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                                                                                              Latest Media Watch News & Views...

                                                                                              MONONA TERRACE ANNUAL ECOMONIC IMPACT RESULTSSHOW PROMISING GROWTH

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                                                                                              Madison, WI – Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center is pleased to announce that the results of the direct spending analysis of conferences and conventions held at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in 2011 were up by approximately 23.5% from 2010.  The total economic benefit is an estimated $46,515,496 to Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin in 2011, up from $37,630,656 in 2010.
                                                                                              “We attribute this growth to hosting four more conventions in 2011 than 2010,” said Bill Zeinemann, Director of Marketing and Events at Monona Terrace.  “Several were larger scale events including Congress for the New Urbanism, National Wildlife Refuge Symposium, and WI Society for Human Resources Management.  These events with greater numbers of attendees using more hotel rooms deliver increased economic impact to our community.”
                                                                                              The analysis was conducted by Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP using data primarily from a direct spending survey conducted in 2010-11 that asked recent conference and convention delegates and exhibitors to estimate their direct spending in a variety of categories.  Results from 1,541 surveys were tallied. 
                                                                                              Monona Terrace is located at One John Nolen Drive in Madison and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a guided daily tour at 1 p.m.  For additional information and hours, call (608) 261-4000, TTY (608) 261-4150 or visit mononaterrace.com.

                                                                                              Monona Terrace hosts approximately 650 events each year resulting in over $46 million in annual economic impact for the region.  In addition, the center produces and sponsors free or low cost community events that serve over 43,000 people each year. The Frank Lloyd Wright designed facility has a mission to be a high quality, customer focused convention and meeting facility that serves as a community gathering place, a tourism destination, and a catalyst for economic activity for the City of Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin.


                                                                                              Cincinnati, Chicago Make Lonely Planet's Top 10 U.S. Travel Destinations for 2012

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                                                                                              The US: it’s a big place, and there’s a lot of ground for travelers to cover. So what’s buzzing for travelers in the coming year? It’s an annual tradition at Lonely Planet to try to answer that question, so the editors in our US office put their travel-noggins together to carve out a list of what’s new, interesting, and in some cases likely to be overlooked by travelers both domestic and international. Here are our 10 top picks that should be on your travel radar in 2012. Full story...

                                                                                              Companies Still Not in the Mood for Big Holiday Parties

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                                                                                              The economy might be showing glimmers of hope, but don't expect one casualty of the recession — the company-sponsored holiday party — to bounce back any time soon. Under pressure to cut spending, many companies have cut out the catered lunches or off-campus bashes for employees and gone to potlucks instead — or nothing at all. Full story...

                                                                                              Alison Hotchkiss Thinks Outside Event-Planner Box

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                                                                                              With more than a decade of experience under her belt, event planner Alison Hotchkiss has plenty of party tips and inspiration to share. In 2003 - after several years working in corporate event planning, followed by stints with a florist, event designer and caterer - Hotchkiss was ready to branch out on her own. She has since become known for her faraway fetes, penning "Destination Wedding Planner: The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Wedding From Afar." Full story...

                                                                                              VIP Event Planner Launches Resort Weddings

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                                                                                              Colin Cowie, event planner to the stars, is going into the destination wedding business, it was announced today. The Colin Cowie Wedding Collection, a series of eight themed I-dos starting at $1,500, will be offered at Palace Resorts Mexico properties and Hard Rock Hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Riviera Maya, Mexico. Vow renewals also will be available. Full story...

                                                                                              Plan the Best Employee Party Ever

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                                                                                              Company parties and events are supposed to be fun ways to build team spirit and congratulate employees on a job well done. So why do so many events remain so notoriously boring and unimaginative that employees flat-out dread them? Full story...

                                                                                              Fall Entertaining Tips From Celebrity Event Planner Andrea Correale

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                                                                                              Summer parties seem to come together in a flash: Toss some flowers in a vase and put it on the picnic table, light up the grill and flip some burgers and dogs. The low-key, relaxed vibe of the season doesn’t hurt either! Fall can provide some unique challenges, with cooler climates, fewer fresh decorations and different guest cravings. So we turned to Andrea Correale, celebrity event planner, caterer and Celebrations.com expert, to gather some tips about how to throw the perfect healthy and fun autumn dinner party. Full story...

                                                                                              Winefest's New Planner Focuses on June Events

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                                                                                              Nikki Syverson and her mother back in Topeka, KS, send pictures back and forth on their iPhones from time to time — pictures of bottles. “If I try a wine here that I really like, I will send her a picture of the bottle and she will take it to her wine shop to see if they can get it,” Syverson said. Full story...

                                                                                              Controversial Project Going to Naperville City Council

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                                                                                              With DuPage County’s unemployment rate hovering around 8.5 percent and every politician in America talking about jobs, a proposed Naperville development could ease the pain a little. But approving it would mean City Council members might have to depart somewhat from the city’s long-established vision for the Interstate 88 corridor through Naperville, and possibly provide an incentive package to get the deal done. Full story...

                                                                                              Amtrak Rolls Toward Record Ridership

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                                                                                              Trains — they’re not just for retirees and railroad buffs anymore. Thanks to changes in technology and demographics — not to mention the hassles of air travel — the nation’s railroads are drawing a whole new crowd. That’s certainly true for Amtrak, which is on track to report its highest ridership in history. On Tuesday, the company announced that it carried almost 27.8 million passengers during the first 11 months of its fiscal year ending in September, up 5.2 percent from the year before. Full story...

                                                                                              Dina Manzo On Her New Show, Entertaining

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                                                                                              The event designer and former housewife of New Jersey has teamed with HGTV for show on party-planning. We sat down with her to chat about the new series and got some pointers from her on how to entertain on the fly. Dina Manzo might be most recognized for her brief stint as one of the ladies on the Real Housewives of New Jersey, but she's a lot more. Full story...

