Loading...
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce CVB_Quarterly Report L~ ~_.. ~ DUBU vE Q^ CONVENTION £~ VISITORS BUREAU October 2009 ~ Quarterly Report From: Keith Rahe ~ Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Re: Convention and Visitors Bureau ~ Quarterly Report Date: October 2009 WMT Tractorcade 500 plus tractors invade Dubuque County There was red, blue, yellow, white, green and orange. They were large and they were small. They were built in the past 100 years. And they were all in Dubuque for the 10th Annual WMT Tractorcade June 14-17! Over 500 tractors participated in this year's event that started and ended each day at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. Participants enjoyed lunch stops in Dyersville and in Holy Cross. This event brought over 1,000 people to Dubuque County to spectate, participate and appreciate the wide variety of tractors that have helped groom the farming landscape in the Midwest. Kronlage Receives Governor's Award Julie Kronlage, Director of Sales for the Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau, received a 2009 Governor's Volunteer Award at a ceremony on June 19 in Cedar Rapids. She was nominated by Nancy Landess, Manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. Landess had this to say about Kronlage, "It is my great pleasure to nominate Julie Kronlage to receive a Governor's Volunteer Award for serving as President of the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association where she oversaw the implementation of the Region Marketing Plan and Budget with the assistance of the Board and Region Director. The Eastern Iowa Tourism Association is a critical component of the Iowa tourism industry as they provide technical assistance, educational opportunities, newsletters, grants, representation at marketplaces and opportunities for networking with members of the 28 counties located in Eastern Iowa." Kronlage also serves on the Iowa Group Travel Association Board of Directors, is a District Leader for the Travel Federation of Iowa and has volunteered for a variety of organizations in Dubuque County. America's River Festival Fest Rocks to Enormous Crowd With over 7,000 people waiting in anticipation for the musical performances of Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Blue Oyster Cult on Saturday, June 13, the America's River Festival hit a record number with attendance! As crowds came together singing in unison their favorite classic rock songs, it was truly an unforgettable night. Within minutes after the concert began, a sea of people filled the McGraw-Hill parking lot. The Spazmatics took the stage on Friday night as they dressed as nerds singing and reenacting what we would call in the 1980's decade "way cool" dance moves that we would love to forget. Their creative flair and style made for an evening of pure energy and entertainment. Once again, DockDogs, a festival favorite, kicked off the weekend with a high number of spectators and participants who grabbed the attention of every individual walking through the entrance. Fly Dogs, new at the event this year, showed us how dogs can use their skill and diversity to quickly weave through poles, jump through hoops, race down a line of hurdles and finish running through tunnels. The Festival took another new twist this year as we were graced with a live appearance on Sunday, June 14, by the Cat in The Hat and Curious George. Children had an opportunity to meet first hand with these two popular icons. Page ~. • Monster truck rides, traditional & water inflatable's, bean bag tournaments, local food vendors, regional bands and much more entertainment was at the convenience of every individual of all ages throughout the entire weekend. Stay tuned for the 2010 America's River Festival entertainment! Travel Federation of Iowa District Leaders Keith Rahe, Director of the Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau and Julie Kronlage, Director of Sales have been appointed to be District Leaders for the Travel Federation of Iowa. The Travel Federation of Iowa is a statewide, grassroots organization whose mission is to advance the Iowa Tourism industry. Iowa Cubs Sales Event The Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau staff along with staff from the Grand River Center, Hotel Julien Dubuque and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium educated, entertained and showcased Dubuque to Association Planners from the Des Moines area on July 17. The event was the Iowa Cubs baseball game against the Nashville Sounds at Principal Parkin Des Moines. This unique sales blitz gave planners who may not have thought about bringing their convention to Dubuque a chance to see and hear about all of the great meeting space the area