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2010ANNUAL

BUSINESS REVIEW

2010 was a year of record-breaking numbers for Buffalo Niagara. The CVB sales department

booked a record of more than 150,000 room nights for future business and our website traffic

at www.visitbuffaloniagara.com increased by nearly 50 percent over 2009.

The Smith Travel chart below shows that we have recovered from 2009’s economic downturn,

setting new all-time records in Erie County for hotel demand and total hotel revenue. And if

the economy holds, the future for Western New York tourism looks very bright.

A 2010 CVB research project revealed that when cultural tourists

are informed about Western New York’s art, architecture and

history attractions, they are 90% more likely to visit. And with

renovations to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center and many

downtown hotels, combined with real investments at important

tourism assets, there has never been a better time to market our

region and capitalize on the opportunity for tourism.

As you can see from pages 12 to 15, we’ve begun in earnest our effort to engage you and other

members of the community in our efforts. I would encourage you to sign up to receive our

Tourism Insider email newsletter and see how you might be able to help us grow the

region’s economy through tourism.

DottIE GALLAGhER-CohEN President & CEO gallaghercohen@visitbuffaloniagara.com

SmIth tRAVEL RESEARChERIE CoUNty hotEL REpoRt

AVERAGE Room NIGhtS hotEL oCCUpANCy RAtE SoLD REVENUES

2010 64.7% $87.45 2,200,686 $192,456,0232009 63.3% $87.09 2,055,390 $181,443,3992008 68.7% $89.62 2,118,786 $191,157,208

NOTE: The survey results compiled above were based on a sample of 894,020 room nights reported by participating properties, which accounts for approximately 41 percent of the total room nights consumed in Erie County during 2010.

conventions/meetings/ amateur sports (group)

17%leisure (non-group)

32%

corporate transient44%

group tour7%

ERIE CoUNty hotEL/motELS(Total Room Nights Reported: 894,020)

toURISm By thE NUmBERS2010 was a record-breaking year for Erie County hotelsDemand for local hotel rooms increased by 7 percent in 2010, breaking the record set in 2008. It was also a

record-breaking year for Erie County hotel revenues,

which were up 6 percent year over year. The average

rate charged by hotels was up slightly over 2009 but still

falls short of the average rate realized in 2008, largely

due to the addition of more than 750 hotel rooms in Erie

County since then.

KC K

RATT

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BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM COMMISSION

$514,751Publicity value of out-of-

town media coverage

CVB MARKETING

RECoRDS ARE mADE to BE BRokENCVB continued to raise the bar in 2010In the middle of a rough U.S. economy, the CVB sales team is breaking records. In 2010, the CVB set new high marks for booking hotel room nights (150,439); booking conventions, meetings or events (401); and generating new sales leads (705). These bookings will result in another record – more than $82 million in expenditures by out-of-town visitors. On the marketing front, unique visitors to the CVB’s website, www.visitbuffaloniagara.com, jumped 48 percent in 2010 to 495,439.

25 Out-of-town print

media hits

78 Local print media hits

Record breaking

figures are in red

italic

BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION CENTER

197 Nights the Center

was occupied

108 Events hosted

14,000Hotel room nights utilized due to events at the Center

BUFFALO NIAGARA SPORTS COMMISSION

57 Completed location scouts

74 Total projects shot

86,330Hotel room

nights

435,967*Attendance

* Includes 329,687 tickts sold for the World Juniors, as reported by the Buffalo Sabres, and data reported by event rights holders for the Empire State Games.

Note: The Convention Center was closed for renovations from June to September.

Unique visits to visitbuffaloniagara.com

Up 48% FRom 2009

Production days with Film Commission involvement

495,439

369

CVB CONVENTION, SPORTS & GROUP TOUR SALES

$82 millionin future visitor

spending

705New sales leads

401Conventions, meetings

or special events bookedHotel room nights booked

ALL tImE RECORD

150, 439

AmAtEUR SpoRtING EVENtS

128

People attended events at the

Convention Center

300,000

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GOING VIRALCVB video received 150,000 views in 2 monthsOn Nov. 1, the CVB posted its Buffalo: this place matters video on YouTube. Filmed in partnership with First + Main Media, the video was initially created to help drive attendance to the 2011 National Preser-vation Conference in Buffalo. But once the public caught a peek at the video’s stunning time lapse photography of Buffalo’s architecture and sweeping aerial shots of the city’s downtown, waterfront,

parkways and parks, it took on a much larger life of its own. By the end of December, it had 150,000 views on YouTube and, at a certain point, it was YouTube’s 12th most viewed Travel & Events video of the week. The CVB also teamed up with First + Main to create

