ANNUAL REPORTFISCAL YEAR 2014-2015MIDLANDS AUTHORITY FOR CONVENTIONS, SPORTS & TOURISM

Mission Statements

Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & TourismThe Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism’s mission is to strengthen the area’s economy by promoting tourism in the region through active recruitment of new meetings, conventions, leisure travel and sporting events and by enhancing existing tourism through exceptional customer service.

Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors BureauThe mission of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau is to strengthen the area’s economy by marketing and selling the region, it’s accommodations, meeting facilities, restaurants, facilities and attractions as a premier destination for meetings, conventions, tradeshows, special events and leisure travel and by working cooperatively with the hospitality community providing informative materials and assistive services that enhance and promote the desired image of the metropolitan area.

Columbia Metropolitan Convention CenterThe mission of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is to provide a first-class venue offering superior operations management and state-of-the-science amenities for the successful coordination of meetings, conventions, tradeshows, entertainment and other special events utilizing the facility; enhancing the economic viability and image of the area.

Columbia Regional Sports CouncilThe mission of the Columbia Regional Sports Council is to strengthen the area’s economy by marketing and selling the area’s economy by marketing and selling the region as a premier destination for sporting events, partnering with local sports organizations to grow and develop existing events, and by recruiting new events which provide an economic benefit to the region by generating room nights, food and beverage sales and associated tax revenues.

MIDLANDS AUTHORITYFOR CONVENTIONS, SPORTS & TOURISM

Dear Community Partners and Stakeholders, Last fiscal year was a great success for all authority organizations. Over 33 hospitality partners participated in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitor Bureau’s inaugural cooperative marketing program, which allowed us to collectively leverage advertising dollars and effectively reach target visitors. The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center exceeded one million in contracted rental revenue and bookings were up 10% over FY 2013-2014. The Columbia Regional Sports Council supported 65 sporting events, which resulted in 9,177 booked hotel rooms. It was a great year, indeed.

None of this is possible without strong support from our community stakeholders and hospitality partners. The following successes are your successes and we’re proud to share our FY 2014-2015 Annual Report with you. Our team continues to develop new and exciting ways to promote the growing number of assets around the region to visitors and increase the overall impact tourism has on our community. I look forward to another great year of partnering with you to share The New Southern Hot Spot with new and returning visitors alike.

Warm Regards,Bill EllenPresident & CEO

THE COLUMBIA REGION WELCOMES

INDUSTRY FOR THIS COMMUNITY

MAKING TOURISM A

MILLION VISITORSANNUALLY14.5

BILLION DOLLAR1.9

IN STATE & LOCAL TAXES

PROVIDING 19,000 JOBSGENERATING NEARLY$101 MILLION

CONTENTSCOLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER

COLUMBIA REGIONAL SPORTS COUNCIL

MIDLANDS AUTHORITY MARKETING

MIDLANDS AUTHORITY MEDIA RELATIONS

7

9

11

13

15

Dining & Nightlife Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Outdoor Sports

Soda City Market

Attractions

Downtown Columbia

7

Last year the CVB took the Columbia, SC message to 13 industry trade shows that involved state, regional and national meeting planners.

The CVB also hosted a client event in Washington, DC, promoting the Columbia SC region to conference planners and decision makers.

KEY EVENTS7.14 & 6.15 Watchtower Jehovah Witness Convention 20,000 Attendees 7,500+ Rooms

7.14 International Conference of Police Chaplains 600 Attendees 1,500+ Rooms

1.15 SC Bar Convention (hosted at Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center)

1,200 Attendees 900+ Rooms

3.15 Association of Zoos & Aquariums (hosted at Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center)

800 Attendees 2,000+ Rooms

6.15 Miss SC Pageant 2,000 Attendees 1,500+ Rooms

106 CONTRACTED EVENTS

RESULTING IN 29,749 ROOM NIGHTS

MEETING SCOPE

2- Pie chart/ title: Meeting Scope regional, national, etc. % of events (could do # of events w/ total regional, national)International Conference: 5%National Conference: 23%Regional 9%Statewide Conference: 40%Local Conference w/ room nights: 23%

6%6%

28%38%

22%

Statewide Conference

Southeast/Regional

Local Conference w/room nights

International

National

2- Pie chart/ title: Meeting Scope regional, national, etc. % of events (could do # of events w/ total regional, national)International Conference: 5%National Conference: 23%Regional 9%Statewide Conference: 40%Local Conference w/ room nights: 23%

6%6%

28%38%

22%

Statewide Conference

Southeast/Regional

Local Conference w/room nights

International

National

$14.4 MILLIONDIRECT SPENDINGConvention expenditures, hotel, conference, meeting venue, etc.

