News for August 2010
PGA Champions Tournament announced for Alabama
The PGA Champions Tour announced this week that the Regions Tradition golf tournament will be played May 2-8, 2011 at the Shoal Creek Country Club in Birmingham. Gene Hallman, CEO of the Bruno Event Team, which will manage the event, said the event should have an economic impact of at least $24 million in the Birmingham area. The tournament is expected to draw 15,000 to 20,000 fans a day. The Golf Channel will televise the tournament exclusively each of the four days to more than 133 countries, reaching more than 117 million households. “We’re very excited to move this major championship to Alabama and Shoal Creek,” said Mike Stevens, President of the Champions Tour. “The Greater Birmingham area has embraced and shown tremendous support for the Champions Tour over the years and delivering a major championship to this community was a natural fit. Having the opportunity to conduct the event at Shoal Creek – one of the nation’s finest golf courses with a proven history of delivering exciting major championships – will propel the Regions Tradition to a new level of major championship status.”
Edited: August 26th, 2010
2011 Brings Schedule Change For Talladega Superspeedway near Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast
The 2011 NASCAR season brings a slight change to Talladega Superspeedway’s place in the schedule. The Aaron’s Dream Weekend will be April 15 – 17 (one week early because of the Easter holiday) and the fall race weekend moves off Halloween weekend to Oct. 21 – 23.
“We are happy with the look of the 2011 NASCAR schedule,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “While we will certainly miss the promotional opportunities that Halloween provided us in the fall, I believe our fans with children will agree that the earlier date is much better timing for us. And for the fans that want to get dressed up, I’d say the infield is always looking for a few more revelers.”
The 2011 Aaron’s Dream Weekend will feature qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, followed by the ARCA Racing Series 250 race on Friday, April 15. Dakoda Armstrong won this race in 2010 to secure his first Talladega Superspeedway victory. On Saturday, April 16, fans will see qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, followed by the Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Brad Keselowski scored a thrilling victory in this race during the Aaron’s 312 in 2010. Then on Sunday, April 17, the greatest drivers in the world will face off in the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Kevin Harvick won in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history with a .012 second victory over Jamie McMurray. The 2010 Aaron’s 499 also set a NASCAR record for lead changes (88) and leaders (29).
The 2011 fall weekend will feature NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, followed by qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday, Oct. 21. On Saturday, Oct. 22, the field for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be set during qualifying, followed by the stars of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series battling it out in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. On Sunday, Oct. 23, dreams will be made and others broken as 43 of NASCAR’s finest compete in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
For information on tickets to Talladega Superspeedway, guests should call 1-877-Go2-DEGA or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.
Edited: August 19th, 2010
Homecoming near a Alabama Bed and Breakfast
Some 215 towns across Alabama welcome you home this year during the Great Alabama Homecoming. It’s all part of the Year of Alabama Small Towns & Downtowns- a celebration of everything that is Sweet Home Alabama. There are homecoming events and festivals going on practically every weekend through mid-December. Upcoming events include:
Centennial Celebration- Lipscomb- Aug. 13-15
Founders Day Celebration- Hobson City- Aug. 14-15
Littleville Fun Fest- Littleville- Aug. 14
Rickwood Centennial- Birmingham- Aug. 18
Homecoming Celebration- Athens- Aug. 20-21
Founder’s Day Festival- Fultondale- Aug. 21
Priceville Annual Cruise-In- Priceville- Aug. 21
Watermelon Festival- Russellville- Aug. 21
Killen Founder’s Day- Killen- Aug. 27-28
A Homecoming Celebration- Wadley- Aug. 28
First Friday Homecoming- Gadsden- Sept. 3
Fort Sinquefield Reenactment- Whatley- Sept. 4
Labor Day Celebration- McIntosh- Sept. 6
Section Labor Day- Section- Sept. 6
50th Anniversary of Marshall Space Flight Center- Huntsville- Sept. 8
Welcome Home Reunion- Arab- Sept. 11
Harvest Day- Ashford- Sept. 11
Founder’s Day- Mt. Vernon- Sept. 12
Riverfest Homecoming- Decatur- Sept. 17-18
Crossville Harvest Festival- Crossville- Sept. 17-19
Gateway to a Region- Leeds- Sept. 17-19
Depot Days Festival- Hartselle- Sept. 18
Locust Fork Founders Day- Locust Fork- Sept. 18
Founders Fest- Red Bay- Sept. 18
Eva Frontier Days- Eva- Sept. 18-25
Geneva Homecoming- Geneva- Sept. 24-25
Hueytown Homecoming- Hueytown- Sept. 24-26
Homecoming Weekend- Jacksonville- Sept. 24-26
Mule Day Festival- Winfield- Sept. 24-26
Coosa Fest- Childersburg- Sept. 25
Jubilee Festival- Daphne- Sept.25-26
For a complete list of Great Alabama Homecoming Events please see www.alabama.travel/homecoming/.
