Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau

I’m talkin’ about the newSacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League.  They left San Francisco and their name The California Redwoods behind, and this time, I think they got it right coming here to the River City.  Professional Football will return to Sacramento starting Saturday, Sept. 25, when the Mountain Lions host the Florida Tuskers. The season will have four home games played at Sacramento State and a nine-game regular season starting Sept. 18 against the Hartford  (Conn.) Colonials and ending at home Nov. 14, against Omaha. Games will start at 8 pm and be televised on the Versus channel.

I had a chance to spend some time with Head Coach Dennis Green a few months ago when he was here setting up his team’s  accommodations and venue arrangements…what a blast! I can describe Green in two words: Class Act. Very serious about this team and very serious about this league, but he's having a lot of fun. Oh, and he's a real nice guy too. With his record of winning, Sacramento Mountain Lions fans have a lot to look forward to.

As a season ticket holder I can hardly wait. The Mountain Lions add to the mix of things to do in Sacramento. We have the best coach in the league, combined with the best quarterback in the league (Daunte Culpepper).  Add in other top college players (many on the verge of getting into the NFL) and you have the makings of a very exciting football team. I’ve learned from talking to Mountain Lions staff that this league is comprised of great college players that simply did not quite make it to the NFL. They all still have the dream, and this league provides them with the stage to hone their skills. 

So get ready to save money on the cost of tickets. Save time vs. driving to the Bay Area.  Enjoy pro football action in a smaller more intimate setting. Get up close and personal with the team and the fans without paying an arm and a leg for the ticket. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the crowds and the excitement that comes with cheering fans but you can keep the traffic snarls associated with it.  

If you would like ticket information and the entire season schedule visit www.ufl-football.com

Wouldn’t it be cool if one day the NFL simply acquired the UFL and made it the official minor leagues of the NFL? 

It's a simple concept -- Contact, Connect, and Collaborate.  By asking your CVB representative a simple question ('what other organizations of similar focus and background are considering meeting in Sacramento over over a certain time frame?'), you open the door to some new math with your conference numbers, quality, and attendee value.

Recently, two contacts (I'll call them "John" and "Jim") were in town for a site inspection. They work for an association and were considering Sacramento for a convention during Fall 2011.  Like many conference organizers, their primary goals were to look at hotels, see a few Sacramento meeting facilities, visit some off-site event venues, and get a general feel of the activities available.  They also took time to meet with a couple of "experts" in the area who are familiar with their association and are nationally recognized for being leaders in their fields.  These individuals and their agencies would be key in contributing programming expertise to the conference.

Knowing the Game Plan
John and Jim looked to the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau to help coordinate their meetings, collect hotel proposals, and identify various activity options...and, if that was all there was during the site visit, I wouldn't be blogging about it now because that's a common stopping point; it's where most people's expectations and hopes end when working with a CVB.

However, that ISN'T where the conversation and opportunities ended. A CVB is in a unique position to offer a perspective that can only come from being the "home team." We not only know the playing field, but we know all the players because we're constantly scouting...in essence, we know the game plan, we know which organizations are planning future meetings in Sacramento, their space and accommodations needs, and, most importantly, when they're coming (or even thinking of coming) to the capital city.

Making the Connection
Jim and John are considering Fall 2011 for their conference. My CVB counterpart, Susan, who works with meeting professionals on the east coast was speaking to an agency interested in bringing a conference to Sacramento around the same time. Immediately, Susan and I realized that these two organizations, which have collaborated on projects in the past, didn't know they were independently considering Sacramento for their respective conferences around the same time.

Only a CVB would know such details and make the connection...because we have the only playbook. Well, you probably guess what happened when we gave them the news.

Light bulbs went off over John's and Jim's head. Text messages to their agency colleagues started flying (what did we do before cell phones?!).

It's now quite likely the association and the agency will collaborate and co-host their meetings over the same dates, sharing convention and meeting services.


By combining their respective efforts and areas of expertise, they expect this collaboration will draw their own respective target audiences, but also allow for expanded programming and networking that will attract a wider audience. This will bring more value to their conference attendees and point this conference in a new and more exciting direction.

In several ways for this conference, its organizers and its participants, the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.

Standing room only among the green balloon bouquets were First Lady Maria Shriver, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mayor Kevin Johnson. Only in California do we have a family member of the Kennedy dynasty, a former NBA basketball player and the Terminator preside over our city and state. I have to say I was star struck. 