has to offer. A short presentation on the many opportunities in the Dubuque region was given followed by a great baseball game. The Association Planners in attendance went away with a winning look at Dubuque and the many opportunities it offers for their future conventions. Since this event, the CVB has scheduled 2 site visits with Associations that were in attendance that evening. One of the groups has been having their convention at Okoboji for the last 45 years and is very interested in the Dubuque area. CVB Receives DRA Grant The Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau has been awarded a 2009 grant from the Dubuque Racing Association. This grant will be utilized to purchase items for promoting the Dubuque area at regional and national tradeshows. This will also be used to update the promotional Dubuque DVD. Winter Iowa Games Press Conference On July 23, the Dubuque Regional Sports Commission, Loras College and the Iowa Sports Foundation held a press conference at Loras College to announce a new 3 year extension of the agreement for the Dubuque area to host the annual Winter Iowa Games. Dubuque has been the host of this event for the last 14 years. At least 3,000 athletes and their families from more than 60 counties will converge on Dubuque for the 17th annual Games January 29-31, 2010. The Winter Iowa Games creates a $2.3 million economic impact on the Dubuque region through it's participants and spectators. The Dubuque Regional Sports Commission is thrilled to be a major sponsor for this signature event for the Dubuque community. Art Market A new project on the horizon for 2010 is the Art Market. Keith Rahe and Katie Simmons from the Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau have been in planning sessions with representatives from Stone Cliff Winery and the Dubuque Art Center. Plans are underway to create a Art Market on the Riverwalk in the Port of Dubuque each Saturday afternoon July 4th through Labor Day weekend. Selected artists would have their wares on display for sale from 1:00 - 6:00 pm. The Market would also have music, food and beverages for the crowds to enjoy. The CVB would market this event to Madison, Chicago, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. CSI: Dubuque (Customer Service Intel) The Dubuque Convention and Visitors Bureau has developed a new program called CSI: Dubuque (Customer Service Intel). This is a complimentary service training program delivered to front line employees by the CVB Staff. CSI: Dubuque is a program that provides front line staff tangible facts and information to help them give visitors/tourists the best experience they can have while in the Dubuque Region. We felt that training needed to be done with the persons with the most contact with our Visitor/Guests in the community. This training doesn't cover how to treat a visitor, but what information and/or activities that can be given to enhance their experience. The CSI: Dubuque training team consists of the CVB Staff (Keith Rahe, Julie Kronlage, Katie Simmons & Stacy Hubanks), John Sutter (National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium), Janice Morgan (Grand Harbor), Lori Bahl (Diamond Jo) and Bob Eichman (Dubuque Historical Society). Page 2 The programs are always scheduled at the convenience of the business and lasts approximately 45 minutes. We talk about Tourism in the Dubuque Region and the impact that it has on our economy and about the history of Dubuque. We also provide them with a Dubuque Information book which has specific sections; Events, Attractions, Sample Itineraries, Lodging, Dining Options, Best Fest List 2009, Maps, and Visitor Guide. Also included in the book are directions to the attractions made property specific for that business. The CVB has done presentations to these businesses: • Country Inn & Suites • Diamond Jo Casino (2 Sessions) • Bed & Breakfasts Virginia's Cottage The Mandolin Inn Clarke Manor The Tredway House The Quiet Walker Lodge • Galena Welcome Center • Grand River Center • Mainstay Suites • Hilton Garden Inn • Liberty Bank • Dyersville Dyersville Chamber of Commerce Dyersville Economic Development Comfort !nn Plaza Antique Mall National Farm Toy Museum Dyer-Botsford Doll Museum/Historical Society Field of Dreams Tradeshows The CVB took a fresh look at convention marketing this year and has targeted three new tradeshows to attend. The Connect Marketplace took place at the end of August. It was a show that targeted the SMERF market. Julie Kronlage attended and felt very good about the meetings. A site visit is already being set up for a group in October that hosts meetings annually in Chicago. Follow up calls are being made and follow up mailings have been sent out. Upcoming shows include: Rejuvenate Marketplace on October 