1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:36 AM Page 1
FOCUS ON THE
Hospitality And Tourism Industry
Robert A. Smit, CHA, left, vice president of operations, YHB Hospitality Group and general manager of the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center, and Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Bech Convention & Visitors Bureau. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 2
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 3
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 3-B
“Increasingly, cities and regions are recognizing that tourism is part of an economic development plan and these tourism boards are now focusing on the economics of the industry – how tourism fits in with other regional economic strategies. So we’re getting a much more integrated approach to building tourism.” Economist Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville
Local Tourism And Hospitality Industry Boosted By Improving Economy And Growing Convention Business ■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer mong the first local industry clusters to recover from the Great Recession, the hospitality and tourism industries continue to experience job gains and inject more dollars into the regional economy with each passing year. And the future is only brighter, according to Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, an economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. Estimates from the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board suggest 43.2 million people will have visited Los Angeles County by the end of the year, a record high for a number of annual visitors. Overnight visitors are expected to generate an economic impact of $18.5 billion by the end of December, Ritter-Martinez said. “The improvements we have seen in the economy this year and the accelerated improvements we are expecting next year would indicate that we’re looking at better times for the tourism and hospitality industry,” Ritter-Martinez told the Business Journal. Better job growth, increasing incomes and more flexible spending power thanks to falling gas prices all indicate further improvements in the Greater Los Angeles tourism and hospitality industries, she explained. An improving economy should also boost convention bookings, Ritter-Martinez
A
pointed out. “On the business side, corporate profits are doing well,” which bodes well for business travel, she said. Nationwide, corporate profits increased by $43.8 billion in the third quarter of this year, the Economics and Statistics Administration of U.S. Department of Commerce reported recently. “Even with technology, webinars and video conferencing, companies still recognize that those aren’t the same as [meeting] face to face with a customer, or the flow of ideas that takes place at a conference,” Ritter-Martinez said. “So we are seeing convention travel and conventions doing pretty well, plus a lot of growth in smaller meetings and conferences as well,” she explained. Overall, Ritter-Martinez said, “Tourism in Los Angeles County is booming, and Long Beach has done a lot to help get some of that share.” By the end of 2014, about 6 million visitors will have visited Long Beach for conventions, attractions such as the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary, and events such as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival. Responsible for bringing thousands of new visitors – and new dollars – to Long Beach is the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), a nonprofit organization that promotes the city as a destination for business meetings and tourism. This year, 1.635 million people came to Long Beach for conventions, tradeshows
and special events, according to the CVB. Just over 300 conventions and meetings took place in Long Beach this year, representing a 14 percent increase over 2013. Overnight visitors staying for these events generated $21,264,955 for the city through the transient occupancy tax, also known as the hotel bed tax. The figure represents a $2.48 million increase from last year. Next year is looking even better, according to Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the CVB. Currently, the organization’s projected sales for 2015 are 12.9 percent ahead of the number of bookings the group had secured for 2014 by this time last year. The bureau has secured 15 key groups – most of which are new to the city – for conventions and conferences next year, bring-
INSIDE
ing in 68,850 visitors for 62,232 hotel room night stays. These groups are expected to generate $53,358,750 in estimated economic impact to Long Beach next year, the CVB estimated. Among the new groups coming to Long Beach for conventions next year is the National Retail Federation, an organization representing the interests of major retailers nationwide. The group’s conference on security-related issues is expected to attract an estimated 3,500 conference attendees for a projected economic impact of about $2.712 million. According to Goodling, having the National Retail Federation here represents an opportunity to showcase Long Beach. (Please Continue To Next Page)
3 Industry Overview
10 How Does Long Beach Spell Success? The Pacific Ballroom
4 Hoteliers Feeling The Love As Occupancy And Room Rates Rise
12 Long Beach Attractions Report Growing Revenues And Visitor Counts
6 John Jenkins: From Omelet Cook To General Manager Of The Queen Mary
16 Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Online Outreach Puts Spotlight On Long Beach
7 Multiple Hotel Renovations Planned
17 Meeting Sites Guide
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 4
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 4-B Long Beach Business Journal “All of the major retailers representing all the major chains in the United States will be here,” Goodling said. “We get to showcase to them what our downtown has grown into. Our hope is that it will spark some interest in retailing in Downtown Long Beach,” he added. Another first-time group is the Virginiabased Irrigation Association coming in next November with 4,000 conventioneers. The group normally holds its conventions in Southern California since most of its members are based here. According to CEO Deborah Hamlin, the association has regularly used San Diego and Anaheim and had not explored Long Beach. “When we did the comparison, Long Beach beat out the other two,” she said. “We also had L.A. in the mix for the first time. Of all of those, we felt Long Beach had the best package for us. When I say package, I don’t mean the financial package as much as the location of the hotels, the local flair and great restaurants . . . and that whole section by the water . . . it’s a nice array of options.” Goodling and Ritter-Martinez both partially attributed growing convention figures to upgrades at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. The new Pacific Ballroom at the Long Beach Arena, which recently celebrated its firstyear anniversary, has helped draw in new business thanks to its built-in rigging, curtains and lights and available convention center staff, all of which offer major cost savings to event planners. Since it opened in 2013, the $10 million
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Hoteliers Feeling The Love As Occupancy And Room Rates Rise ■ By GEORGE ECONOMIDES Publisher
Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is pictured adjacent to Shoreline Village with Robert Smit, general manager of the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center. Smit also serves as vice president of operations for YHB Hospitality Group, which has owned and managed the hotel since 2006, and is planning a major renovation of the property. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
venue has already secured 22 bookings with $61.2 million in estimated economic impact to Long Beach, according to the CVB. “The repositioning of the building is being discovered, respected and embraced by the professional meeting planning community, but also importantly by the attendees of conventions in our city,” Goodling said of the ballroom. While traditionally the functions of tourism-related boards and organizations such as the CVB were to simply fill up
hotel rooms and get visitors into local retailers to spend their dollars, RitterMartinez said they have become more strategic. “Increasingly, cities and regions are recognizing that tourism is part of an economic development plan and these tourism boards are now focusing on the economics of the industry – how tourism fits in with other regional economic strategies,” she said. “So we’re getting a much more integrated approach to building tourism.” ■
s the region continues to rebound from the grips of the Great Recession, the hospitality industry is witnessing growth in occupancy rates. For example, in 2009, the occupancy rate for the city’s hotels was just 61.9 percent. Next year, in 2015, it is expected to exceed 77 percent, representing a 25 percent jump in half a decade. More importantly, this continued upward trajectory occupancy, combined with an increase in conventions booked and more tourists discovering Long Beach, has convinced many of the city’s hotel owners to reinvest in their properties. Several notable renovations are underway or beginning soon.