Buffalo: you’re Looking Good, a fun, upbeat girlfriends’ getaway video. In 2011, look for a monthly series of short videos from the CVB and First + Main.

BRANDING BUFFALo FoR VISItoRSThe CVB brought the community together to begin articulating a new brand for BuffaloAd agency execs, government officials, community leaders, educational institutions,

visitor attractions, business people…the CVB brought these stakeholders (and

more!) together at several points throughout 2010 to shape and identify a

new brand platform, visual identity and tagline for Buffalo. The CVB is rolling

out the new brand in 2011.

Buffalo: This Place Matters video

m a r K E t i n g

LET’S BE FRIENdSCVB is an industry leader in social mediaIn April, the CVB debuted a new Facebook fan page and, thanks in large part to a series of well-executed contests and promotions, amassed 10,000 fans within six months. The CVB also managed the fan page the 716, allowing us to reach another 50,000 fans. The CVB was active on Twitter throughout the year and we operated “twisitor Centers” during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and World Juniors, to provide real-time visitor information and updates.

FANS IN 6 MONTHS

10, 000yoUtUBE

tRAVEL & EVENtS VIDEO OF THE WEEK

12TH MOST VIEWED

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The Convention Center received a $7 million

renovation in 2010. When coupled with the

more than 1600 new or renovated hotel rooms

that surround the center, Buffalo has never had

a stronger

convention

and meeting

product to sell.

RENOVATION hIghlIghTs INClUDE:

Erie County Executive Chris Collins and CVB President & CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen take ceremonial swings at the

Convention Center’s old marquee (above).The renovated Convention Center (top). pRoDUCt to SELL

STRONGER CONVENTION

BUFFALo hAS NEVER hAD A

10, 000

b u f f a l o n i a g a r a c o n V E n t i o n c E n t E r

} A new main entrance and electronic marquee

} Painting of the ceiling} Resurfaced main exhibit floor} New wall coverings

} Renovated concession areas with new equipment

} New lighting with flexible features

} Addition of sound baffles and acoustical treatments

} Redesigned kitchen with new equipment, allowing for a more efficient operation

} A new chef’s tasting room

The Convention Center also unveiled a new

logo to match the fresh, updated look of the

building. The new visual identity reflects the

street grid of Niagara Square, as well as the BNCC’s new tag line, Be at the Center of Attention.

$7 mILLIoNCoNVENtIoN CENtER FACELIFt

6

c o n V E n t i o n s , s P o r t s & g r o u P t o u r s a l E s

A HUGE YEAR FOR AMATEUR SPORTSIn 2010, Buffalo Niagara got caught up in March Madness, revived the Empire State Games and welcomed the World Juniors hockey tournament.

March 19 and 21

ATTENDANCE: 12,000EsTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT: $5 million

July 21 to 25

ATTENDANCE: 21,000 (6,000 athletes / 15,000 spectators)*EsTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT: $10 million*

dec. 26, 2010 to Jan. 6, 2011

ATTENDANCE: 329,687 (tickets sold)*EsTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT: $100 million*

* Includes data reported by event rights holders

} served on the local Organizing Committee, which met for a full year to prepare for the tournament

} Trained and coordinated roughly 125 volunteers who were stationed in front of hsBC Arena and up Washington st. and Main st. to assit visitors

} Met with local restaurants, bars and hotels to help them plan for a potential spike in business

} Operated a visitor information tent near hsBC Arena, the Visitor Center in the Market Arcade, and informa-tion tables at each downtown hotel} Created a webpage with

tournament visitor information} Operated a Twitter “Twisitor

Center,” allowing staff to tweet real-time restaurant

and transportation updates to guests

} served on the local Organizing Committee , which raised more than $500,000 in cash and in-kind and helped revive the games after they were cancelled in 2009