27-298 in Birmingham, AL - a Religious Conventions show Convention Front The following are conventions that are looking to book in Dubuque, but have not secured at this point . A lot of Iowa Associations Iowa Jaycees -February 2010 Iowa Beta Sigma Phi -April 2011 Iowa Parent Teacher Association - 2011 Iowa Psychological Association - 2010 and or 2011 Site Visits have also been going very well in Dubuque. In August the Iowa Grocery Association was in town for a two day visit. They have held their meeting in Okoboji for years and are starting to think going into a different community. They were very impressed and the CVB Sales Staff thinks we might have landed them The Association of Business of Industry also visited in August. This group has confirmed Dubuque as their home for convention in June of 2011. They will be at the Grand River Center Hometown Hero The Hometown Hero campaign received a new look this year. Earlier this year a mailing was sent out to all Chamber members to learn what associations and organizations they are involved in that the CVB could contact to bring to Dubuque. The response on that mailing was pretty good. Page 3 i In this month's Business Times the CVB also placed an ad focusing on Hometown Hero. The goal is to show Dubuque Businesses that their peers are Hometown Hero's and they should also want to become one. Another ad will run in the November Business Times featuring Diane Hanson of Alliant Energy. And it is also getting to be that time of year for the CVB to start thinking about the Hometown Hero Caroling. This year it will take place on Thursday, December 10. The CVB along with members of the hospitality industry in Dubuque will hop on a trolley and visit businesses who have helped to bring business to Dubuque and show their appreciation by singing Christmas carols. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Travel Iowa Marketplace Julie Kronlage and Katie Simmons, on September 17, along with 9 other hotels and attractions from the Dubuque area attended the Travel Iowa Marketplace in Des Moines. This event was hosted by the Iowa Group Travel Association and was the 14th annual. The tradeshow is an opportunity to showcase the Dubuque region to Bank Travel Planners from across the State of Iowa. The Dubuque group felt the event went very well with 4 banks already booking tours to our area in 2010. Follow up with the rest will continue within the next few weeks. Iowa Convention & Visitors Bureau Directors Meeting Keith Rahe, Director of the Dubuque CVB attended a State of Iowa CVB Directors meeting in Des Moines on September 16. This is a quarterly meeting of all the CVB Directors from across the state to discuss various issues within the travel industry. Topics of conversation were the upcoming legislative session and School Start Date, State of Iowa Tourism Funding and the Regional Sports Commissions. Dubuque Regional Sports Commission On behalf of the Dubuque Regional Sports Commission, we are proud to announce that Dubuque has been granted certification in remaining one of ten regional sports authority districts in Iowa for FY'10! Athletics in the Dubuque region offer an extensive list events; Including the Winter Iowa Games, Iowa Special Olympics, International Dragon Boat Races, Patriot Night at the Park and much more. Our goal is to preserve and continue the success of each event in the community and create easier efforts for individuals to participate and remain active locally. The Dubuque Regional Sports Commission takes pride in promoting, marketing and developing a strong sporting event base within the tri-state area. In FY'09, the Dubuque Regional Sports Commission secured and assisted 13 events bringing an economic impact of $1.6 million to the region. The nine remaining cities who received certification are Ames, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, Quad Cities and Waterloo/Cedar Falls. International Dragon Boat Races The Dubuque Dragon Boat Association hosted the 22"d annual Dragon Boat Races on September 12th and 13th, 2009 at Miller Riverview Park. As a continued sponsor, the Dubuque Regional Sports Commission is proud to support an event that focuses on the education of diverse cultures, the association of Asian culture with Dragon Boat Racing as well as team building. This year's event hosted 36 teams, 900 participants and a record number in junior involvement of 16 teams ages 11-18. Within the tri-state area, both competitors and spectators make use of 400 hotel rooms and create an economic impact of $300,000 within the region. Winter Iowa Games In 2009, the Winter Iowa Games faced a significant decrease amongst basketball team participation as well as referees. Recently, the Dubuque Regional Sports Commission reached out to Loras