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Chamber Conv & Visitors ReportOctober 30, 2003 Menlo To~ Mayor Duggan City Council Members City Manager, Mike Van Milligen Jim Waller, Chair Dubuque County Supervisors Fr~ John Tallent, Chair Sue Czeshinski, Director Re: Quarterly Repor~ July-October 2003 The Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to report that the third quarter saw dramatic increases in visitation to the Dubuque area. Marketing efforts included a significant radio campaign, point of purchase campaign, print advertising to attract consumers, and the hiring of an additional staff person to step up the convention promotions effort prior to the opening of the Grand River Center. Brandon Houlihan has been hired as our new Sales and Services Manager and will work on handling the Hometown Hero Campaign and servicing all incoming groups for the Bureau. The Consumer Marketing effort has been extremely successful this summer. Over 150,000 people toured the Museum in its first three months of operation and hotel/motel occupancy was up as well. The radio campaign ran in nine markets surrounding Dubuque and focused on promoting all of the offerings in the Port of Dubuque as well as in the area. The Point of Purchase Campaign was a joint promotion with Galena that encouraged visitors to register to win a weekend in Dubuque or Galena. Over 3,000 travelers' names have been collected in the last month. This will be part of an ongoing database that will be used for tracking and for future promotional offers. Print advertising continues to run in the Chicago Magazine and Oprah Magazine encouraging visitors to go to our website for travel planning details. The site is averaging over 20,000 visits each month. Over 12,000 requests for information were received from our print and radio campaign through paper, internet, and phone requests. Brochures continue to be distributed in surrounding cities and all the Visitors Guides have been used this year. A larger number of Guides have been ordered for next year to accommodate the number of increased requests we can expect. Convention Marketing and Group Sales continues to produce results. A number of groups have been requesting bids from the CVB to host conferences in Dubuque. Meeting planners continue to be very impressed with the new facilities that we have to offer. Some have offered to write testimonials for us to use in our marketing effort! We will be sending a three piece direct mail campaign that has been created to invite planners to come in December to tour the facilities. Since our last report we have 21 additional meetings & conferences that have selected Dubuque, sent another 18 proposals, and are actively working with 14 outstanding bids. Another 2 events rebooked their 2004 events in Dubuque as their 2003 events here were successful. The sales staff is actively receiving phone calls from meeting planners. On average, one unique planner a week calls into the Bureau for additional information on a possible conference to be held in Dubuque. Therefore, we have over 200 active conference leads that we are continuously working. We will be working with the airport to register for several new national shows that are now part of our expanded marketing effort. Some of these shows include the Destination Showcase in Chicago, the Affordable Meetings Showcase in Washington D.C. and California, and Holiday Showcase in Chicago. The CVB continues to work with writers doing upcoming features on Dubuque. Attached is a current list of features. The CVB hosted the editor of National Bank Travel Magazine and the Group Leader Magazine for a site tour for a feature to run in 2004. The CVB coordinated an aerial photo shoot in September to capture the project site now that the buildings are complete. There are over 700 new pictures of the Port of Dubuque f~om air and ground for us to use in furore promotions. We were also able to get the Spirit of Dubuque and Miss Dubuque as well as the Mississippi Queen in these photos. Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation AAA Home & Away Iowa, Wisconsin, Feature Editorial on America's iu progress for Minnesota, Illinois July/Augus_t 2004 River media visit ...... 788,000 AAA Home & Away Iowa Feature on the Opening of America's Edition 2004 River 3/28/2003 AAA Home & Away Feature Editorial on Grand in progress for Full Circulation M?ch/Aprl12004 Excursion media visit 3,400,000 :Altoona Mirror Clippin~- Altoona, Pennsylvania May 4, 2003 Mississippi museum to o~e_n_J_une 28 Service 40,888 Anchorage Daily News Travel Digest: New Iowa museum Clipping Anchorage, Alaska September 14, 2003 celebrates Mississippi Service 84,417 A river z~ns through it: New Anderson Independent Mail museum, aqum'imn in Iowa Clipping M~derson, South Carolina August 24, 2003 showcases the Mighty~M!s_~!~i_ppi __ Service~ 46,302 ,M~tique Week Knightstown, Indiana New museum showcases history of Clipping Central Edition September 8, 2003 Mississippi River Service 64,000 Arizona Daily Star Old Mm~ River gets respect at new Clipping Tucson, Arizona I July 20, 2003 musemn Service 179,853 Asbury Park Press World-class showcase for the ~l~pping Neptune, New Jersery August 10, 2003 Mississippi in Iowa Service 220,550 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Alny Link, Marketiug Manager I I Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulatio~ Meeting Plmmer Guide Association References Conference Center Update CD-Rom Ran in March 2003 The Heartland Issue Described all Association News, Issue Meetng Facilities in Dubuque 12/20/2002 printed Atlanta Journal Constitution New Iowa aquarium honors the Clipping Atlanta, Georgia August~_17, 2003 Mississippi Service 658,581 Austin American Statesman Musemn displays new ways to look Cli~l~ing Austin, Texas August 10, 200~3 at might Mississippi Service 233,608 2003 Online AwayTravelGuide.com Directory Updated Directory Listing 2/24/2003 Charles City Press Clipping Ch_ arles City, Iowa August 12, 2003 Explo~_i.~ng_Io_~w_a__de_s~fi~?tions_ ............ Se_~-vic~ ,Midwest Getaways Special Advertising Supplement to Clipping Chicago Life August 1, 2003 the New York Times Service 50,000 Chicago Sun Times July 20, 2003 A mighty museum i Clipping ............................... _S~[vice 382,741 Clipping Chicago Tribune May 25,200~3 Our Mississippi Service __i,026,407 Many trips likely to be closer to CVB Chicago Tribune May 11, 2003 home .................. _~ Search Clipping Chicago Tribune City September 14, 2003 River museum opens,] Service 1,026,407 O~3O~2OO3 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Iowa: Facility cltronicles life on the CNN.eom July 17, 2003 Mississippi River Corporate & Incentive ~rravel August 2003 August Issue Features Midwest ~__6/15/2003 Iowa Destination Snapshots Courier _May 2003 Riverfront 3/1/2003 Courier Post Clipping Cherry Hill, New Jersey ...... _July 27, 2003 [nfo to Go: River gets due Service 97,763 Courier Call the Courier Clipping Waterloo, Iowa _J~ly 22, 2003 Questions on Musemn Admission .... Service 46,004 Come Explore the America's River Project at the Port of Dubuque CTA Newsletter America's River Invitation to FAM Tot[rs 12/1/2002 printed Daily Gate City Clipping Keokuk, Iowa June 30, 2003 TomSsts explore river museum (AP) Service 9,000 Daily Gate City ..... Dubuque credits riverfront project '~lipping i Service 9,000 Keokuk, Iowa _~ __J_uly 9, 2003 for tourism rise Placed by Travel Writer in Travel ] Section of Newspaper America's River Focus Total Circulation of 3 newspapers is 486,000 Plan a major outing to a minor- Daily Herald May 12, 2003 leageue ballpark Field of Dreams 3/3/2003 486,000 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Informatiou Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Daily