} Delivered and set-up signage for shuttles, parking, sports, visitors and directions at all Esg venues

} Operated a pair of visitor information booths

} Provided various services for VIPs

} Created a World Juniors visitor webpage, which included hotel rates and availabilities, special deals from local restaurants and attrac-tions, a calendar of events, a map of Buffalo’s top attractions, parking tips and transportation information

} Produced a Dining and Transportation guide, in conjunction with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, and a hockey fan guide map} Assisted the Buffalo sabres and

The Buffalo News in their creation of an Official Fan guide

} Placed visitor materials at tables in non-tournament hotels

} staffed a visitor table at the hockey Towne UsA Fan Fest

} Distributed information outside hsBC Arena during the busiest days of the tournament

} held a set of meetings and issued a series of industry e-newsletters, to prepare downtown hotels and restaurants for the potential fans

nfta.com

IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPDINING & TRANSPORTATION GUIDEVISITBUFFALONIAGARA.COM

WE HAVE ONE GOAL:TO ENTERTAIN YOU.

Welcome to Buffalo, World Juniors fans!

For visitor information and a map of downtown Buffalo dining, nightlife

and entertainment, go to visitbuffaloniagara.com/worldjuniors2011

or scan this tag with your mobile phone.

1 800 BUFFALO / visitbuffaloniagara.com

BUFFALo NIAGARA SpoRtS CommISSIoN INVoLVEmENt

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AN EVEN STRONGER SPORTS COMPETITORThe CVB established a non-profit sports commission

c o n V E n t i o n s , s P o r t s & g r o u P t o u r s a l E s

A yoUth hoCkEy mAChINEAmherst Youth Hockey continues its streak of hosting USA Hockey youth eventsHundreds of budding hockey stars came to town

from April 7 to 11, as Amherst Youth Hockey

(AYH) hosted

USA Hockey’s

Youth 12 &

Under and

14 & Under

National

Championship Tournament. Both tournaments took

place at the Northtown Center at Amherst. Twelve

of the top teams from across the country, from as far

away as Alaska and Los Angeles, competed in each age category. Players and

their families occupied 2,500 hotel room nights and the tournament had an

estimated economic impact of $1 million.

AYH also hosted USA Hockey events in 2008 and 2009, with estimated economic impacts

of $1.2 million and $600,000, respectively. Look for additional tournaments in 2011 and 2012.

In February, the CVB announced the creation of a new 501c3 subsidiary, the Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission (BNsC), which will lead the effort to bid on and host amateur athletics in Erie County. The establishment of a sports Commission was recommend-ed in the CVB’s five-year strategic plan that was completed in 2008.

Featuring a volunteer advisory council of leaders from the local amateur and professional sports community (see listing on page 13), headed by Chairman Jon Dandes of Rich Baseball Opera-tions, the BNsC will allow Western New York to further take advantage of our region’s world-class sports facilities to bring events to Buffalo.

EStImAtED ECONOMIC IMPACT

$1 million

8

MAJOR 2010 CONVENTIONSArranged by estimated economic impact EstimatED namE Economic imPact DatE attEnDEEs

Church of God and Saints of Christ $1,628,000 Apr. 9-23 2,000

UB Dental $1,628,000 Nov. 1-5 2,000

NYS Board of Law Examiners $1,465,200 July 26-28 1,800

Multiple District 20 Lions Club of $1,221,000 May 12-16 1,500 New York State and Bermuda

North American Association for $976,800 Sept. 26-Oct. 3 1,000 Environmental Education

Creative Problem Solving Institute $814,000 June 20-24 1,000

Catholic Daughters of the Americas $814,000 July 16-23 1,000

Mount Zion Church of God Holiness $814,000 May 11-17 1,000

American Institute for Conservation of $814,000 June 5-12 1,000 Historic & Artistic Works

United House of Prayer $814,000 July 19-26 1,000

NYS Board of Law Examiners $814,000 Feb. 22-24 1,000

NYS Council on Leadership & $610,500 Nov. 20-23 7500 Student Activities

Empire State Missionary Baptist Church $569,800 Apr. 3-10 700

NYS Financial Aid Administrators $508,750 Oct. 18-23 625

American Association of Airport Executives $488,400 Apr. 23-29 600

Correctional Peace Officers Foundation $488,400 June 19-30 600

Canon Law Society of America $488,400 Oct. 7-17 600

American Bonanza Society $407,000 Sept. 19-26 500

Students from New York University’s Tisch Graduate Film Program traveled to Western New York to shoot a short film, titled “Crush,” which is being shown on select JetBlue flights around the country.