College seeking assistance amongst students involved in a Sports Officiating course to help with recruitment. The recruitment will be geared towards youth of both males and females grades 4th- 8th. Amongst the four students participating, they have each received a significant amount of experience in this aspect such as internships with the Iowa Sports Foundation and two who play basketball for Loras College. Page 4 Tourism Marketing Dubuque: Vacations Reinvented • On May 15th the Convention & Visitors Bureau unveiled a new media campaign. The new campaign utilizes three primary tag lines focused at consumer, convention and group tour markets: Dubuque: Vacations Reinvented Dubuque: Conventions Reinvented Dubuque: Tours Reinvented The campaign utilizes vivid photography of the Dubuque Area and smart headlines to reach tourists. This $291,000 advertising campaign includes $60,000 of investment from regional partners. The campaign will be seen within a 250 mile radius through billboard, magazine, newspaper, radio, e.blasts, and direct mail. Advertising placement highlights since May 15, 2009: PRINT Newsweek: A full page color ad ran in the May 25th issue of Newsweek in the greater Chicago Metro Area reaching 700,000 readers. A second ad ran on June 8th featuring the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. Meetings MidAmerica: With a focus on convention business, ads were placed in the June and the July/August Meetings Mid America magazines and their annual Directory. Meetings MidAmerica is one of the premier Midwest meeting and conference publications. Big River Magazine: Big River Magazine is a publication about activities on or near the Upper Mississippi River and reaches more than twenty thousand people. A unique opportunity arose for Dubuque to be featured on a two page spread on the inside front cover. Julien's Journal: Recognizing the importance of extending a visitor's stay in the Dubuque area, ads were placed in Julien's Journal magazine. Julien's Journal is placed in hotel and motel rooms throughout the Dubuque Area. The July & August 2009 editions featured Dyersville, IA and the September 2009 issue featured Potosi and the 'SideTrips Reinvented'. TELEVISION Television in Chicago & Minneapolis: In partnership with the State of Iowa, the Dubuque CVB was featured in television ads in the Chicago and Minneapolis Markets for six weeks this Spring. From April 20th -May 24th. 509 leads have already been received via the State Tourism Office. RADIO Cedar Rapids Radio Campaign in Partnership with the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: The Dubuque CVB and the NMRMA collaborated in the application of a Vision Iowa Marketing Grant. $10,000 was received from the State of Iowa for this radio campaign running May 25 -July 19 in the Cedar Rapids metro area. Radio: :60 radio commercials are running on WMMM/WCHY/WOLX and WZEE in Madison, WI from June 29 through September 27. Page 5 • BILLBOARD • Billboards: The Dubuque CVB continues to market via five billboards. New designs for these billboards were installed in July. • Hwy 20 at Rockford • Hwy 20 at Freeport • Hwy 20 at Stockton • US 61 North of Maquoketa • US 151 Dodgeville E.BLASTS E.Blasts to Leisure Travelers: A series of three e.blasts was sent to 37,000 leisure travelers in target markets of Des Moines, Madison and Milwaukee. The first e.blast was sent on June 20th and was themed Family Fun. The second in the series was sent on July 28 and themed for festivals. The third e.blasts to consumers was sent September 3`d and featured sidetrips. E.Blasts to Corporate Meeting Planners: On September 17th an e.blast was sent to 14,000 meeting planners in Madison, Des Moines, Milwaukee and Davenport/Betterndorf. DIRECT MAIL Direct Mail Piece to Leisure Travelers: A wonderful direct mail piece was created and direct mailed in early July to 10,000 households in the Madison, Milwaukee, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids marketing. Editorial Dubuque has been featured in regional and nationalmedia recently: • Meetings Mid America ~ June 2009 A four page spread entitled 'Cultivated Cornucopia' featured meeting options throughout Iowa. Dubuque commanded a presence in this publication through editorial, full page of advertising and the selection of two photos of Dubuque: Riverwalk and Stone Cliff Winery. • Meetings Mid America ~ July/August 2009 Each month Meetings Mid America magazine selects one community to feature in its WOW section. We were honored to have Dubuque selected for the July/August issue. This two page full color spread included photos of the Riverwalk, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Courthouse, Star Brewery, Grand River Center, Hotel Julien Dubuque, Spirit of Dubuque and the Four Mounds Ropes