News - Sun The Mississippi: New museum and Clipping S_u_n_ City, A~'izona July 30, 2003 aquarium opens in Iowa Service 20,159 Daily News Clipping Woodland Hills, California September 21, 2003 Big Muddy Buddy Service 200,570 Daily Record World-class showcase for the Clipping Parsippany, New Jersey August 10, 2003 Mississippi in Iowa Service 54,297 Daily Review Atlas Tourists explore Mississippi River Clipping Mo~unouth, Illinois June 30, 2003 museum (AP) Service 2,856 Placed by Travel Writer in Travel Section of Newspaper America's River Focus Total Circulation of 3 newspapers is 486,000 Rivertown renaissance rolls into Des Moines Register May I 1, 2003 Dubuque 3/3/2003 254,820 Iowans to join crowded roads for Clipping Des Moines Register July 3, 2003 long weekend .... Ser~ic~e .... _1_5_3,_ 792~ Rethi~king vacations, Dubuque, Clipping Des Moines Register July 9, 2003 Vision Iowa .......... ~ Service 153,792 Clipping Des Moi_nes Register August 17, 2003 Calendar - Dubuque Museum of Art Service 254,820 Deseret Morning News Iowa museum tells sto~y of the Clipping Salt Lake City, Utah August 3, 2003 Mississippi Service 69,328 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marl~et#tg Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Destinations Magazine by Issue Featured Iowa the American Bus America's River Update Association December 2002 CD-Rom & Other Images }_ 10/21/2002 ___ Destinations Magazine by the American Bus Association December 2003 Feature Issue on the Heartland 11/7/2003 Tourists explore new Misssissippi Clipping iEffingham Daily News June 30, 2003 River museum (AP) ..... Service 13,226 Article from Travel Writer who visited several months ago America's River focus Fmuily Fun M_agazine June 2003 Circulation of 1.5 million 10/14/2002 America's River: Creating a national Clipping Grinnell~H?_a_ld~Register May 22, 2003 destination on an Iowa riverfront ................ Service 4,076 Grinnell Herald Register 'Grim~ell, Iowa August 18, 2003 America's River Focus on project completion nearing with opening of museum Sent 4 photographs of the project & I Group Travel__Leader May 2003 museum via email ! 4/16/2003 printe_d_ Herald & Review Mighty Miss: New river museum Clipping Decatur, Illinois July 20, 2003 and aquarium opens in Iowa Service 43,569 Herald Bulletin Museum, aquarium open in Iowa Clipping Anderson, Indiana August 20, 2003 river city [ Service 29,817 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 ~lmy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation High Point Enterprise Aquarium showcases mighty Clipping High Point, North Carolina July 20, 2003 Mississippi Service 32,217 Clipping Home & Away Indiana June 15, 2003 Galena and Beyond this Spring N/A Service 221,000 Home News Tribuue World-class showcase for the Clipping East Brunswick, New Jersey August 10, 2003 Mississippi in Iowa Service 78,655 Huron Daily Tribune Travel Briefs: Life on the Clipping Bad Axe, Michigan September 14, 2003 Mississippi Depicted in Dubuque Service 25,969 Ski Illinois Discussed Chestnut Mom~tain, Illinois Magazine Janum-y 2003 Dubuque, and Sundown N/A printed Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Clipping Ontario, Canada September 21, 2003 Big Muddy Buddy Service 77,500 Feature on Grand Harbor Re]orr Responded to media kit mailing Iowa City Press Citizen Jm~e 2003 from Sprenger McCullough 3/1/2003 Dubuque Profile Update I 3auerica's River Update Pn-ticle l~ Updated Dubuque Images Iowa Meetings Magazine 2003 Issue 1 Line Phrases on Dubuque ___12/9/2002 printed Iowa Success Stories 2003 America's River Update Infonuation 11/20/2002 Going with ti~e flow: New Jacksonville Journal Courier Mississippi River museum and Clipping Jacksonville, Illinois July 26, 2003 aquahum opens in Iowa Service 15,578 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Journal Star Dubuque museum driving :Peoria, Illinois March 2, 2003 development article N/A i~-ournal Star National Mississippi R~ver Museum Clipping Peoria, Illinois July 27, 2003 & Aquarium_ Service 89,816 Kcamcy Hub Mississippi rolls on at new Iowa Clipping Keamey, Nebraska July 23, 2003 exhibition, aquarium Service 12,697 Kenosha News Mississippi learning: River museum Clipping Kenosha, Wisconsin July 20, 2003 and aquarium opens in Iowa Service 28,__514 Kingsport Times ~ News Musuem/aquarimu tells the long Clipping Kingsport, Tem~essee July 20, 2003 story of river Service 49,661 __ i Grand Excursion Documentary was KRT Productions 2003 Filmed in Part in Dubuque 10/18/2002 Making waves: The National Mississippi River Museum & La Crosse Tribune Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa, opened Clipping La Crosse, Wisconsin July 12, 2003 in late June with a splash ..... Service 39,001 Lancaster New Era Clipping Lm~caster, Pemlsylvania August 3, 2003 The Record of the River ..... Service 102,457 CVB Leisure Group Travel April 2003 Iowa What's New Search Livington Count Daily Press & Argus Mississippi River: Iowa museum and Clipping Howell, Michigan August 17, 2003 aquarium showcase river region Service 20,823 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Lin& Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Mississippi River Museum Madera Tribtme Aquarium to open June 28 Clipping Madera, California April 21, 2003 Associated Press Service 5,700 Madison Capital Times, Kenosha paper, Waukesha paper, Eau Claire paper, La Crosse paper, and Green Bay Travel section column by travel Press Gazette October 2003 writer, Mary Bergin 9/26/2003 Sent information regarding America's River including eonf center, amphitheater, museum, & William M. Black Contacted Jim Mallman as a Meeting News Spri_~.g 2003 reference for the article 4/28/2003 IMeetings Guide to the East 2003 Direc_t?ry Updated Directory Listing 2/28/2003 Feature on Dubuque and July 2003 - Midwest Living May/June 2004 America's Feature current Midwest Meetings 2003 Dubuque Golf Press Release 11/13/2002 Dubuque bm~ks on new river Clipping Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 29, 2003 complex Service 455,862 Mopar Muscle Clipping Lakeland, Florida October 2003 Events - Mopars on the Mississippi Service 80,000 Morris Daily Herald MonSs, Illinois June 30, 2003 Tourists explore river museum (AP) Service 7,544 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Clipping Muscatine Journal July 19, 2003 Dubuque adds museum, aquarium Service 8,327 Naples Daily News Clipping Naples, Florida September 1_.4, 2003 Dubuque depicts life on Mississippi_ Service 80,175 New Hampton Tribune Exploring the Many Destinations of Clipping New Hm~apton, Iowa August 8, 2003 Iowa Service _--3,100 News - Republican Riverboat captain donates $1 million Clipping Boone, IA June 3_0, 2003 to museum Service 3,600 News Tribune Clipping La Salle, Illinois Juue 30, 2003 Tourists explore river nmscum (AP) Service 21,500 Clipping Newton Daily?ews June 30, 2003 Tourists explore river museum --Service 7,965 Placed by Travel Writer in Travel Section of Newspaper America's River Focus Total Circulation of 3 newspapers is _Northern Indiana Paper Spring 2003 486,002 ....3/3/2003 Am~ual GAVEL Directory Listing Northstar Travel Media April 2003 Updated 10/3/2002 Follows the story running in the June 2003 Brinkley Argus and will run in ! Travel NPR Radio __ August 2003 Missouri, Tennesse, m~d Arkansas Writer New museum celebrates the Clipping Omaha World - Herald June 29, 2003 Mississippi Service 268,336 10/30t2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager I Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation The I's have it Clipping Omaha World - Herald June 29, 2003 Iowa and Illinois Service 268,336 $57 million National Mississippi Clipping Ot~umwa Courier June 27, 2003 .....River Museum opens Satm'day Service --1_7,412 Pasadena Star - News Clipping ~a_ sadena, California September 2_1, 2003 Big Muddy Buddy __ Service 45,0_00 Drean~s can come tree: National Mississippi River Museum & Clipping Pekin Daily Times July 3,_2003 Aquarium opens doors_.. Service 12,537 Peoria Journal Star March 2, 2003 Featured America's River Project 3/2/2003 Primedia Business 2003 Facilities & Services Guide 2003 Guide Updated Directory Listiug 12/2/2002 Picnic tickets go on sale Clipping Quad City Times June 8, 2003 Quad City Times 60+ Picnic Service 70,853 [Want a scenic drive? Head for :Wisconsin Features information on Dubuque Clipping Quad City Times July 13, 2003 Theater and Hunter Fuerste ...... Service 7~0_,6_33 Clipping Quad City Times August 3, 2003 2-day fall foliage tour is October 2-3 Service 70,853 Quincy Herald - WHIG Museum makes a splash on opening Clippi~g' Quincy, Illinois June 30, 2003 weekend Service 22,863 Quincy Herald - WHIG New Mississippi River aqum'ium Clipping Quincy, Illinois July 20, 2003 opens in Iowa Service 27,425 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Recreation News Clipping Greenbelt, MD May 200__3 Travel Line Se~wice 110,000 Riclnnond Times Dispatch Mississippi River's lore, history flow Clipping Riclunond, Virginia July 20, 2003 at museum Service 232,893 Clipping Rider Ventura, California October 2003 Favorite ride: Three state secre_t~ Service 130,000 Robinson Daily News Clipping Robinson, Illinois July 1, 2003 Big splash at musemn opening Service 6,071 Feature on National Mississippi Rochester Post Bulletin Spring 2003 __ River Museum & Aquarium__ 3/24/2003 Rockdale Citizen Mississippi River: New museum, Clipping Conyers, Georgia July 20, 2003 aquarium opens in Iowa Service 10,537 Visit the otters at Iowa museum m~d Cli~ing Service 83,194 Rockford Register Star Septembe__r_ 7, 2003 aquarium ........... Dubuque museu~-~ollows Mighty Clipping Service 553,703 San Francisco Chronicle September 14, 2003 Mississippi Clipping gan Jose Mercury News ~September 21, 2003 Mississippi River history ........ Service 306,576 Sandusky Register New museum, aquarium opens in Clipping Sandusky, Ohio S.ptembe_r_l_4, 2003 Iowa Service 27,065 Scuttlebutt Grand Excursion flotilla tickets Clipping Blue Earth, Minnesota September 2003 available September 14 Service 25,000 Senior News Feature Cover Story on America's Chicagoland fi'ee newspaper Jm~e 2003 River 3/24/2003 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Markethtg Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation America's River Update ] Information Conference Center Opening .Photographs of Area Small Market Meetin__gs January 2003 CD-Rom 12/10/2002 Mississippi River Museum: If You St. Louis Post~Dipatch Online July 17, 2003 Go Museum, aquarium in Dubuque Clipping St. Louis Post-Dipatch Online J~u!y 17, 2003 showcase Mississippi River __ _ Service 494,096 Clipping St. Paul Pioneer Press July 1, 2003 Bowell's gi~ aids rive.£_m_useum _ Service 201,492 St. Paul Pioneer Press September 21, 2003 Musem~a, aquarium opens IClipping __ _ Service 251,574 Star Tribune Dubuque, Iowa: Riverfi-ont water CVB - Mirmeapolis/St. Paul April 20, 2003 )ark is a scream Search Star Tribune Dubuque, Iowa, opens $57 million --~lipping Mim~eapolis/St. Paul August 10, 2003 Mississippi museum mhd aquarium Service 674,343 Star Tribune Celebrating historical journey on --~lipping Miuneapolis/St. Paul September 14, 20~03 Mississippi Service 669,358 Riverboat captain donates $1 millio~ Stom~ Lake Pilot ~ Tribune for a Mississippi riverfront library Clipping Storm Lake, Iowa July 1, 2003 development Service 3,484 The Advocate - Messenger From shows to snakes: New Clip--ping Danville, Kentucky July 27, 2003 aquarium opens in Iowa Service 12,358 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Subntitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager I Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation Museum celebrates the mighty Clipping Service 69,462 The Am~ Arbor News July 27, 2003 Mississippi __ The Baltimore ~u-~ Mighty River: Dubuque, Iowa opens Clipping Baltimore, Maryland August 10, 2003 a Mississippi musemn Service 479,636 Dubuque, Iowa gives visitors a taste Travel The Brinkley Argus July 9, 2003 of Victoriant times .... _ _ Writer New Iowa museum takes visitors on Travel The Brinkley Argus July 9, 2003 , Mississippi River journey Writer The Chattanooga Times & Illinois and Iowa: Two states of fun Clipping Free Press June 8, 2003 along the Mississippi River Service 98,879__ The Chippewa Herald New Mississippi museum opens in Clipping Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin July 20, 2003 Iowa Service 7,149 The Citizens' Vo-~c~-e -- New Iowa museum-Showcases .... Clippir~g Wilkes-Barre, Pelmsylvania July 20, 2003 History office Mississippi_~__Service 29,~4__52 The Courier News World-class showcase for the Clipping Bridgewater, New Jersey August.~10, 2003 Mississippi in Iowa .... Service 43,771 _ The Daily Breeze Travel Log: Life on the Mississippi Clippin~- Tommce, California September 14, 2003 comes to Iowa Service 84,087 The Daily Sun Ole Miss': New museum and Clipping Lady Lake, Florida July 20, 2003 aquarium opens in Iowa Service 18,051 The Daily Times Tourists explore Mississippi River Clipping Ottawa, Illinois July 7, 20_0_3~. museum (AP) Service 11,757 The Des Moines Register October 23, 2003 Dubuque's Face-Lift The Dispatch National Mississippi River Museum Clipping Rock Island, Ilhnom , Jm~e 29, 2003 reveals the secrets under the water Service 33,125 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager I Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation The Dispatch Clipping Rock Island, Illinois May 4, 2003 Dubuque resort is making_ a splash Service j_ 33,125 The Dispatch Travel Calendar Clipping Rock Island, Illi~npis July 13,200_3 Intertravel Service 33,125 The Dispatch Mississippi River Museum & -- Clipping Rock Island, Illinois July 27, 2003~ Aquarium opens in Dubuque Service ~.__33,125 :The Dispatch Volunteers make Dubuque Clipping Rock Is~land, Illinois August 10, 2003 Arboretum special Service 33,125 The Express Times Ride down Mississippi river via Clip'lng ---- Easton, Pennsyl~vani~a- July 27, 2003 ~nuseum Service 48,077 The Gazette Clipping Cedar Rapids, Iowa __._ June 24, 2003 _A dream come true Service 65,549 The Gazette River museum given books, m~t, I Clipping Cedar Rapids, Iowa July 1, 2003 $800,000 Service 65,549 America's River Update Informatior The Group Travel Leader Referred to Website New Attractions for 2003 2003 Photography of the Mississippi 11/4/2002 The Hawk Eye ~'-- · ' 'Dubuque nverfi'ont project a Clipping Burlington, Iowa April 25,200_3 corporation Service 19,665 The Hawk Eye Splish, splashing in the ........ Clipping- - Burlington, Iowa July 6, 2003 neighborhood Service 21,5_8_6__ The Herald Under the surface: Musemn Clipping Sharon, Pe~msylvania July 27, 2003 showcases mighty river Service 24,636 The Independent New museum and aquarmm opens in Clipping Massillion, Ohio July 15, 2003 Iowa Service 14,323 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation The Intelligencer Showcasing the mighty Mississippi's Clipping Doylestown, Peunsylvania August 3, 2003 ecology S~ervice 51,346 Get Up and Go! One Tank Trip: The National The Journal Standard Mississippi River Museum and Clipping Freeport, Illinois June 28, 2003 Aquarium __ Service 15,900 The Journal Standard Clipping Freeport, Illinois __ July 19, 2003 qew museum and aquarium opens ___S_e_rvice 15,900 The mighty Mississippi River now The Kansas City Star August 10, 2003 has its own museum The Muskegon Chronicle New museum, aquarium celebrates Clipping Muskegon, Michigan August 10, 2003 the mighty Mississippi Service 52,266 l'he New York Times Clipping National Edition June 8, 2003 Midwest Getaways ___Service 1,671,865 The New York Times ..... Life on the Mississippi depicted in Clipping National Edition September 14, 2003 Dubuque ____ Service 1,671~,865 The News - Gazette Clipping ~Champalgn, Illinois June 30, 2003 Tourists explore river museum (AP) Service 42,606 Mississippi museum: New world- The News ~ Gazette class showcase opens in Dubuque, Clipping Champaign, Illin0~i~s- ............ _Ju_l.y 20, 2003 Iowa _ Service 4~8,676 The News Courier Along the Mississippi: New museum Clipping Athens, Atambama July 20, 2003 and aquarium opens in Iowa Service 8,305 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process Editorial Information Submitted Update October 30, 2003 Amy Link, Marketing Manager Information Sent / Article Publication Publication Date Description Date Sent Notes Circulation , Museum, aquarium boost river lore The Pantagraph Also included a front page briefing Clipping Bloomington, Illinois July 20, 2003 to the full article Service 53,213 The Post - Journal I Storied River Brings Memories to Clipping Jamestown, New York July 20, 2003 Life Service 22,907 The Register - Mail New museum, aquarium open in Clipping Galesburg, Illinois July 27, 2003 Dubuque, Iowa Service 16,800 The Register - Mail Clipping Galesburg, Ill__inois September 18, 2003 Going, seeing doing: Musemns Service 17,300 National Mississippi River Museum Clipping l'he Rock Island Argus June 29, 2003 reveals the secrets under the water Service __ 16,129 Clipping ];he Rock Island Argus July 13, 2003 Intemetravel - Features Museum Service 16,129 Volunteers make Dubuque Clipping The Rock Is_l?__d Argus August 10, 2003 Arboretum special __ Service 16,129 Great escapes: Liven up your Labor Clipping The Rock Island 2M-gus August 29, 2003 Day with a day-trip Service 13,333 The Saginaw News !" Clipping Saginaw, Michigan July 27, 2003 River's tale grows __ Service 58,312 Clippi~ng The San Diego Union Tribune August 31, 2003 Dateline - Reference to TH Service_ _444,899 The Scranton Times - Tribune ,New Iowa museum Showcases Clipping Scranton, Pe~msylvania July 20, 2003 History of the Mississippi Service 78,534 10/30/2003 Bold denotes editorials that are in process sseooJd u! e.ie ]eq:l Sle!Jo]!pe sa]ouep plo~a 800Z/O[;/O [ 98~'Z~v mnosmu ~oN :os~o~oqs IeUO[~N .... 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October 30, 2003 Memo To: Mayor Duggan City Council Members City Manager, Mike Van Milligen Jim Wailer, Chair Dubuque County Supervisors John Tallent, Chair Sue Czeshinski, Director Re: Quarterly Report July-October 2003 The Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to report that the third quarter saw dramatic increases in visitation to the Dubuque area. Marketing efforts included a significant radio campaign, point of purchase campaigt), print advertising to attract consumers, and the hiring of an additional staff person to step up the convention promotions effort prior to the opening of the Grand River Center. Brandon Houlihan has been hired as our new Sales and Services Manager and will work on handling the Hometown Hero Campaign and servicing all incoming groups for the Bureau. The Consumer Marketing effort has been extremely successful this summer. Over 150,000 people toured the Museum in its first three months of operation and hotel/motel occupancy was up as well. The radio campaign ran in nine markets surrounding Dubuque and focused on promoting all of the offerings in the Port of Dubuque as well as in the area. The Point of Purchase Campaign was a joint promotion with Galena that encouraged visitors to register to win a weekend in Dubuque or Galena. Over 3,000 travelers' names have been collected in the last month. This will be part of an ongoing database that will be used for tracking and for future promotional offers. Print advertising continues to run in the Chicago Magazine and Oprah Magazine encouraging visitors to go to our website for travel planning details. The site is averaging over 20,000 visits each month. Over 12,000 requests for information were received from our print and radio campaign tbxough paper, intemet, and phone requests. Brochures continue to be distributed in surrounding cities and ail the Visitors Guides have been used this year. A larger number of Guides have been ordered for next year to accommodate the number of increased requests we can expect. Convention Marketing and Group Sales continues to produce results. A number of groups have been requesting bids from the CVB to host conferences in Dubuque. Meeting planners continue to be very impressed with the new facilities that we have to offer. Some have offered to write testimonials for us to use in our marketing effort! We will be sending a three piece direct mail campaign that has been created to invite planners to come in December to tour the facilities. Since our last report we have 21 additional meetings & conferences that have selected Dubuque, sent another 18 proposals, and are actively working with 14 outstanding bids. Another 2 events rebooked their 2004 events in Dubuque as their 2003 events here were successful. The sales staff is actively receiving phone calls from meeting planners. On average, one mxique planner a week calls into the Bureau for additional information on a possible conference to be held in Dubuque. Therefore, we have over 200 active conference leads that we are continuously working. We will be working with the airport to register for several new national shows that are now part of our expanded marketing effort. Some of these shows include the Destination Showcase in Chicago, the Affordable Meetings Showcase in Washington D.C. and California, and Holiday Showcase in Chicago. The CVB continues to work with writers doing upcoming features on Dubuque. Attached is a current list of features. The CVB hosted the editor of National Bank Travel Magazine and the Group Leader Magazine for a site tour for a feature to run in 2004. The CVB coordinated an aerial photo shoot in September to capture the project site now that the buildings are complete. There are over 700 new pictures of the Port of Dubuque from air and ground for us to use in future promotions. We were also able to get the Spirit of Dubuque and Miss Dubuque as well as the Mississippi Queen in these photos. Media & Travel V?riter Visits July 2003 - October 2003 Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau July 8-9 July 16 July 18-20 July 30 August 3-4 August Early August t1-12 August 12 August 12-13 August 14-15 August 19-20 August 31-Sept 1 S eptemb er 21-22 September 25-26 September 28-29 October 25 Travel Writers from San Francisco writing for The Iowan Heidi Hughes, freelance writer from the Twin Cities Kellye Carter Crocker, Midwest Living Peoria TV Visit Roger Riley, from Riley Communications Photographers from Midwest Living Mike Whye, Travel Writer referred from State of Iowa Jackie Sheckler Finch, Travel Writer referred from State of Iowa PBS Filming: Back on the MississiI~pi Deb Holland, Rapid City Journal Donna Tabbert Long, freelance writer from Minneapolis Nina Gadomski, writing a book on the Midwest Mary Lu Laffey, Editor, Rand McNally Emer~ng Horizons, Pnblication for Disabled Travelers Mary Bergin, Freelance Writer from Madison, Wisconsin Herb Sparrow, Bank Travel Management IL-D236 DAILY N;WSPAPER CHICAGO TRIBUNE-CITY Chicago, IL Sunday CirculaUnn - 1,026,407 Dstly SEFTEMBER 14, 2003 !:'.' Bacon's qlO NEWS IN.BRIEF From Tribune news services Air ticket rules ease Good news for air travelers %vho bought non- ' refundable tickets but can't make their flights: The clear trend is toward loosening thgrules, as five of the six major U.S. afl:lines had changed their policies as of press time. Only no-shows on US Airways will still lose the entire value of a non-refundable ticket if they fail to both cancel _a?d rebook a new itinerary