Saint Paul Rivercentre Convention And Visitors Authority

TO GENERATE ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR SAINT PAUL BY EFFECTIVELY MARKETING THE RIVERCENTRE CAMPUS, SAINT PAUL AND THE REGION AS A PREFERRED CONVENTION AND TOURISM DESTINATION.

MARKETING SERVES TO ELEVATE AWARENESS OF SAINT PAUL AS A PREMIER CONVENTION AND LEISURE DESTINATION THROUGH EFFECTIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE ADVERTISING/MARKETING EFFORTS. THE DEPARTMENT COORDINATES ADVERTISING, PROMOTIONS, PUBLICATIONS, WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS PROGRAMS FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS. MARKETING ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING IN 2021: MANAGED THE DINE SAINT PAUL CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, WITH FUNDING FROM THE HRA. ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO SUPPORT A 3-MONTH DIGITAL CAMPAIGN, WE WERE ABLE TO STRETCH THE PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, RESULTING IN VIDEOS, TARGETED DIGITAL ADS, INFLUENCER MARKETING, EMAIL MARKETING, BILLBOARDS, CONTENT COLLABORATION, A SEARCHABLE RESTAURANT GUIDE AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT IN OPTIMIZING THEIR PRESENCE IN GOOGLE SEARCH. FUNDED THE PURCHASE OF 10,000 IN GIFT CARDS FROM SAINT PAUL RESTAURANTS FOR USE IN THE DINE SAINT PAUL CAMPAIGN. IN SUPPORT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, RAN THE LOVE, SAINT PAUL CAMPAIGN DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND WORKED WITH LOCAL INFLUENCERS TO SHARE BELOVED SAINT PAUL SPOTS. MAINTAINED VISIT SAINT PAULS WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND INSIDER'S BLOG. PRODUCED A NEW VISITOR GUIDE - PRINTING WAS POSTPONED UNTIL 2022 DUE TO PAPER SHORTAGES. BEGAN REDEVELOPMENT OF VISITSAINTPAUL.COM, TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2022.

RIVERCENTRE WELCOMED THE FOLLOWING ANNUAL CONVENTIONS IN 2021: MINNESOTA DENTAL STAR OF THE NORTH MEETING, ALLEN D. LEMAN SWINE CONFERENCE AND EDUCATION MINNESOTA MINNESOTA EDUCATOR ACADEMY. RIVERCENTRE CONTINUED TO HOST ANNUAL MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND TRADESHOWS INCLUDING: NORTHSTAR FASHION EXHIBITORS, NORTHWEST SHOE TRAVELERS BUYING MARKET, MARRCH CHEMICAL HEALTH CONFERENCE, NCSRCC DELEGATES MEETING, USCIS AND US DISTRICT COURT NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES, MIDWEST WORKSITE HEALTH PROMOTION CONFERENCE, MINNESOTA PODIATRIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, MHA FALL CONFERENCE AND PRODUCTS SHOW, SAINT PAUL AREA CHAMBER EQUITY SUMMIT AND MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT IT SYMPOSIUM. IN ADDITION, MANY BANQUETS, GALAS AND BENEFITS HOSTED THEIR EVENTS IN RIVERCENTRE INCLUDING: PIN DINNER & APPRENTICESHIP GRADUATION, FEDERATED CHALLENGE SUPPORTING BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, 2021 BANQUET & PIN PARTY, NOCHE DE COLORES, TEAM WORLD VISION TEAM DINNER, HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER TOURNAMENT BANQUETS, A NIGHT TO BEL13VE, TWIN CITIES HEART BALL AND MINNESOTA STATE VOLLEYBALL BANQUET. WE ALSO ENJOYED WORKING WITH OUR ANNUAL PUBLIC EVENTS: TWIN CITIES BRIDAL FAIR, MCCA STATE CHEERLEADING COMPETITION, LAND O'LAKES KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW, MN WEAPONS COLLECTORS SHOW, MODEST PREMIUM AUTOMOTIVE SHOWCASE, TWIN CITIES MARATHON HEALTH AND FITNESS EXPO, FRESH TRADITIONS FASHION SHOW, THROWBACK CLASSIC, 2021 CLASSIC FALL SPECTACULAR, SAINT PAUL ICE FISHING AND WINTER SPORTS SHOW AND 101.3 KDWB JINGLE BALL PRE-PARTY. IN ADDITION, WE HOSTED MINNESOTA ROLLER DERBY PRACTICES, TEN MONTHS OF MINNESOTA COVID-19 SALIVA TESTING, EIGHT MONTHS OF STATE OF MINNESOTA COVID VACCINATIONS, SIX MONTHS OF GREATER TWIN CITIES YOUTH SYMPHONIES REHEARSALS, AND EIGHT DIFFERENT DANCE COMPETITIONS.