Mayor Johnson (wearing a green tie) explained how Los Angeles is known for movies, the Silicon Valley is known for high tech, Washington D.C. is known for politics, and soon Sacramento will be known for green technology and will be called The Emerald Valley - the greenest region in the country and the hub of green innovation. 

Why Sacramento?

As the mayor explained, Sacramento has many advantages to becoming the Emerald Valley:

• California already has policies set in place to be green. For example, AB 32, the 2008 law requiring the state to cut carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
   
• The region also has built-in natural resources for solar elements including wind, water, climate, nature, weather, soil, and geographical location.
  
• The region has received $225 million in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency programs.
   
• Currently there are 100 clean-tech companies employing over 2,000 people. Green jobs have grown by 87% since 1995, making Sacramento the number one green job growth place in the country.
  
• Both SMUD and PG&E continue to produce green energy, and are both nationally recognized for their efforts.
  
  
• Local universities have received significant funding for green research. The University of California, Davis, received $586 million in non-federal research funding in 2008. And just recently the university received another $104 million in federal stimulus funds through 231 awards and grants for research in areas ranging from asthma to clean energy.
   
• Sacramento is home to the State Capitol where influencers influence and decisions are made.  

How are we going to get there?

By having a very clear action plan. The green initiative will start with five policy areas: 

• Energy
• Waste and Recycling
• Water and Nature
• Urban Design and Green Building
• Green and Clean Technology

Change begins through ideas. Action begins through initiatives. Making our world a greener place to live and meet begins in Sacramento.

Calling all foodies, wine connoisseurs, fortune-hunters, nomads, and fiscal conservatives. From July 2-11, Sacramento’s premier restaurants will be offering 3 to 4-course menus with wine pairings starting as low as $25 per person during our annual Wine & Dine!

This is the time to experience Sacramento dining and actually try the restaurants you drive by on your way to work but only window shop and sigh because it doesn’t seem like the responsible choice of spending. Like the red tag sales at Macy’s we eagerly await, this is the foodie/wine sale for all of Sacramento locals and visitors to enjoy.

Restaurants from Old Sacramento to downtown, Midtown to Roseville, El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Folsom, Woodland and Plymouth are participating in this years Wine & Dine.

Pan Seared Salmon (Cafeteria 15L), Grilled 8oz Prime Angus Sirloin (Chops), Roasted Chicken Breast stuffed with Parmesan risotto and asparagus (Ten 22), Blueberry Pistachio Encrusted Lamb Rack (Enotria)…are you salivating!? Map out your dining conquest at www.sacramentowineanddine.com where you can check out all the restaurants, menus, wine offerings, and make reservations.

Whether it's a girl's night out, a date night, or simply an addition to your Sacramento nightlife, everyone should take advantage of Wine & Dine week:

Girl’s Night!
Girlfriends, wine, food, and chocolate desserts: the unconditional love of every woman’s life. Take advantage of this opportunity and plan a girl’s night (or a few for that matter) that embrace all of our favorites. Make sure to check out the dark chocolate smores at Sienna Restaurant!

Single? Now’s the Time to Mingle
Looking to impress that special someone you’ve had your eye on? Take her to a four-star restaurant such as Ella or Grange for half the price! Engage in good conversation over a few glasses of great wine from various wineries in California and don’t go broke doing it.

Date Night with the Wife
Getting a babysitter and deciding where and what you want to do is often overwhelming for the average family goer. The mere thought of getting out the door to go on a date exhausts you in itself. But every couple needs a little alone time, so, don’t make excuses. www.sacramentowineanddine.com  makes it easy: find a restaurant nearby, look at the menus, the wines, the price points, choose your favorite and make reservations all through the click of your mouse.

Baby Booming Venture
You love your food and wine, you know your food and wine, and you’re always looking for new culinary experiences. Use this time to explore Sacramento’s dining scene and viticulture stemming from Napa Valley and Gold Country wineries. Ten days of Wine & Dine equals 10 opportunities for you to cash in on. Map out your dining destinations and explore the city you live in (or if you're not from here) plan the perfect Sacramento culinary vacation!

Whatever your situation may be, check out www.sacramentowineanddine.com, and make sure to post comments about your experience(s).