before the originaI flight takes of[ American was the first to break from the · strict-policy pack that formed last September. The airline armounced last month that while passengers with non-refundable tickets wonld still be required to cancel before their sched- uled departure time, and would pay a pensl~ they'd have a year to rebook and use the remain- ing value of their tickeL Continental soon adeptad the same terms. Northwest and Delta went a step further: Pas- sengers don't need to cancel before flight t/me. United fell into line but didn't relax as much: Passengers still have to notify the airline before. their scheduled departure, and the year's grace to rebcok applies only to domestic tickets. AJ/six airlines have kept their change fees, usually $100, possibly higher for international ' fares. Of course, the most generous pollcies are with the budget airlines: Southwest has no change fee and no advance notice requirement, and Jet Blue requires advance notice but waives its $2~ change fee if you rebo0k a flight that costs at least an extra I~3D0. River museum opens" A museum and aquarium complex has opened along the banks of the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa. The National Mississipl~i River Museuln and-Aquarium educates vlsitore about the environment, commerce and history ef the.riven Twe/ve years in the making, the 5- acre complex grew up around a smaller history museum on the river~ront and is now an affi/- iats of the Smithsonian Institution. · ~rmitors can experience Life on the Mississip- pi by steering barges in a modem-day towboat pilothouse simulator, find out what it feels like to stand on slog raft or watch the launchlug of a 30-foot boat a few times da[lg. Alligators, otters, turtles, paddlefmh and alligator gar are among species on display in five large river aquariums. The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, 3~0 E. 3rd St, is open dhily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: $8.75; $6.75 for ages 7 to 17; $8:75 ages. 3 to 7. For more details, call 80C-226- 3369 or see wwwmivermuseum.com. Mars.landings at EpcOt:. %r~sitore to Walt Disney World'~ear Orlando can imagine themselves as spfide travelere through a new interactive ride, Mission: Space. Developed with former NASA scisn~ and as- tronauts, the ride, at Future World-in.the El~cot theme park, simuh3tes ~ flight to Mare, from llf~ toffto landing. ' - · "- The ride is included in Epcot admission: $$2 for ag~ 10 ahd over and $42 for ages 3 to 9 for a one-day pass, plus t~x. For more information, call 607-8244321 or see v~ w ~disneyworld.c~ ows" M ghty'.M ss ss pp ,, ' i'w. eav~ cattails, - . ..... .. . . .7.: . .. : "from pinnate, corpS}ate an.c! gOv-'... .lo~ cabin to b~" If yi~u gO. . · ' ' : '.' , '" e~nmer~t soitr~es grew to $57n5il- · ad liste/~.to I~ark · ' ' / ' . · · ' lion, er/ablh~g the cOnstruc, fi?n of'. ""' :": ,. ' the new 'mus~unt"Th'e .American Iudi-' '" ' ' ' ' '"" ~hers, Ciammers. ., . fOR MORE. . NFOI~MATION'.. · ' ", ' musem~remain, ipa~t ~Fth~ Tzew ' ~.' :.' ' ' '. Mississlppi RNer Meseum & Aq~larium, 350 E. Third St., ~o~ of '. ', complex~ ' ~/ith . b0at-bt~lcli~'g' , bits let peopI~ Dub,",que,}A, 5200~..; ~l~on~ (800) 226-3369.or (~563) 557:9545; :' . , demonitraiion~ among" its' 'Streargt tab]es .Web, Www. mi.~sissippirlverrnuseurn.6r.?m..Daily, 10 a.m.-6 I~.m,, ~x~ept ~ lzibits.. '., ' . . ' '. ' . flobding, A~d a :Thanksg ring and Christmas. ,~dUits, $8.75; sen om $?.75;'k ds 7-1~,: :. ' ' The"~e~v ro~usi~u~n alib ~oJ~-., ' thal~ bhi~ke give $6.75;'3-6, $3.75. The'Depot Cafe .offers lunizh and snacks in a'Yefur- . porates anothpr older instl~tip, n~ : exFerience as bished 19th'ce~turytrain.. station. . . . . . .' ' . .' . the'. 20-~, .e~.-old. Natiorml'"'l~ve}s-., , . ' our of the.~iver . ' ' " ' ' T 0NS .:. .. · HallofF. ame Withexhibztson,ex, · ., .. , . . NEARB¥-ATT, RAC I . .~ . . plo}e~s Me'riwether 'L~wi~ .~ud~ 'att~ac'tion. is'a- Dubuque has an art museum,.casinos, hlstorlchomesa/qdnvercrulse$.. 'Wil~talnOlar!~steam'ooatm.v.e~- the Willie .M, For informatibn on.lodging and dining, confact the 10wa Welcome Cee- .' .tot ~R6bert'PtfltOli,,.a:uthur L' L~ndmark yes- ret, (800) 798,8846 o~ (563) 55'6-4372 www. dubuq~ebhamber, com/ .Twain imd':iaz~.' nigSj~i~i~, L6uis arly ~e siz~ o£a 'visitors/index. btm/: .. ~ ' .'- ' , - · ~. -.Ai'mstrozig. ~' .' "'" ' . was'a worldllg . - .. · .... . . . qvVe neeil a natio~t~l c.m~o., pus e MissoUri. River. the nver~ont, the museum lS'l:)a-'"t ' .. throug~ Wiscop-snl~ ~[o~i ~olsr ,t. Visitors can of the-hrger $18,8 million Ameri- M/ssour/, Xentuc~, Te.ness~;. peopli about c0u{~ ~the . nd tour the eh-. ciesRiver pmject;whichincludes ..~.l~ansas'.and-:M/~sissippi alor~g- Y~gt. zeo,r'thel%,o.r ',t~R?pte~../~ . othou~e.A stlte~ a conference genter, resort./nit :' the way. It is both a.malor conl- ,' .any other nveF'.sai~."Ten, Copd: .' l- DSO§ DAILY NEWSPAPER SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE San Francisco, CA Sun~lay Circulation - 5~3,703 Dally SEPTEMBER 14, 2003 Bacon's ....... ........ ........ ..... .. ... . .... . :. .... · · follows ,. U .museum ., t[' ' ' :"liN' ' "" ' ': ~ ~i,?' s~d'JeruEnzler, executive Where ~tors c~ weave caUmls, U ~"'O. - ..... 5.: .., "~om private, co~orate ~ gev-. owa'ls, ome;:'¥:', i~tor.gtheNa~on~MissisS¥ heD(nilOgsforal6~=b~tob~" If, yi .. ' ': :. ' '" ernmeitso~e~ewtoSS~l-" , · '. ': .; {?~!ve~ ~usem &"A~uafim. · b~It on m~site,~alxst~.to~k . · ' .j' ' ',.'. ~.": · '" ... ~on, e~aMNg the eO~ue~n ~" '' ' ...... ~g~ttotellmegreat.sto. for"' ' ,, bfflcers'stofi~s0f.Amefiem~di-' ' . , '" '' ",'. ' the neW'~"Th~,orjgNal . ' : :"'" [0R~0RE NF0~MATION' . · ' .mus~m~em~ni~artaf . . ..'. ~' .:".'. ' ' ~'· :7' ",. fie mm~mn 'w~ch o~efled ~ ,~d e~lypion=~s.' ;' ' ' ' ~ississlppi,'l,er Museum,~ A,~arlum 350 E Thir8 St,, ~o~ 0f ',', com~l~x~ ~ ~ . b0at-b~lqNg', new snnne ~ ..:,~'' ~; ~8; h~s riverboat'exNbits, a H~s-on {~its let ~eopI~ Dubdqu~ IA 5200~. ~hone (800) a26-a3O9~r ~6a} ssT:gs4s :' ,,gt~omu~uom m~ng" m ex. ' ' ' ' ' · '~ ' : ' i} te~ and' libra; a bo~d~alk. 'tonch ~s' S~eam tables, .Web, ~w. migsi~ippi~vermus~um.cOm,'Daily, 10 a,m.-6 p.m, ~xeapt mints.. - :, . . ~ . ' ' .... ~y'Da~id Pi~. -~ ' ..... ~ 't~ou~ a w~t~d ~t ple~- de~0nstrate ~Ner flo6ding,~nd a :Thanks~ivin~ and Chr stmas ~dh m, $8 75; senlom $7.75;'kids 7:1~'; ' ' The 'nee ~usem ~i~ ~or- .. ' D~su~b~, l~wk'~ Ie~ena~:i '~ts;: . *: '. ~ey {~e a film to~ of ~e.~Ner ' ' , " ' NEARBY'.AT}RACTIONS .:. .. "· HalJ ox~e~ ~.pxm~i~ 9n;ex, . ~e conceit in ~ u,.it,~s. '~=~th rod-like n6sei ~ shoe a ~o~er major attrac~on. ~'a- Dubuque ha~ an a~ museum,:gq?pOs, n~s?9 ~o~s ~.r?r cru?~.. -. ~,.. ~ ~ .... ' .... ~ *~i~ ' refug,~ a so'ce ~f d~. g ~ter, ' ~ed'gep and s~en. ~ee'.~bs. asfoot~ill field. It was"a worMng . . . .. , .... . . . . ..... · , ' ~.. . .-..e n~e. 'a'muo..~, :. ~pv"~., ~,~m;~,,~a,,,,,,o,,~;a~,,in · ,sat ...... .~.t,.'~o · ' r do oatOnthe~sso~'~ver' thenve~ont,~emuseumzs.pm, ~ro~Wlscons~Io~OlSr foznversffwe~cg~g.:lo teach. ............................. +..,~. ............. ~. ~.~show ~e Deb . .. . ... . . ........ ,., ' '"t ~ ~, ~a,i~tr~ · · '.~n~ *md~r ~g s~ac~' for ~e ' ~efore 're~e~ent V~itors cm of ~e l~ger $188 mfl~on ~en- ~o~, Kentuc~ Tennessee, people abeut conse~g. ~e , ' s me room and flo~ome A stat~ a coMerence center mso~ ~ the way It is both a ~lor ~ any o~ nvef ~i~ Ten ~od of a musem ~d aqu~TM N :For a more active ~pse'Ntb ' g P . · ·. . · '. ' · Dubuque,. ~he ~Sii~pp~ ~Ver '.fiver ~e~e mpsem also offe~ a' room ~d the g~ey ~e dv~able river w~ - - · merci~ ' ~d gSm!a] ' resource, m~, '~ec~r' of: aevelopm~nt ~sa'showeasefoflSs~io~,eeql- ',riverboat' la~cMng .every ~o '~o ~ose wh0'w~t tb spend,&e ' ' ~e ~ssissippiRivet 2 2,~52- transp6r~g 470~on to~ O~dlore . · '2 ...' ': 'hem Nt6~e Port of DOu~u~ 'Nght ~d .eiperience' lffi oii' ~eslohg~omitsheadwatersN , c~goaye~w~e~e~a'~-.' .h~?