Course. • Tampa, FL Tribune The June 2, 2009 issue of the Tampa, FL Tribune included a story entitled 'Dubuque a model for civic progress' which highlighted the All America City Award, IBM's selection of Dubuque and ENVISION. • Group Travel Leader On June 4th, travel writer Eliza Tychonievich visited the Dubuque area for an overnight stay. During her stay she focused on the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, dining along the river at Catfish Charlies, stayed at the Grand Harbor and visited Dyersville. Page 6 • • • USAToday.com On June 15, 2009, USA Today's My Town was Dubuque, IA. It included a photo of the skyline. • Chicagotribune.com The Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade that rolled throughout Dubuque County was the focus of a June 16`n story entitled 'More than 500 Tractors Join Annual Iowa Joyride'. The CVB worked closely with WMT Radio to bring the Tractorcade and related economic impact to the Dubuque area. • Daily London Herald On July 2"d, travel writer Toby Harnden visited Dubuque and stayed at the Hotel Julien and visited the Diamond Jo Casino. • Post Tribune & Journal & Topics On July 24-26`n, travel writers Michael & Ursula Michaelson visited Dubuque. During their stay they experienced the Hotel Julien, a Historic Trolley Tour, Stone Cliff Winery and Dubuque River Rides. His story, 'Romp along the Revitalized Riverfront' published on August 30`n • Courier Magazine The August 2009 Courier Magazine, targeted at National Travel Association members included a photo of the Celebration Belle. • Better Homes & Gardens On August 13 & 14`n, we hosted Mr. Christian Millman, Deputy Editor/Health and Family of Better Homes and Gardens. His visit was for an article entitled 'Best Places to Experience Fall'. He experienced the Hotel Julien, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Eagle Point Park & the Fenelon Place Elevator. • USA Today On September 15`n, USAtoday.com included an article entitled 'Autumn colors are easy to find in Iowa.'. It has a specific reference and link to www.dubuqueriverrides.com. • Parenting Magazine On September 24`n, the photo editor of Parenting Magazine, a wonderful read national publication, contacted us to obtain photos of Dubuque for an online story. • Acreage Magazine of Heartland Publishing On October 8`n, Acreage Magazine contacted us for fall photos of Bluff and Main Street. • CNNMoney.com On October 12, photo editor Neil Harris, contacted us for photos for an upcoming story on small business. • Chicago Tribune We are currently in dialogue with the Chicago Tribune to schedule an upcoming visit for them. • The Beachwood Reporter ~ NBCChicago.com We are currently in dialogue with the Beachwood Reporter and NBCChicago.com to schedule an upcoming visit for them as they are intrigued by the Hotel Julien's AI Capone Suite. Page 7 • Grants The Dubuque CVB received a Dubuque Racing Association Grant in the amount of $9, 074 for amulti-media items to continue to promote Dubuque. The items include new footage, editing and updating of the 8 minute Dubuque Tourism DVD, LCD screen for at trade shows, projector and Dubuque table cloth/skirting for trade shows. The Dubuque CVB also received $5,000 from the State of Iowa for out-of-state marketing. The dollars will be utilized for a billboard on highway 20 by Rockford. Print Collateral The City Map of Dubuque is hot off the press. This 24" x 36" map folds to 4" x 9". It is available for all Chamber members, citizens and visitors to utilize. 10,000 maps were printed. America's River Festival In addition to the multi-media marketing campaign that was developed & launched prior to the America's River Festival, June was the PR blitz for the festival which included a dozen pre-schedule PR events including a live interview on KWWL at their Waterloo studio, numerous radio interviews and live radio and television broadcasts from the festival site. The America's Festival tab published on June 7"' in the Telegraph Herald. Another key aspect of the festival is the variety of signage that is created for around the festival site. 