,570,708 July 12 650New York State Public Employees Federation $1,559,854 Sep. 29 1,000 Agricultural Media Summit $1,444,344 Aug. 2 600 Department of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars $1,381,427 June 11 800National Association of Campus Activities $1,232,591 Oct. 15 1,200Higher Education Web Professionals Association $1,095,900 Oct. 5 750Multiple District 20 Lions Club of New York State and Bermuda $1,042,436 May 15 1,500Buffalo Niagara Dental Meeting $944,949 Sep. 23 2,000Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Providers of New York State $822,253 May 3 650American Association of Airport Executives $768, 151 Apr. 19 400Business Alliance for Living Economies $717,205 June 11 700Creating Keepsakes $682,420 May 15 1,000
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LODGING EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Lori Hint Courtyard by Marriott Buffalo Airport
LODGING MANAGER OF THE YEAR Holly Homesburger Hyatt Regency Buffalo
LODGING G.M. OF THE YEAR Jay Dellavecchia Hyatt Regency Buffalo
TOURISM EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Patrick Kavanagh Forest Lawn
TOURISM EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR William Vanecek Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
TOURISM INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR Culinary Tourism Christa Glennie Seychew
TOURISM VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Denise Prince Buffalo Tours
TOURISM VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Phyllis W. Pierce
Highlighting Our Industry
2013 Beacon Award honorees (left to right): Denise Prince, William Vanacek, Holly Homesburger, Jay Dellavecchia, Lori Hint, Christa Glennie Seychew and Patrick Kavanagh.
MAJOR JUMP IN VISITOR CENTER TRAFFICVisit Buffalo Niagara’s two visitor centers, located on the secure side of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and within the Market Arcade Building in downtown Buffalo, experienced growth in 2013. Between them, they answered 124,366 inquiries.
TOTAL VISITOR CENTER INQUIRIES IN 2013
124,366
Approximately 600 guests joined VBN on May 1 for
our third annual Travel & Tourism Beacon Awards
Luncheon, where we recognized superior service
throughout our industry, from volunteer docents to
hotel general managers.
Each year, the Tim Russert Award is presented to a
worthy recipient who has demonstrated a long-term
commitment to promoting Buffalo. The award winner
is then inducted into the Buffalo Ambassador Hall of
Fame. This year’s recipients were the members of the
band The Goo Goo Dolls.
Kathy Russert presenting the Tim Russert Award to The Goo Goo Dolls at the Travel & Tourism Beacon Awards luncheon.
RIC
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2013 BEACON AWARD WINNERS
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Tourism in Buffalo Niagara is big business and getting bigger, according to a study recently released by Tourism Economics, a unit of Philadelphia-based Oxford Economics. In fact, the Greater Niagara region – along with Central New York – had the highest growth rate (5.7%) of all of New York State’s vacation regions in 2012. The study concluded that Erie County’s travel and tourism industry generated nearly $1.6 billion in traveler spending in 2012, supported more than 20,000 jobs and created $490 million in direct labor income. The really good news is that tourism expenditures resulted in $105 million in local taxes and $86 million in state taxes in 2012, saving the average Erie County household $506 in taxes!
VBN, together with our
counterparts at Niagara Tourism
Convention Corp (NTCC) applied
for, and were awarded a
$195,000 REDC grant to
support a $600,000 marketing
campaign in Canada. The tourism promotion agencies will contribute
$250,000 to the fund and will raise the additional $155,000 from its
tourism partners who want to advertise in Canada. The campaign will
seek to encourage Canadian shoppers to do more while visiting the
region and also has a goal of incrementally increasing visitation. The
typical Canadian shopper makes about three trips a year to WNY to
shop. “The majority of day visitors plan their visit within a week or
so. We believe if they have more information about all there is to do
and see here in WNY they will visit more often,” said VBN President &
CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen. Canadian shoppers spend about
$930 million in WNY each year.
GET THE INSIDE SCOOP!VBN’s Tourism Insider email newsletter grew
to 3,190 subscribers – an increase of about
29 percent – in 2013. Want to keep up on news
related to Buffalo’s travel and tourism industry,
from hotel stats to our latest videos to a list of
upcoming conventions, meetings and amateur
sporting events? Then sign up for the Tourism
Insider at BuffaloAmbassador.com
29%TOURISM INSIDER
SUBSCRIPTIONS INCREASED
Buffalo, In FocusThree-quarters of a million. That’s how many views
VBN’s videos have received on YouTube.