In 2010, the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission brought 74 projects to Western New York, resulting in 369 produc-tion days of work. highlights included the filming of Queen

City, starring Vivica A. Fox; filming for Henry’s Crime, starring Keanu Reeves; a National Geographic

television taping at the Niagara gorge; ABC’s Good Morning America at Niagara Falls; Crush, a short film shown during JetBlue flights; and a six-hour live broadcast of syfy’s Ghost Hunters at the Central Terminal on halloween.

BUFFALO, ON CAMERA

pRoDUCtIoN DAyS369

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LEVERAGING oUR NAtURAL ASSEtSNew National Garden Festival attracts out-of-townersSince its inception a decade and a half ago, Garden

Walk Buffalo has evolved into one of Buffalo’s fin-

est events, drawing more than 45,000 visitors and

selling out Buffalo’s hotels during the last weekend

in July. The walk, which features some 350 gardens,

has also attracted coverage in dozens of national publications. A CVB survey in

2010 showed that Garden Walk Buffalo attracted visitors from 36 states.

Recognizing the power that Garden Walk

Buffalo has as a tourism magnet and game-

changer for Buffalo’s image, the CVB upped

the ante in 2010 by spearheading the creation

of the National Garden Festival. Billed as

a ”five-week-long garden party,” the festival included 17 garden walks, a neigh-

borhood-transforming Front Yard Garden Competition, nationally-recognized

speakers, workshops, mid-week open gardens, bus tours and more. The second

annual festival will run from June 24 to July 31, 2011.

The National Garden Festival’s Front Yard Garden Competition transformed an East Side block and

attracted significant media attention.

s P E c i a l E V E n t s

36 STATESVISItoRS FRom

Garden Walk Buffalo is the largest event of its

kind in the U.S.

10

STORYin January 2011, Country Gardens, which has a circulation of 525,000, published a two-page story about the front Yard

garden competition, for a publicity value of $338,195.

Breaking Ground

28Country Gardens Early Spring 2011

By Elizabeth Licata

29Country Gardens Early Spring 2011

Western New York Nursery & Landscape Association. Han

admits the project cost more than expected—and rushing

to finish over four days of blistering July heat was a feat

of endurance for his crew—but that hasn’t diminished

the afterglow. “Not only the residents, but the people

who contributed feel great about this,” he says. “It really

brought the neighborhood together.”

Down the block, Arfredah Gaines lives in a house

she and her husband purchased from the widow of a

Buffalo mayor. Nelson Rockefeller was among the guests

entertained in the century-old residence. The aptly named

Beyond the Basics landscaping company gave Gaines a

garden that includes native plants as well as an unusual

container feature: framed succulents—a hardy variety

often used for “green” roofs.

Although the residents had differing opinions about the

types of plants and shrubs they preferred, they all knew

they wanted to fix their cracked and weedy front walkways.

Almost all the walkways were replaced, resulting in a

rainbow of stone types, including precast concrete,

sandstone, limestone, Holland stone, Brussels Block,

bluestone, flagstone, and slate—in reds, grays, blues, and

browns in intricate patterns. A Buffalo garden center also

placed large, lush curbside planters up and down the street.

The last words on this project come from the residents of

North Parade Avenue: “We thank you for the rejuvenated

pride in our community; the elimination of boundaries,

which brought not only the residents of North Parade

Avenue closer together, but our community, which is now

linked to adjoining communities. We have greeted new

friends and reunited with old friends. We are gaining

knowledge and sharing the experience—all this through

something as simple as the natural beauty of a garden.”

These heartfelt sentiments were inscribed on a plaque

and presented to the organizers of the National Buffalo

Garden Festival at a celebratory picnic. The words were

unaccompanied by the joyful screaming we’ve grown to

expect from the recipients of quick makeovers. But their

dignity will resonate much longer.