                                                                                              Grand Forks' First Inline Marathon Gets Rollin'

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                                                                                              “You know, they say if you're going to be a good salesman, you have to believe in what you sell, and I have never believed in anything enough to sell it as much as I have this,” said Laura Jelinek. By “this” she means Grand Forks’ first Rollin’ on the River Inline Marathon on Saturday, the product of her dream, her labor, the labor of 150 or volunteers and thousands of dollars in money and services from city agencies and businesses. Full story...

                                                                                              Consultant Evaluates Springfield, IL Expo Center

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                                                                                              As much as $55 million in public funding is needed to make Springfield convention facilities competitive, but more study is needed to know whether the investment would pay off. Those were among the conclusions consultant Rob Hunden presented to City Council and other local officials during a lunch meeting Tuesday at John Q. Hammons' University Plaza Hotel. Full story...

                                                                                              After a Fainting Spell, Learning to Fly Again

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                                                                                               A few years ago, I was working on a proposal for a wedding while I was traveling. My seatmate was a young woman who had this huge accordion folder on her lap. There must have been a million files in it, all related to her wedding. She kept asking the young man seated next to her what he thought about various things she was pulling out of that folder. His eyes were practically rolling in the back of his head. I found it kind of amusing. Grooms-to-be are never much into planning. Full story...

                                                                                              Lavish Office Parties Make a Comeback?

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                                                                                              Get ready to see your co-worker in a compromising position. Nationwide, holiday parties are in a slump – but in New York City, venues are lining up the shot glasses. “We definitely have seen a change this year,” said Laura Altman at Bowlmor Lanes.  “People aren’t really holding back.” Full story...

                                                                                              American Airlines Parent Files for Bankruptcy

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                                                                                              The AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, said today that it had filed for bankruptcy protection in an effort to reduce labor costs and shed a heavy debt burden. AMR was the last of the major legacy airline companies in the United States to file for Chapter 11. Analysts said that its reluctance to do so earlier had left it less nimble than many of its competitors. Full story...

                                                                                              Event Planner Diann Valentine Gives Married Couples a "Do Over"

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                                                                                              “I Do Over”, a new reality series that recently premiered on WE tv, gives couples who have had a disastrous wedding another shot to get it right. With the help of WE tv’s own celebrity event designer, Diann Valentine, weddings that have been marred by natural disasters, fainting grooms, missing dresses - basically anything that can be a groom or bride-to-be’s worst nightmare - will get a re-do. Full story...

                                                                                              War of Words Erupts Over Open Meeting Law, Council Confab

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                                                                                              No legal action is expected against two Marietta councilmen accused last week of violating the Ohio Open Meetings Act. The allegations surfaced during an October 19 city council candidate's debate at Marietta College where Republican council candidates Dianne Crandall and Randy Wilson noted current Democratic Councilmen Harley Noland and Mike McCauley had met with members of the Marietta-Washington CVB without advance public notice. Full story...

                                                                                              17 Theft Claims Against Cha Cha Events

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                                                                                              More people are coming forward to police with claims a local event planner ran off with thousands of their dollars. Investigators tell us 17 complaints have been filed against Leza Chandler of Cha Cha Events. Those complaints claim Chandler stole more than $76,000 from her customers. Full story...

                                                                                              Cha Cha Events Owner Responds to Theft Claims

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                                                                                              A group of local brides say their wedding planner has left them hanging when it comes to making arrangements for their big day. They are also claiming the owner of Cha Cha Events took their money. As we first reported on Friday, several brides say none of the money they paid to Leza Chandler, was used on deposits. Now the brides to be say their caterers, florists, and more don't even have their wedding date booked. Full story...

                                                                                              Most Event Planners Lack Liability Coverage

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                                                                                              Among professional liability coverages, errors and omissions insurance for event planners probably is the “most innocuous,” said Letha Heaton, the vice president of marketing at Admiral Insurance Co., a subsidiary of W.R. Berkley Corp. Other underwriting and broker executives agree with that assessment of the coverage, for which rates are soft and capacity ample. Full story...

                                                                                              Sioux Falls to Host the 2012 Travel Media Showcase

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                                                                                              Sioux Falls will be the 2012 hosting city for a prestigious travel trade show that brings journalists together with travel business representatives. The South Dakota city will be the host city for the Travel Media Showcase in August. The announcement was made on Thursday evening, September, 22, at the closing TMS dinner held in Oklahoma City. Full story...

                                                                                              Wausau Wins Bid to Host Canoe Competition

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                                                                                              Hundreds of canoe and kayak athletes will converge on Wausau next year — along with thousands of spectators — for an international competition that could pump nearly $2 million into the local economy. The city in July will host more than 300 athletes from 35 countries for the Junior Canoe Slalom World Championship and the inaugural U23 Slalom races, with athletes ages 19 to 23, at downtown’s Whitewater Park. Full story...

                                                                                              Film Crews Create Hotel Demand in Cleveland

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                                                                                              Movies under way in Cleveland could mean millions of dollars and thousands of room nights for hotels in the struggling northeast Ohio city. The Ohio Department of Development suggests they could produce close to US$5.3 million in economic activity and more than 41,000 room nights, making movies one of the biggest demand generators in Cleveland, on par with the Cleveland Clinic and Progressive Insurance. Full story...

                                                                                              Inside Prudential’s Conference & Meeting Services

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                                                                                              Top of mind for Debbie Boschee, CMP, who leads an eight-member conference services department at Prudential, is that the executives who own the 260-plus meetings she and her planners manage every year are not mandated to hand over those programs. Full story...

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