July 23, 2008

FROM THE PRESIDENT
Our next citywide convention, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, is moving in to the convention center, and be sure to make your reservations now for Restaurant Week.

Opening Date for U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Announced
Congressional leaders recently announced that the official public opening date for the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center will be Dec. 2 - the same date the Statue of Freedom was placed atop the Capitol Building when completed in 1863. As the largest expansion of the U.S. Capitol, the Visitor Center will offer amenities to visitors including two large orientation movie theatres and an Exhibition Hall displaying rarely-seen documents and artifacts from the National Archives and the Library of Congress. Click here to read the press release.

Fenty Announces DC's Progress on Key Development Projects
Mayor Adrian Fenty announced last week that the District has made significant progress on more than two dozen key development projects in National Capital Revitalization Corp. (NCRC) and Anacostia Waterfront Corp. (AWC) portfolios. Since the District took control of the former corporation's assets a year ago, there are now more than $13 billion in economic development projects in DC's pipeline. Click here to read more.

American Theater Critics Association Gives a Nod to DC's Booming Theater Scene
The DC theater community, supported by Arlington Cultural Affairs, the League of Washington Theatres and The Helen Hayes Awards, hosted the annual American Theatre Critics Association conference in June, raising DC's profile as a major theatre destination. Check the Media Coverage section to see some of the resulting articles.

Destination DC Wins 2008 Distinctive Achievement Award
Based on a subscriber ballot vote in Association Conventions & Facilities magazine, Destination DC was given the 2008 Distinctive Achievement Award. Look for a special issue of the publication in August to view the article.

Register Now for Destination DC's Marketing Outlook Meeting
On Wed., Aug 27, please join Destination DC to review annual visitation statistics and take a progressive look at the year ahead during the Marketing Outlook Meeting from 8am-4pm at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. We've taken your suggestions to build an exciting new agenda featuring member roundtable and panel discussions on topics including cooperative opportunities, ways businesses can maximize efforts in today's economy and much more. Interested in sponsoring the event? Please contact Damelia Shaw at (202) 789-7052 or damelia.shaw@destinationdc.com.

Last Chance to Register for the July Monthly Forum
Destination DC's Monthly Forum will be held on Tues., July 29 at The Caucus Room from 9-11am. Learn how Destination DC is tapping into the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) market through research, tradeshows and other planned initiatives. The event also gives partners the opportunity to meet and network with each other and with Destination DC staff. Click here to register. If you are interested in hosting a Monthly Forum or have questions, contact Ashley Richards at ashley.richards@destinationdc.com or (202) 789-7009.

Join in the Citywide Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration
The DC area is gearing up for a grand celebration of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Organized by The American Experience Foundation in partnership with Destination DC and Cultural Tourism DC, the Lincoln Bicentennial commemoration will take place from January through April/ May 2009. The citywide celebration is a perfect opportunity to showcase Lincoln-themed programming at your attraction, hotel, restaurant or cultural institution. Click here to download the participation form.

Deadline Extended to Update Destination Planning Guide
There's still time to update your company listing for the 2008-2009 Destination Planning Guide on the Member Extranet. The final deadline to enter all updates has been extended to Fri., Aug. 1. Contact Ashley Richards at ashley.richards@destinationdc.com with questions. For advertising sales, contact Ellen Levin at ellen.levin@navteq.com.

Power List: Who's New & Notable

• Liz Huh is the new Vice President of Meetings & Expositions at the National Apartment Association (NAA).
• Jeremy Figoten is the new Vice President of Meetings at the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU).
• The U.S. Capitol Historical Society takes its For Freedom's Shadow exhibition on the road to Minneapolis for the Republican National Convention August 20- Sept. 9.