Have you ever wondered what instant garden makeovers

look like months later? Or whether the owners who

receive these magical transformations really love their new

gardens as much as they claim? It’s easy to be skeptical

about a quickly designed landscape when most of us are

still calling our gardens works in progress after years of

obsessive cultivation. But an instant makeover can be

much more than a reality show gimmick when it’s done

like it was last summer in Buffalo, by a group of local

landscapers and homeowners as part of a five-week garden

Gardening by the Block in BuffaloAn innovative program pairs

professional garden designers

with families to design and

plant their front yards.

festival culminating in the city’s annual garden walk. For

this ambitious Front Yard Garden Competition, 19 good-

size front yards were relandscaped over four days, with

new paved areas as well as plantings. Even better, after

the competition was complete, residents could take free

training on how to maintain their new landscaping.

Why are the Buffalo makeovers different? As with

everything else in garden design, context is the most

significant element. The houses are in a once-prosperous

East Side neighborhood facing Martin Luther King, Jr.

Park, one of six designed for the city by Frederick Law

Olmsted. Built for Buffalo’s upper middle class in the

late 19th century, the homes are large, Victorian, and

imposing. But housing values here have deteriorated,

starting in the ’60s when the neighborhood was bisected

by an expressway. That’s why North Parade Avenue, which

faces the still-beautiful MLK Park, was chosen for this

massive beautification project that would adorn the homes

with the handsome front gardens they deserve. These

makeovers have been drawing attention to a part of the

city that rarely attracts tourists.

“It was a learning experience not unlike a big indoor garden

show,” says Joseph Han, chief designer and cofounder of

the English Gardener, who took on two houses and the

empty lot between them. “We had four days to do it,” he

says. Han, like all the landscape companies and garden

centers that donated these makeovers, is a member of the

1. The proud owners of one of the 19 front yard

makeovers admire the new landscapes along

Buffalo’s historic North Parade Avenue.

2. Professional landscapers donate their time

and materials for the competition.

3. Organizers believe this is the first such

civic-minded garden competition in the United

States. 4. Local landscapers work to complete

the green-hearted makeovers in just four days.

5. Walkways are replaced in almost all of the

yards 6. Stately homes boast new front yards

along North Parade Avenue. 7. Volunteers for

the Front Yard Garden Competition prove that

Buffalo really is the “City of Good Neighbors.”

Garden Competition Sponsors• The Front Yard Garden

Competition was organized

and sponsored by the Buffalo

Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the

Western New York Nursery &

Landscape Association, the New

York State Certified Nursery &

Landscape Professionals, the

Buffalo Niagara Convention

& Visitors Bureau, and the

National Buffalo Garden Festival

organizing committee.

• Find out more and see

before and after images

of all the gardens at

nationalgardenfestival.com.

1

4

2

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3

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For more information, see Resources on page 102.

m E D i a r E l a t i o n s

THE ANATOMY OF A MEdIA STORYsome of the CVB’s greatest successes in recent years have been in media relations. here’s an example of how the CVB gets Buffalo in the news:

FOLLOW-UP

CVB sent Baggett photos and a media

release about the front Yard garden

competition.

Some CVB media FAM tours pay dividends long after the

writer visits Buffalo. A three-page story about Buffalo by

Kathy Baruffi appeared in the November 2010 issue of

Amtrak’s Arrive magazine, carrying a publicity value of $114,091. The CVB held a media FAM for Baruffi in October

2008, which also yielded a May 2009 story in USA Today.

PUBLICITY VALUEoF 2010 oUt-oF-toWN

mEDIA CoVERAGE

$514,751

FAM TOUR

in July 2010, the CVB hosted Baggett at the Darwin D. martin House’s gardener’s cottage and took him

around to visit garden walk buffalo, the buffalo & Erie county botanical

gardens, the national garden festival’s front Yard garden competition, the roycroft campus and more.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

in fall 2009, Country Gardens Editor James

baggett reached out to the CVB after seeing

Hirvela’s Martha Stewart Living Radio blog.