MEMBERSHIP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONNECTING MEMBER BUSINESSES WITH THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL VISITORS THAT COME TO SAINT PAUL EACH YEAR FOR MEETINGS, EVENTS AND LEISURE TRAVEL. THE DEPARTMENT: BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY IN AN EFFORT TO SECURE NEW MEMBERS AND RETAIN ITS CURRENT MEMBERS. OFFERS NETWORKING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND A MEDIUM FOR CONNECTING WITH FELLOW BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED EXPOSURE THROUGH ADVERTISING AND MARKETING EDUCATES THE ORGANIZATION ABOUT MEMBER BUSINESSES SERVES AS A CONDUITE OF VALUABLE CITY AND COUNTY INFORMATION AND RESOURCES MEMBERSHIP ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING IN 2021 PLANNED 2 IN-PERSON MEMBER EVENTS AND 6 VIRTUAL MEETINGS SERVING 500 ATTENDEES: MYVSP, A RESTAURANT ROUNDTABLE, MEMBER APPRECIATION DRIVE-THRU AND WALKING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN. PARTNER DUES WERE RESUMED IN APRIL 2021 ON A PAY-AS-YOU-CAN BASIS AFTER BEING SUSPENDED IN APRIL 2020. OVER 160 PARTNERS WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AND ALL PARTNERS THAT WERE IN GOOD STANDING PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WERE KEPT ON BOARD REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY. PARTNERED WITH RAMSEY COUNTY AND VISIT ROSEVILLE ON FUTURE FINDER, A HOSPITALITY JOB SEARCH SITE, AS WELL AS HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION MONTH. STRATEGIC MARKETING EFFORTS FOR MEMBER INCLUSION IN MARKETING MATERIALS SUCH AS BLOG CONTENT, WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS, RESTAURANT GUIDE LISTINGS, AND MORE. CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINOOK BOOK TO PROVIDE A PACKAGE OF MOBILE VISITOR DEALS AND AN EMAIL PRIZE PACKAGE PROMOTION PROMOTING MEMBER BUSINESSES TO A LOCAL AUDIENCE.

THE CONVENTION AND SPORT SALES DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH NATIONAL AND LOCAL MEETING AND EVENT PLANNERS TO BRING THEIR EVENTS TO THE SAINT PAUL RIVERCENTRE/XCEL ENERGY CENTER AND HOTEL COMMUNITY. THE GOAL OF THE DEPARTMENT IS TO BRING NEW DOLLARS INTO THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHICH IS MEASURED BY ECONOMIC IMPACT. SOME EXAMPLES OF CLIENTS WE WORKED WITH IN 2021 ARE THE MINNESOTA DENTAL ASSOCIATION AND ALLEN D. LEHMAN CONVENTIONS. THESE ARE TWO ANNUAL GROUPS THAT RETURNED AFTER CANCELLING DUE TO COVID. IN 2021, WE REBOOKED MANY 2020 AND 2021 ACCOUNTS INTO THE FUTURE. IN 2022, WE ARE HAVING A ROBUST YEAR OF CONVENTION GROUPS BOTH ANNUALS AND NEW GROUPS FOR THE CITY. WE ARE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM.