Denver Alliance Streamlines Meeting Planners' Total Experience

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. April 09, 2009

DENVER, CO, April 9, 2009 - Meeting planners interested in Denver for future bookings will benefit from the Denver Alliance - the cooperation of five key entities who have joined forces to make the meetings process more streamlined than ever. These groups have developed a partnership unique to the industry that focuses on each partner's core competencies, creating efficiencies, and reducing the points of contact.

The groups are:

o VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau

o City of Denver's Division of Theatres and Arenas (owner of the Colorado Convention Center)

o Centerplate, the exclusive catering partner within the Colorado Convention Center

o Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, and

o SMG (manager of the Colorado Convention Center)

The Denver Alliance is the product of a recent convention center management contract bid process which used extensive research conducted by two industry associations. The project was facilitated by an industry expert study group, and sponsored by the Destination Marketing Association International and the International Association of Assembly Managers.

"The study group's objective was to develop and promote 'best practices' in sales and operations utilizing the destination and the corresponding public assembly facilities," said Dave Radcliffe, project leader and author, and president of The Radcliffe Company. "This will ensure a seamless experience for the customer.

"Rather than perpetuate a standard convention-center management proposal, Denver decided bidding companies should address how they could deliver on the recommendation outlined in the group's landmark study," explained Jack Finlaw, director, Denver's Division of Theatres and Arenas. "In examining its own RFP process, Denver asked bidding companies to incorporate strategies that ensure a seamless, one-stop shop for customers, while also providing cost-efficiencies for the city. The formation of the Alliance was a byproduct of SMG's successful contract bid."

"SMG had operated the Colorado Convention Center for years and we were excited about the opportunity to continue that relationship," said John Adams, general manager, SMG. "This Alliance takes our operation to a different level, and we believe it will serve as a model for other cities and convention center operations.

Richard Scharf, president and CEO, VISIT DENVER, served in the research group and believes the relationship between those entities is critical to a city's success, especially in Denver, where 65,000 jobs are linked to business travel to the Mile High City.

"The Alliance reduces redundancies by keeping one point-of-contact throughout the process for planners," said Rachel Benedick, acting vice president of convention sales, VISIT DENVER, which serves as the communication hub from the event sale to its execution.

Major partners now align for ease of booking, contracting, communication, and servicing the convention inside and outside the Center. "Convention Center users are our most important audience, generating 80 percent of Denver's booked hotel room nights," said Benedick. "By focusing on our core competencies, each Alliance partner is only responsible for its part of the equation but we function more as a team."

The Denver Alliance also hones in on key underpinnings including: experiential and performance measurements, providing sales and operational guidance, determining public policy, and speaking in "one voice" on convention and building issues.

Launched to great applause from the Bureau's Customer Advisory Board (CAB), the Denver Alliance has also been well received by meeting planners booking for 2010.