SAVE
THE DATE: Greater Fort Lauderdale Marketing Plan Presentation
Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 2 at 11:30am for the 2009 Greater
Fort Lauderdale Marketing Plan Presentation and Luncheon at the Broward County
Convention Center. See what's on the horizon for tourism sales, convention sales,
multicultural business, gay marketing, public relations and advertising as we
gear up for a beach chic year ahead.
Lauderdale
Spa Chic
The first annual Lauderdale Spa Chic presented by American Express, from
September 1-30, features spa treatments for $99 (up to 50% savings). Spa Chic
Stays, including spa treatment and one-night luxe accommodations, start at $249.
Relax, refresh and renew at a participating spa resort: The Atlantic Resort
& Spa, Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa, Embassy Suites Deerfield Beach Resort,
Grand Resort & Spa (gay), Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Hilton
Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, Hollywood Beach Marriott, Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six,
Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, and The Westin Diplomat
Resort & Spa. For details visit www.sunny.org/spachic
Dine
Out Lauderdale
Get ready for the second annual Dine Out Lauderdale presented by American
Express from October 1-November 14 with a special preview starting September
15. Special $35 dinner menus at over 35 top Broward restaurants. Enjoy specially
created fixed-price, three-course dinner menus for $35 at: Aizia at the Westin
Diplomat Resort; Armadillo Beach; Beach Watch; Blue Moon Fish Co.; By Word of
Mouth; Cafe Maxx; Café Vico; Cero; Chima Brazilian Steakhouse; China
Grill at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club, Coco Asian Bistro
& Bar; Elements Bistro at Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach; Farradday's Steakhouse
at the Isle Casino and Racing; 15th Street Fisheries; Fish - A Restaurant; Four
Rivers Contemporary Thai Kitchen; Fulvio's 1900; Galanga Thai Kitchen &
Sushi Bar; Grill Room on Las Olas at The Riverside Hotel; Grille 66 & Bar
Restaurant at Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six; Hi-Life Café; Himmarshee
Bar & Grille; ilios at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort; Ireland's
Steakhouse at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure; Jackson's Steakhouse; Le Bistro; Links
Restaurant at the Diplomat Country Club; Lola's on Harrison; Riley McDermott's;
Rivals Waterfront Sports Grille; Runyon's Restaurant; Shula's on the Beach;
Sunfish Grill; 3030 Ocean at the Harbor Beach Marriott; Tatiana Cabaret Show
Dinner Restaurant; Tommy's Las Olas; and Trina at The Atlantic Resort &
Spa. Visit www.sunny.org/dineout for details and menus.
Convention
Sales Team Update
The convention sales team has showcased GFL to Globon Premier Club, Fed Ex Freight,
Nestle Purina Pet Care Company, Synygy, SE Regional Relocation Council, Exxon
Mobil Global Services Company, Connect Meetings/Canada; Sheridan Institute/Canada;
Pfizer Inc., Celtic Pharma, Elan International. The sales team was recently
in Toronto for GFLCVB Client Events/Sales Trip, Atlanta for Company Global Summit
for Managers, Las Vegas for Destination Marketing Association International
Annual Meeting and Boston for PCMA New England/Client Baseball Event. Catch
the sales team soon at these upcoming events and tradeshows:
| Aug 3-7 | SGMP Regional Meeting |
| Aug 10-13 | MPI-WEC, Las Vegas |
| Aug 12-15 | Chuck Cook/TSAE |
| Aug 17-20 | ASAE's Annual Meeting, San Diego |
| Aug 17-20 | IncentiveWorks, Toronto |
| Aug 21-23 | MPI-SEC, Ponte Vedre |
| Aug 24-27 | Successful Meetings Marketplace |
August
Conventions
Groups meeting in August will generate more than $25 million to Broward County.
Sample groups include:
| Aug 12-18 | General Services (350 attendees) |
| Aug 5-10 | Internext 2008 (800 attendees) |
| Aug 14-25 | LandWarNet 2008 Conference (1,900 attendees) |
Tourism
Sales Update
During the month of July, Alfredo Gonzalez conducted the UK & Scandinavia
Sales Mission, holding a series of presentations and public relations opportunities
in England, Norway & Sweden. With radio interviews and direct sales efforts,
we can anticipate an increased share of this lucrative market. Josh Winston
led the tourism sales efforts for our Provincetown Sales Mission, July 15-20.
The mission was a big success, with an estimated consumer audience of 30,000
affluent visitors each day. The mission included a mini pop-up store on commercial
street, and was featured on CapeCodToday.com.
Sport
Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomes the following sports groups in August, with
more than 5,600 competitors plus family and friends:
| July 26-Aug 4 | AAU Diving Championships (1,100 attendees) |
| July 28-Aug 3 | 19s over FABA Sectional (1,500 attendees) |
| July 28-Aug 3 | Collegiate Summer Shootout (2,000 attendees) |
| Aug 3-10 | Baseball Showcase of America (1,000 attendees) |
Sports
Hall of Fame Auction Donation
Save the date for the 2008 Broward County Sports Hall of Fame honoring Broward's
sports legends, Tuesday, December 2 at the Broward Convention Center.