~er~.at.t~e ~Sii~E' . ',n t ~ t ~'a :~' ~ ' ~o~ ~,~L~*~,,,,'-~"t ' w6}~e~boat '." no~emM~esotatotHeG~f grato~fl~wayfor, hp'to~percgnt . p~" · . . " ': '" : .: ' - q., ..... · , · · Memco m ~ulsl~a assm of No~ ~enc~ duc~ gene ..U.S. Sm=Tom~ erencc for ~e sto~)f ~e ~sis mg dock; ~ ~ outdoor ~ml S~et~g for five acres ~ong , P , - - :' . · . ' . , -.' · " . . " ~ ~ and eagle~ 'I~ .watershed - who s~d'some fed~r~d- .. . . . . . . . L . . ' ' ' "~'cov~smore~a~on. squ~e , mgfpr~e, prol~s~gppedbF~e . . . '.. · ' · ' ' . .miles, dr~n~ ~a~ of 32'~ates' museuN ~8~ly, BSf~telt ~penid~ '. : . . '..'. ' . ' . ~d ~o Cmad~ p~c~: On- ~elpi~i0 place ~s ~ ~ne of... '.':.'. t~6~d~to~t , .. ' ~e aqu~i~ - inclu~.a ' ':' )'J.'[?'[U'"' '.'[ .... ' · · : ,~e idea.for a' river museum... iharp-tootb~d, 3ay~-old~gator . .. ~eg~ ~ a modest lo~i'pr~ect" and a 30-po~d s~>pi~le. ' ~ ."' ':' "' ' ". '. ~en ~e Dhbuquc Boat '~d'. H~sMdhehbp~emuse= ~;' ':' .: . . · . . , · .' . "Boiler Worm shut d6~in 197~,~ ' m will ~s e effo~s to ~g~e~d . . ... ' · ' ~oup.'of DuSuque ~esidents' b~ '. :ptant~ ~d m~ls. . . .. .,' ' · ' ' · .' . .. ';gm ~Ia~ a r~yerbsit"mhs~ "~e needed~so~i~g ' " -~. ~'~1 ~usem ~peued ~~is?.he ~d. f~utI ~d.no idea/.. l~s0."o~e~.. . ..m~' ~,.. ma~g.. ~o,~igitw~go~gtog~t~'//, '... . . DAILY NEWS?APER' THE NEW YORK TIMES- NATIONAL EDITION NeW Y0rk~ NY Sund~/CImutatIon - %6?%865 Daily NATI0~L EDffi0N SE~EMBER 14, 20~ ~A)RR~poNDENT'$ REPORT ; ' ' ' EUr°Star Picks .Up. Speed. Stem'.TiCket Decline ,.~'~' ' ': i By ~xLAN COWELL . - .'~ey c~'t beat ~ from ~ center m city <,: · . .~nter," Mr. Headen s~d. : -: ':: ': · ' . · ' · :' ' The record-beat~ Ear0et~ r~ on ; ' ;. :',' ' ¢' .' · · ' · · '~6~ · ~0 Was p~ of ~e publicity ~ive in ba~ up ~[.:.'~ ~N'a B~t~h E~o~ th~. new op~mism. B~t~n s spe~ retard ' "~ · '~ .~ ~m *~ea[ ~o~' haa~esd at 162 m.p.h, s~ce 1979 But .. ~:.[ ~ [' . Squ~ .;~d at. B~sh. record still lags,boh~d ~ese set by ~ ~ "~2~0'~;'~.ho~' .h~peed~smFr~ce~dJap~.:~d - . ~' %. ~ · .'on J~y 30~, it B6~ o~y · '~e ~cor~bre~g ~ ~d nsf ~s~ise ~e ~ke. a l~s[~ ~ed r~r~ en Brit: ~av~ ~ai have beset Earestar. .~'s r~wa~but ~m ~m~ d~si~ ~ .- ' ; ~fi~y, ~e es~ce w~ depicted by ~t; ~ a ch~ge of ~om~, fop ~e r~ ~ · operators as ff.~-~ ~ be~e~ esv- .~-~e E~ope~ ~n~entl .. i . · .~ Brifi~ ~tiss ~d co~t~en~ Eu~op~ It ~ ~e more~ sp~ r~o~;. .Bgt ~e'p~j~cted se~ces be~e~ ~o~ ~'reveme yemof lo~es. '-.'. ~est~ .or E~burgh were.',never ~- ; Ever.: s~ce'):p~s~r ~ .s~e' te d~ced. Euree~ m~ers pr~ict~ "P~s ~d"'Bmsse~' ~u~ '~e Ch~el :.-~e s~ce w~id c~ 17 m~ passe- -el' bhg~, ~ 1994, Em~ h~ had , .' :ge~ by 2003. L~t ye~ ~e ~i~m w~ seven problems, not le~t .~ ~em ~e met~ric mfl~o~ ~d it h~ de,ed even furor ~is ~ ~ l~est ~ ~v~ 0ve~ ~e past fige . ye~ ~ sevar~ ~gh-proffle delays., · Yem~ ~t ~ kept tr~ pass,gar, nu~- ' · Most s~c~tly~ low~est:~es bom f~ lqwer ~ e~hed ~ge~.} ' ly ~ e~ce wh~ E~o~ r~ its first N~g seem~ to ~m~lize Em~'s . sure--el es~ me ye~s. ~o have woes mom ~ ~e s~etch betw~n ~nd~ ~ormed Europe's ~avel m~ket. ~d~e'~e[whem~s~athad~: . ~ ~ Sdpt. 28. ~e fi~t day of,Emst~'s ~0ugh. Fr~ce ~d ~um at.186 m.p~E" f~r .s~ce to P~is ~d B~s~, .~dde~y sBw~ ar ev~ ~o~d ~o'a h~t as · low~t f~e, av~inble for a ~mited number ~Y ~h~ oM ~g~s ~ rang ~m- ' cf esa~ en~ day; ~ ~o~d $96 fo~ a mut~ h~ for Waterloo'Stolon ~ re~d~le ro~d trip ~at includes a Satur- Lon~: ' . .. · ) . day ~t ~ P~is. On[SePt, 28, ~at is-set t6 ch~e ~ ~e ~' - On A~: 81 ~ ~mpar~on, e~yJet was of-' 0p~ 0fa 46-mile; ~ b~on s~et~ of ' fe~ S~Ie ~ to Chiles de Ga~e .~d ff~.~at'~ ~le-~s tO ' P~' ~d ba~ for m~y $t0 each Way,' ~el a~oss ~e.B~h ~ide at ~e plus t~, leav~ Luten ~ on Sept. 28 - . .. . ' ' '., .. :. , wi~out a Sa~ay-~ht req~rement ~d ' . ' .- -: ' ~ m~ on a f~t 0f the ~aveler's choice · '. ' '~', · from ~e easy Jet schedule. So, come Sep~ . E~0sk~ ~? e s. era/o ' ' ' · ' ~e ndwiy accelerated Eumsmr ~ S~ed- w t. ] re . uled te me 2 bo~s aa minutes te . Nord ~ ~e c~ter of P~is with up .'.[~O~ JO~ C~f ~S." .~ . . , ~ate;' Oeck-~ at Waterloo Station..~e : .. e~Jet f~ght t~es a~ut 70 m~u~s pl~. : ' ~ .... - . ;: - · .'. ~e ~e averse 9~ute che~-~ ~me ~d , - · ~e ~um 90 m~ut~ it ~es to ~avel to same:l$6.'m:p,h.~ 'trimming 20 minutes off the tkne to and from Paris and Brussels; will bnng the .Continent closer to Brit- ,a~a,;' Said .'Gareth' tteadon; ff 'Eurestar. spokesman, with a notable Sense.of g/u- gloCentric geography; :. - . -. '... .Coupled with a decision last March to in- troduce a Iow-coot rOund-trip ticket, for around $96; bringing;Eurosthr 1~rices cleseaZ .. m hhe ~ares offered by dis¢6unt ail-lines like eaSyJet an~ 'Ryanair, Earostar exeCUtives and/rom Luton and Charles de Gaulle, not lo mention the extra costs of getting to and City cente~ to city center, then, the train ' · will probably be faster. But the budget traw eler unable t0 secure one of the relatively cheap EuroStar' tickets could pay UP to." .about $480..for a full-fare r oUnd-l~-ip ticket in , s~andard class. Ticket 'prices, :according to Euresta/', inCr~ese through Varioee ~atege- · rios}jUSt as prices og iow-c0st airlinesdo. ~ · same-day beeking on easyJet from LUtofi te ~ are hoping to Stow. and.eVen reverse a tires- · Charles de Gaulle was offered on'the easy, , ti~ Slide.,in.lidket s~les: in- the'first slx.. ;let ~eb site (easyje~.com) at $[50 eaCh way- i months' of 2003,. sales fell below: ~ m/i- 7- .far ,higher than ~he bargain prices that ~ li0n, m0re. then.lll percent less than in the . [are advertised., And the evidence~seems,to ~:, ~ame period last year. ' ' · ' · ·. be that, fiaeny 'travelers prefer the train., at . · [. In 2007~ mo.re0ver, au a~ditional 24-mile,' least going to Pari~ , . i' ... ~ :.. ~ $5s2 billion' stretch of track./S scl~eduled to Euroetaic spokesmen say roughly 60 ger- ~' coinplete the highX/'peed link between the .cent Of traveler~ from Londq~ to Paris and. {. Cha!m~l .~unnel.:mid a inew Euresiar term/:. '40 Percent 0f trayele~s:to.Bru~sels take/lie ' ~: hal at St.:P/~cras Station in London. lit'is ex-. ' train; And Eurostar maintains that its ~:eli- ' ·pected to reduce travel tnne from London to abil/ty r~coid is better than that of airlines' ( arm to 2 hours. 15 minutes, 40 minutes less . flying between Lond6fi anal Paris, with 79 ' i then the fastest train at ~e n/om~nt. :: percent 9~ its trains currently arriviUg With- .. 'qn'2007wecar~sentheairlineswithdraw2' inanayeragelSminutesofsCheduledarriV. ~ .rog from the L6ndon-to-Paris route because al compared with 64 percent for airlines, '- " iPpi. sippi b~'~teering bhrg~s 'in a mixlern-day Lif8' on the MisSiss towboat othans 'sim ter, out hat [ .Depi tedin DubuqUe . :' ..: rests to Sn Is* or · , .... the launChing of a 30-fo0/boat a few times ~'- A mUSeum and '~iq~ai'ium ~omplex has" '.daily. Alligators, ottmzs¢ turtles, paddlbfish' · ;: opened along the banks of. th~ Mississippi and alligator gar are amofl~ the specie~ on ¢ River in Dubuque; Iowa. Tl/e National M/S- . display in, five large river aquariums - !.; sissippi.River Museum ~ind Aqanrinm e_du- ' ·: By eXPloring'the ~e .room and' · ~ cains visitors about the environment, eom-. boaseof thb William M; Black, d~sig~ated a ~- merc~, and histor~ of the river. Twelve · natinhal landmark, docked in th~ harbor, ~ years in the making, the five~acre complex visiiors can visualize life on a dredge boat. N~.TI~NAL Egi'TION sEPTEMBER. 14, 2003 , ,.o-./.io . . ?ilEurostarPicks Up Speed' SternTic et Decline, ,.-.... , · : · 'they can't beat us from city center ts city '~'-' ' '.' By ALAN COlt/ELL '.~enter," Mr. Headan said. ~:; .... ' The record'beating Eurestar run on :Iuly "~ "" ' ' 30 was part of the publicity drive to back up ~;',,~ ': '- .... LO~o~' . · ~HENa British Eurostar . this new optimisrm Britain's speed recerd ~Z' "" ' train sped. 