ATTRACTING THE MEDIA

in July 2009, the cVb invited stacey Hirvela

of Martha Stewart Living Radio to buffalo for a media familiarization

(fam) tour, resulting in a glowing blog post about

garden walk buffalo.

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thE yEAR IN pICtURES

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) held its 39th Annual Conference at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in September. Here, CVB Director of Services Cheryl Zanghi, at the podium, is flanked by Kathy Konst, commissioner of the Erie County Department of Environment, Planning and Economic Development, and Brian Day, director of the NAAEE.

The 2010 Empire State Games (ESG) generated excess revenue, which was reinvested in the community by the ESG Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in December. LOC Chair Ralph Galanti (right) presented three checks to Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission Chair Jon Dandes, totaling $110,000. The funds will provide seed money to host the ESG in the future and fund student scholarships and no-interest start-up loans for amateur sporting events.

CVB V.P. of Sales Mike Even, President & CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen and V.P. of Marketing Ed Healy attended the 2010 National Preservation Conference in Austin, Texas to build attendance for the 2011 conference in Buffalo.

Buffalo Niagara was well represented at the Empire State Society of Association Executives Conference & Exposition in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in June. Front row: Cheryl Zanghi, CVB; Melissa Burke, Buffalo Niagara Convention Center; Teresa Costello, Holiday Inn Grand Island; and Phillip Alterio, Buffalo Niagara Marriott. Back row: John Dubreville, Hale Northeastern; Edwin Shelp, Millennium Hotel Buffalo; Erin McGee, Embassy Suites; Rene Ganje, Adam’s Mark Hotel; Linda D’Agostino, CVB; and Lauren Solak, Hyatt Regency Buffalo.

Actress Vivica A. Fox traveled to Buffalo in 2010 to shoot scenes for the upcoming motion picture “Queen City”, written and directed by Buffalo native Peter McGennis

CVB Vice President of Sales Mike Even joins the Town of Tonawanda Aquettes in announcing United States Synchronized Swimming’s 2010 eSynchro Age Group Championships. Held June 25 to July 3 at the Tonawanda Aquatic and Fitness Center, it was the world’s largest synchronized swimming competition.

12

2010 COMMITTEES OF THE BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU AND BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION CENTER MANAGEMENT CORPORATION Executive CommitteeChair – Gary praetzel Niagara University

COMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher Cohen BNCVBholly Sinnott Vice Chair (Planning Works International)Andrew Rudnick Treasurer (Buffalo Niagara Partnership)mary Roberts secretary (Martin house Restoration Corporation)Jonathan Dandes Past Chair (Rich Baseball Operations)kathy konst County Representative (County of Erie)

Budget/Finance/Audit Committee Chair – Andrew Rudnick Buffalo Niagara Partnership staff – David marzo CFO

COMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher-Cohen BNCVBLynn marinelli Erie County legislaturemark mortenson Buffalo Museum of sciencepaul murphy Buffalo Niagara Convention Centermary Roberts Martin house Restoration Corporation

Sales CommitteeChair – Dennis murphy InnVest lodging services staff – mike Even VP of sales

COMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher-Cohen BNCVBphil Alterio Buffalo Niagara Marriott melissa Burke Buffalo Niagara Convention CenterDave Carroll hart hotelsJay Delavecchia hyatt RegencyJohn Dubreville hale Northeastern Ann Dugan Buffalo lodgingBarb hughes AAA thomas keane hart hotelsBruce kolesnick University at Buffalo karen miranda Embassy suitesminesh patel Adam’s Mark Bonnie phillips Martin’s Fantasy Islandmatt Spencer Comfort suites Julie Williams hyatt Regency

Vic Carucci NFl.comDrew Cerza Just Wing It ProductionsJonathan A. Dandes Rich Baseball OperationsDottie Gallagher-Cohen Buffalo Niagara CVBC. Douglas hartmayer NFTAkathy konst County of ErieFlorine Luhr Advancing Arts & CultureLynn marinelli Erie County legislaturemichael marsch hyatt Regency BuffaloJohn J. mills Erie County legislaturemark mortensen Buffalo Museum of science

