Here at the CVB, we consider the culinary experience to be an integral part of any convention or meeting. That’s why we hired Distinctive Gourmet, a division of Centerplate, one of the nation's leading providers of food, beverage and merchandise for sports, convention and entertainment centers, as the exclusive onsite caterer for the LEED® Gold-EB certified Convention Center. Heading up the staff is Executive Chef Paul Benson.

With more than 16 years experience, Chef Benson works meticulously to create imaginative creations tempting to each taste bud. A few examples of his signature dishes include “Soup Sips,” a variety of butler-passed soups including gazpacho, yellow and red pepper coulis and other seasonal favorites presented in small, individual cordial glasses, as well as the Shrimp and Grits Station featuring southern-style stone-ground yellow grits topped with sautéed shrimp, tasso ham, onions, peppers, white wine and fresh cream.

But words can only begin to describe the experience.  To see what Virginia Beach can offer your group or convention, call (757) 385-4700 or visit www.vbmeetings.com.

When it comes to protecting our environment, there are a number of ways that we can help do our part. The Virginia Beach CVB offers the top 10 to consider when planning your next sustainable meeting.

1. Choose a sustainable venue like the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is anticipated to be LEED certified in the near future. The facility also is a “Virginia Green” certified & Energy Star Partner that recycles, composts and donates food, incorporates its own vegetables, locally grown and organic food into its menus.

2. Take advantage of the Virginia Beach CVB’s Social Responsibility program and volunteer your time to the multitude of charities hosted by the United Way of South Hampton Roads.

3. Recommend local hotels, restaurants and off-site venues like The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, that participate in the “Virginia Green” program to your attendees. Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of the Virginia tourism and hospitality industry.

4. Encourage attendees to car pool to meetings, conferences and conventions since Virginia Beach is a drive meeting destination in a lot of cases.

5. Conserve paper by posting event materials to your Web site or distributing on flash drives.

6. Purchase name badges that are reusable and collect them at the end of the meeting for use at the next one.

7. Avoid dating promotional items and reuse overages at future meetings.

8. Provide water stations for attendees or encourage the group to provide reusable water bottles.

9. Encourage attendees to enjoy environmentally-friendly activities including walks on the beach or visiting nearby state and national parks.

10. Encourage exhibitors to bring a realistic amount of promotional materials. Have them recycle unused portions rather than dispose of them.

Sports events are heating up in Virginia Beach. The CVB Sports Marketing team recently booked five new sporting events, including US Fencing, USA Judo, National High School Coaches Association Wrestling Duals, USA Gymnastics Tumbling and Trampoline, USA Judo and the Blue Moon Wicked 10K. Its economic impact will bring an additional 13,000 hotel room nights and more than $3 million in direct spending to the local economy.

Sports events make a significant part of the CVB’s convention sales efforts. Last fiscal year, it represented 44 percent of the business booked that fiscal year, July 1 – June 30. Often occurring in the spring and fall, these events help fill year-round hotel capacity and bring valuable business to restaurants and retail shops after summer vacationers have gone.  Great job team!

Click on the video clip below from VBTV’s Access Virginia Beach for a few remarks about this exciting announcement from Virginia Beach City Councilman John Uhrin and CVB Director Jim Ricketts.

 

Earlier this year I had announced a major multicultural booking. I’m proud to say that Virginia Beach has done it again. The city has recently booked the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) 2012 national convention.

The multicultural conventions sector is a growth area for the city, which provides $13 million in future business for Virginia Beach. NFBPA will bring an estimated 1,500 delegates and 3,100 hotel room nights to Virginia Beach in April 2012, a non-peak month, helping Virginia Beach become more of a year-round destination. NFBPA will result in an estimated $1.2 million dollars in direct spending to the community.

We’re very excited as this is a big victory for the city. After pursuing an unsuccessful bid for NFBPA several years ago, we were determined to bid again and compete for this important piece of business.

PICTURED: (from left to right) Jim Ricketts and Reggie Stevenson, Virginia Beach CVB; John E. Saunders, III, CAE, NFBPA; Al Hutchinson, Virginia Beach CVB; Deborah Morton, NFBPA Hampton Roads.

Recently I sat down with a local radio personality to discuss the affects of the green movement on the meetings industry as well as what Virginia Beach is doing to support this great cause. A brief excerpt of the interview can be heard here:

 

In addition to the city’s ongoing initiatives, Virginia Beach is proud to have reached a new milestone with green and sustainability practices. The city is the Commonwealth’s first Virginia Green destination with 100 green hospitality businesses including the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is currently in pursuit of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. This designation should be obtained next spring.