In 2013, VBN continued our partnership with Paget
Films to produce fresh, fun, high-quality videos
about Buffalo’s art scene, the West Side Bazaar,
family attractions, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo and
the experience of touring the city on a Segway or
the Open-Air Autobus of Buffalo.
VBN was also a major financial supporter of Paget
Films’ short film Buffalo: America’s Best Designed
City, which includes jaw-dropping aerial footage
of Buffalo and looks at the history and future of our
city’s world-class urban design. In three months, this
film attracted more than 150,000 YouTube views.
Buffalo: America’s Best Designed City
ArtBFLO
Buffalo Niagara: Bring the Kids!
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At The Movies: Promoting Buffalo as a Film Production Site
On July 1 The Buffalo Niagara Film Office moved to its new home at WNY Public Broadcasting in downtown Buffalo. This move places the film office in a 24-7-production facility, which includes a 7,500 sq. ft. New York State Qualified Soundstage in the hub of downtown Buffalo.
FILM OFFICE FINDS A NEW HOME
Universal Studios “Best Man Holiday” shot at
Ralph Wilson Stadium. This major studio feature
film included the hiring of over 1,500 local extras
over four days of shooting at the stadium and
generated $1.5 million in direct local spending in
Western New York.
The History Channel’s “Top Gear” shot an episode on
the streets of Buffalo and at Fort Niagara State Park.
The Skyway was shut down providing a beautiful
Buffalo backdrop for this episode, which featured
various challenges for modified amphibious vehicles.
Black Rose Films “The Romans” produced by
Corey Green and Larry Quinn and starring Stephen
Henderson and many up and coming local actors
used the east side of Buffalo as the back drop for
its modern day tale of gang warfare.
Nike chose Buffalo’s Central Terminal and various
other locations as the background for its “Lunar One
Shot” Skateboard Shoe campaign, which will be seen
internationally and features world famous members
of the Nike Skateboard Team.
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Cindy Abbott-Letro Law Offices of Francis A. LetroDonald K. Boswell WNY Public Broadcasting AssociationSteve Boyd Steve Boyd, P.C.Jonathan A. Dandes Rich Baseball OperationsDottie Gallagher-Cohen VBN/Buffalo Niagara PartnershipC. Douglas Hartmayer NFTARandall Kramer MusicalFare TheatreSusan M. LoTempio Lynn Marinelli Erie County LegislatureJohn J. Mills Erie County LegislatureKerry C. Mitchell
Dennis P. Murphy InnVest Lodging Services, Inc.Minesh Patel Adam’s Mark HotelGary D. Praetzel, Ph.D. Niagara UniversityMary F. Roberts Martin House Restoration Corp.James T. Sandoro Buffalo Transportation / Pierce-Arrow MuseumPaul Snyder, III Snyder CorporationToni L. Vazquez Maria Whyte County of ErieLeslie H. Zemsky Larkin Square
2013 VISIT BUFFALO NIAGARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Buffalo will welcome NCAA Men’s Basketball Second and Third Round games back to the First Niagara Center on Thursday, March 20 and Saturday, March 22. This will mark Buffalo’s fifth time hosting the preliminary rounds of the tournament. Thousands of out-of-town basketball fans are expected to fill First Niagara Center to capacity and leave behind an estimated economic impact of more than $5.5 million.
From June 4 to 7, Buffalo will host the 22nd annual Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), attracting a projected 2,000
attendees from all over the U.S., Canada and several other countries to town.
The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Tournament, July 14 to 26, 2014, will bring some 1,500 participants and their friends and families to Buffalo.
A $50,000 grant from the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council will enable VBN to promote the 20th anniversary of Garden Walk Buffalo and the 5th anniversary of the National Garden Festival.
WHAT’S AHEAD IN 20142014 is shaping up to be another exciting year!