A
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 5
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 5-B
Some Of The Key Groups Booked For Long Beach In 2015 Event Attendees 3,000 American Society for Parental & Enteral Nutrition American Society for Clinical Pathology 2,500 Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses 2,500 International Code Council 1,000 1,750 American Correctional Association Life Impact Ministries 4,400 National Association of Elementary School Principals 2,500 Society for Personality and Social Psychology 3,500 National Retail Federation 3,500 2,000 Airports Council international – North America Association of Air Medical Services 2,000 World Championships of Performing Arts 2,000 Irrigation Association 5,600 Professional Beauty Association 30,000 2,600 Asian American Hotel Owners Association Total 68,850
Estimated Economic Impact $2,325,000 $1,937,500 $1,937,500 $775,000 $1,356,250 $3,410,000 $1,937,500 $2,712,500 $2,712,500 $1,550,000 $1,550,000 $1,550,000 $4,340,000 $23,250,000 $2,015,000 $53,358,750
Arrival Date 2/11/2015 10/26/2015 6/10/2015 9/23/2015 2/4/2015 5/23/2015 6/25/2015 2/24/2015 6/20/2015 9/30/2015 10/14/2015 7/5/2015 11/7/2015 1/20/2015 4/20/2015
Room Nights 5,277 5,055 4,957 4,933 4,857 4,525 4,238 3,800 3,768 3,716 3,637 3,628 3,563 3,525 2,753 62,232
Source: Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
According to PKF Consulting, a national hospitality industry consulting firm, occupancy rates for the Long Beach area are estimated to end 2014 at 76.5 percent, a four percent increase over the previous year. In 2015, a 1 percent increase in occupancy rate is forecast. Average daily room rates are forecast to grow by 4.5 percent next year to $139.47. Bruce Baltin, senior vice president at PKF Consulting, told the Business Journal that an ever-recovering economy is part of
the reason for the increase in occupancy. He added that Los Angeles County has experienced low growth in hotel development over the past two decades – less than other regions of the country. “What that’s doing is it’s artificially holding down supply [and] driving up occupancy,” Baltin said. In Long Beach, the only addition to the city’s inventory of rooms during the past several years was the 159-room Courtyard by Marriott Long Beach that opened in March of 2013.
Helping matters, Baltin said, is a recovering corporate group market and an increase in conventions. “[This] helps Long Beach because the convention center is a big part of the business base,” Baltin said. Kristi Allen, who for the past four years has served as the general manager of the 199-room Hotel Maya Double Tree by Hilton, is certainly high on the city’s future. Located along the south side of the Queensway Bay, the resort-like hotel has experienced a 10 percent increase in over-
all revenue. That, she said, portends a positive outlook for 2015. “The outlook is so strong,” she said. “We really saw an uptick in business in 2014, specifically on the corporate group side.” Again citing the rebounding economy as a factor, Allen also attributed the improvement in business to Long Beach’s overall efforts to become more of a destination locale. “Long Beach as a city is now more of a destination city and placed in higher regard by meeting planners,” Allen said. “We have all of the exciting growth in downtown plus the addition of the Pacific Ballroom [at the Arena]. I think all of that combined has aided in bringing conventions and meetings to Long Beach.” John Jenkins, general manager of the Queen Mary, told the Business Journal that due to a boost in business for the ship, the hotel has experienced an estimated 5 to 7 percent growth in occupancy rates. He said social media has played a role in keeping the ship’s numbers strong. He notes the web site traveladvisor.com, a travel-related site where people can post reviews, has been particularly helpful. At the Hilton Long Beach on Ocean Boulevard, General Manager Greg Keebler is also positive about the coming year. “We can all look for at least the same occupancy in the next year and hopefully being able to not go to as many discount pricing strategies for the future, because it does seem that the demand is very strong. Long Beach (Please Continue To Next Page)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 6
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 6-B Long Beach Business Journal continues to position itself for group as well as business travel.” The Hilton is expected to start a complete renovation in the late spring, soon after next year’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. In the airport area of Long Beach,
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 Robert Smit, general manager of the 222room Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center, also reported positive numbers for the hotel. “2014 has been a very strong year for us,” Smit said. “We’re [up] in both occu-
pancy and average [room] rate over last year. Actually, 2014 was the best year [over the past decade] this hotel has had in terms of occupancy and average rate revenue.” With strong numbers hinting at a strong next year, the Holiday Inn, one of the city’s
most recognizable buildings, is about to get massive upgrade. [See Hotel Renovations story in this section.] ■ (The Business Journal’s Sales & Marketing Executive Heather Dann and former staff writer, Brandon Ferguson, contributed to this article.)
John Jenkins: From Omelet Cook To General Manager Of The Queen Mary ■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer fter nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry, John Jenkins’ current office, located in the executive offices above the Queen Mary’s sun deck, differs quite a bit from the workplace where he started his career – a Marriott kitchen. “I started as an omelet cook and ended up as general manager for some of Marriott’s properties,” Jenkins, general manager overseeing all of the Queen Mary’s operations, told the Business Journal. Jenkins spent about 24 years at various Marriott hotel locations before taking on the position of vice president and hotel manager at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland, which gave him the opportunity to manage events as well as hotel operations. After three years at Gaylord, Jenkins made a cross-country move to Long Beach in 2012 when Evolution Hospitality, the management company overseeing the Queen Mary, hired him on as the ship’s hotel manager. In addition to finding the Queen Mary’s year-round calendar of events intriguing, Jenkins was also drawn to the location’s uniqueness, he said. Christened 80 years ago, the vessel isn’t a typical hotel and events venue. Before sailing to Long Beach harbor and its permanent home in the late 1960s, it had a long and storied history as a luxury cruise liner and even as transportation for American troops during World War II. Working for Evolution Hospitality also appealed to Jenkins. “It really struck me as a company I would want to work for,” he said, explaining that he was impressed with the company’s policies. “One of our guiding principles is to leave it better than it was before. That was something that stuck with me,” he said. As general manager, a position he was promoted to earlier this year, Jenkins’ short and long term goals are driven by that principle. In the near term, he is focused on improving food and beverage operations and updating offices, hotel rooms and the ship’s entryway. Ensuring good customer service and maintaining the cleanliness, presentation and preservation of the ship are also priorities, he noted. The main change Jenkins implemented after taking over as general manager was to create standard operating procedures, he said. “We have created a training program throughout the ship in all the different areas . . . so they [employees] understand the ship as a whole rather than just the part they’re in,” he explained. Depending on the time of the year, there are between 600 to 1,300 employees working on the Queen Mary, he added. The Queen Mary is beginning to benefit from some of the changes implemented under Jenkins’ and Evolutions Hospitality’s management. “When I started, we were [ranked] number 16 out of 57 hotels in Long Beach,” Jenkins said, referring to rankings on the travel website TripAdvisor.com. “We just reached number nine, so we are now in the top 10. I feel very good about the
A
John Jenkins, general manager of the Queen Mary, visits the ship’s wheelhouse, which is available to rent for intimate weddings. According to Jenkins, the ship increased revenue, visitors and events attendance in 2014. His future plans for the Queen Mary include creating a new maritime museum and science center. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
progress we have made,” he said. Jenkins is not content to simply rest on his laurels, however. “The customer is constantly changing, so we are always looking for new ways to do business,” he explained. In the long term, Jenkins emphasized he is dedicated to restoring the authenticity of the Queen Mary. He explained that the ship has faced bankruptcy and ownership changes in the past, events which often lead to cutting operational costs. “Our goal was, instead of cutting costs, let’s look at how we can increase the revenues so we can do the things we want to do,” he said. Under Evolution Hospitality’s management, which began in 2011, special events became a key component of that strategy, he explained. The company has implemented popular annual events such as Dark Harbor, a Halloween maze, and CHILL, a holiday experience featuring ice sculptures, rides, ice skating and more. One of the ways Jenkins hopes to bring the Queen Mary back to its roots is by creating a new maritime museum and science center within 65,000 square feet of relatively unused space. “We have so many different items here that people have not seen in many years, and our goal is to find a place for those things to be viewed and cherished for many years to come,” Jenkins said. In addition to highlighting the ship’s history, the center might feature interactive exhibits about science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics-related technology or projects, he added. The Queen Mary Heritage Foundation, a separate entity from the Queen Mary, was recently formed to spearhead the creation of the center. The organization is seeking 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. “We would love to have the first phase open in 2016, which would be the 80th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary,” Jenkins said of the planned maritime museum and science center. “Our goal is to make sure that people understand the Queen Mary is here to stay,” Jenkins said. “It is going back to its roots of authenticity and really trying to step up in a sense of being the icon that Long Beach has always wanted it to be.” ■
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 7
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Multiple Hotel Renovations Planned Local Hoteliers’ Continued Reinvestments Indicate That City Is Strong Destination Market ■ By GEORGE ECONOMIDES Publisher or the past several years, numerous Long Beach hotel properties have been sprucing up their facilties by remodeling guest rooms, meeting rooms, dining and recreational areas and adding more amenities aimed at customer satisfaction. Hotels have already invested tens of millions of dollars in the Long Beach market. The good news is, more investment is on the way.
