In this issue...

Features

Dayton Hosts March Madness!

Roundball fans can get ready to rrrrummmble in Dayton this March!

The University of Dayton Arena plays host to the nationally televised NCAA Tournament menÕs opening-round game Tuesday, March 14, AND the Round I & II Tournament Games Friday, March 17 and Sunday, March 19. Ten teams (including the opening-round game) will compete in Dayton with two teams advancing to the Regionals. Brackets will be announced on Selection Sunday March 12 on CBS TV.

U.D. Arena has been an NCAA site for 20 of the last 37 years and has hosted 72 NCAA tournament games. That makes U.D. Arena the third most prolific NCAA tournament venue behind venues in Kansas City and Salt Lake City. Dayton means basketball!

The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB is always eager to assist in the successful hosting of this national tournament which brings outside dollars into our community. Among other activities the CVB has distributed posters and welcome buttons to area hotels and motels and restaurants, placed a ÒWelcome NCAA Fans and PlayersÓ billboard near the airport and assisted in the production and placement of ÒWelcome Basketball Fans and PlayersÓ banners on flag poles along Edwin C. Moses near the Arena.

The NCAA has made Dayton the home for the NCAA Tournament Opening Round Game through 2010. Additionally Dayton and U.D. Arena will host the NCAA WomenÕs Regionals in 2007 and will continue to compete as a host site for future MenÕs Tournaments.

For ticket information call 937-229-4433.

Winter Guard International Sport of The Arts World Championships Call Dayton Home Through 2009!

Great News! The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau is very pleased to announce that Winter Guard Sport of the Arts (WGI) has committed to keeping their event in Dayton through 2009 (their 30th anniversary is in 2007). WGI, a group which moved their headquarter offices from Colorado to Dayton in 2002, each April hosts one of the Dayton area's largest conventions. Traditionally WGI had rotated their event out of Dayton every third year.

ÒWinter Guard is an exciting and important event for our community and WGI has a significant economic impact on our local economy,Ó states Jacquelyn Y. Powell, President/CEO of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau. ÒAnnually WGI has an estimated economic impact of close to two million for the community. The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau congratulates WGI on their continued successes and thanks them for making a commitment to stay in the community through 2009.Ó

In 2005, WGI split their guard and percussion competitions into two weekends vs. the traditional cumulative one weekend competition. The 2006 WGI Color Guard World Championship competition will occur April 6-8, 2006 at U.D. Arena and area facilities and the WGI Percussion World Championship competition will take place April 20-22, 2006 at the Nutter Center and area facilities.

WGI World Championships is a youth competition event (high school-21 years of age) of various flag, guard and percussion corps. Youth from around the world will be competing in Dayton for the World Championships. The attendees and participants for both weekends will cumulatively total nearly 25,000 generating a significant economic impact on the local and state economy.

For more information about Winter Guard International Sport of the Arts log onto www.wgi.org.

Dayton Art Institute Hosts Diana, A Celebration exhibition---final U.S. appearance

The Mid-western U.S. premiere and final U.S. appearance of the award-winning exhibition commemorating the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales will be on display at the Dayton Art Institute February 18-June 11, 2006. Diana, A Celebration showcases 150 objects, including her Royal Wedding Gown, 28 designer gowns, personal possessions, letters and film footage from DianaÕs childhood and her adult public life, paintings from the Althorp Estate, and jewels from the Spencer family collection. The critically acclaimed exhibition is on loan from the Althorp Estate, the Spencer familyÕs 600-year-old ancestral home. One gallery is devoted to DianaÕs tireless charity advocacy.

ÒWe are honored to host this extraordinary exhibition that pays tribute to one of the most beloved figures of our lifetime,Ó said Alex Nyerges, Director and CEO of The Dayton Art institute. ÒDiana was the epitome of grace and style. But above all else, she was a great humanitarian who touched the lives of people all over the globe.Ó

Ticket prices are $18.50 for adults, $16.50 for seniors (60+) and students (19+ with valid ID), and $9.50 for youth (ages 7-18). Children 6 and under are free. Members of The Dayton Art institute receive their fist visit free of charge. Audio guides are available for an additional fee. Tickets may be purchased at The Dayton Art Institute, by calling 800-296-4426 or online at www.daytonartinstitute.org. Tickets are also available at ww.ticketmaster.com

Dayton Drives Excitement! CVB Awards Meeting Planners GM SUV & Airline Tickets!

Katie Terwilleger, winner of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors BureauÕs (CVB) ÒDayton Drives Excitement!Ó 2005 Campaign, joyfully turned the ignition key of her 2006 Dayton-made Buick Rainier SUV. The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB in partnership with the GM Moraine Assembly Plant presented Katie with a free two-year lease on a new Dayton-made 2006 Buick-Rainier. Katie became eligible for the CVB sponsored ÒDayton Drives ExcitementÓ prize drawing by signing a Dayton/Montgomery County hotel contract in calendar year 2005 to host a convention in Dayton in 2005 or beyond. Katie, an event planner for Koob & Associates, hosted the 2005 Team Unstoppable Convention in Dayton September 9-11, 2005 at the Dayton Marriott Hotel. 1,200 people were in attendance generating nearly 500 room nights usage.