Dennis p. murphy InnVest lodging services, Inc.Gary D. praetzel, ph.D. Niagara Universityminesh patel Adam’s Mark hotelmary F. Roberts Martin house Restoration CorporationAndrew J. Rudnick Buffalo Niagara PartnershipJames t. Sandoro Buffalo Transportation / Pierce-Arrow Museumholly A. Sinnott Planning Works International, llCmark Stadler BAVservices, Inc.patrick W. Welch, ph.D. Daemen College

2010 BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARd OF dIRECTORS

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Gordon Anthony Canisius CollegeChris Aronica Aronica & AssociatesAdam Benigni Channel 2 NewsBrad Boyle Erie Community CollegeRuss Brandon Buffalo Billsmike Buczkowski Buffalo BisonsVic Carucci NFl.comBrian Cavanaugh D’Youville CollegeJon Dandes Rich Baseball OperationsSherry Frost Clarence soccerRalph Galanti Erie Community College (retired)mike Gentile Professor, Niagara Universitykathleen Gregoire skating Club of Western New YorkSue Gonzalez special Events, City of BuffaloJim hanley hanley Fishing ChartersDoug hartmayer NFTAJim hornung County of Erieperry Jenkins University at Buffalopeter Jerebko Erie Community College

Ed kilgore Channel 2 NewsBrian kiszewski Monsignor Martin Athletic Associationtom koller Buffalo state CollegeJohn Lambert University at BuffaloEd Lindsey Amateur softball AssociationJohn maddock Canisius CollegeBill maher Canisius CollegeLynn marinelli Erie Countytom marks gr8 lakes Fishing AdventuresEd mcLaughlin Niagara UniversityJohn murphy Channel 4 NewsSister maria pares Buffalo Academy of the sacred heartJack Quinn Erie Community CollegeRon Raccuia AdPro Team sportsEdward Rath Erie CountyDonald Reed University at BuffaloJeff Russo Channel 7 NewsBob Schell Amherst Youth hockeytimm Slade section VI

2010 BUFFALO NIAGARA SPORTS COMMISSION AdVISORY COUNCIL

Marketing CommitteeChair – patrick Welch Daemen College staff – Ed healy VP of MarketingCOMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher-Cohen BNCVBVic Carucci NFl.comDrew Cerza Just Wing it Productionstony Conte shea’s Performing Arts CenterDoug hartmayer NFTANick magnini WUTVAndy major Buffalo BillsArt page University at BuffaloRudi Rainer super 8 hotelJim Sandoro Pierce Arrow/Buffalo Transportation Museum

Convention Center Operations CommitteeChair – mark Stadler BAVservicesstaff – paul murphy Facility DirectorCOMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher-Cohen BNCVBJohn mills Erie County legislatureRudi Rainer super 8 hotelJim Sandoro Pierce Arrow/Buffalo Transportation Museum

Visitor Center CommitteeCo-Chairs – Florine Luhr Advancing Arts & Culturemark mortenson Buffalo Museum of science staff – Judy Smith Director of AdministrationCOMMITTEE MEMBERsDottie Gallagher-Cohen BNCVBLouis Ciminelli lPCiminelli, Inc.kathy konst County of ErieDoug hartmayer NFTARudi Rainer super 8 hotel

2010 COMMITTEES (continued)

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COMMUNITY & AGENCY LEAdERSHIP

George Arthur Nash houseDoug Bean Eric Mower and Associatespeggy Beardsley Buffalo PlaceSteve Bell Eric Mower and AssociatesRobert Bennett state Board of RegentsDonald Boswell WNEDJoe Brennan University of BuffaloByron Brown City of Buffalo MayorJohn Cimperman Cenergy CommunicationsChris Collins Erie County ExecutiveAnthony Conte shea’s Performing Arts Centerpeter Cutler City of Buffalo Mayor’s officeJonathan Dandes Rich BaseballLynne Dixon Erie CountyJames Gillan ParagonRobert Gioia Oishei FoundationBrian Grunert White BicycleDoug hartmayer NFTAmarc honan Buffalo BillsJenna kavanaugh Buffalo Niagara Enterprisekathy konst Erie Countymary Ann kresse Buffalo & Erie County Botanical gardenstom kucharski Buffalo Niagara EnterpriseJoe Lojacono Valmark AssociatesFlorine Luhr Advancing Arts & CultureGrant Loomis Erie County Executive OfficeAndy major Buffalo Billsmarybeth marble sKM grouptod martin The Martin groupSue meany sKM groupNewell Nussbaumer Buffalo RisingGary praetzel Niagara Universitymolly Quackenbush Theodore Roosevelt siteJack Quinn Erie Community College