F
Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Famed Austin-based architect Leonard J. Lundgren designed the cylindrical concrete tower of the Long Beach Holiday Inn. The facility at Lakewood Boulevard and Willow Street is officially known as the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center. It was constructed in 1968 and was one of 30 similarly styled hotels built across the country during that era. The Long Beach location is one of six
Long Beach Business Journal 7-B remaining in operation. It’s particularly noticeable at night when green floodlights paint the buildings exterior. After 46 years, though, it’s time for a makeover. According to General Manager Robert Smit, plans are underway for a massive renovation of the 222-room property. The new design, which will keep the existing tower intact, was conceived with the help of Long Beach-based design firm HFS Concepts 4 and Los Angeles Architect Gene Fong. Among the most visible changes will be the addition of a 4,500-square-foot Sporting News Grill to the lower level. According to Smit, the small chain, which has agreements with Holiday Inn’s parent group, Intercontinental Hotels Group (IGH), is an upscale sports-themed restaurant similar to a BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery or the Yard House. The current hotel restaurant, located on the top floor of the tower, will be converted to high-end guest suites, each outf itted with a bedroom, meeting space, living room and expanded bathroom, with skyline views of the city. The rest of the hotel’s rooms will be renovated as well, utilizing a mid-century modern style evocative of the 1960s and ’70s – though with contemporary accouterments. Each of the guest room windows will be replaced by dual-paned, soundproof glass, offering an escape from the busyness of the freeway and the nearby airport. Each room will be (Please Continue To Next Page)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 8
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 8-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 outfitted with a 40-inch flat screen television as well as increased USB ports and electrical outlets. “In today’s world you need more electrical outlets and easy access to those things that are important to today’s traveler,” Smit told the Business Journal. Featured in each room, above the headboard, will be an impressionist mosaic image of the Downtown Long Beach skyline created by local artist Chad Spencer. The lobby, meanwhile, will be renovated to provide a more ‘open’ feel with a higher ceiling, larger restrooms, a public seating area and a coffee bar. Smit said a decision hasn’t been made yet on a coffee vendor but could be a Starbuck’s or Peet’s. Adjacent to the Holiday Inn’s 13-story tower is a two-story building, constructed in 1978, containing 46 rooms. This building will be demolished to make way for a sixstory Staybridge Suites hotel with 125 suites that are more suitable for extended stays. “The dual hotel is a very hot thing right now, where you have a transient hotel next to an extended stay,” Smit said. He explained that the extended-stay rooms, which offer more space as well as home comforts such as a full kitchen with microwave, are a good fit for business professionals in Long Beach. “There’s still a lot of corporate relocation in this market. There’s a lot of weeklymonthly type of work,” Smit said, because of various industries located in the city, including aviation and international trade. An existing 10,000-square-foot conference center will be upgraded with breakout meeting rooms, increasing the building to 12,000 square feet of meeting space. A new single-level, 80-car parking deck will also be constructed at the rear of the property. Smit explained that the improvements will make what is already an accessible meeting location even better. “If you talk to anybody on the East Coast or West Coast and tell them you’re going to Long Beach, and you ask them where to meet, they immediately talk about this tower because of the uplighting and the location. There’s the airport, the 405 Freeway and the visibility,” Smit said. “It’s an easy meet-and-greet location.” Tower renovations are scheduled to begin in February. The total project is expected to take 28 months to complete.
Pictured in the top and bottom photographs, from left to right, are the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center’s Joe Lillis, sales manager; Bess Cruz, director of sales; and Robert Smit, general manager. Extensive renovations are scheduled to being in February that will include turning the current restaurant atop the 13story hotel tower into high-end guest suites. All the tower’s guest rooms will be remodeled and a sports-themed restaurant added. The current twostory building adjacent to the tower will be replaced by a six-story Staybridge Suites hotel (pictured in above rendering). Other changes include the existing conference center being upgraded and expanded. (Photographs by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville; rendering provided by the Holiday Inn)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 9
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 Once completed, the dual-branded hotel will feature 311 rooms and suites as well as a new pool and fitness center.
Hotel Maya’s Lagunita Across town, the Hotel Maya recently completed a 6,400-square-foot waterfront pavilion and is updating its guest rooms. Attributing the growth in business to an improving economy, specifically citing the corporate side, General Manager Kristi Allen said that Long Beach’s efforts at becoming a destination have also helped. The new space, referred to as Lagunita, is booked with holiday parties through the end of the year. Built at a cost of $1.4 million, the facility can accommodate 600 guests for standing receptions, 400 guests with a dance floor, up to 450 seated and 350 classroom style. The room features cathedral style ceilings, and 13-foot glass walls opening to panoramic views of the waterfront and downtown skyline. In a press release issued by the hotel, it was noted that to enter Lagunita, guests “pass through Vista del Mar, a 10,000square-foot, pre-function, outdoor area with a VIP entranceway lined with eight towering palm trees and a vibrant red carpet that opens to a permanent outdoor stage.” The venue can host up to 700 guests for a standing reception. “We’ve had a fantastic year,” Allen said. “Which is part of the reason why we started building Lagunita. We could really feel that business was back in full swing.” In addition to the new meeting space, the Maya also began a multi-million dollar renovation of its 199 guest rooms in November. According to Allen, the renovation is being done one building at a time to limit disturbances to guests. Improvements include new paint, vents and a new air conditioning system throughout the Maya’s four guest room buildings. The carpet in the rooms will be swapped with hardwood floors and new windows will be installed. She explained that several rooms that had been originally outfitted with smaller windows, will have larger windows installed. “We had some rooms with windows that were half the size of the walls. Now they’re floor to ceiling,” Allen said. Other windows in balcony-equipped rooms will be replaced with large “sliders,” opening up the views of the downtown skyline. She also noted that all guest rooms are getting new, hand-carved doors. “They’re really stunning,” she said. “We have these hand-carved doors throughout the main building, into our new event space, and [we’re changing] all the guest rooms so everything ties together. I think it’s a unique feature that makes it the Maya. Allen said an improving business climate made the decision to upgrade easy. “We think it’s great, which is why we’re investing all of this money into the Maya,” Allen said, noting that this is the hotel’s second update since 2009. Renovations are expected to be completed by April 2015. “This certainly is a game changer for Long Beach and its meetings and events business,” she concluded.