Edited: August 14th, 2010
Tuscaloosa profiled in USA Triathlon magazine
From the article “Birmingham’s Railroad Park to open in September” by Thomas Spencer in The Birmingham News:
Downtown Birmingham’s new $25 million Railroad Park will open to the public Sept. 18, after decades of dreaming and a year and a half spent transforming a vacant, weedy lot into a rolling landscape of flowers and trees, lakes, streams and green lawns. Envisioned as a green magnet to draw those who live and work downtown and at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the project aims to create an outdoor “living room for the city.” “This is a 20-year dream for the city of Birmingham,” said Mayor William Bell. “It makes a statement that we are a city of the 21st century. We are giving homage to the past and celebrating our future.” Originally a flat four-block wasteland bounded by the railroad corridor and First Avenue South, the park’s terrain now rises and falls like the region’s hills and valleys. The contours form a grassy natural amphitheater at the southeast corner, and its northern hillside brings walkers and bikers up to the level of the railroad corridor. The active downtown rail line provides a backdrop of motion, hearkening back to the city’s founding at the junction of railroads. A view of the city skyline rises to the north. UAB bustles to the south, and beyond Vulcan is visible atop Red Mountain.
For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/08/birminghams_railroad_park_to_o.html
Tuscaloosa profiled in USA Triathlon magazine
From the article “On the Road in Tuscaloosa” in USA Triathlon magazine:
While Tuscaloosa is most know for the University of Alabama and legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, the southern city also has hosted a number of USA Triathlon National Championships in recent years. The USAT Age Group National Championship returns to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 25-26, so let “On the Road” be your guide to this quintessential college town. There is no better way to tour a college campus than to go on a late night run. The University of Alabama is a beautiful campus with a myriad of Southern-styled buildings and athletic complexes that hold historical significance in every NCAA sport. The campus is a great place to train as it is pedestrian (and cyclist) friendly with the property backing up to the Black Warrior River.
Best Places to Fuel- Newk’s Café located on UA’s campus offers everything from California style pizza to oven-baked sandwiches and fresh salads and desserts. Chuck’s Fish is great place to relax after a long workout. City Café in Northport has the best Southern cooking in Tuscaloosa. Waysider has the best breakfast in Tuscaloosa and Northport. Mellow Mushroom’s pizza and Mugshots’ burgers are two of the best dishes in town. Go to Dreamland and you get ribs, white bread, sweet tea and a roll of paper towels. Fig is a good bet if you’re looking for healthy and yummy.
You might bump into- 2010 BCS Championship football team- Roll Tide! Other big name football types around Tuscaloosa include Alabama coach Nick Saban and Broadway Joe Namath, who played for Bear Bryant and led the Crimson Tide to a national title in 1964 before turning pro. Several professional athletes train in Tuscaloosa before reporting to camp to begin the season (baseball, softball and football). Actress Sela Ward was a UA cheerleader and homecoming queen- she often comes back to visit. Country crooner Kenny Chesney who is pals with Saban, comes to town frequently.
For more information on Tuscaloosa please see www.visittuscaloosa.com.
Edited: August 14th, 2010
Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism
Alabama tourism officials will unveil a web application for “smart phones” and a beach commercial featuring singer Taylor Hicks during the annual industry convention beginning Sunday in Montgomery. In addition, gubernatorial nominees Dr. Robert Bentley and Ron Sparks will address delegates during a candidates forum, and the group will honor Dr. David Bronner with a lifetime achievement award for his role in establishing the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. On Sunday, August 15 the Alabama Tourism Department will unveil a new beach television ad featuring American Idol Taylor Hicks. The ad is designed to invite tourists back to the beaches. Tourism will also unveil the Year of Alabama Music logo and a new mobile phone app during the opening general session.