Kaler Takes the LeadIn May, Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen moved on
from the organization to assume the same role at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
VBN’s board of directors launched a national search to find her successor, and in
November, the board introduced their selection, Patrick J. Kaler. Kaler comes to VBN
from Visit Loudoun, the tourism agency for Loudoun County, Virginia located just
outside of Washington, D.C., where he also served as president and CEO. Kaler has held
several other senior tourism positions during his career, including senior director of
travel industry and tourism development for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention
Board, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority and executive director
for the Great Lakes of North America.
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2013 COMMITTEES OF VISIT BUFFALO NIAGARA AND THE BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION CENTER MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
CHAIR: Dennis P. Murphy InnVest Lodging Services, Inc.
COMMITTEE MEMBERSJonathan A. Dandes Rich Baseball Operations
Donald K. Boswell WNY Public Broadcasting Association
Dottie Gallagher-Cohen VBN/Buffalo Niagara PartnershipMary F. Roberts Martin House Restoration Corp.Maria Whyte County of ErieGary D. Praetzel Niagara University
Executive Committee
STAFF: David Marzo Chief Financial Officer
COMMITTEE MEMBERSTom Beiter Buffalo Niagara Convention CenterDottie Gallagher-Cohen VBN/Buffalo Niagara Partnership
Lynn Marinelli Erie County LegislaturePaul Murphy Buffalo Niagara Convention CenterMary F. Roberts Martin House Restoration Corp.
Budget/Finance/Audit Committee
STAFF: Mike Even VP of Sales
COMMITTEE MEMBERSPhil Alterio Buffalo Niagara Marriott Melissa Burke Buffalo Niagara Convention CenterDave Carroll Hart HotelsJay Dellavecchia Hyatt Regency BuffaloMark Dickerson Embassy Suites BuffaloJohn Dubreville Hale Northeastern Ann Dugan Buffalo Lodging
Barb Hughes AAA Thomas Keane Hart HotelsBruce Kolesnick University at Buffalo John Malkus Hyatt Regency BuffaloRuss Papia Millennium HotelMinesh Patel Adam’s Mark Bonnie Phillips Martin’s Fantasy IslandMatt Spencer Comfort Suites Edwin Shelp Adam’s Mark
Sales Committee
CHAIR: Drew Cerza Just Wing It Productions STAFF: Ed Healy VP of MarketingCOMMITTEE MEMBERSJustin Azzarella Evergreen Association of WNYSteve Boyd Steve Boyd, P.C.Anthony Conte Shea’s Performing Arts CenterC. Douglas Hartmayer NFTASusan M. LoTempio
Nick Magnini WUTVAndy Major Buffalo BillsArt Page Rudi Rainer Super 8 HotelJames T. Sandoro Buffalo Transportation/
Pierce-Arrow MuseumMargie Stehlik Martin House Restoration Corporation
Marketing Committee
STAFF: Paul Murphy Facility DirectorCOMMITTEE MEMBERSJohn J. Mills Erie County LegislatureRudi Rainer Super 8 Hotel
James T. Sandoro Buffalo Transportation/ Pierce-Arrow Museum
Jeff Zack County of Erie
Convention Center Operations Committee
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2013 BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION CENTER STAFF
CHAIR: Jonathan A. Dandes Rich Baseball OperationsTom Ahern Buffalo SabresGordon Anthony Canisius CollegeChris Aronica Aronica & AssociatesAdam Benigni Channel 2 NewsBrad Boyle Erie Community CollegeRuss Brandon Buffalo BillsMike Buczkowski Buffalo BisonsVic Carucci Cleveland BrownsBrian Cavanaugh D’Youville CollegeTherese Forton-Barnes Events to a TSherry Frost Clarence SoccerRalph Galanti Erie Community College (retired)Mike Gentile Niagara UniversityKathleen Gregoire Skating Club of WNYEric Guzdek Northtown Center at AmherstJim Hanley Hanley Fishing ChartersC. Douglas Hartmayer NFTAPerry Jenkins University at BuffaloPeter Jerebko Erie Community College