Hilton Long Beach The Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center, adjacent to the World Trade Center, is in the planning stages of a major renovation that will begin after
Long Beach Business Journal 9-B the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach race in April. According to General Manager Greg Keebler, the 398-room hotel is in the final design stage. “It will be full-scope – all guest rooms, all meeting space, transitioning and transforming the public space lobby, food and beverage outlets – so just about everything a guest sees will be reimagined,” Keebler told the Business Journal. “It’s the first
time in the last two decades the hotel will have a complete top-to-bottom renovation instead of just small amounts here and there, so we’re excited about that.” Keebler said they have a “very aggressive timeline” and expect the work to take between four and five months. “We have a local Long Beach design firm which has worked on this with us for the past eight months, Hospitality Focused Solutions (HFS) Concepts 4,” he said. It’s
the same firm working with the Holiday Inn Airport. Keebler indicated the design theme is “centered around the beach and Long Beach history. We’re tying in to Long Beach as it was at the turn of the century, kind of a resort destination. It’s a theme we are keeping throughout the hotel.” ■ (The Business Journal’s Sales & Marketing Executive Heather Dann and former staff writer, Brandon Ferguson, contributed to this article.) Kristi Allen, general manager of the Hotel Maya, overlooks Vista Del Mar, the hotel’s new 10,000-square-foot outdoor events space with room for 350 to 700 guests. The venue leads to a new 6,400-square-foot canopied pavilion called Lagunita, pictured below, which features two 13-foot glass walls for ocean views and five oversized chandeliers, and is able to accommodate 350 to 600 guests. (Photograph at left by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville; photograph below provided by the Hotel Maya)
The Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center, located on Ocean Boulevard adjacent to the World Trade Center, will undergo a major renovation right after the annual running of the Toyota Grand Prix in April 2015. “Just about everything a guest sees will be reimagined,” according to General Manager Greg Keebler. A model of the guest rooms is pictured at left. (Photograph provided by the Hilton).
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 10
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 10-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
How Does Long Beach Spell Suc ■ By GEORGE ECONOMIDES, Publisher and former Staff Writer BRANDON FERGUSON s 2014 draws to a close, the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is dropping the curtain on a prosperous first year for the Pacific Ballroom. Housed in the 46,000-square-foot convention center, the ballroom turned an aging facility, where the likes of Led Zeppelin and the Doors once played, into a state-of-the-art meeting and entertainment space. The transformation, which includes sound and lighting systems, an adjustable truss system and more, was completed to the tune of $10 million and, as CVB President and CEO Steve Goodling said, “This is a space of unlimited possibilities and where you can create anything your mind might imagine.” According to CVB figures, since opening its doors on November 20, 2013, the Pacific Ballroom has confirmed 22 group bookings with an estimated economic impact to the city of $61.2 million. Another 29 tentative bookings have been scheduled, representing an impact of approximately $82.4 million. Goodling stressed that these numbers “constitute new business – groups that could not have booked Long Beach without the size and versatility of the Pacific Ballroom.” He quickly added the “above numbers alone represent a substantial return on investment for the total $10 million spent to create the space . . . We’ve been able to bring some larger events into the city that in the past we weren’t able to get.” In addition to conventions hosted by groups such as the Irrigation Association and Public Risk Management Association, the ballroom has also hosted community events for major companies such as Long Beach-based Molina Healthcare and for
A
the employees of the Tesoro refinery, a Carson-based business that had not previously held an event in Long Beach. Large events translate into revenue for local hotels, too. PKF consulting, a firm which tracks and forecasts trends about the hotel industry, found that, for 2013, Long Beach achieved a 6.1 percent increase in revenue per available room PKF’s original (RevPAR), exceeding forecast of 4.7 percent. For 2014, Long Beach is expected to post a 6.6 percent increase in RevPAR. Goodling explained to the Business Journal that the surpassing of expectations resulted from a combination of factors, not the least of which included a recovering economy. “The economy gave the headwinds to encourage higher attendance at conventions this year,” he said. “Because a lot of planners had booked their conventions in softer years and didn’t want to be encumbered with cancellations or attrition agreements, they blocked fewer rooms. So those coming in paid a higher rate.” But even a strong economy can’t take all the credit for the good work being done by the staffs of the CVB and convention center at the Pacific Ballroom. During a recent visit to the facility by the Business Journal, the massive floor was surrounded by shimmering curtains bathed in deep purple light. Reggae music piped in through the building’s sound system sounded even and consistent from anywhere in the room. The material of the curtains allowed stage hands to project images like on a movie screen. If so desired, the room could be lit to simulate an underwater world. Charles Beirne, general manager of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, explained that, by using massive curtains attached to an adjustable truss
The Pacific Ballroom, also pictured above, accommodates 3,288 banquet style seating, 5,500 for a reception and 4,890 in theater-style seating. (Photographs provided by the Convention & Visitors Bureau)
“This is a space of un possibilities and where you anything your mind might
Steve Goodling, President and Long Beach Convention & Visitors
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 11
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 11-B
Success? The Pacific Ballroom
a space of unlimited and where you can create ur mind might imagine.”
oodling, President and CEO h Convention & Visitors Bureau
system suspended from the ceiling, the room can be compartmentalized and configured quickly based on a planner’s desire, which can come in handy if attendance is expected to increase or drop. “I can put [curtains] on any one of these trusses,” Beirne said. “Say your numbers are coming down a little bit or you need the back of the house for something else, we’ll drop the curtain in. I’ll lower the grid to five feet, the guys will put it all together in 20 minutes and take it back up.” It’s this adaptability and versatility, Goodling said, that allows the CVB to remain competitive in a market full of big names: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Anaheim. An example of the facility’s versatility, Goodling and Beirne explained, was the joint event held by Goldman Sachs and Long Beach City College. “They divided the room in half. They did a general session on one side, then they served lunch on the other side of the curtain, and they had another speaker, so they kept everyone at the same site,” Goodling said. They also pointed out that the Arena still has 13,000 seats. “Some groups have come in and raised the curtain in the foreground, put their people in the seats, and used the stage for the speaker, and it becomes a Hollywood Bowl type of venue,” Goodling said. “So there are a variety of ways this room can be used now.” Beirne noted that the Junior Gymnastics “blocked off the whole back and used the seats up top because the floor was for the apparatus, and the curtain behind was all shut down.” “What’s really fun,” Goodling added, “is this is a space clients never looked at. Nobody wanted to be here. Now people want to be in this space – it’s alive, it’s activated.” ■
“The Long Beach Convention Center is going to revolutionize the way convention centers do business. The Arena with its built in rigging, lighting and curtain system offers a huge cost savings and convenience factor that is unique to Long Beach.” Joshua R. Dunn Director of Sales, LiveVantage
“I do conferences in most convention centers in the United States. Long Beach is the only convention center that has this much versatility within the center already built in. I can use it in ten different ways and I’m not spending an extra $30,000 in decor.” Daniel Clancy Vice President, Sales & Event Services Vision Global Event Services
The Team: Two architects worked on the design for the renovation of the Arena: John Fisher, AIA, of JSFA Inc., is the architect of record; and Jerry Sherman, AIA is the associate architect. Between them, they have 73 years of architectural experience. To ensure that the new theatrical lighting and sound systems meets the needs of meeting planners, Michael Ferguson, director of the Los Angeles office of Theatre Projects Consultants, was engaged as the theater design consultant.
Charles Beirne, left, is the general manager of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, and Steve Goodling is the president/CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Pacific Ballroom can be used by itself or in conjunction with its companion venues, the Pacific Gallery & Patio pictured here, and Bogart & Co., a specially designed banquet and reception facility.