Monday, August 16, Dr. David Bronner will receive tourism’s Lifetime Achievement Award following his speech at 9:45 a.m. Tourism director Lee Sentell will present the award to Bronner for his accomplishments in helping to increase tourism in the state from a $1.8 billion industry to a $9.6 billion industry. Bronner is responsible for the development of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a renowned collection of 26 championship golf courses at 11 sites that has put Alabama at the top of the list of golf destinations worldwide. He is also responsible for the resort hotels along the golf trail as well as the spa trail. Guest speakers for the sessions include Roger Dow, President and CEO, U.S. Travel Association; Dr. David Bronner, CEO Retirement Systems of Alabama; Gubernatorial candidates Dr. Robert Bentley and Ron Sparks, and tourism director Lee Sentell. Herb Malone, president and CEO, Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau will provide a session on recovering from the Gulf Coast oil crisis. The conference is designed to bring together industry representatives for professional development and meetings to discuss tourism in the state. This year’s session topics include the Gulf Coast Oil Crisis, promoting destinations, social media, working with the Alabama Tourism Department, and Maintaining Museums in Alabama.
Tuesday, August 17, WSFA’s Tonya Terry and WAKA’s Jeff Sanders will present the awards at the banquet along with tourism director Lee Sentell. Terry is the morning anchor for Today in Alabama and Sanders is the anchor for WAKA’s Noon and 5:00 p.m. newscasts. Awards to honor the best in the industry will be presented in 13 categories during the tourism department awards banquet Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Awards are presented for Attraction of the Year, Event of the Year, Media Advocate, Government Advocate, Tourism Industry Employee of the Year, Welcome Center of the Year, Organization of the Year, Executive of the Year, Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year, Partnership of the Year, Rising Star, Theme Campaign and the Governor’s Tourism Award.
For more information on the daily conference sessions visit www.algovernorsconference.com and visit www.alabama.travel for more press releases.
Lee Sentell was elected to the board of directors of the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) during the U.S. Travel Association’s destination marketing conference held Aug. 8-10 in Savannah. The National Council of State Tourism Directors was established in 1969 to represent tourism issues of the 50 states, the five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. For more information on the NCSTD please see http://www.ustravel.org/member-services/national-council-of-state-tourism-directors.
Alabama tourism director works to get word out about beaches
From the article “Alabama tourism director works to get word out about beaches” by Roy L. Williams in The Birmingham News:
With the oil spill stopped, Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell is making a major push to get folks to visit Gulf Coast beaches for Labor Day. Sentell, at eight years the state’s longest-serving tourism director, has spent the past few weeks visiting cities across the South to promote the beaches of Baldwin County, which are responsible for a large chunk of Alabama’s tourism revenue. “It has been devastating,” Sentell said of the April explosion of a BP-owned oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that triggered the nation’s worst oil spill. The Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau says Baldwin County hotels and condos saw a June decrease of 22.7 percent and 38.4 percent, respectively, from the year before. That’s a major blow considering tourism generated by beaches in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach account for nearly a quarter of Alabama’s $9 billion in annual travel-related spending, Sentell said. “This was the year local businesses were supposed to recover from the recession and hurricanes,” Sentell said. “We worried that Baldwin County would lose a billion dollars, but because of the aggressive marketing by the tourism leadership there, the county was down only 30 percent in June versus the previous year.”
Sentell, who spoke last week at a tourism conference in Savannah, said he relishes the opportunity to spread the word that Alabama’s beaches are now safe to visit. News that the oil spill was halted has helped boost travelers to Alabama’s beaches the past two weeks, and a state marketing campaign targeting metro areas across the Southeast was launched. An ad shot by “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks, a Hoover native, will begin airing before Labor Day, Sentell said, and Birmingham-born actress Courtney Cox will soon appear in a new ad touting the state’s beaches. Sentell said the July 11 Jimmy Buffett free benefit concert in Gulf Shores was a big boost for the region. Buffett and other musicians donated their time. The $3.3 million cost of staging, shuttle transportation and security for the event was paid from the $15 million marketing fund that BP gave Alabama’s tourism department, he said. “The public relations value for the Gulf Coast was in the tens of millions of dollars,” Sentell said. “You can’t buy that kind of publicity. More importantly, the reservation phone lines lit up after the concert. Calls spiked again after the oil cap was put in place.” More than half of the hotels and condo rental companies surveyed said a majority of their business that weekend came because of the concert. “The coast had 40,000 music fans who went home and told their friends that the beaches were clean,” Sentell said. “The weekend following the concert was the busiest of the summer for condos and restaurants.”