$9.7 MILLIONINDIRECT SPENDING

additional food/beverage, retail, recreation, etc.

+ECONOMIC IMPACT

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

HOSTED ATTENDEES

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

FY 13–14FY 12–13FY 11–12FY 10–11

Assisted Attendees (additional attendees serviced)

Attendees (from CVB generated bookings)

FY 14–15

COLUMBIA REGIONALVISITORS CENTER

Top Out of Area Inquiries by Metro

1. Charlotte, NC

2. New York City, NY

3. Greenville/Spartanburg, SC

4. Washington, DC

5. Atlanta, GA

Palmetto Health All Team Assembly

SC Green Hospitality Alliance Award of Certification

FLW Forest Wood Cup

2 Millionth Visitor to CMCC

Governor's Inaugural Ball

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NOTABLE CONFERENCES HELD IN FY 14–15Carolinas Region CME Church 2014 Annual Conference 700 attendees/570TRN 7.13 – 7.18.2014 - Regional

2014 Forrest L Woods Cup Fishing Tournament 36,000 attendees/1500TRN 8.11 – 8.18.2014 - National

SC Governor's Inaugural Ball 1,100 attendees 1.14.15 - Statewide

SC Music Educators 2015 Annual Conference 800 attendees/330TRN 2.5 – 2.7.15 - Statewide

2015 UCF War of the Stars Cheerleading Competition 3,000 attendees/750TRN 3.5 - 3.8.15 - Regional

Black Pages International 2015 Black Expo 5,000 attendees 5.9.15 - Statewide

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER

359 CONTRACTED EVENTSUP 10% OVER FY 13-14

COLUMBIA METROPOLITANCONVENTION CENTER

SUSTAINABILITY

CMCC just installed an upgraded Trane Climate Control Building Automated System (BAC) that extends our equipment life & reduces our maintenance cost. We estimate to save approximately $40,000 a year in energy cost.

COLUMBIA METROPOLITANCONVENTION CENTER

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

10 The CMCC celebrated 10 years of developing the Columbia region and serving their clients on September 21, 2014.

$3.1 MILLIONTOTAL OPERATING REVENUE

$1.06 MILLION CONTRACTED RENTAL REVENUE

WITH

HOSTED ATTENDEES

0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000

FY 10-11

FY 11-12

FY 12-13

FY 13-14

FY 14-15

154,477

127,000

147,107

123,409

177,910

THE CMCC WELCOMED JUST UNDER

THROUGH THEIR DOORS IN FY 2014-15400,000 VISITORS

2 MILLIONTH VISITORCROSSING THE MILESTONE

ON APRIL 23, 2015

Williams-Brice Stadium

Colonial Life Arena

Cayce Tennis & Fitness Center

Carolina StadiumLexington County Baseball Stadium

Richland County Rowing Facility

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EVENT ECONOMIC IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

2014 SCHSL Football State Finals $855,744

2014-15 SCHSL Basketball State Finals $640,91324th Annual SE Bowling Assn Tournament $388,4502014 Mid-Atlantic Bridge Conference Columbia Regional $346,8582015 Run Hard Columbia Marathon $275,5952015 Carolinas Open Lacrosse Championships $259,383

COLUMBIA REGIONALSPORTS COUNCIL

557PROSPECTING

CALLS

145FACE-TO-FACE

APPOINTMENTS

20SITE VISITS

HOSTED

WITH SPORTS EVENTS OWNERS

8,732 CONTRACTEDFUTURE

ROOMS

$9,531,332 DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACTFROM SPORTS EVENTS HOSTED