(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
(Photograph provided by the Convention & Visitors Bureau)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 12
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 12-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Attractions Report Growing Revenues And Visitor Counts ■By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer s 2014 draws to a close, the executive leadership and management of Long Beach’s biggest attractions and water travel companies are reporting visitor growth and increasing revenues. Long Beach’s two largest attractions, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary, both grew attendance this year to about 1.5 million visitors each. For the Aquarium, the figure represents 2 percent growth over visitor figures from last year, according to Jerry Schubel, Aquarium president and CEO. John Jenkins, general manager of the Queen Mary, reported an increase of about 80,000 people visiting the ship this year over 2013. Last year, the Aquarium earned $27.7 million in revenue. This year’s revenues are expected to reach $36 million, Schubel said. He attributed the growth to the appeal of the Aquarium’s value. “We have a wonderful Aquarium. It’s a good experience at a good price,� he said. With thousands of sea creatures and an array of educational programming, the Aquarium has something for all ages, he noted. “Even though we are 16 years old, some [locals] have still never been here. The more people discover us, they understand it’s a great place to go and bring their families. And it’s a great place to come if you’re adults to go to lectures and other programs,� he said. The Aquarium introduced four new exhibits this year: a touch tank of horseshoe crabs; a sea sponge and coral tank; the Southern California Steelhead Story exhibit; and an exhibit featuring a pair of Guam kingfisher birds. “We have had a very good response,� Schubel said of the exhibits.
A
Debra Fixen, property manager for Shoreline Village, takes a stroll through the village’s boardwalk of shops and restaurants. Behind her are Wheel Fun Rentals and Louisiana Charlie’s BBQ & Cajun Cuisine, which specializes in New Orleans specialties such as alligator baby back ribs, Po-boy sandwiches and gumbo. From its recently expanded location at Shoreline Village, Wheel Fun Rentals offers a variety of fun equipment for touring the waterfront, including several kinds of specialty bicycles, Segways and more. Shoreline Village is located adjacent to Rainbow Harbor and across from The Queen Mary. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
Next year, the Aquarium is launching a new sea jellies exhibit on May 22. “Those are always popular,� Schubel said, adding that the Aquarium is going to address the theme of sea jellies with educational programming and other experiences throughout the year. Two new lecture series are also planned for 2015. “One is the Future of Food, a four-part series coordinated and moderated by Russ Parsons, food editor of the L.A. Times,� Schubel said. The other is a four-part series in collaboration with Long Beach-based fiduciary investment management firm Halbert Hargrove. “That is going to be about preparing for a healthy, happy, prosperous and fulfilling retirement,� Schubel said. The Queen Mary had a positive 2014 as well, and is also looking forward to new events in 2015, according to Jenkins. “Room revenue is up. Events are up. Banquets and catering are up. We are really having a good year. It is probably double digit growth, or close to it,� he said. Jenkins attributed much of the Queen Mary’s “outstanding� revenue in 2014 to
special events. “The biggest one is definitely Dark Harbor,� he said, referring to a month-long Halloween maze the ship hosts every October. “It was very big this year. We grew it more than 20 percent over last year,� he said. CHILL, the Queen Mary’s holiday experience featuring a kingdom of ice sculptures, ice skating, ice tubing, a holiday village and more, has also been successful, Jenkins said. Now in its third year, CHILL is expected to attract 180,000 people by the time it closes in mid-January, he estimated. “We have sold almost half those tickets already,� he noted. In 2015, the Queen Mary is adding three new events, but Jenkins said he has to keep the details under wraps for now. The ship’s Bob Hope: An American Treasure exhibit, which is about the life of the entertainer, has brought in about 100,000 visitors since it opened in August, Jenkins said. The exhibit was supposed to end in January, but has been extended until May. Another popular exhibit, Diana: Legacy Of A Princess, is going to be
New Ye New Year’s Year’s R esolution Resolution-
Eat Eat M More ore R RIBS! IBS!
‡ $OVR )HDWXULLQQJ 6WHHDNV 7UL 7LS &KLFFNHQ 3ULPH 5LEE )UHVK )LVVK 6DQGZLFFKHV 6DO ‡ )DPLOO\ 2ZQHG 2SHUDWHG ‡ .LGœV 0HQXV ‡ &RFNWDDLOO /RXQJH ZLWK 7 9 œV ‡ 7DEOHVLGGH 0DJLFF 6XQGD\ 1LJJKWV ‡ :DUP &RPIRUWDEOH %RRWKV ‡ 5HVHUYDWLRRQV $FFHSWHG ‡ 'LQQH ,Q 2SHQ DW SP 0RQ )UL ‡ 2SHQ DW 1RRQ 6DW DQG 6XQ ‡ 7DNH 2XW $YDLODEOH 'DLOO\ DW DP ‡ %XFNHWV 3DUW\\ 3DNV DQG 7UD\V ‡ +DSS\ +RXU 0 7+ 30 6DW 6XQ 30
refreshed in 2015 with new dresses worn by the famed Princess Diana as well some worn by other members of the royal family, Jenkins said. Retail onboard the Queen Mary is also getting a facelift in 2015. Event Network, a company that manages gift shops for attractions nationwide, is partnering with the Queen Mary to refurbish existing retail spaces and create new shops, Jenkins said. “They are coming in with up to several hundred thousand dollars to renovate all of our retail outlets and redefine them back to what was originally in those shops at the time [the ship was sailing],� he explained. Across Queensway Bay and Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village, a boardwalk with a variety of shops, restaurants and activities, also proved to be a busy destination in 2014. Businesses at the village fared well this year, according to the shopping center’s property manager, Debra Fixen. “Our sales are up over 11 percent from last year,� Fixen said, explaining that the
Order a Party Pak for the BIG GAME!
Coupon p
Expires 12/30/2014
$5 off off a any ny y order of $25 5 or o more* more* *Cannot be combined with any other offerr, coupon or discount.
LBBJ
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 13
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 13-B and expanding events at Shoreline Village. “They were well attended . . . Our Pirate Festival, Native American festival and Halloween [events] were great,” she added. Next year, Fixen said she is focusing on adding more events and attracting more locals in addition to tourists. In addition to attractions, Long Beach is also home to art museums – the Long Beach Museum of Art and the of Latin Museum American Art – that draw more than 150,000 visitors each year combined.