If you’re like me, you are always in search of the real deal. It’s what makes me choose locally owned over mass-produced, independent stores over chains, an actual walk instead of a spin on the treadmill and so on. Of course, it’s clearly impossible to avoid the fake stuff.

We have created a fake world around us. From lip-synched concerts to jeans with factory-manufactured holes in them, authenticity is harder to find than ever.

In Joel Achenbach’s essay of the same name, he coined the term “Creeping Surrealism.” He was moved to create the term after contemplating some store-bought cookies that were designed to look homemade. Somewhere along the way, Pepperridge Farm actually had to design a machine that purposely would make uneven edges to mimic a handmade product. How weird is that? Don’t you still know that you’re eating a factory-produced cookie.


“Creeping surrealism” has crept well in to the world of tourism.

This was never more obvious to me than on a recent trip I just took.  It was theme park after theme park and chain restaurant after chain restaurant.

The week I spent away made me appreciate Sacramento more than ever.

Sure, we don’t have major theme parks, but we have something better: A soul.

There’s a real city with real people in Sacramento.  When you walk into a bar that looks like an Old West saloon, there’s a good chance that, at some point, it really was an Old West saloon. If you want to pan for gold, take a short drive to Coloma and experience the real Gold Country and actual gold panning. I’m not saying everything is authentic in Sacramento – we have our fair share of standards – but there is more than enough “real” city to give you a true sense of being somewhere.

Our restaurants have real chefs who control their own menus based on the real and actual produce grown just miles down the road. Our best water park is the real and actual river. Our big hotel that looks like a boat actually is a boat. Our biggest tour attraction, the Capitol building, is filled with real and actual politicians doing real and actual political work – more or less.

When you visit Sacramento, you’ll get a real experience in a real city that wants to show you a good time. There’s a lot to be said for that.

 


You may have already seen the new AMP commercial on television. AMP is the Pepsi energy drink and mixed martial arts champion and Sacramento native Urijah Faber is the spokesperson. Before cameras, crew and talent ever show up, a lot of preparation takes place. Here is a snapshot on how this shoot came to life.

The Sacramento Film Commission is a division of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau and responsible for marketing the City and County of Sacramento as a film location. In addition, we assist location scouts with finding suitable filming locations; serve as the liaison between public services, such as fire and police departments; and maintain a directory of film crew workers.

Location manager Gail S. called our office looking for a residential neighborhood with smaller homes. After checking out several areas she ended up around 20^th and T streets where she found the “hero house” as it’s called in the biz. Here she completed a location agreement with the home owner for a certain dollar amount. (No, I don’t know how much.) The scene called for three martial arts guys walking down the street to this home.

Another scene was to be filmed in the alley behind Urijah’s fitness club, Ultimate Fitness, in Midtown.

Filming in Sacramento is easy. Just go to the permit application found on the Sacramento Film Commission web site.

The completed permit is then forwarded to Sacramento Police Department, Fire Department, Special Events and Parking. Neighbor notification is required 72 hours in advance of any film shoot and “No Parking” signs must be posted 72 hours in advance.

All seemed to be in order. Sac PD, Fire, Special Events had signed off on the permit. “No Parking “signs had been posted on T Street, neighbors had been notified, the insurance certificate was on file...EXCEPT one not-so-minor detail.

The production schedule had changed last minute (as it often does) and street cleaning was scheduled for the morning of the shoot near Urijah’s club where production trucks needed to park. What to do at 3pm the day before the shoot?   

Film Commission staff called the Sacramento Public Works supervisor and street cleaning was suspended for that one block (the street wasn’t very dirty anyway.)  A shout out to Public Works!

Filming went off without a hitch. 

 

What is perhaps one of the premier Sacramento weekend events takes place every Memorial Day Weekend - Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee. As much fun and excitement  there is during the weekend, the Festival holds a special place in the hearts of Sacramento Convention Center employees, but for a different reason.

In 2007, Senior Events Supervisor Betty Lucchesi was inducted into the Jazz Festival Hall of Fame due to her hard work and dedication over the years.  Betty has helped the Jazz Committee with the planning, logistics and set ups for the past 20 years, making sure each room was just right for the various musical talents and spectators alike.

As a special thank you to Betty for her many years of service, the Jazz Committee named a venue after our very own Betty Lucchesi called Betty’s Bistro. 

