Buffalo's the Comeback Kid

When the Natl. Rural Letter Carriers' Assn. recently put its August 2012 convention out to bid, Buffalo, N.Y., jumped at the chance to host the citywide event. But when the dozen or so bids were whittled down, Pittsburgh and Atlantic City, N.J., were on the short list — and Buffalo wasn't.

Through a twist of fate, however, Atlantic City dropped out — and Buffalo was back in the game.

"Their prices were better than what Pittsburgh was offering," said Ruth Pugh, the association's national convention coordinator.

It was a close call though. "We found out we were basically the third city," said Richard Geiger, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau. But, after Atlantic City dropped out and its hopes were at least temporarily revived, the Buffalo team shifted gears and retooled its marketing plan to attract votes from the rural letter carrier delegates who were set to be polled on the site of their 2012 meeting at this year's Natl. Rural Letter Carriers' Assn. Convention, held July 31–Aug. 11 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The turn-around was a matter of weeks, and Buffalo gave it everything it had.

"We said, 'Yeah, let's do it. We'll go out there and make this happen,'" Geiger said. "We rolled up our sleeves and worked hard."

National Sales Manager Chuck Giglia gave a presentation to the delegates that focused on cost savings in Buffalo and its proximity to Niagara Falls. Along with him were representatives of the Buffalo Convention Center, where the event would be held, and two downtown hotels that would book the majority of the rooms.

Though Pugh wasn't in the room when Pittsburgh and Buffalo made their presentations to the more than 1,000 delegates, she said she was told Buffalo was much more enthusiastic and offered better deals to the potential attendees.

"Buffalo was using the 'free' word a lot more," Pugh added. "Things that would get their attention are free parking, free continental breakfast, free meeting space, good room rates, things like that."

The letter carriers, cost-conscious by nature, look for places that won't be too expensive, she said, and can be turned into a family vacation.

Geiger listed a number of things to do in Buffalo and the surrounding area including: the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo Zoo, Buffalo Naval and Military Park Buffalo Science Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House and Graycliff Estate, Erie Canal and Lake Erie Boat Cruises.

The delegates were sold on the city and the final vote was 1,100 to 100 to award the convention to Buffalo.

"It was a big win," Pugh said. "To my knowledge, we never had a win that big."

Buffalo, of course, was ecstatic.

"It's a great piece of business, especially for a community of our size," Geiger said. He estimated the convention, with its 3,000 attendees, would bring more than 5,000 room nights and an estimated economic impact of $2.4 million to the city.

"Buffalo's a great place to go to a convention in the summertime, especially coming with family," Geiger said.

Going to the Queen City is an added bonus for Pugh. "My granddaughter lives there," she said.