On The Water Tourists and locals wanting to sail away for a few days, take a trip to Catalina, or spend an afternoon watching wildlife at sea have The Aquarium of the Pacific introduced four new exhibits during 2014 plenty of options in and anticipates both attendance and revenue to increase during the com- Long Beach, with ing year. Another new exhibit – sea jellies – is scheduled to open next Carnival Cruise Lines, May. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville) Catalina Express and Harbor Breeze Cruises. Carnival Cruise increase represents an average of sales figures from all the businesses at Lines added another ship, the Carnival Shoreline Village. Four businesses, Imagination, to its Long Beach operaWheel Fun Rentals, Louisiana Charlie’s, tions earlier this year in addition to its Cafe Dia and Purple House, expanded cruise liners the Miracle and Inspiration. their locations. New businesses include “Carnival carries upwards of 500,000 Soapy Delites, and Pearl House and guests a year from Long Beach – the Jewelry. Two shops, Queen Mary Couture most of any cruise operator,” Vance and Transatlantic Style, are soon relocat- Gulliksen, Carnival spokesperson, wrote ing to Shoreline Village from the Queen in an e-mail to the Business Journal. Mary. After they move in, all the retail “Southern California is an important spaces at the village will be fully leased, market for Carnival and we’re the only cruise line to deploy three ships in the Fixen said. In addition to an improving economy, region,” he noted. “Guests truly enjoy our wide variety of Fixen said good weather and better marketing strategies might have something itinerary options from Long Beach, to do with in the boost in sales and full which range from value packed three-day occupancy at Shoreline Village. “Our getaways, three different seven-day events have also pulled in more peo- Mexican Riviera Cruises and even conple,” she added, explaining that since venient 15-day round-trip Hawaii voytaking over as property manager about a ages,” Gulliksen said. (Please Continue To Next Page) year ago she has focused on refining
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:42 AM Page 14
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 14-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Conde Nast Traveler magazine released its list of “The Best and Worst Airports: Readers Choice Awards 2014” late last month. Long Beach Airport was rated 4th Best in the country by travelers, right behind Indianapolis International Airport, Tampa International Airport and Portland International Airport in Oregon. Orange County’s John Wayne Airport came in 5th. The magazine described the Long Beach Airport as follows: “The classic 1940s-era terminal in Long Beach reminds people of the glamour of flying, but it's the new concourse that really makes the airport shine. Lined with palm trees (that shade an outdoor wine bar), the airport makes you really feel like you're in Southern California. An added bonus: Reader-favorite JetBlue dominates the airport. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
Beginning in 2015, Carnival is offering year round cruises to the Mexican Riviera and Hawaii aboard the Carnival Miracle, rather than just seasonal trips, Gulliksen said. The year round services should boost the total number of passengers sailing out of Long Beach each year to about 600,000, he added. For those seeking shorter jaunts across With a fleet of eight boats, Catalina Express provides about 30 daily trips to Catalina Island from Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point. The trip to Avalon takes about an hour, as does the trip to Two Harbors, which sails only from San Pedro. The early boat to Avalon departs from Long Beach at 6:15 a.m. For more information, including schedule, rates and other items, visit www.catalinaexpress.com.(Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
the ocean, Catalina Express offers roundtrip water travel to Santa Catalina Island, which is just an hour away from the coast of Long Beach. According to Elaine Vaughan, vice president of marketing and sales for Catalina Express, 2014 was a good year for the company. Ridership increased by about 6 percent over 2013, she said. Marketing campaigns such as Catalina Express’s Free Ride On Your Birthday promotion continue to drive sales and boost interest in trips to Catalina, Vaughan said. “Also, we really like what’s happening on the island. The businesses over there continue to make improvements, which is impacting everyone’s appreciation for the island and its amenities,” she said. For example, the Santa Catalina Island Company recently opened the Island Spa Catalina, “the first-ever destination resort spa” on the island, Vaughan said. The Island Company also just opened a “sorely needed” 2,000-square-foot meeting space, the St. Catherine’s Ballroom, she added. Harbor Breeze Cruises, which offers cruises around the Long Beach harbor as well as whale watching and sea life tours, also saw an increase in ridership this year, according to owner Dan Salas. “In comparison to last year, we are up about 7 or 8 percent this year,” totaling about 180,000 passengers, he said. Revenue increased at least 5 percent from 2013, he estimated. (Please Continue To Next Page)
The Queen Mary and the adjacent Carnival Cruise Terminal served a combined 2 million visitors this year, with about 1.5 million heading to The Queen Mary and 500,000 traveling on one of three cruise ships sailing from Long Beach. Special events are credited by Queen Mary officials for drawing large crowds during 2014. In 2015, Carnival is offering year round cruises to the Mexican Riviera and Hawaii aboard the Carnival Miracle. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 15
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 15-B
Long Beach-based restaurants are featured at the Long Beach Airport concourse, including George’s Greek Cafe, Taco Beach Cantina, McKenna’s Burger Bar, Polly's Coffee & Sweet Jill's Bakery and 4th Street Vine Wine & Beer Bar in the North Concourse, which features JetBlue flights. The South Concourse – with flights from Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways – features McKennas On The Fly and Polly's Coffee & Sweet Jill's Bakery. The restaurants charge the same prices customers would pay at the actual restaurant location. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
“One of the big reasons we’re starting to see passengers increasing year after year is that Long Beach is starting to – as far as we’re concerned – become somewhat of a destination in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas,” Salas said. “When the weather gets hot inland, people now are starting to say, ‘Hey, let’s go down to Long Beach.’ . . . That is exactly what we wanted to happen. We’re mov-
ing in the right direction. It’s fantastic.” Harbor Breeze’s most popular cruises this year were its whale watching and sea life observation trips. “There seems to be more life right outside the Long Beach harbor,” Salas said. “The whales have been incredible. Just last week we had two days where we had killer whales. We have also had humpback whales and blue whales along with the gray whale migra-
tion,” he explained. He speculated increased interest in the tours may be because fewer people are interested in going to SeaWorld to see marine animals in captivity and are instead opting to see them in the wild. In 2015, Salas said, he is going to focus on promoting Harbor Breeze through advertising and marketing directed at visitors coming through the
Los Angeles International Airport to attract them to Long Beach. Chinese tourists in particular may become a target audience for Harbor Breeze, as the company was recently one out of 10 local businesses certified by the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board as “China Ready,” he added. “We are the only tour company on the water that has that designation,” he emphasized. ■
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 16
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY 16-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau’s digital communications team is armed and ready with the tools of their trade: tablets, smartphones and a computer. The team launched a successful social media campaign and sweepstakes called Beach with Benefits last year. Pictured, from left to right, are Digital Communications Managers Loren Alexis Simpson and Nicole Zylstra, and Vice President of Digital Communications Patricia Paige. (Photograph by the Business Journal’s Thomas McConville)
Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Online Outreach Puts Spotlight On Long Beach ■ By SAMANTHA MEHLINGER Senior Writer hen the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (CVB) digital communications team launched an online sweepstakes with the goal of boosting Long Beach’s visibility as a tourist destination, originally the hope was to get 3,000 entries, Patricia Paige, vice president of digital communications, recalled. But the results of the Beach with Benefits campaign far exceeded those expectations – more than double that number of entries came in, and the overall online impressions made by the campaign topped 56 million. “It was over 6,500 entries,” Paige told the Business Journal in an interview with the digital communications team at the CVB’s offices in Downtown Long Beach. The Beach with Benefits campaign was launched in May this year as an online summer sweepstakes. For the first phase of the campaign, the CVB partnered with local businesses, attractions, hotels and JetBlue Airways to put together travel packages with airfare to Long Beach, behind-thescenes experiences at venues like the Aquarium and high-end restaurants, and Visa gift cards worth about $1,000 each. “It originally started with a couple of our partners in the city wanting to come together to really promote summer as a time for leisure visitation to Long Beach,” Nicole
W
Zylstra, CVB digital communications manager, said of the genesis of Beach with Benefits. “We threw around different ideas about what really captured the essence of Long Beach, and Beach with Benefits kind of said a little bit of everything. We have lots to see and do while you’re here, not just for visitors but for locals as well. We have the arts scene, the waterfront, all of the different shopping options, restaurants and a lot of diversity. There are so many different aspects to the City of Long Beach, and that’s what makes it special,” she said. With 11 hotels, 11 attractions and events companies, and 15 restaurants participating in Beach with Benefits, the sweepstakes became a collaborative partnership with a common goal: “To put Long Beach on the map as a premiere travel destination,” Loren Alexis Simpson, CVB digital communications manager, said. Between the CVB and its 37 partners in the sweepstakes, CVB staff knew they could reach at least 10.1 million people through e-mail blasts and social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, Paige said. To track the actual reach of the campaign, the CVB invested in a program called TalkWalker, which provides real time analysis of social media, online impressions and reach. Through TalkWalker, CVB staff learned that the reach of the Beach with Benefits campaign totaled 56.3 million. One online news site that posted updates on
Beach with Benefits generated about 22 million impressions on its own, Paige noted. The campaign also generated 4,400 new Facebook fans and 815 new Twitter followers for the CVB. “We were blown away,” she recalled. The CVB geared initial marketing efforts to JetBlue’s primary markets, including Northern California, Seattle, Portland, Austin, Anchorage and Las Vegas, Paige said. “We targeted each of those locations and we did sweepstakes for each of them. We also did a general sweepstakes so anybody who wasn’t in those target markets would also have an opportunity,” she explained. There were seven sweepstakes winners for the first phase of Beach with Benefits, Simpson noted. When the campaign succeeded in attracting more entries and having a much further reach than anyone involved had dreamed of, the CVB decided to make Beach with Benefits a year-round program. After the larger travel sweepstakes ended, the organization launched smaller weekly contests, which had 23 winners. Contests included poetry competitions, photo submissions and more, Paige said. Those who didn’t win in 2014 have more chances next year. “What we’re doing is expanding for a year-round campaign and we’re kicking off with the video contest,” Paige said. Launched December 15 and ending January 31, the What Excites You About Long Beach contest asks entrants to
create a 15- to 180-second video featuring what they consider to be Long Beach’s most interesting and fun locations. The contest has a $1,000 grand prize. “On the video front we’re also trying to show a slice of life in Long Beach,” Eduardo Vasconcellos, public relations and digital content manager for the CVB, said. The idea was inspired by a commonly cited factoid that travelers typically search online for videos of the destinations they’re interested in, he explained. “We have all booked travel in the past, and you go somewhere and you’re expecting one thing and then you get there and you [say], ‘Oh, this wasn’t everything I had thought it was going to be.’ So, through obtaining more user-generated content and developing videos in-house as well, it kind of gives potential visitors an authentic look into what Long Beach is really like,” Simpson said. Other Beach with Benefits campaigns to follow the video contest are still in development, she added. In addition to Beach with Benefits, the CVB is developing other digital platforms to showcase Long Beach. “We’re going to be setting up meeting planner-focused channels to speak to meeting planners who are possibly interested in bringing their events to Long Beach and to put out content that is relevant to them about venues and what there is for their attendees to see and do. That’s something on the horizon after we get past all of our new initiatives,” Simpson noted. ■
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 17
MEETING SITES December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015
Long Beach Business Journal 17-B
A Quick Guide To Event Planning Essentials Events of any sort, from grand affairs to intimate gatherings, are a great opportunity to entertain friends or colleagues while showcasing unique aspects of your organization. While wearing your event-planning hat, be sure to think big . . . and then get working on those details that tie it all together.
