SLAA NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2005
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 PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Jennifer Johnson
Share Your Knowledge!
The Saint Louis Attractions
Association was formed to
exchange ideas, methods and information pertaining
to all aspects of the operation and administration of
an attraction and its impact on the tourism industry.
At every meeting we provide our membership the
opportunity to network and promote themselves!
Whether it is their 40th Birthday Celebration, a new
exhibit or renovation, our meetings provide an arena
for sharing.
Here are a few ways to increase your visibility while
supporting SLAA:
- Brochure table – to distribute member materials
- Sponsor a Meeting – address the membership as
well as other opportunities
- Sponsor the Meeting Notice Mailing – include
custom information with the SLAA Meeting Notice
- Donating items for the monthly Trip Raffle
packages
- Donating items for the Silent Auction in November
- Giving of your time and becoming active in a
committee
- Nominating a fellow colleague for a Spirit Award
We hope you will consider these options. If you have
any questions, please feel free to contact me directly
at 636-680-1458.
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MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
TV Traveler Network-
Visitor Information Rides the Air Waves
One of the first things any weary traveler does when he
finally opens the door to his hotel room is flip on the
television. The Travelers Television Network is counting on
that. TTN is a St. Louis based company that operates visitor
information channels on closed-circuit television systems in
St. Louis, St. Charles, Peoria, Illinois and looking to expand
to the Lake of the Ozarks, Branson and Springfield, Illinois.
TTN uses the latest in DVD technology to deliver the
program to the hotels and is currently bench testing a webbased
system to provide even better service to its
advertisers.
Each month the program is packed full of entertainment with
segments hosted by Dan Buck and with appearances from
Ozzie Smith. The program covers the full gamut; from
dining, entertainment and attractions, to kid’s stuff and day
trips highlighting over 50 advertisers. With the program
playing 24/7, TTN provides literally millions of viewer
impressions each year.
Tourism is big business in St. Louis and if you’re not
enjoying some of the $3.8 billion spent by 16 million visitors
this year, TTN can help with reach and frequency to a
unique and affluent niche market. According to a recent
survey conducted by American Express, over 49% of hotel
guests watch “visitor information channels” to get
information about restaurants, shopping and attractions.
TTN can be “your connection to the visitor market.”
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INTERNSHIP UPDATE
Thank you to all the members who participated in this year’s
internship program. The guide has been distributed to all
local colleges and universities, so look forward to hearing
from some great candidates soon!
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 SAINT LOUIS ATTRACTIONS ASSOCIATION SILENT AUCTION
ANHEUSER-BUSCH TOUR CENTER
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16th
4 -7 P.M.
Mark your calendars now for the Saint Louis Attractions
Association Silent Auction because you definitely will want
to be part of this year’s fun! The Silent Auction is
Wednesday, November 16th from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at
the Anheuser-Busch Tour Center, located at 12th and
Lynch Streets.
The evening includes heavy appetizers, ice cold
beverages (compliments of Anheuser-Busch, Inc.), great
auction items for your holiday shopping list, 25% off at the
Anheuser-Busch Gift Shop, free parking in the lot in front
of the Tour Center and other special surprises to be
announced!
If you would like to support the Saint Louis Attractions
Association Scholarship Program and donate an auction
item, please complete the attached form and return it by
November 2, 2005. Committee members are Karen Krispin with the Maryland Heights CVB, Ronda Mertens with
Madden Preprint Media, John Reichert with In Focus Outdoor, Ethan Woods with Where Magazine and Michele Miller
with Harrah’s St. Louis Casino and Hotel. Please feel free to contact Karen at 314.275.9964 or Karen@mhcvb.com or
any committee member if we may be of any assistance at this time.
We would like to extend a very special thank you to our friends Glenn Cox, Kendra Wessel and Debbie McGuire at
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Their time and generosity hosting our event is much appreciated.
For more information and to download registration and donation information, please visit the Calendar of Events Section of the Web site.
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DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AWARDS!
NOMINATIONS DUE BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
At our September meeting, many members expressed interest in nominating a colleague for a Spirit of St. Louis Award,
but not everyone had quite gotten around to it. Now, you have one more chance! We’ve extended the deadline for
nominations until Friday, October 21st.
It only takes a few minutes to nominate a fellow industry member (or your own organization!) for a Spirit of St. Louis,
Hall of Fame or Rookie of the Year Award, but it will mean so much to the recipient! “I think the Spirit Awards are a great
way to recognize individuals that make an impact on the industry and within their own companies,” said Jeanne Whitworth,
2000 “Rookie of the Year” award recipient from Destination St. Louis, Inc. “Winning the award in my ‘rookie’ year really
helped boost my confidence even higher and helped me establish credibility and respect not only in my office, but in the
industry as a whole. It also assisted in my professional growth knowing that I was networking and getting my name out to a
wonderful circle of industry professionals.”