'I Love Dubuque' Television Show This monthly television program produced in partnership with Mediacom is hosted by Molly Grover and Kevin Lynch. It airs on Mediacom channel 15 at lam, loam, 4pm & 8pm daily. It also airs state-wide on Mediacom 22. The show is delivered to nearly one million households in more than 300 Iowa communities. The show features live, work & play quality of life segments. Each show has a different seasonal theme. The June Show was a preview to summer fun! Co-hosts, Kevin Lynch, Molly Grover and Kelley Schiesl enjoyed an adventure filled day around Dubuque in preparation to preview summer fun in Dubuque. Throughout the day they enjoy marvelous weather at Dubuque Golf & Country Club, delight in an ice cream cone at Betty Jane Candies, swing the golf club and bat at Derby Grange Golf & Recreation. They end their day with a stroll along the Riverwalk, a toast to the view from the Star Restaurant and Ultra Lounge outdoor patio and a relaxing boat ride on the Miss Dubuque. The July/August Show was filmed at new heights as we took to the July 3~d air show aboard the plane with the US Golden Knights parachute team. We meet the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team on the ground July 2"d as a crowd gathered in the Nativity parking lot to kick-off the holiday weekend. Kevin, Kelley and Jim Barefoot of Mediacom took to the sky with them during the 24`h Annual Fireworks and Air Show Spectacular presented by the Dubuque Jaycees, AM 1370 KDTH, 92.9 KAT FM, 97.3 KGRR, and 101.1 the River on July 3~d. The footage is amazing as we were seated [and belted in] right next to the open doors on the plane. Words cannot describe the excitement and adventure that this episode has! 'Festivals, Festivals, festivals!' In September It's no secret that Dubuque is home to an amazing array of festivals! Our current show explores the multitude of festivals. They view the America's River Festival from the top of the McGraw Hill Building and visit with Keith Rahe to learn the economic impact of festivals and tourism in Dubuque. An afternoon at the Dubuque County Fair and an evening at All that Jazz, complete with an pre-Jazz interview with Dean Wilgenbusch at L.May Eatery. The show concludes with Kevin interviewing Gaelic Storm musicians, Steve Twigger & Patrick Murphy, before going on stage to a phenomenal crowd at the Irish Hooley! Page 8 • KCRG Our Town Road Show KCRG-TV9 is in Dubuque twice in June to film their summer travel series, "Our Town Road Trip." This year KCRG put a new twist on "Our Town." For the past 18 years, KCRG has adopted four communities, featuring local tourist destinations and interesting stories. This year KCRG-TV9 embarked on a 700 mile tour of eastern Iowa, visiting 34 communities in its "Road Trip RV." The Dubuque Chamber worked closely with KCRG producer, Travis Boekenstedt to arrange for logistics and itinerary so when the RV pulled into Dubuque on June 18, we hit the ground running for 6 hours of filming with anchor Clair Kellett and Katie Wiedemann. Locations included the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Star Restaurant & Ultra Lounge, and the Fenelon Place Elevator. The day included a tour around town in a convertible mini-cooper compliments of Kruse Warthan Dubuque Auto Plaza and a boat ride and water skiing on the Mississippi. KCRG has selected Dubuque to be the kick-off for the entire series on Monday, June 29th as they aired the 6 am morning news, llam mid-day news and evening news LIVE from Dubuque! Press Conference ~ Winter Iowa Games On July 23`d, the Dubuque Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Iowa Sports Foundation, and Loras College hosted a press conference at Loras College to announce the return of the Winter Iowa Games to Dubuque. Each year the Games bring an estimated 6,000 visitors and 2.6 million dollars in economic impact to our city during the winter season. Media Releases • May 11 Heritage Club Selects Dubuque for 2011 • May 13 CVB Celebrates Tourism Month at May 14th Breakfast • June 10 Dubuque to Host Tractorcade • June 17 Kronlage & Breitsprecker to receive Governor's Volunteer Award • July 9 Dragon Boat Festival • July 14 Great River Rumble Canoe Trip to be in Dubuque • July 21 Iowa Winter Games ~ Media Advisory • July 23 Iowa Winter Games ~ Media Release Page 9 Dubuque Convention 8 Visitors Bureau Convention Calendar Master _t._~____~'~_--- ~--~'~.__. _ _- ~ _ 2009 USA Archery January 2-4 2009 250 University of Dubuque Squirt A Hockey Toumament January 10-11 2009 200 Iowa Special Olympics State Winter Games January 12-14 2009 600 Five Flags/Sundown Iowa Winter Games January 23-25 2009 6,000 Five Flags Grace Baptist Church January 23 2009 50 Mock Trials January 30-31 2009 700 Loras College Illinois Special Olympics February 3-4 2009 200 2009 Iowa State Men's Bowling February 7 -May 21(weekends) 2009 10,000 Bowling & Beyond/Creslanes Squirt A Hockey Toumament February 14-15 2009 120 Five Flags MITE Hockey Tournament February 14-15 2009 100 Five Flags Rural Ministry Conference March 1-3 2009 125 Wartburg Seminary Put a Lid On It: Protecting our Water Resources Today and into the Future March 3-4 2009 150 Grand River Center Northeas[em Iowa Synod Lutheran Youth Organization March 7-8 2009 100 Grand Harbor Resort Iowa Heat Pump Association Meeting March 10-12 2009 277 Grand River Center Eagles Club Bowling Toumament March 20-21, 27-28; April4-5 2009 100 Diamond Jo/ Hurster Cup March 20-22 2009 