Be Creative It’s usually most effective and enjoyable to start with creative brainstorming. Discussing the big picture, like vision and theme, with
your event team will give team members the motivation and framework they need to carry through with important details. Make your event memorable: Events that people remember fondly tend to have at least one distinctive quality to them. Whether it’s grandiose, such as a costume theme party; small, like using sculptures for centerpieces; or personal, like having your niece sing at your wedding, creative touches are greatly appreciated by event(Please Continue To Next Page)
Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria 250 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90802 Celebrating 41 years Can accommodate up to 300 people Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; off-site catering; on-site meeting facilitator Contact: Frank Buono, Owner Ph: 562/427-8665 Fax: 562/427-4049 www.buonospizza.com
Carson Center 801 E. Carson Street, Carson 90745 Adjacent to the 225-Room DoubleTree Hotel 20 meeting rooms; 40,000 sq ft Max seating: 800 banquet; 1,200 theater; 700 classroom Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; free parking; on-site audio visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitator, on-site catering by Choura Events Contact: Sales Coordinators Ph: 310/835-0212 • Fax: 310/835-0160 www.carsoncenter.com e-mail: carsonctr@carson.ca.us
Catalina Express For your next meeting or event, look no further than Catalina Island. Just an hour away on a sleek Catalina Express high speed catamaran. Catalina Express offers year round service and up to 30 daily departures from Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point. Group prices are available as are private charters. Reservations: 1-800/914-4562 Group Reservations: (Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) 1-800/914-4562 ext. 4 • www.catalinaexpress.com e-mail: mail@CatalinaExpress.com
Digital Installers 1530 E. Wardlow Road, Long Beach 90807 Fully Integrated Audio-Video Showroom with Full-Service Executive Boardroom Max seating: 60 Amenities: lobby, workstations, boardroom, kitchen and patio area with all audio video integration for use with presentations and comparable services as well as entertainment. Multiple areas to watch, listen and enjoy. Ph: 562/426-5538 e-mail: james@digitalinstallers.com • distudios.com
Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center 701 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90831 398 Guest Rooms • 32 meeting rooms largest meeting room: 3,220 sq ft largest ballroom: 9,730 sq ft Max seating: 850 banquet; 1,200 theater; 600 classroom Amenities: 24/7 on-site executive business center, high-speed Internet access, hi-tech AV equipment rental and on-site support Contact: Ph: 562/983-3400 ext 3700 e-mail: lgblh-salesadm@hilton.com
Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center 2640 N. Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach 90815 222 Guest Rooms 6 separated/9 combined meeting rooms; largest: 5,000 sq ft Max seating: 300 banquet; 360 theater; 240 classroom Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; free parking; on-site business center; on-site meeting facilitator Contact: Essie Boyd, Director of Catering Ph: 562/498-5410 • Fax: 562/498-1010 www.hilongbeach.com e-mail: sales@hilongbeach.com
Hyatt Regency Long Beach 200 S. Pine Avenue, Long Beach 90802 528 Newly Renovated Guest Rooms 18 meeting rooms; largest: 10,050 sq ft Max seating: 1,000 banquet; 1,400 theater; 600 classroom Amenities: Off-site catering; on-site business center; on-site audio visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitator Contact: Director of Sales & Marketing Ph: 562/624-6100 • Fax: 562/624-6115 www.longbeach.hyatt.com e-mail: saleslgbrl@hyatt.com
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center 300 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90802 34 meeting rooms; largest: 224,000 sq ft Max seating: 13,700 banquets; 15,000 theater; 8,000 classroom Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; on-site catering; on-site audio-visual equipment; on-site meeting facilitator Contact: Kandy Grzebyk, Director of Sales Ph: 562/499-7574 • Fax: 562/436-9491 www.longbeachcc.com e-mail: kgrzebyk@longbeachcc.com
Long Beach Museum of Art 2300 E. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach 90803 2 meeting rooms; largest: 900 sq ft Max seating: banquet – 100 inside; 300 outside; theater – 60 inside; 300 outside Amenities: Outdoor meeting facilities; on-site audio visual equipment; on-site venue coordinator free parking for up to 70 guests; Contact: Sarajeva Vasquez Ph: 562/439-2119 ext. 234 www.lbma.org • e-mail: specialevents@lbma.org
Naples Rib Co. 5800 E. 2nd Street, Long Beach 90802 1 meeting room; largest: 480 sq ft Max seating: 50 banquet, theater or classroom style Amenities: Free parking; off-site catering; on-site audio visual equipment; Contact: Dave Ursini, Proprietor Ph: 562/439-7427 Fax: 562/433-2758 www.ribcompany.com e-mail: owners@ribcompany.com
The Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach 90802 Art Deco Rooms and Suites 14 meeting rooms; largest: 9,000 sq ft Max seating: 800 banquet; 500 theater; 250 classroom Amenities: Outdoor event space; on-site audio visual equipment; on-site business center; on-site meeting facilitator Contact: Kelly Fogarty, Director of Sales Ph: 562/499-1751 • Fax: 562/435-3511 www.queenmary.com e-mail: kelly.fogarty@queenmary.com
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 18
MEETING SITES 18-B Long Beach Business Journal
December 23, 2014-January 19, 2015 and notepads for the conference settings? Flowers for the bar? Candles for the dining tables? Small touches make a big difference. Plan for the worst: No matter how well prepared you are, it’s impossible to control the unexpected – whether it’s a keynote speaker canceling, last-minute RSVPs or inclement weather. Having back-up plans will ensure a smooth event and give you peace of mind.
goers. Even serious business meetings can incorporate creativity by hiring engaging speakers, beginning a meeting with an element of humor or serving adventurous food and drinks. Consider a unique location: Choosing to hold your event at a museum, art gallery or historic building gives your event cultural flavor and ambiance from the get-go. Give back: Demonstrate your commitment to a charitable cause by incorporating an element of giving into your event. You might consider donating all proceeds to charity, arranging for leftover food to be donated to a food bank or holding your event at a cultural institution that you want to support – or all of the above. Publicize this in your promotional materials, for both your sake and the charity’s.
