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A Message from the President...
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Wow, what a summer it has been. The weather has cooperated, except for a wet opening day but that didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, and we are enjoying a great track season. The best thoroughbred horses, trainers and jockeys in the world have descended on Saratoga for the greatest meet in the country. On the meetings & convention side, we were very pleased to host, among others, the NYS Automobile Dealers Association., American College of OB-GYN and the NYS Funeral Directors Association, which came in with very strong attendance, well over the 700 delegates they anticipated and took advantage of all that Saratoga has to offer this time of year. We also saw many last minute corporate group bookings during the month of August. Many of these were incentive trips and retreats, which is a great sign that this business is coming back. Saratoga Springs remains a great destination to host a corporate retreat, incentive group or board of directors meeting. We have all of the amenities and attractions needed to host a successful event and our proximity to corporate headquarters locations of Fortune 500 companies in NYC, Westchester, NJ, CT and the Boston area enhances that attraction.
As we head into September, we transition into one of our busiest convention months. With groups like The Society of Human Resource Management, Independent Power Producers of NYS, NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, NYS Council of School Superintendants to name a few, the Bureau will welcome well over 3000 convention delegates to our city for multiple night stays throughout the month. Kathy Denkenberger and the Bureau staff will be very busy servicing these convention clients and making sure they have the best experience possible while here in Saratoga. Combine all of this convention activity with the Tail of the Fish regatta , organized by the Saratoga Rowing Association, and the 2500 athletes, coaches and family members that event brings in and it’s safe to say that our hotels, restaurants and shops will remain very busy throughout the month of September.
For the Bureau, we remain focused on bringing in future business. I will be traveling with staff from the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation and Center for Economic Growth for the 1st Global Technology Conference, hosted by Global Foundries in Santa Clara, CA. This first time event in Santa Clara has attracted more than 1800 registrants from around the world. It is vital as Saratoga Springs emerges in this global market place, that we increase our presence at events like the Global Technology Conference and partner with our colleagues at SEDC, CEG and other local and regional organizations to present Saratoga as the ideal destination to do business!
The Saratoga Springs City Center expansion project continues to move in the right direction and is still on target for completion before the end of this year. This project is extremely vital in our efforts to serve our existing client base that continues to grow in size. For specs and diagrams on the City Center space, Click Here!
Enjoy the rest of your summer!!
August has been a busy month which included a number of sales calls in the capital region and an opportunity to host meeting planners at our very own Saratoga Race Course. This has been a great way to spend an afternoon one on one while enjoying the excitement of thoroughbred racing. In addition to a site visit from Pfizer of Groton Connecticut in August we hosted the Independent Banker’s of NYS for lunch and a hard hat tour of the Saratoga Springs City Center expansion. The excitement is building as we near the completion of this long awaited project! Marie is gearing up for the ESSAE Wellness and Wisdom day in Lake Placid as well as sales missions to NYC and New England over the next several weeks.
Ahhh – Fall! Often thought of as a calmer time after a busy, fun filled Summer, a time to fall back into comfortable school and work routines. Of course, it is anything but calm for all of us in the meetings business. We at the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau would like to wish all of you with Fall and Winter events a highly successful, smooth running, wonderfully reviewed conference season. May your attendees be captivated, your speakers be energizing and enlightening, your attendance and ROI run high, your shoes be comfortable, and your family patient. Please remember that we are here to help with all of your Saratoga conference needs and welcome your call anytime – be it one year out, one month out or one day in!
The Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau and Saratoga Springs would like to welcome your next group tour! If you are a group leader, group operator or someone who likes to enjoy everything our area has to offer from the comfort of a motorcoach, then may we suggest Saratoga for your next tour? You probably already know that there are over 100 restaurants, countless shops and boutiques, world class museums and golf, and of course - horses, horses, horses! But did you also know that Saratoga is an ideal "hub and spoke" location? Travel to Cooperstown, Lake George, the Adirondack State Park or historic Albany for day trips, and return to Saratoga in the evening to enjoy the restaurants, nightlife and a stroll on Broadway. Call Heather at the bureau for more information and ideas! 518-584-1531.
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Saratoga Springs City Center Expansion is Underway!
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Click here for more information on the expansion! Targeted completion late 2010!
Read the City Center's Blog, click here!
Photo by Derek Pruitt, The Post-Star
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Upcoming Saratoga Conventions!
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September 8-9---FW Webb Company---800 ppl
September 10-12---Bethlehem High School---120 ppl
September 12-14---Society of Human Resource Management---450 ppl
September 12-14---Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc.---100 ppl
September 12-14---American Council of Engineering Companies of New York---40 ppl
September 13-15--- Low-Level Radioactive Waste Forum, Inc.---100 ppl
September 14-16---NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways---500 ppl
September 14-17--- New York Association of Convenience Stores, Inc.---100 ppl
September 23-26---USS Ethan Allen SSBN/SSN 608---100 ppl
September 24-26---Saratoga Rowing Association--- 2,500 ppl
September 25-28---NYS Council of School Superintendents---700 ppl
September 28-30---HB Davis Seed Company---400 ppl
September 29-October 4---Empire State College-Residency Program---200 ppl
October 2---Collegiate Sprint Football League---Public Invited
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The Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau is on CVENT and STARCITE!
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While most may think that August is all about leisure travel and the track – we actually have groups/conventions that love to meet in August – because of racing!
The NYS Funeral Directors Association held their annual convention last week in Saratoga. This group is not new to Saratoga during Racing Season but it has been a few years since their return. It appeared as this was a great choice for this group – their attendance was higher than anticipated and everyone seemed to be having a fantastic time. The weather was great and they all enjoyed everything our beautiful city has to offer.
As the summer comes to an end this week – we are gearing up for our busy convention season. We have 6 groups in September that plan on over 400 attendees.
August has also had us on the road informing our clients of some of the new services we are able to provide. We will continue to do this – touching base with as many as possible to help them ensure the success of their Saratoga conference.
Heather McElhiney and Kathy Denkenberger traveled to Rye, NY to attend a Westfield Chapter MPI meeting. Sales calls were made on our return trip and we look forward to attending more of their chapter meetings.
Landing Page for Your Conference!
Are you a meeting planner who is bringing your convention/conference to Saratoga Springs, NY? Or are you in the process of finding a home for your convention/conference?
The Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau is offering a new service that we think your attendees will just love. Our new “Saratoga Landing Page” is being offered to meeting planners free of charge. We can customize a web-page which lists the highlights of Saratoga during the time of your conference – i.e., local events, directions, weather, things to do, etc. We’ll include links to spas, golf courses, restaurants and attractions and include the itinerary of your convention/conference. All you have to do is provide us with the information for your conference. We will set it up and then send you the URL to distribute to your delegates/members.
Don’t delay – please call Kathy Denkenberger, Vice President of Operations and Convention Services today at 518-584-1531 to find out more about this exciting new service.
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