“The Spirit of St. Louis Award was a big honor for the Family Attractions Card program because it was so new and
innovative at the time, and I had put so much effort and passion into it,” said recipient Sherri Cliffe, president of Cliffedge
Marketing, LLC. “It was a really special moment to be recognized for its success. As a company, it is a great attribute to
have as part of our resume. The award sits on my desk and is seen by many colleagues and clients—and always brings a
smile to my face!”
This year’s awards cover the time frame from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. Winners will be announced at the
January 2006 Roundtables Luncheon.
Visit the link at www.stlattractions.org/content/sslawards.asp to access the nomination form, or call the SLAA
office at (314) 416-2233. You are welcome to make unlimited nominations, and nominees do not need to be members of
SLAA to qualify for an award. It’s easy to nominate a colleague or your organization, and the nominee submission process
has also been streamlined. So, don’t miss out on this chance to congratulate someone on a job well done!
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JANUARY ROUNDTABLES
Mark your calendars now to attend the Roundtable meeting. Keep your eyes open for more details to come!
If you would like to help on the committee, please contact Linda Eise at 314-587-3063, Bill Iseminger at 618-346-5160 or
Michele Miller at 314-770-7652.
SAVE THE DATE!!!
Why: St. Louis Attractions Association Roundtable Meeting
Where: St. Charles Convention Center
When: January 18, 2006
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 THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who attended our September meeting,
Marketing 101. It was a huge success. Thank you to our program
speaker, Steve Hoeft, for his insightful presentation on direct marketing.
As an added bonus to SLAA members, Steve has made his
Marketing 101 presentation available exclusively to SLAA members on
his website, www.raisingthestandard.com. The presentation is labeled
"MOBOT PPT" and you will find the link on the
bottom right corner of the home page.
Special thanks to the host of our September meeting,
Missouri Botanical Garden, and especially Karen Hagenow for all her
extra help.
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 ST.
LOUIS CONVENTION & VISITORS COMMISSION UPDATE
Shelby Gebauer
Hospitality Industry’s
Finest Honored
It was a special night for the St. Louis hospitality
industry when 49 frontline employees were honored
at the CVC’s Hospitality Heroes Awards Ceremony
& Reception at America’s Center® on June 15, 2005.
Hundreds of industry friends and family members
attended to show support of the Heroes. Guests and
Heroes alike celebrated over the delectable buffet
served by America’s Center Catering and danced the
evening away to the sounds of Patti and the Hitmen
in the Grand Atrium following the ceremony.
CVC Secures Four-Year Mizzou/Illinois Football Series for St. Louis
The CVC has reached an agreement with the University of Missouri and University of Illinois for a four-year football
series between the Tigers and the Fighting Illini at the Edward Jones Dome beginning in 2007. The games will serve as
the teams’ season opener and will take place during Labor Day weekend, giving St. Louis the opportunity to enhance
special events taking place during the holiday to create a lively atmosphere for visitors. The game dates are: Sept. 1,
2007; Aug. 30, 2008; Sept. 5, 2009; and Sept. 4, 2010.
CVC Labor Featured on Cover of Successful Meetings Magazine
Meeting planners across the country are seeing St. Louis on the cover of Successful Meetings magazine this month. The
cover story takes a look at the good and bad sides of convention center labor in facilities throughout the nation. St. Louis
is cited as a good example of a venue that makes a concerted effort to bring the trade unions and meeting planner
together early in the sales process to create a win-win situation for both sides. Pictured on the cover are CVC labor
relations manager Melanie Donnelly, John Gewinner of the Carpenters' Union, Mary White of the Operating Engineers'
Union, Lisa Parram and David George with the Service Employees Union, Mark Gruhala with the Electricians and David
Beaver of the Carpenters' Union. The September issue also featured St. Louis in a story on convention centers that offer
attached domed stadiums as part of their facilities.
Great St. Louis Getaways Guide Offers End of Year Hotel Packages
Twenty-eight member hotels are selling special packages in the CVC's October - December Great
St. Louis Getaways Guide. The hotel packages directory and calendar of events brochure was mailed to 175,000
households within a 100-500 mile radius of St. Louis and the packages are promoted in the regional and national media.
Package categories include value-added offerings for the holidays, couples, families, sports fans, casino players,
shoppers and arts & culture lovers. Visitors can buy their packages online at www.ExploreStLouis.com/hotelspecials or
through the CVC's toll-free telephone system.
CVC Labor Featured on Cover of Successful Meetings Magazine
November:
Membership Workshop & Orientation
Tuesday, November 2
8:00-10:30 a.m.
CVC Offices
December:
Membership Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 6
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum
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