Larry Pogue event organizer for the Southwestern Ohio Instructional Technology Association (SOITA) was also a ÒDayton Drives ExcitementÓ CVB campaign prize winner. By simply issuing a Request For Proposal with the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau in calendar year 2005, event planners were entered into a drawing to win two free airline tickets (good for travel in the continental U.S.) compliments of Dayton, The Birthplace of Aviation! Pogue won the two free airline tickets in a drawing including more than 250 meeting planners. SOITA hosts an annual convention in December in Dayton which utilizes the Dayton Convention Center and area hotels. Over 1,200 educators and students attend and over 100 hotel room nights are utilized.

The CVB is partnering again with the GM Moraine Assembly Plant in 2006 to run the ÒDayton Drives Excitement! Blaze a Trail for Dayton!Ó 2006 promotional campaign. YOU could have an opportunity to win a FREE two-year lease on a 2007 GM Chevrolet TrailBlazer (Jan 2007-Jan 2009)! The "Dayton Drives Excitement---Blaze a Trail for Dayton!" campaign is open to planners who book a convention, reunion, social or company event in Dayton or Montgomery County for 2006 or any future year. Events must utilize a minimum of 50 peak Montgomery County hotel room nights and hotel and facility contracts must be signed by December 15, 2006. Additionally meeting planners issuing a RFP with the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB in 2006 will go into a drawing to win two free airline tickets.

"There is fierce competition among cities and communities throughout the nation for convention, meeting and event business," states Jacquelyn Y. Powell, President & CEO of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Òand the promotional campaign is a means to Ôdifferentiate us from the competition.Ó Contact the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB today at 937-226-8281 or www.daytoncvb.com/gm.

President's Corner

In our role to serve as an economic catalyst for the area by bringing outside visitors and dollars into the community, the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau aggressively pursues convention and event business.

Destination Dayton received excellent exposure at a Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau sponsored breakfast at the February Religious Conference Managers Association annual tradeshow and convention. An audience, of over 700 individuals including religious meeting planners from across the nation who host events in a variety of cities each year, was treated to a ÒDayton Drives Excitement!Ó themed breakfast in the San Jose Convention Center on February 2, 2006.

The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB sponsored breakfast featured GM SUV themed floral centerpieces, musical entertainment by the San Jose State University Chorus, and a Dayton video customized for the RCMA audience highlighting the ÒDayton Drives Excitement! Blaze a Trail for Dayton!Ó promotional campaign. Sponsorship partners included The Dayton Convention Center, The Dayton Marriott, The Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Doubletree Hotel Dayton Downtown.

The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB is proud to differentiate itself from the competition by offering meeting planners with outstanding destination product and unique incentives.  We encourage you to Blaze A Trail for Dayton!

The Bureau's efforts to keep the area conducive to federal government travel have also been successful.  Dayton as the proud home of Wright Patterson Air Force Base and several Department of Defense contractors is also host to a number of government business travelers each year.  As such the federal government per diem lodging allowance is an important number to area hoteliers and government travelers alike.  The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau in partnership with local hoteliers, the Ohio Hotel Lodging Association, the Greene and Darke County Convention & Visitors Bureau and federal employers sending travelers to the region, closely monitor the General Services Administration's setting of annual domestic federal per diem government travel rates.

Adequate per diem rates make travel to the Greater Dayton area easy for federal employees and allow hoteliers to charge sufficient room rates.  The federal per diem lodging rate for Dayton/Montgomery County established for October 2005--October 2006 initialy was announced at $70.  The GSA had slashed per diem rates on lodging for many cities/regions across the U.S.  The Dayton/Montgomery County CVB with the partners outlined above advocated for an increase in the rate.  Due to these efforts the federal lodging allowance was increased from the initially established $70 rate to a $77 lodging allowance.

The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau recognizes the importance of federal travel to our area and will continue to monitor government travel and do everything possible to ensure adequate federal per diem lodging allowances for area travelers and hoteliers.  Additionally the CVB will capitalize on opportunities such as the RCMA breakfast sponsorship to distinguish and differentiate Dayton/Montgomery County as a convention and event destination.

Jacquelyn Y. Powell

Fast Facts/What's Happening?ÑA Sampling

• YOU could WIN a free two-year lease on a Dayton-made GM Chevrolet Trailblazer! Just issue a Request For Proposal with the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB and sign a hotel contract in 2006 for an event in Dayton/Montgomery County in 2006 or beyond. Event must utilize a minimum of 50 peak night hotel rooms.Call today to learn more! 800-221-8235 ext. 281 or log onto www.daytoncvb.com/win
• The 2006 Destination Dayton Visitors Guide is available. Call the CVB for your free copy 937-226-8211.
• Keep an eye out for the new four-color Dayton/Montgomery County Attractions Brochure.  The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and its partners have sponsored this exciting new brochure with helpful area information.
• Congratulations to the new Hampton Inn & Suites on Miller Lane scheduled to open in March.  The new property will feature 79 rooms and 28 suites.
• The Dayton Auto Show will drive you crazy!  March 22-26 at the Dayton Convention Center. $.  Call 877-281-0022 or 937-333-4700 for more information.
• Get into the swing of things at the Blue Star Super Golf Show March 31-April 2 at the Hara Complex. $. Call 937-278-4776 for more information.

On The Road

HereÕs a sampling of where Bureau staff has recently been and is headed in our ongoing attempt to bring business to Dayton/Montgomery County:

Help Us Welcome These Groups!

Contact the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau today to learn how the CVB can save you time and money by providing complimentary assistance to bring your next social or business group's event to Dayton, The Birthplace of Aviation !