3,000 Five Flags District 9 NE Lions Convention April 3-5 2009 150 Holiday Inn Iowa Law Enforcement Academy I Jail Service Training April 14-t6 2009 90 Holiday Inn Stale of Iowa Catholic Daughters Convention April 16-18 2009 225 Holiday Inn FLW Fishing Toumament April 24-25 2009 200 Diamond Jo Crown Victoria Association May 23-25 2009 90 Jerry Story Square Dance Festival May 23-25 2009 300 Fairgrounds Tri-State Alliance May 27-28 2009 200 Loras College Corn Cob National Wrestling Toumament June 6-7 2009 500-600 Star Motorcycle Club June 2009 150-250 Days lnn 4 State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference June 9-11 2009 320 Grand Harbor TOMRV Bike Ride June 13-14 2009 1,500 Clarke College WMT Tractorcade June 14-17 2009 1,000 Fairgrounds Iowa Ayrshire Association Convention June 16-20 2009 300 RTA Roadeo 20-Jun 2009 150 Grand River Center UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association) July 7-10 2009 200 Clarke College UDA (Universal Dance Association) July 11-14 2009 100 Clarke College Loras Academy 55th Class Reunion July 17-19 2009 40 Holiday Inn Fettketter Family Reunion t9-Jul 2009 150 Silker Pavilion, Epworth Lemon Tree Estate Winter Texans Juty 20-23 2009 100 Best Western Midway North American Trainers Association July 22-27 2009 150 Dubuque Regional Airport/Hilton Iowa Private College Week August 3-7 2009 400 Holy Trinity Catholic School 55th Class Reunion August t4-16 2009 65 Loras Academy Reunion August 28-29 2009 150 Grand River Center Senior H.S. 45th Class Reunion September 4-5 2009 150 Arizona I Iowa Group September 1-3 2009 50 Firemen's Convention September 11-13 2009 2,000 Dyersville Iowa State Feis September 11-13 2009 700 Grand River Center Vintage Chevy Club September 13-18 2009 80 Country Inn Ft Suites, Galena Arrny Buddy Reunion September 15-17 2009 35 Mainstay Suites Midwest Newspaper Associafion September 16-17 2009 250 Grand River Center Kaiser-Frazer Car Club September 17-19 2009 100 Best Westem Midway E-Collar Palozza 5 September 17-20 2009 100 That's My Dog Iowa Society of Radiologists September 25-26 2009 200 Grand River Center Loras College Homecoming September 25-27 2009 5,000 Loras College Clarke College Homecoming September 25-27 2009 800 Clarke College Mid America BowlFest September 27-30 2009 225 Iowa Rural Water Association September 28-30 2009 200 Grand River Center Mines of Spain Run October3 2009 100 Cartegraph Users Conference October 5-9 2009 300 2009 Safety & Evaluation Conference October 2009 100 Grand River Center/Dubuque Regional Airport University of Dubuque Homecoming October 9-11 2009 500 University of Dubuque Little People Convention October 9-11 2009 200 Grand River Center Mercedes Club October 17 2009 30 Dubuque River Rides Iowa Nurses October 25-27 2009 500 GRC National Farm Toy Show November 6-8 2009 15,000 Dyersville 2010 Iowa Special Olympics State Winter Games January 11-13 2010 600 Coca-Cola Iowa Winter Games January 29-31 2010 6,000 Five Flags Illinois Special Olympics Februrary 2-4 2010 600 All Iowa Open Dance & Cheer Annual Tournament Febraury 27-28 2010 5,000 five Flags CSA Gymnastics Febuary 12-14 2010 400 GRC Midwest Geothermal Conference Marcy 30-Aprill 2010 300 District 5790 Rotary Convention April 2010 200 GRC Iowa World Organization of China Painting May 19-22 2010 100 GRC Summer Farrn Toy Show June 2010 6,000 Dyersville Community Center Gudenkauf Family Reunion July 2-4 2010 150 Eagle Point Park North American Trainers Association (??) July 2010 150 Dubuque Regional Airport/Hilton Iowa Association of County Auditors July 27-30 2010 200 GRC Loras Academy Class of 1955 Reunion August 2010 110 Senior High School 60th Reunion September 15-17 2010 130 Hotel Julien Iowa Association of Realtors September 21-23 2010 600 2010 National Dock Dogs Championship October 15-t7 2010 500 Holiday Inn/Port of DBQ Mid-TESOL October 2010 200 Ho[elJulien Loras College Homecoming October 2010 800 Loras College Clarke College Homecoming October 2010 800 Clarke College University of Dubuque Homecoming October 2010 200 University of Dubuque National Farrn Toy Show November 2010 15,000 Dyernille Community Center 2011 Heritage Clubs Peer Group Meeting March 23-27,2011 220 Hotel Julien IA Geographic Information Council (IGIC) April, 2011 300 Grand River Center International Meeting of Lay Cistercian Communities May 14-21, 2011 150 Clarke College Three Rails Three States May 20-22, 2011 10D Holiday Inn Midwset Gang Investigators Nay 22-25, 2011 250 Grand River Center Association of Business & Industry June, 2011 500 Grand River Center National Association for Rural Mental Health July, 2011 200 Grand River Center 2013 Iowa League of Cities Sept 25-27, 2013 1,000 Grand River Center National Holstein Convention Jun-14 1200 Grand River Center