Be sure to stop by Betty's Bistro inside the Convention Center this weekend and enjoy the music and maybe do a little dancing to bands such as Shelley Burns & Avalon Swing and Loose Marbles.

Who knows, maybe YOU will have the chance to run into the actual Betty at Betty’s Bistro. 

WE do. We’ve got the 14^th Annual NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships May 28-30. I mentioned in my last  post that there will be plenty of sports in Sacramento this summer, and this is one of the best.  


Did you know that Sacramento has one of the best rowing facilities in the U.S., arguably the world?   Well now you do. Allow me to introduce you to one of Sacramento’s best kept secrets - Sacramento State Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma. What makes Lake Natoma one of the fairest rowing courses in the US?  The consistent depth and being perfectly situated between Folsom Dam and Lake Natoma Dam  which minimizes currents.
The Canadian National Rowing Team comes here to train. The Intercollegiate Rowing Association (after 106 years on the east coast) brought their 107^th national championship to Lake Natoma. 

This Memorial Day Weekend, our nation’s best women’s collegiate rowing athletes return to Lake Natoma to compete for the NCAA National Championship. Competition begins on Friday, May 28, and ends with the crowning of a Division 1, 2 & 3 National Champion on Sunday, May 30. This is one of the premier Sacramento weekend events taking place.

The sport is about as wholesome as milk. But it’s about as heartless as it gets when mere inches make the difference between becoming a champion or an also ran.   Such is life for a collegiate rower. Hours of gut wrenching work on legs, abs and arms, all channeled through the coordinated verbal cues of a coxswain. In the end one boat crosses the 2,000-meter-long course ahead of another and a National Champion is crowned.

Don’t miss your opportunity over the Memorial Day Weekend to see the nation’s finest women’s rowing teams in action, competing for a coveted NCAA National Championship. 

Seven Sacramento businesses will celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week May 8-16 by circulating $2 bills in a SpendTom campaign, announced California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) President and CEO Caroline Beteta. Nearly $100,000 in $2 bills will be distributed statewide
 
The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau will deliver a briefcase filled with $2 bills to Hornblower Cruises at the dock in Old Sacramento on May 7^th at 2:30pm.

 “As the rarely seen bills, bearing the portrait of Thomas Jefferson (hence “SpendTom.com”), make their way through the state, they will act as a reminder of the scope and economic impact of the tourism industry in California,” Beteta noted. “Although tourism is the second-largest export industry in the Golden State, it often gets overlooked as an economic driver.”

Tourism is big business in Sacramento, one of the destinations participating in CTTC’s public awareness campaign. “Many people don’t realize that travel and hospitality support 26,800 jobs and generate more than $156 million in state and local tax receipts and more than $2.49 billion in travel spending in our community,” said Steve Hammond, Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau president & CEO.

Those who receive a $2 bill in their change are encouraged to visit SpendTom.com and learn how they can enter for a chance to win a variety of prizes, such as weekend getaways, attraction passes and more. Entries must be posted online by Sunday, May 31.

Tourism-related businesses throughout Sacramento were invited to participate on a first-come, first-served basis, and seven have embraced the program to date, including:

• Brew it Up
• Buca di Beppo
• California Automobile Museum
• Hornblower Sacramento
• Lounge ON20
• Magnolia Grill
• River City Saloon

Neck and neck with an Egret – that is the situation I found myself on Saturday as I rode my bike across the Yolo Causeway just west of Sacramento. Returning from the City of Davis, I found myself being paced by an egret, flapping his wings in perfect tempo with my pedal rotations. I took the opportunity to enjoy his somewhat effortless flying as I listened to my own labored breathing. 

I looked around me and realized I was surrounded on both sides by the Yolo Basin, a natural haven for migratory birds, wildlife and of course, a somewhat endless stretch of agricultural land, filled with acres and acres of rice fields.

The Yolo Basin, a true Sacramento attraction, has many treasures that help make our area unique. The watchable wildlife and education programs for the birdwatcher, naturalist and school groups are fascinating by themselves but one that really stands out in my mind is the Bats and Wine program put on by the Yolo Basin Foundation. Between May and September, nearly 10,000 bats reside under the Yolo Causeway bridge and the Yolo Basin Foundation organizes programs for groups to view them as they emerge in one continuous cloud at dusk to feed on insects. 