kathleen Rooney Travers CollinsAndrew Rudnick Buffalo Niagara Partnershippaula Sandy Buffalo Niagara Partnershipmichael Schmand Buffalo PlaceCatherine Schweitzer Baird FoundationLisa Strock The Martin groupBob travers Travers Collinshoward Zemsky Taurus Capital Partners

Ad AGENCY CREATIVE TEAM

Leo Abbott ParagonJillian Benedict The Martin groupJillian Fiorella Eric Mower and Associatesmatt hames Eric Mower and AssociatesBrian LeFauve sKM groupmike mathis sKM groupCourtney Quattrini Travers Collinsken trabert CenergyJoe Sweeney Travers CollinsBill Zulewski Travers Collins

PROMOTIONS TEAM

pete Benzino Coca Cola Bottling Co. Ann Brooker Buffalo NewsDrew Cerza Just Wing It ProductionsBrian Dickman leg Up Marketingtherese hickok Unilandmarta hiczewski The Magellan groupmatt Lasota Buffalo BisonsDana marciniak New Era CapAnn mcCarthy Wegmanskaren merkel National FuelCarl montante, Jr UnilandJim Wannemacher New Era CapBryan Wittman Disney

2010 BRANdING INITIATIVE PARTICIPANTS

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melissa Barrie Information specialist

kathy Benzel Information Technology/ Online Content Manager

peter Burakowski Communications Manager

michelle Butlak Accounting and Benefits Manager

matt Carlucci sales Manager

Giovanni Centurione Information specialist

tim Clark Director, Buffalo Niagara Film Commission

karen Cox sales & services Manager

Linda D’Agostino Director of sales & government Relations

Denise Drews Visitor Center Manager

michael Even Vice President of sales & services

karen Fashana Marketing Manager

Dottie Gallagher-Cohen President & CEO

Charles Giglia Director of sports sales

pete harvey Director of sports Development

Ed healy Vice President of Marketing

Jay Josker sport services Manager

heather keller Administrative Assistant

tracy martell Administrative Assistant

David marzo Chief Financial Officer

Leah mueller Tourism sales Director

Judy Smith Director of Administration

matt Steinberg Director of Creative services

Lori White National sales Manager

Dionne Williamson Multicultural sales Manager

Allison Wilton graphic Designer

Cheryl Zanghi Director of services

2010 CVB STAFF

WHAT’S AHEAD IN 20112011 promises to be an exciting year for the CVB and the Buffalo Niagara region.

Look for the following highlights:

} the cVb will unveil buffalo’s new brand platform

} the cVb will debut a new website, complete with online packaging

} the cVb will introduce the travel & tourism beacon awards, to recognize superior service throughout our industry

} buffalo niagara will welcome preservationists from across the u.s. and canada for the national Preservation conference, oct. 19 to 22, 2011

} sept. 24, 2011 will bring the inaugural running of the nickel city triathlon, which will be a part of the usa triathlon Elite race series in 2011, 2012 and 2013

2O1 1—2O1 2 O F F I C I A L B U F F A LO N I A G A R A V I S T O R S G U I D E

www.VisitBuffaloNiagara.com | 1 OF 3 UNIQUE COVERS

Explore a place where art, architecture and nature come together like old friends.

2O1 1—2O1 2 O F F I C I A L B U F F A LO N I A G A R A V I S T O R S G U I D E

www.VisitBuffaloNiagara.com | 1 OF 3 UNIQUE COVERS

Explore a place where art, architecture and nature come together like old friends.

2O1 1—2O1 2 O F F I C I A L B U F F A LO N I A G A R A V I S T O R S G U I D E

www.VisitBuffaloNiagara.com | 1 OF 3 UNIQUE COVERS

Explore a place where art, architecture and nature come together like old friends.

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