131,481SPORTS EVENTS ATTENDEES

65SPORTS EVENTS

ACROSS THE REGION HOSTED

Hot Spot Billboards

ColumbiaCVB.com

Mobile Site

Sweepstakes Print Ad

Print Ad Campaign targeting meeting planners & sports event organizers

:30 TV Spot

2015 Official Visitors Guide

CoolPASS Targeted Web Banners

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MIDLANDS AUTHORITYMARKETING

200,000MEETING & EVENT PLANNERSREACHED THROUGH PRINT ADVERTISING

OV

ER

10POTENTIAL VISITORS

REACHED THROUGH PRINT ADVERTISING

OV

ER MILLION

25GENERATED THROUGH TELEVISION ADVERTISING

MILLIONIMPRESSIONS

COLUMBIA REGIONAL SPORTS COUNCIL

• 147% Twitter follower increase

• 22% Facebook follower increase

• Average time on site: 4 minutes, 29 seconds (our visitors are engaged!)

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER

• 8% growth in website users, organic search traffic and social media followers

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

• Over 1 million website visitors

• 20% growth in social media followers

• 22,000 entries in leisure sweepstakes featured in Southern Living and Garden & Gun

PRINT

10 million potential visitors

Over 200,000 meeting planners

BILLBOARD

80 million billboard

impressions

DIGITAL

Over 10 millionimpressions

TELEVISION

25 million impressions via

4,287 spots aired

SOCIAL MEDIA

Over 750,000 ad impressions

on Facebook and Twitter

SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

Over 2 million ad impressions on Google, Yahoo!

and Bing

PAID SPACE ADVERTISING OUTLETS

"Since its opening, Terra has not only

brought customers to the area, but

its presence has encouraged new

restauranteurs to set up shop in

West Columbia, too. With a great

reputation and loyal following, the

West Columbia eateries have contributed delicious dining options and helped to

connect a geographically divided

Columbia community."

Annelise McAuliffe, Honest Cooking, July 2015

"You [Columbia] give me everything I want and need.

You are the most underrated and misunderstood town in the South, the gangly girl who's growing intoa great beauty."

Emile DeFeliceLove Letter to Columbia in the Huffington Post

"Most sizeable Southern cities have at least one restaurant

that jumped out ahead of the farm-to-table craze, saluting

producers and resurrecting old recipes long before most eaters

were familiar with the concept. Mr. Friendly's, which got its start

as a sandwich-and-cookie shop in 1995, became one of Columbia's locavore leaders."

Hanna RaskinCharleston Post & Courier, July 2015

"We visited Columbia for a long weekend, but easily

could have spent weeks eating our way through the vibrant city.

While nearby Charleston may often steal the spotlight,

South Carolina's capital has a food culture that is a beautiful community of

enthusiastic creators."Annelise McAuliffe,

Honest Cooking, Aug. 2015

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One way the Midlands Authority strives to live out its mission is through public and media relations efforts. We promote the Columbia region by pitching story ideas and hosting media to garner regional, national and international destination coverage.

MEDIA TRIPS & FAMSDATE HOSTED WRITER OUTLET SCOPEJuly 2014 Alisa Johnson 51 Capitols in 51 Days blog NationalSept. 2014 Laura Huff Carolina Epicurean (Asheville, NC) Regional – N.C. & S.C.

Sept. 2014 Nichole Livengood Gap Creek Gourmet (Greenville, SC) Regional – N.C. & S.C.

Nov. 2014 Marie-France Bornais* Le Journal de Quebec & Le Journal de Montreal (Canada) International – Canada

Dec. 2014 Nichole Livengood Gap Creek Gourmet (Greenville, SC) Regional – N.C. & S.C.

Dec. 2014 Terri Gardner Freelancer (In partnership w/Greenville, SC; Chicago Tribune) NationalMarch 2015 Tracey Teo* Freelancer (The Tennessean & AJC) NationalApril 2015 Mary Gallagher Freelancer RegionalApril 2015 Ava Roxanne Stritt Spa Travel Gal NationalApril 2015 Karyn Locke Trekaroo NationalApril 2015 Marci DeWolfe Freelancer (Spartanburg & Greenville papers) RegionalJune 2015 Ed Rampell The Washington Times NationalJune 2015 Annelise McAuliffe Honest Cooking National* Denotes a S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism media opportunity. SCPRT coordinates press trips throughout the state each year. We often assist their team with press trips that include Columbia.

MEDIA RELATIONSMIDLANDS AUTHORITY

STORIES GARNERED69MENTIONS IN

USA TODAY TRAVEL3 11PRESS

HOSTED

VISITS