Look for your invitation soon and announcement of the Class of 2008. The festivities
kick off with a cocktail reception and silent auction. Help us make the auction
a success by donating a certificate or prize package. Contact Saskia Fisher,
sfisher@broward.org to donate an item.
Orbitz
names top markets for business traveler spending
Record costs for jet fuel and a soft economy have forced many airlines, business
travelers and corporate travel programs to explore and implement aggressive
cost-cutting measures in 2008. With industry data showing continued increases
for both average domestic airfare and the average daily rate for hotels, Orbitz
for Business has unveiled a ranking of the top business travel markets in which
these costs have demonstrated price fluctuations, including increases and decreases,
in business traveler spending. Business travel markets where the average cost
for air travel has increased include, in order: Columbus, Ohio; Toronto; New
York City; Houston; Newark, N.J.; Minneapolis; Indianapolis; Detroit; Richmond,
Va.; and Cleveland. Top business travel markets where the average cost for
air travel has decreased include, in order: Salt Lake City; Los Angeles; London;
San Antonio; St. Louis; Atlanta; Fort Lauderdale; and Seattle.
The
Broward Center hosts the Kennedy Center's 2008 Leadership Exchange in Arts and
Disability Conference
The LEAD conference brings together professionals committed to expanding the
scope of accessibility services and programs to make the arts and cultural activities
inclusive. Learn how to develop sound policies, and participate in discussions
with leaders in the field. The Broward Center will be presenting Art Metrano's
An Accidental Comedy, a poignant story by this talented actor/comedian about
his rise to fame and the accident that almost ended his career but instead gave
him a new perspective on life. The performance on Thursday evening, August 21,
will be presented with sign interpretation, open captioning, audio description
and assistive listening devices to showcase the variety of ways we bring live
performance to theater-goers. Visit www.browardcenter.org/artmetrano.
The Plane
Facts: FLL News
Total passenger traffic for June 2008 was 1,898,240, up 2% over June 2007. International
traffic was 258,776, up 12.1% over last year. Year to date total traffic was
12,497,488, up 6.2%. Of the top 12 airlines operating at FLL, only Spirit, JetBlue
and Southwest showed an increase in passenger traffic and were up 35.5%, 6.3%,
and .3% respectively. Southwest Airlines will launch daily flights between
Albany and Fort Lauderdale on November 2. Southwest will operate 15 daily departures
by the end of fall. New daily nonstop flights between Kansas City and Fort Lauderdale
will also begin November 2. Spirit Airlines becomes the first ultra low
cost carrier to offer daily service between Fort Lauderdale and Bogota, Colombia,
including daily connections from 16 cities in the U.S. The daily flights will
be operated by Spirit's new Airbus A319 fleet, the youngest in the Americas
and Caribbean. To support these new flights, FLL is posting billboards in Albany
and Cartagena.
Award-Winning
Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau received two awards
from the National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO) Awards
of Excellence Competition for the coast(954) pop-up store in New York City and
for the Multicultural Visitors Guide.
Port
News
Port Everglades will become home to five of the cruise industry's eight newest
cruise ships in time for the 2008-2009 winter Caribbean cruise season. Newly
built ships joining the Port Everglades fleet include: Holland America Line's
ms Eurodam, Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess, Celebrity Cruises'
Celebrity Solstice, Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Splendor,
and Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. In addition, several
cruise ships will be sailing for the first time from Port Everglades including
Princess Cruises' Tahitian Princess, MSC Cruises' Orchestra and
Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Freedom, which will be sailing year-round
from GFL. In fall 2009, Port Everglades will be the home of the first of Royal
Caribbean's new Oasis-class ships, the largest cruise ships in the world.
The UPS Store will launch its new "The UPS Store Luggage Valet at Port Everglades" service in September 2008. The luggage shipping service transports passengers' luggage, sporting equipment, golf clubs, or any other items from the cruise ship to final destination. Luggage delivery is available to over 220 countries and territories worldwide. Travelers get the convenience of ship-to-door luggage delivery. Luggage is picked up when the cruise ship arrives into Port Everglades and is delivered directly to the final destination. No luggage security hassles; no need to transfer luggage to and from the airport; no check-in lines; no waiting for luggage at the destination airport; no lugging bags to ground transport; no lost or delayed luggage; and, finally, no need to tip porters or other baggage handlers along the way. www.floridaups.com/portevergladesservices.html
Hotel
News
The award-winning Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company assumes management of The St. Regis
Fort Lauderdale, effective August 11. The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale
will become the tenth location in the state for the company named by The Luxury
Institute as "The Most Prestigious Luxury Brand." To celebrate National
Ice Cream Month, Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa unveiled a new
Living Room Ice Creamery program where guests enjoyed in-room ice cream sundae
service. Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is offering valuable savings
with the Summer Family Escape package.
Shopping
News
Sawgrass Mills welcomes Florida's first Judith Ripka outlet, with an
impressive collection of women's jewelry, using only the finest diamonds, colored
precious gemstones, pearls and unique one-of-a-kind stones. Coral Square
Mall in Coral Springs kicks off its renovation that includes a new family-friendly
design.