'through' bad. stood at i§2 m.p.h, since 1979. But the ,,~ high-spesd imains in France and Japim.'And · 'OVer 2~J0 miles an.how :,~o ~nrd-breeldn~ run did not disguise the l-' -' t '-. -- ' .:' ~ though, tO reverse years 0f losses. "' .'.. duced. Eurostar managers predicted'that 1 Tunnel l~egan, in 1994, "' meiearle" million, and it has declined ~ problems, not least ~ them ~e .... ear after several high-profile delays.' . ri~e of 10w-cost liir ~ravel over the past n,fe ~ ~. Most aignificantiy, lew-enst airUnes bare- · yelrs: that has kept train p. as.s ~e~__erLanmY ly in exiStehce wheii Eurostar ran its.fi~r~ bors far lower than establisn..on r_arge~s:: .... sub-Channel services nine years, ago ne - No..seemed to symbolize ~urosu~r s - ansformed Europe's travel market. woes m°re than the stretch bet..wee.n_L~n. _~ .' On Sept. 28, the first day of .Earostar e Channel, wherotraiasthatnansP~..' ~.a~r ~rvioe to Paris and Brussels,. the and ffi .h through France and Belgium at'l$6 m.p · ' sudde!tly slowed or even ground k/a halt as loweSt'fare, available,for a limited ~umber 'they shared old w~cks with ~a~tt~..~t~tin~~' of seatS, eaCh day; is arotmd $96 fdr a non- refundable round trip that includes a Sato~- muter trains heading for Waterloo ~mu°~ day hight in Paris. ' Lends ' . .. . · i'. . · . On Aug~ 8~ in comparison, easy Jet was of- op~ding Of a 46-mile~. $3 billion stret, ch~o~ '. paris and back for roughly ~ e ingh~ed track.that will enable -trams ~. plus tax, leaving Lute~ Airpor~ on Sept. 28 · travel across the British ~ountryside at the without a Saturday-night requltement and .: . '. ' ' ' : '. '.." ' ' returning on a flight ~)f the traveler's choice . ' ' .".-' ' .'i ""'" '" from the easy Jet schedule; S~,. come Sept, Eur0gtar train? .' . . : · The t 'om's operators n vly acoeleratad Su star sChad- " uled to take 2 hours 35.m~.utes. to Gare · Want.tO!1utetravelers ' Nord in the center of pans with up tO - . minutes' Check-in at Waterloo Station. .from Iow-cost airlin s. same:lSgm:p-h., trimming 20 roJnuteS off the time to and from paris and Bruesels: "It will bring the continent.clos~r to B~i~t- din." Said ;Gareth Headon, a Euros~ spokesman, with a notiable sense, of glocentrlc geography: ' . Coupled with a decision last MarCh to in- trodane a lew-cest round-trip ticket ior ~0und $96; bmging'Et~rostar pn.~s m 'the ~ares offered, by discount airlineS n~ . ~ 3et and Ryanai~'Earostar execu~veS a~e hoping to stow and.cyan.reverse u dras- ~ tl~ silde..in.~icket sales: in'the first · months' of 2903,. saias fell below- three tull- lion, more ~ha~10 peroen~ less that~ in the seine period last year. , .,- ' In 2007, moreover, an ~/dlfitlenal g4-mtie, s" ,5~ biiliorf s~etCh of track.is scheduled Channel ~alh~el~an(1 a)~ew l~;urestar · nai at SL.pa/~cra~ Statian in London. ~t'is ex~ pected to reduce tr~v~! time from Lqndo~ to Pa~is to 2 hourS-15 minuteS, 49 ininutes less tlC'an the.fastest train at tke moment. "I~ 2007 we can see th~ airlLues withdruw- Lug from the London-in-Paris rou~e because L fe on the M ss ss ppi- DePicted.in Dubuqti¢ A museum ~ud aquarium{ ~omplox has ~.: opened along the banks of th~ Mississippi River fn Dubuque~ Iowa. ~. ~sissippi.River ~useum and Aquarium. edu- cates visitors ab0~t the environment, com- mercu and history of the river. Twelve years in the making, the five:acre complex grew up a~ounc[ u smaller history museum on the riverfront and is now an affiliate of the Smithsonian'In~titutlen. vizimrs can ext~rienoe life on the Missis- eesy3et flight takes about 70 minutes plus [he the average 90-minute check, in time and the minimum 90 minutes it takes to travel to and from Luton and Charles de Gaulle, not to mention the extra costs of getting tc and .from.ulrlmrts. City center to city center, then, the train will probably be faster..But the budget trav- eler unable to secure one of the relatively Cheap Euroster ticketS could pay UP m. .about $~S0.far a full-f~re rotmd-t~ip ticket in . standard claSS. Ticket prices, according ~o Eurastar, iner~ase tbrough.vaflous catag? . ries~iust as prices en low-c0st airlines do. A same-day booking oh ea~J~et from L~ttod to. Charles de Gaulle was offered on the easy- ~et Web.site (easy]et.eom) at $~§0 each way --.far .higher than ~he bargain, prices that are advertised. And the evidence :deems to be that fnany 'travelers prefer the train, at least going to Paris. Earestzk spokesmen say roughly 60 l~er- cent of traveler,·from Londo)~ te~Paris and ' 40 percent of ~xavelers.to .Brussels take the train- And Eurestar maintains that its reli- ability record ~s better than that of airlines. flying between Lond/r~ and Par4s, with 79 percent of its trains currently arriving with- in an:ayerage 15 minutes of scheduled arriw al compared with 84 percent for airliriss. sippi b~'~teering bhrg~ in a modem-day tewbeat pilothouse simulator, find out what it feels like te stand on a log faf/or Watch the launching of a 30-fed/boat a few times 'daily. Alligators, ot~ar~ turaes, paddlefish and alligator gar are'/ran/t~ the.specle~ on display in five large river aquariums. ' ' By exPioriag.'the engi~-e"mom arid' pilot; house.of ttfe William M. Black, des~unted a · natio~iai landmark, docked in th~ harbor. visitors can visualize life on a dredge boat. The musanmlcomplex includes the N ationai Rivers Hall of Fame exhibit gallery and'ar- chives and a wetland ~rail with living-blots- rv ~fe~entatior/s tellin~ the,stories of Indi, National'Archi Ces Building. to Reopentts D°ors" The National Ardhi~es building in ' '. ~ · Waskinginn will open its newly rean'cat~d :- exhibition space in th~ Rotunda on Thurs- ' day, the 216th anniversary of the si~ning of the United States Constitution. The public w/Il again be able to view the Charters of Freedom --- the Declm-ation of Independence, ~he Con- stitution and the Bill of Rights-- after a two- year renovation de- signed to expand the exMbits and better pre- ·serve and display the documents. To mark the occasion, the Ne- '. tionalArchives vffll ex- tend its opening houri' temporarily and 6ffer a - series offr?e pub~iq ' programs. ' .The Charters of ' ' Freedom have been re-" glass Containers with . clea~ultraviblet m,t~rs- ComPuter ~endering 0f the renovated Rotunda and new -' ~md fibe4-opUc !ighUng. displays of d0iUments, n~s~.T l~estorer at work on a mtwal. The c,~ses haye bOOn · '.'{" eniargedinaccommo- - . ' :'" ~ay, willbeanvinwatdifferenitimes. ' 'thearct2¥es--.willopennextyear. date all four pages Of the C°nstitation, and ' The reol~ening celebration will last' .' ' The Natieaal Archives and Records.:Ad-. are tilted forward to'make'them more.ac-: ' through the weekend and f~eture actors" ministrationis at 700 Pennsylvania Ave: cessibl~to children and whOOlchatr users... - . ' hue, between seventh and Ninth ~troots'. ' ' "ANew-World Is at Hand/' an exhibition.~ dressed in historical costumes, fflras, oforiginaldocumedts;includts~ananti:., guestspeakers, artisans' demonstrations NW theen~ranceto.theRetunda!son. sla~vezy¢ petition.and the L~misiatia Put; ' a.chfldren's book'fair and activities, ilve Consdthtion Avenue..Admissinn is Tree, chase Troaby~ ~ill.chronicle the creation outdoor perf0rmanceS.reFresentative of Extended opening hours from Thursday i of the Chat~tars bf l~reed0m and examine masi~ found in the ~ttchives, and o~tdoor- - · to: Satorday:Will beirom ~0 a.m. to mid- theft:impaCt On th~.United Stat~s hnd oth-' ".som/d and light'shows. Other initiatives-- night. Regular winter hours daily from 10 ' · a.rm to 5: ~0 p.m, resume nextSunday; · in, c. luding a theater, a special.exnibition er countries. Theexhibitionisa,'.'perma-... g&ll~ryandapermanantexnibitthatwill . (888)32~.7208o/?msv,~trchives.gov; . nent .rot siting" one, mooning that:cTfffe~'ent : alfow ~lsiinrs to togk Ul~ their families in pages (ff the Lonisiana Purchase Treaty, : '-" '" "" :' LUBA'VANGELOVA~: ans, fur traders, clammers and pioneers. '.' the world. In'addition tothe galler~ exhibi- :spaCe in Sp~ce Base, and in the video gem The Natio!