For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2010/08/alabama_tourism_director_works.html
The Rowdy Friends 2010 Tour – featuring country legend Hank Williams, Jr., Gretchen Wilson and Lee Brice – will take the stage at The Wharf’s Amphitheater on Saturday, September 25 as part of an on-going concert series sponsored by Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism. The show begins at 7 p.m. From 10 a.m. August 18 to 6 p.m. August 19, Baldwin County residents may purchase up to 4 tickets from The Wharf Store located in Shucker’s Oyster Bar, The Wharf’s box office located at the amphitheater or from the Ticketmaster located inside the Orange Beach Publix. Tickets will be $10 each, and Baldwin County residents must present identification at the time of sale. General public tickets will be available Friday, August 20 starting 10 a.m. at www.Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, The Wharf’s box office or charge by phone (800-745-3000). These tickets will cost $25 each.
Gulf Coast CVB changes name to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism
To better represent the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach tourism community, the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau recently completed a corporate identification research process and is excited to unveil its new name: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism. “We have discussed our public identity for quite a while,” said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the CVB. “While the term CVB is well-known term within among other destination marketing organizations, most guests are not familiar with this cumbersome term and do not understand the helpful services and information that solely exist to better serve them and result in a better vacation experience.” After gathering valuable feedback through several research methods, including surveys and focus groups, the convention and visitors bureau determined that a shift in the organization’s name would help both current and future guests quickly understand the purpose of the company. A new logo was developed to communicate this name change. A particular emphasis was placed on the area’s vital asset of white-sand beaches, which is specifically mentioned in the logo’s text. “Legally, we will remain the Alabama Gulf Coast CVB,” Malone added. “This change will be recognizable with guests who will see a new name and new logo.”
Edited: August 14th, 2010
AmHon Team Tests At Barber
The American Honda Moto2 team has just wrapped up two successful days of testing their Honda Moriwaki MD600 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL, in preparation for the team’s debut at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, August 27 to 29. The team, including rider Roger Lee Hayden, team manager Kevin Schwantz and the Erion Racing crew lead by Kevin Erion, came together to further develop the Honda 600-powered race machine and they made good progress despite the extremely taxing weather conditions.
It didn’t take long for Hayden to get comfortable and lay down good lap times in testing. “The conditions were really, really hot and very humid but Roger’s work ethic shined through and we achieved a lot,” said Schwantz. “Roger’s not afraid of hard work and that’s part of the reason we chose him to be on this team. He doesn’t shy away from hard work and that showed through as he strung together fast laps in miserably hot and humid conditions. Roger was very fast on the track and even though he had fairly used tires on the bike at the end of the day Thursday, he still managed to put down lap times as fast as he’s ever been on this track.”
“Our test at Barber started out a little slow in the hot temperatures but by the end we’d made some really good progress,” said Hayden. “It’s great to be able to get data from the bike while riding on a real racetrack. It gives the team a good base to work with. Working with Kevin Schwantz is great. It’s great having someone of his stature watching over and advising me, someone who knows exactly what I’m doing as a rider. Sometimes what you think you’re doing is very different compared to what you actually are doing on the track and Kevin sees that. Being critiqued by a world champion like Kevin means I get amazing riding advice, one rider to another. I think this experience is going to make me a better rider not just for this particular project but for my entire career.”
Erion is likewise pleased with how quickly the team has jelled together and with the wealth of 600cc motorcycle knowledge that’s embedded in the team. “Our team has so much 600cc experience and this bike is fundamentally a 600cc Honda motorcycle. There are a few little things about the bike that are different but they’re all in a positive manner. Moriwaki did a great job building the chassis; it’s easy to work on. Our job now is mainly to get Roger comfortable on it so he can go fast and the Moriwaki platform seems to be working well. I have the utmost confidence in Roger and the crew. They are all working well together and striving for the common goal of achieving great results. The test went well as we didn’t have any issues or problems per se; we just kept moving forward every time Roger took to the track. We definitely leave Barber with a lot of confidence in Roger. Our next test will be at Indy a week prior to the race and we will have two days on the track. We actually have a disadvantage compared to the other teams in the series because they’ve been racing in the series all year and know their set-ups. But with the experience our team has gained here and with two days on the Indy track before the race, we think that experience should level the playing field up quite a lot.”
