Education & Conf. Center NamingMEMORANDUM
July 10, 2002
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Naming of Education and Conference Center
The working name of the new convention center has been the Mississippi River
National Education and Conference Center. I respectfully recommend that a focus
group be formed to develop options and a recommendation on the final name of the
new convention facility. The members who would be involved are described in the
attached memorandum from Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
MEMORANDUM
July 2, 2002
TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Naming of Education and Conference Center
Discussion
Teri Goodman, Sue Czeshinski and I continue to discuss the issue of naming
opportunities for the education and conference center. It appears as if the City will have
more success pursuing naming opportunities inside the facility versus naming the entire
facility such as has been done with the HyVee Center in Des Moines, the Midwest
Express Center in Milwaukee or the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. This is based
largely upon discussions Teri Goodman has had with their fund-raising consultant and
with large foundations that have indicated that the new education and conference center
is not the type of facility that would garner a national sponsor to name the building after.
Currently our facility has been referred to as the Mississippi River National Education
and Conference Center. I would recommend that we obtain direction from the Mayor
and City Council that 1) this is the name that would like to retain on the building; or 2)
that they would like to pursue selection of a new name.
Should the Mayor and City Council recommend that we pursue a different name for the
facility, I would like to suggest that we use the following process:
1) Develop a naming focus group to include the following representatives:
· City staff- Susan Gwiasda & Tammy Gehling
· Mayor Terry Duggan
· 2 City Council representative
· Platinum Hospitality representatives - David Hockenberry, Gary Inks
and Sue Moran
· DCHS representative - Jeff Holmes, Teri Goodman and board
member
· CVB representative- Sue Czeshinski and board member
This group will hold a focus session with key members from the public,
specifically media professional, to develop a list of potential names. This is
similar to what was done last fall by the DCHS in developing a name for the
Museum and Aquarium building. I would suggest that the following individuals
from the public be invited to participate: Connie Gibbs (TH), Joe Hearn (DuPaco),
Peg Hudson (American Trust), Chris Apel (Loras College), Mike Cyze (Clarke
College), Peter Smith (University of Dubuque), Tom Culbertson (Get Smart),
Bryce Park (Dubuque365) and Jack McCullough (McCullough Graphics), Jeff
MacFarlane and Randy Gehl (Dubuque Ad club).
2) Review the list of potential names with the Port of Dubuque workgroup and
narrow to a list of 10.
3) Review the list of 10 names with an ad agency to analyze each of these
names and the artwork.
4) Bring the artwork back to the Port of Dubuque workgroup for recommendation
5) Take Port of Dubuque workgroup recommendations to City Council for
approval.
The sooner we confirm the name of the facility, the more opportunities we will have to
incorporate this into all of the America's River marketing efforts.
Action
I would like to test this process with you and the Vision Iowa workgroup at our next
meeting on July 3. Please let me know how you would like to proceed.
Cc: Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
Susan Gwiasda, Public Information Officer