News
from the Parimutuels
In August, the isle® promotions include a $10,000 jackpot celebration;
$50,000 IslePlay® sweeps; Take It or Trade It; free slot tournaments; and
a $30,000 gas card giveaway. Details and rules for each promotion are available
at the IsleOne club or www.theislepompanopark.com
Good
Eats
Slated to open September 2008 on Las Olas Boulevard, YOLO (You Only Live
Once) Restaurant & O Lounge is positioned to become Fort Lauderdale's
hot new dining and nightlife destination. Beyond the chic design and comfy ambiance,
the simple and approachable menu boasts an eclectic blend of international flavors.
www.yolorestaurant.com. Sidelines
Sports Bar, in conjunction with Southern Wine & Spirits and Private
Stock Spirits, has created its own imported vodka that rivals the best mass-produced
premium brands. The new vodka will be presented for tasting at a special Launch
Party in early August. Galuppis Restaurant in Pompano Beach, is offering
a selection of sizzling summer specials. www.galuppis.com.
Village Tavern will open at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens in August,
marking the restaurant's second location in Florida. www.villagetavern.com.
Frankie's 124, formally Frankie's Pier 5, is the rebirth of a classic
family Italian restaurant, Peter & Louis Perrone have taken this Italian
staple to a new level. www.frankies124.com.
Museum
of Art | Fort Lauderdale's Spectacular Summer Continues
The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale (MOA|FL) is sweetening its seasonal cultural
offerings with summer savings admission discounts, special summer hours and
a host of newly added activities. Through the end of September, the Museum is
offering summer savings of 50% off the regular price of admission. Prices are
now $5 for adult admission and $3.50 for children (6-17), military and seniors
(65+). Children five and under are admitted free, as are Museum members and
college students with school ID. New Museum hours through September are 11am-5pm
daily, closed Tuesdays.
Meeting
Green
Greater Fort Lauderdale's second "green" city-wide, the International
Coral Reef Symposium, held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Convention
Center July 7-11, was the most successful symposium in their 44 year history,
with more than 3,500 attendees, exceeding their projections by 75%. Also in
attendance, Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Congratulations to the Sheraton
Suites Cypress Creek for becoming a Certified Green Lodging Hotel. The Florida
Green Lodging Conference "Being Green, Saving Green & Making Green"
is being held at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville,
November 10-12. This conference will help hoteliers take the mystery out of
going green. You will see the business case of how helping save the environment
will boost your bottom line. www.FloridaGreenLodgingConference.com
Happenings
Around Town
Thru Aug 10: Nathan Sawaya: The Art of the Brick, Art & Culture Center of
Hollywood
Thru Aug 16: The Horton Collection, Coral Springs Museum of Art
Thru Aug 31: Unbroken Ties, Museum of Art / Fort Lauderdale
Aug 1: Bank of America Starlight Musicals Concert Series, Holiday Park
Aug 1-2: AC/DC, Hard Rock Live
Aug 1-9: Images of Jamaica exhibition, African-American Research Library
Aug 2-3: Antique Show, War Memorial Auditorium
Aug 3: SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch, Riverwalk, Downtown Fort Lauderdale
Aug 3: George Michael, BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise
Aug 5: Jobing.com Career Expo, Broward County Convention Center
Aug 6: Coheed & Cambria with Secret Machines, Revolution Live
Aug 7-9: Classic Albums Live Presents Jimi Hendrix & Janis Joplin, Hard
Rock Live
Aug 7-9: Grease, Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Aug 8: Bad Company, Hard Rock Live
Aug 8: Bank of America Starlight Musicals Concert Series, Holiday Park
Aug 8: Broadwalk Friday Fest, Hollywood Beach
Aug 10: Hippiefest Feat, Pompano Beach Amphitheater
Aug 14-16: Classic Albums Live Presents Jimi Hendrix & Janis Joplin, Hard
Rock Live
Aug 15-16: U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam Summer Heat, BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise
Aug 16: Extreme with Kings X and Kidd Havok, Revolution Live
Aug 16: AZADI CUP Cricket Tournament, Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill
Aug 17: Gilberto Santa Rosa vs. Oscar De Leon, Hard Rock Live
Aug 20: HSMAI luncheon, FLL Airport update, Tropical Acres Restaurant
Aug 20: American Idols, BankAtlantic Center
Aug 20: Stone Temple Pilots, Hard Rock Live
Aug 21: Boston, Hard Rock Live
Aug 22: Broadwalk Friday Fest, Hollywood Beach
Aug 23: G. Love & Special Sauce with John Butler Trio, Pompano Beach Amphitheater
Aug 23: Baby Loves Disco, Revolution Live
Aug 25: 40 Years Ago Today, Hard Rock Live
Aug 30: Movie/Cruise Night, Huizenga Plaza, great cars, music, food and move.
www.cruiseinsouthflorida.com
With all
best wishes,
Nicki E. Grossman
President