Virginia Green is the Commonwealth’s new campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of the Virginia tourism and hospitality industry. Other Virginia Green certified businesses include hotels, restaurants, events and unique meeting venues like the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. To further the city’s resources in the green industry, the CVB entered into partnerships with Convene Green Alliance and the Green Meeting Industry Council – (GMIC), which include hundreds of other organizations committed to being environmentally friendly.

I don’t know about you, but I am ready to Rock! For the past nine years, Virginia Beach has been the host of the Rock ‘n Roll ½ Marathon over Labor Day Weekend and yes, I have run the race each year that I have been with the Virginia Beach CVB.  As an experienced meeting planner, I am sure you know what it is like to walk the convention floors for the 13 miles during your meetings and conventions, so I don’t need to tell you what it feels like to cross the finish line at the race or at the end of your convention. Both situations offer a major sense of accomplishment to say the least (and the need for a cold drink).

What makes the Rock ‘n Roll ½ Marathon in Virginia Beach so unique is the live bands on each mile of the course, a finish line on the beautiful oceanfront boardwalk, cheerleaders on the course and running-party atmosphere. After the race is over, we host a headliner concert right on the beach. The people and the destination make this race a huge success every year. If you don’t believe me, ask one of the 20,000 runners that participate every year!

I am confident that the same two ingredients listed above; the people and the destination, will make your next meeting in Virginia Beach a winner.

The attached picture is of my staff and I on race morning. I am the happy guy in the blue shirt who looks ready to run.

See you at the Finish Line – Bring it to the Beach!
Al

To meeting and event planners, continuing education is key. That’s how the City of Virginia Beach attracted more than 70 meeting planners, industry publications, restaurateurs, and hoteliers from throughout region to its Convention Center for the Get Green Already Conference. Featuring executives from the US Green Building Council, National Restaurant Association, Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotels (Proximity Hotel) and TFC Recycling, the expert panel educated the audience about the advantages of going green, how to budget for it, and how to measure its success. A photo slide show of the conference can be found here, courtesy of Organization Management Group, Inc.

During the conference, the City of Virginia Beach proudly announced a partnership with Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) and The Convene Green Alliance. Teaming up with these types of organizations will enhance Virginia Beach’s position to market the destination to the rapidly growing segment of meeting planners who want and need a green/eco-friendly destination for their clients.
 
As the first green destination in the Commonwealth with more than 90 Virginia Green certified restaurants, hotels, attractions and events, Virginia Beach is paving the way for a greener tomorrow.

Photo: Lynne Forsman, Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) (left.) Al Hutchinson, (center) and Tracey Messina, Executive Director, The Convene Green Alliance (right).

Virginia Beach is gearing up for Groovy & Green June 4-5, an exciting event to showcase the city’s newest products like the Sandler Center for Performing Arts in Town Center, the Virginia Aquarium’s $25 million renovation, Restless Planet, as well as highlight major CVB initiatives focused on green and sustainability. The 2-day event will include participation from 20 meeting planners, the city’s hospitality partners – restaurants and hotels, national trade media, an expert panel on green as well as keynote speaker Kimberley Lewis of the US Green Building Council. Agenda for “Get Green Already” Conference can be found here.

Two partnership announcements will also be shared at this event. Stay tuned for photos and updates.

As research shows, clients are interested in doing business with environmentally conscious organizations. That is why the City of Virginia Beach has made a pledge to being green. In 2008, Virginia Beach became the first Virginia Green destination with more than 60 certified hospitality businesses. The Virginia Beach Convention Center also became the first in the Commonwealth to achieve Virginia Green certification.

The Convention Center, which is making significant strides in operating as an energy efficient facility, recently reported a cost savings of more than $204,000 between February 2008 and January 2009 as a result of their participation in the Energy Star program. During that period, the facility reduced natural gas usage by 40%, used 22% less power & conserved 3.9 million gallons of water. Earlier this year, Governor Tim Kaine came to Virginia Beach to recognize this industry for their efforts. Additional sustainability initiatives and recommendations for green meetings can be found at www.vbconventioncenter.com/green.

On behalf of the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, I want to welcome you to the Bring It to the Beach blog. This is our chance to give you breaking news when you want it –NOW!  Did you know that the Virginia Beach Convention Center was the first green convention center in the commonwealth? Did you know that plans are in motion to secure a headquarters hotel and a new entertainment center at the Oceanfront? Did you know that Virginia Beach produced its first-ever sports event, the Cyclo Cross Winter Endurance, in January? This is the type of information my staff and I will post here as news develops, as well as interesting industry articles that I have found to help meeting planners in this ever-changing economy.