Ed Kilgore Channel 2 NewsBrian Kiszewski Monsignor Martin Athletic AssociationTom Koeller Buffalo State CollegeJohn Lambert University at BuffaloDan Loncto Fleet Feet BuffaloEd Lindsey Amateur Softball AssociationJohn Maddock Canisius CollegeBill Maher Canisius CollegeLynn Marinelli Erie CountyTom Marks Gr8 Lakes Fishing AdventuresJohn Murphy Buffalo BillsSister Maria Pares Buffalo Academy of the Sacred HeartRon Raccuia AdPro Team SportsEdward Rath Erie CountyDonald Reed University at BuffaloJeff Russo Channel 7 NewsBob Schell Amherst Youth HockeyLisa Scherer Ride for RoswellTimm Slade Section VI
2013 BUFFALO NIAGARA SPORTS COMMISSION ADVISORY COUNCIL
Melissa Bean Convention & Event Service Manager
Tom Beiter ControllerMelissa Burke Senior Director of
Sales and MarketingAngelo Canna, Jr. Food & Beverage Manager Lorna Cullen Executive AssistantMichelle Helles Convention Sales ManagerHeather Keller Sales & Service CoordinatorSusan Kimmins Sales & Catering ManagerCraig Landseadel Sous Chef
MaryAnn Martin Accounting & Benefits ManagerSamuel Mendez Assistant Operations ManagerLeslie Millender Lobby ReceptionistPaul Murphy Facility DirectorTerry O’Brien Operations ManagerKeith Pitman ElectricianKenneth Sandford Chief EngineerRaymond Thom Executive ChefRaymond Williams Timekeeper/Security Danielle Winiarski Convention & Event
Service Manager
Melissa Barrie Information SpecialistKathy Benzel Information Technology/ Online Content ManagerPeter Burakowski Communications ManagerMichele Butlak Accounting and Benefits ManagerGiovanni Centurione Information SpecialistLindsay Carucci Sport Services ManagerTim Clark Director, Buffalo Niagara Film CommissionKaren Cox Convention Services ManagerLinda D’Agostino Director of Sales & Government RelationsDenise Drews Downtown Visitor Center ManagerMichael Even Vice President of Sales & ServicesKaren Fashana Marketing & Co-op Advertising ManagerDottie Gallagher-Cohen President & CEO
Charles Giglia Director of Sports SalesPete Harvey Director of Sports DevelopmentEd Healy Vice President of MarketingJay Josker Sport Services ManagerCindy Sterner-Kincaide Director, Buffalo Ambassador
ProgramTracy Martell Convention Services ManagerDavid Marzo Chief Financial OfficerLeah Mueller Tourism Sales DirectorDanielle Pappas Administrative AssistantMary Jane Poleto Airport Visitor Center ManagerJudy Smith Director of AdministrationMatt Steinberg Director of Creative ServicesRich Wall Operations Manager/
Production Services, Buffalo Niagara Film Commission
Lori White National Sales ManagerDionne Williamson National Sales Manager
2013 VISIT BUFFALO NIAGARA STAFF
I’M GOING TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: GO TO BUFFALO THIS WEEKEND.
CHATELAINE
617 Main Street § Suite 200 § Buffalo, new York 14203 § 716.852.0511VISITBUFFALONIAGARA.COM
If architecture is anything to go by, Buffalo ranks as one of the great cities of America.TORONTO STAR
I’M GOING TO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: GO TO BUFFALO THIS WEEKEND.
CHATELAINE
With new waterfront bars , outdoor markets and upscale restaurants , developers are honoring original designs dating back to Buffalo’s heyday . THE NEW YORK TIMES
BUFFALO WAS BRIMMING
WITH ENERGY.THE BOSTON GLOBE
Buffalo is an eclectic kind of city that offers so much for every type of traveler – including experiences that won’t soon be forgotten.CANADA.COM
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT BUFFALO
...a casual visit to Parkside, and the older Victorian neighborhoods
closer in to downtown, including the West Side, Richmond Avenue, Elmwood Village, and Allentown,
suggests a thriving urban environment. Restaurants and art galleries are conspicuous. There is substantial
bicycle and foot traffic. Grand old houses are being restored. A funky
Bohemian vibe resonates.AMERICAN BUNGLAOW
Elmwood Village, hands down, wins the prize for hippest place in Buffalo. Located
in the heart of the city, accessible from Interstate 190, it’s a place where tattoo parlors and high-end hair salons and
art galleries seamlessly co-exist.
ERIE TIMES-NEWS