Edited: August 7th, 2010
Home Coming Events near Alabama Bed and Breakfasts
Upcoming “Great Alabama Homecoming” events
Some 215 towns across Alabama welcome you home this year during the Great Alabama Homecoming. It’s all part of the Year of Alabama Small Towns & Downtowns- a celebration of everything that is Sweet Home Alabama. There are homecoming events and festivals going on practically every weekend through mid-December. Upcoming events include:
Cotton Mill Reunion- Valley- Aug. 7
Back-to-School Homecoming- Five Points- Aug. 13-14
Centennial Celebration- Lipscomb- Aug. 13-15
Founders Day Celebration- Hobson City- Aug. 14-15
Littleville Fun Fest- Littleville- Aug. 14
Rickwood Centennial- Birmingham- Aug. 18
Homecoming Celebration- Athens- Aug. 20-21
Founder’s Day Festival- Fultondale- Aug. 21
Priceville Annual Cruise-In- Priceville- Aug. 21
Watermelon Festival- Russellville- Aug. 21
Killen Founder’s Day- Killen- Aug. 27-28
A Homecoming Celebration- Wadley- Aug. 28
For a complete list of Great Alabama Homecoming Events please see www.alabama.travel/homecoming/.
Edited: August 5th, 2010
Birmingham launches new music and arts festival
From the article “New Birmingham multi-venue music festival to showcase city talent and clubs” by Alec Harvey in The Birmingham News:
A multi-venue music and arts festival planned for Aug. 20-22 aims to be Birmingham’s version of the famed South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. The Birmingham Arts and Music Festival (BAAM) will showcase at least 75 acts in at least 11 venues around the downtown area, says Sharrif Simmons, who is organizing the event with Dafina Ward. “We definitely took a page from South by Southwest, but it has a Birmingham flair to it,” Simmons said. “There will be a few acts from Nashville and a few from Atlanta and Houston, but it’s mostly based here, celebrating the local scene.” Right now, 11 venues are on board, including Rogue Tavern, The Wine Loft, Old Car Heaven, WorkPlay, Bottletree, Rojo, Parkside, Stillwater Pub, Zydeco, Flirt and Metro Bistro. Acts will include bands, singer-songwriters, belly dancers, painters, comedians and poets, said Simmons, a musician and spoken word artist himself. Simmons once was a host of a cable access program celebrating Birmingham’s arts scene, and he says BAAM comes out of that. With the demise of both City Stages and the Birmingham Heritage Festival, 2010 seemed the right year to launch, he said. “Those festivals satisfied a lot of the market, so this didn’t need to happen,” Simmons said. “I’ve found that everybody was almost immediately receptive to this. They’re willing to try it out, and we’ve been putting it together for a little over a year.”
One ticket will give someone access to all of the clubs on Aug. 20-22, Simmons said. Advance tickets will be $30 for the weekend or $15 per day, with a $40 VIP ticket including transportation to all of the venues. Those prices go up $5 on Aug. 20. Acts confirmed include Cleve Eaton, Erin Mitchell, Chad Fisher, Kendra Sutton, Heath Green, Stuart McNair, Soul Enigma, Jaafar Travel Light and many others, Simmons said. In future years, BAAM will reach outside of the Birmingham area for some of its acts, but “there will always be a component that features the local talent,” Simmons said. “We’re really hoping that there will be a generation of interest in Birmingham’s music industry,” he said. “People tend to have to go out of the city to be discovered or recognized or whatever, and we want that to be able to happen here.”
Edited: August 5th, 2010
Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism
Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Aug. 14-17
The Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Aug. 14-17 in Montgomery. Gubernatorial candidates Dr. Robert Bentley and Commissioner Ron Sparks are the featured lunch speakers on Tuesday, Aug. 17. Other conference speakers include Dr. David Bronner, CEO, Retirement Systems of Alabama; Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Roger Brooks, CEO Destination Development International. There will be educational sessions on how to bring travelers to your attraction/event, managing social media, branding your entity, workshops with the state tourism department; and an update on the Alabama gulf coast. The Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism is being held at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa. Please see www.algovernorsconference.com for registration information.
Edited: August 5th, 2010
Richard Gere not selling the Bed and Breakfast
Continuing our theme of celebrity B&B owners, Richard Gere has this week dismissed rumours that he will be selling his New York B&B.
Gere and his wife opened The Bedford Post Inn in Westchester County in February last year, but after losing executive chef Brian Lewis and pastry chef Chris Broburg, reports have arisen that the Pretty Woman star is looking to move on from the hospitality industry.
The Bedford Post Inn, NY
Local resident and celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart was rumoured to be a possible buyer for the luxury B&B, although Stewart’s spokesperson denied this.
The lovingly restored farmhouse has an inn with eight beautiful rooms, two exclusive restaurants and a yoga studio.
Edited: August 3rd, 2010