For kids, they also offer bat education programs at their center while for adults, they work with a local winery to experience some of the local bounty.

The Sacramento region is filled with nature preserves and wildlife refuges, which are perfect for tour groups looking for Sacramento outdoor activities and Sacramento student travel ideas. 



 

You’ve seen them as many times as I have:  These Internet “lists” that rank the best places in the world to propose marriage, ride a bike, raise kittens, open a small business or drink the best beer in the world. Actually, I made that last one up but am game to see the beer list. Seriously, I’m begging you.

This morning I was sent one of those lists (courtesy of Portfolio.com) that ranked The Top 100 Fun Cities: From shops, to food, to sports, and to culture, these are the hot spots for having a blast.   Being a fan of fun things myself, I was intrigued to finally have a roadmap of where the fun lives! This summer is really shaping up to be a winner, I thought to myself.

And then I read the list, which made me question if my definition of fun is shared by the rest of the country. 

I’ve always approached life with the idea that most things are what you make of them. When traveling for business, I typically find a way to have fun in whichever city I’m visiting. I like live music (you already know of my affinity for beer) and can typically fill that want in most cities across the country.  But from an intuitive standpoint, I wondered what the criteria of making this list actually was. 

Some of the higher ranked cities seemed obvious:  New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Yep, been to all three and had fun each time. Makes sense.  But then the wheels fell off. 

Ranked in the top 25 were exceptionally fun cities like Providence, Poughkeepsie and Madison. Now I don’t know about you but I wasn’t aware that the smiles were that contagious in Wisconsin. And frankly, Poughkeepsie sounds like a made up name and cities that aren’t real can’t be all that much fun.

In reality, those cities may indeed be the epicenter of fun and I am merely making fun of their alleged fun ranking. But here’s where this list makes no sense:  Las Vegas is ranked at 26 and Orlando is ranked at 42. 

Really? 

Just so I’m clear, the folks at Portfolio.com are telling me that Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit are more fun than Vegas or Disneyworld? Who did they survey for this? The Mayors of Pittsburgh, Bridgeport, Milwaukee, and Detroit?

Sacramento (the City that I have year-round fun in) made the list at 48.   Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita. As an aside, we are considering that line as our new marketing tag. “Not quite as good as Cincinnati or Dallas but better than Toledo and Wichita!” 

I personally rank Sacramento higher than 48. Sacramento and the Gold Country have more than 200 wineries. That’s spells fun right there.  We have visual, performing and some just plain odd works of art in Sacramento, too.  We have miles of running trails, two rivers, a lake with tons of boats and water skiers. We have expensive, moderate-priced and free events in Sacramento. 

There is lots of movie filming in Sacramento, one-of-a-kind history in Old Sacramento and some of the best farm to table restaurants that I’ve ever been to; I’m told by a local restaurant owner that everything that most people eat in this country grows within 100 miles of Sacramento. That sounds fun. Or unique. Whatever. 

These lists are subjective, for sure. To some, Paris may very well be a great place to propose marriage. But chances are, the best place to propose marriage is the place where your significant other said yes.   At least that’s the way it works for me.

Most every city can be a blast (especially Sacramento) if you know what you like.  With that said, I think I’d rank Sacramento as 6^th best place for fun in the country. Right behind New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Orlando.

Hoots and honks were pretty much the only noise in the air on my recent ride along the American River Parkway bike trail, which is just five minutes from our downtown office. As the sun was setting and dusk was stirring the native wildlife, sights of deer, turkey, squirrel and bunnies were surrounding me. 

If you're looking for fun things to do in Sacramento you can't go wrong with spending some time here.  There are some true hidden gems in the Captal, one of them is the amount of trails, trees and scenic beauty in the area.


It had been years since my last journey on the trail and I had forgotten how almost immediately it plunges you into surrounding wild and scenic territory, forbidding manmade noise to penetrate the invisible barrier separating residences, commercial buildings and traffic from intruding. The 32 miles of rural, scenic landscape along the American River is a safe haven from the daily congestion of one’s life.

There were plenty of other humans enjoying the bike trail, either for recreation and fitness purposes or simply as a commute vehicle to get to the University. But even with walkers, joggers, fellow bike riders, etc., there were virtually very few sounds other than that of the water in the nearby rapids or the hooters and the honkers.