Hiring An Event Planner If you don’t have the time or desire to plan your event in-house, you may consider hiring an event planner. Sometimes this is the best way to ensure your event receives sufficient attention and expertise. Choose a planner by doing a little research and asking colleagues for recommendations. Interview potential candidates and check references. Double-check that the planner handles permit and license acquisition, including site permits, food permits, liquor licensing and lighting and sound licenses. Upon hiring someone, create a detailed contract.
‘Green’ Your Event Unfortunately, events can create a lot of waste and harm to our environment. This is due, in part, to the sheer volume of supplies and materials needed. Luckily, there are easy and cost-neutral ways to incorporate environmental care into your event, while setting a good example. Following are a few ideas: • Think ‘green’ from the get-go. Bring all vendors, sponsors and presenters on board at the beginning to help make the event as sustainable as possible; • Hire a caterer who buys seasonal, organic produce from local farmers and sustainable meat; • Limit car commuting by holding your event close to public transportation, offering shuttle service, and providing a bike valet through the BikeStation; • Print materials on environmentally sound paper, such as 100 percent recycled. Most major paper companies offer affordable options; • Create less waste by making sure all recyclables are indeed recycled, asking guests to leave nametag holders at the door on their way out and using large containers for beverages and food instead of individual cans and bottles. Post speakers’ notes and slides on your Web site instead of distributing print copies; and • Make sure you announce your sustainability efforts to event attendees during your speakers’ program and in your print materials. This conveys your environmental commitment while planting a seed in their heads as to how they can duplicate your efforts. Remember, even small steps can make a big difference.
The Devil Is In The Details Whether you find details delightful or nerve-racking, a successful event depends on their successful implementation. The key is to plan early and stay organized. Create a checklist: Planning an event involves more than deciding on a date and menu. Some things to consider include parking, check-in, seating, audiovisual needs, permits, lighting, decorations and the program agenda. Stay organized by keeping event details together in one place, such as a three-ring binder, for easy and quick access. Don’t forget to keep a copy of important paperwork, from check copies to the menu.
Contract Tips
Know your budget: Come up with a dollar figure for your event, and have an idea of how it should be allocated. This gets tricky with such factors as fluctuating attendee counts and an open bar, so leave room in your budget for surprises. Choose a date: Come up with a date that doesn’t conflict with a holiday or local or industry events. Keep in mind that some seasons and days are more affordable than others. For example, Saturday night weddings in June are the most popular and therefore usually the most expensive. Pick a location: Event venues, especially popular ones, fill up quickly, so it’s important to reserve them early. After narrowing down your top choices, visit the facilities, and pay close attention to how you are treated – from the receptionist to the banquet manager. Don’t hesitate to ask for references. It’s helpful to visit the location during the same time of day your event will take place to gauge the noise level, parking situation and lighting. You may find that a beautiful room during the day features mood-detracting florescent lights at night, or that the sun glares through the shades during the morning or sundown hours. Hire vendors with a proven track record: When hiring vendors, choose companies that come highly recommended for their quality and reliability.
Contact them early and ask for references. Make sure you sample the catering, preview the entertainment (via a video recording or demo tape) and receive a graphic rendering of the planned décor. Do a walkthrough: Ask all vendors to meet you for one walkthrough at the event site. This gets everyone on the same page in terms of room setup and logistics. It also lets you take care of several event details in one fell swoop, like choosing linens that match the room. Ask questions: Never hesitate to ask questions. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume that your vendors know what you want. They’re professionals, but they’re not mind readers. Ensure an easy commute: Think about the route your guests will take to get to your event. Make sure that transit and driving directions are clear, parking is accessible and safe and the event is easy to find. In some instances, greeters may be needed to direct guests. Design appropriate publicity pieces: Your publicity materials should convey the formality of the event so attendees know what to wear and what to expect. For example, a Hawaiian theme party should have a colorful and casual invitation, whereas a black tie gala requires one that is formal. Sweat the small stuff: Did you order pens
No matter how trustworthy a vendor or event planner may seem, it’s crucial to sign a comprehensive contract. Here are some of the points a contract should include: • The vendor’s specific responsibilities; • The scope of the event (for contracts with event planners); • An itemized list of what will be provided and the agreed-upon costs; • Any extra charges, such as taxes, tips, parking and audiovisual equipment; • All dates, times and other important details; • That your money can be refunded if you have to cancel in a timely fashion; and • Contingency plans for crisis situations, such as emergencies, rain or natural disasters. Review everything in the contract, and make sure everyone understands the terms. Ask questions until you receive satisfactory answers. It’s useful to find out what kind of insurance your event planner and your own company carry in case of unforeseen damages. When working with an event planner, you have a right to know who the subcontractors are and get answers to anything you may have questions about. Do they buy sustainable seafood? Do they have complaints against them through the Better Business Bureau? After all, you are the one paying them to provide a product or service. Written agreements with caterers include a “final guarantee,” which is your finalized guest count. This tells them how much food, beverages and place settings to order. A typical guarantee date is two or three days before the event.
Relax If you feel yourself ‘going bridal,’ take a break and remind yourself of the big picture – the vision, the creativity and the purpose. If you get an early start on event organizing and recruit helpers, you’ll be able to enjoy the process and the event itself. Happy planning! ■
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:37 AM Page 19
" '# ) " # ) " $ # ) ( "$ # ) % # & $# ) $ # ) !% $#
the
CARSON Center
* 7 0 *,01 &++,3 1&3" +.2"1 +! ,+#"/"+ " "+1"/ 7 0.2 /" #""1 ,# #)"5& )" *""1&+$ 0- " &+ )2!&+$ 0.2 /" #,,1 ))/,,* 7 "+1/ ))6 ), 1"! *&+21"0 #/,* +! ,+$ " % &/-,/10 " 06 !/&3" #/,* / +$" ,2+16 +! 1%" "010&!" 7 #)"5& )" 0- "0 $2"010
,**,! 1&+$
7 1 1" ,# 1%" /1 2!&, 3&02 ) ".2&-*"+1 01 $" +! 1%" 1/& ) )&$%1&+$ 7 /,#"00&,+ ) "3"+1 ,,/!&+ 1,/ ,+ 0&1" 7 + ,*- / )" #,,! 0"/3& " 4&1% "1%+& *"+20 3 &) )" 7 /"" - /(&+$ 7 !' "+1 1, 1%" /,,* ,2 )"1/"" %,1")
110
E University Dr
405
Links At Victoria
Avalon Blvd
Harbor Fwy Figueroa St
W 190th St Normandie Ave
E Victoria St
Cal State Univ-Dominguez Hills
S Wilmington Ave
91
E Del Amo Blvd
E Carson St E 223rd St
the
CARSON Center 01 /0,+ 1/""1 7 /0,+ 7 444 /0,+ "+1"/ ,*
1_LBBJ_DEC_23_SectionB_LBBJ MASTER LAYOUT 12/21/14 9:38 AM Page 20