~_al. Missiesippi.Rivar Museum '. inrs, ~ecial artists~: projects and .events ' . Expedition: Mars, participants explore th, · and' :ACl'(ta~i~r~ ~0. East ~hird'Street, is.? have been commissioned.by the iair's-cura-- plb.uet's, surface[. Computer consolgs allo~ open dally 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: tor,.:Polly Staple. · - - teams to 'compete in. a race to send' theb $8-75 $~.75' for ages 7 ~o 17; $3.75 ages ~ to 7;' · ~ lecture program of leading internati0m rocket from Mmrs ba[ck to Ear/h~ :(800) 226-3359'er v4ww ri~ermuooUrmeJom al cellector$, 'critics and.. curators will' The ride is included[in Epcot admissi6n: . '" ' :. ' '~THERINE..HO~'~E [: :-Present and kl~bato kerr issues th contempc-' $52 for ages lO'and aver and $42 for ages 3 tc . '...' : . .. ~ . ' ' r ' . ' -~rar~artFflms and.vidsos.willbe shownin a 9 for a one-day,ass, plus tax.'Information: - mobile theater. Musical events around the' ' (407}.824¢321-er.wWW.di§neywerldcom~ ' city will'.hie!uric ~oolebrity and artist DJ.'s, art bands and canc~rts. Liam Gillink, a Brit- · ' ' ' · ' : '" ' · ish candeptan~ artist, is)yo~rking on a graph;~ . ' " - . . :" ic p~t~_ r prpject f~r the nearby Great Port- Corrections land Street U~dargrmmd station, and the I~al~us arti.st.Paola Pivi will'ereate a mas- ' A~ article Aug.'24 about' climbing Moun~ sf~a ~ra~s slope inside the fair for people to MdK(uley in Alaska ~,isstated the 'date · which the. author ~climbed Mount P, ainie; sit on er roll down...' · ...... ; - ?.The executive ~; o~ L~ndon's 'l~opuinr "~ with Chris ~ooYman, a g~ida ~o died e~ · : ' ivy ?estaarant, lVlark. Itb~ Will 0ver~oo c;/- Mount McKi~/e~ It ~as'in,l~9?~.;fiye year~ terlng, including a restaurant and cafe; before theanth0r's climb.lent.year, not two · there is a cl~ildren's playg~0Un~l nearby. A note' ident~f~ng t~e-anthor, ~oo Glib. A special rate of $I$0 a night for u double man, mt~stated pazl: of the title of, abool~, room, including two ticlmte and free bus .to wrote. It is "Tq tl~e Tqp: P~eaching for Amer th~ fair, is being o~fared:~y th~ ~ew.City I_nn ice's 50 State Summ~ts,'~ ~ot '~ro the Tap o .' Advanoo-~ale tickets ~:est $12.80 fct~ a day' cle referred incerr~cflF '~o a gre(lp of alimb. · pass, $32 uul;raited ontO; (~:$?0) 060 1789; ' ers and a mountain in. the distanoo. The} ' .www.ticketmaete~'.¢O.ulL Admissian at the ' were. on the Kahiltn~.'Glacie~',b. eading away; · 'dOOris$15i'$40unlimitade~try;childrenun-'4 ~rem Mom-it M~Ktnloy;. they'we:re not er - ds~ ~ free: ,For tichet~ h~tel and.air ~are, ' ' that mountain, h~act~ng t0whrd its peak..Th; ~antac~' Tumn Travel, ¢1~). ~2~-~4~;.;' "ra~Untain'un..the horizon ~as Fo. rkker, · wwW.to~entravel.com. For genaral fair in- ~cK~IC~. ·. . .... , · . · .fo/'mati~n and'. updated events, ' visit A Caption inthe section misstatedthe alti. · - , ' ~,~ ' v~vw.frieZearffhi~.cem[. - ..' : · tude' of ¢imbars t~[ing ~ break'On. Mourn {rl~ - ...... M~ ' Becans~ 6f ~in edit~gerrer' the'W!1' at'~ Doing col~. 'ofi,.!~ag.'31, al~ant Nico ~.~ ..~ ,,~.~.zz~o . r.~.~. :....' .' do Can:Imagine themselves as cpace traveI~ It ~as.the hoas~ q~.SaYoy;::flet.:the ld2gdqrn 'Lendonwillpinyho~t.toa~i,~ntarn~tienal : ersthr0aghaneWintaraqtive'~ide,Missi°n:' of:Savoy,.. '-.:' :.- .~;.' ' · . ' cor/tomuomrv art fair next month in Re- space. Developed with former NASA:~nian; '-' ~ ..... .-.. :" .:.: ;·'" · · " · ntsPurk Atom r struCtur~¢~var. · . tis~s and astrena ts. then at Futur . .~ · ..., .. .... , ~ge,] . .., p.o ar~., ,._ . _ _ ..rog 'World in the Epcot theme park,:simniates ~ ' ;~l,entry 'in the' De'lC, and ']JiScoTants col- architect I~ vid'Ad'a ' wiil'h use the ~ ·-mgnt to Mars, ~rom nr[o[~ to lanamg. The . uam on .Aug. -a~' ~ r night: .[;an . · : a I ye,. 9 . ~'~' ' S~'is several-decades in the future at ' :eruises. antheOceaniasoIdbyVacatien.com · .international.exhihitorsPart~dpatinginthe.. the. InteXnati0nal Space Training Centex;: mi~tatedtheminimumprine. Eachpersan Fr4ezeA~tFalrfromOct. 17i020; ' '" p~Lrticipants are'taken through astronaut shadnga'doublecabinpaysatleust$1,295, a ' Organized by the fo/radars of the contem "~)r ~rim ~f 'e~e thef~ ' ' ':.' tr/iningprecedures and assigned a role: f/SUre tha, r re/lects a discount Of ~out'50 p ary, agaz n. , m au~s to · ~commandei., pilot, nav~atoi' or ansineek, '. · retcent; that fi~,ure ts not'the startles price ' mpleting eo a trans . · DUBUQUE'S FACE-HFT By ANEUA K, DIMITROVA Dubuque, I~ -- The final part of Dubuque's I America's River Project will open Saturday, the last of three attractions b~iIt with ~Vision Iowa money. The $25 million state-of-the-art convention center sits on the bank of the Mississippi River next to the Grand Harbor Resort and Water- park and the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, the other two components. City officials hope that the final piece, a 130,000-SCluare-foot con- ference, meettug and trairdug area, will appeal to converlion organiz- ers who covet the connection of modernity and Dubuque's historic downtown. "Seven regional conventions have alreedy booked their events here~] said Mayor Teary Duggan. would not have been able to host had we not had this center." Duggan said a L998 study found the dty's convention facilities in- adequate, but it was not ur~ Vis~on Iowa money became available that the city was able to act to attract IDES regional and events. The whole project ~. - cost $188 million, o u,*~ ~oo which included $40 million from Vision Iowa, a $225 million state program to help finance new attractions. The resort opened last year, and the aquarium and museum were finished in June. Duggan remembers what his hometown looked like in his "It was underutilized, blighted, See RIVER, Page 3B : Money from Vision Iowa ~elped I the America's which includes: MUSEUM:The:National MiSsissippi RiVer MdSeam a~d :AqUarium Was finisht}d in JUne~. Pictured above, Kyle ~ubb, !eft, and Twiqwon. Fane, both of Freeport, IlL, watch a lO0-pound catfish at th.e museum. WALKWAY: Visitom can stroll down the Mississippi River Wail pictured at left. CENTER: A convention Center with 130,O00-square-foot confemnea, meeting and t~aining area will open Saturday; RESORT: l Dubuque verfront project about, done RIVER, from Page lB overgrown with weeds and brush and animals of all natures. It flooded a lot untQ the flood wall was built in 1fi70,' Duggan said. "After I became mayor, I would drive across the Third Street overpass into the Port of Dubuque area, and look at this blighted area and try to knagine what it could bOCOlile.' Here's what it has become: The final building includes a 30,000~ square-foot exb2~fion and bly hall, a 12,000~/uare-foot grand ballroom and a 9,000-square-foot outdoor fiver terrac~ "You have the feding that 3ou are right above the water," Dng- gan sa/cl. · Fiber optics and plasma screens in the hallways will link the can- veation center to the ~.5~ mill~on Nationai Mississ/ppi River Muse- um and Aquarium. ~ is the only interpretive center for the Mississippi River in the whole world," Duggan said. "you have to see it to bel/eve it. Among the main attractions in the indoor fac'gity are five 30-foot- wide aquafiuras, wh/ch re-create the underwater world of the thkd4argest fiver in the world. "You get to see alot of coulstuff,' said Cannor Duggan, the mayor's 10-year-aid so~. Many visitors have already joyed the aquariur~ HARRY i~,A UM ERT/THS REGISTER Riverfront grandeur: The Spirit of Dubuque excursion boat chums past the nea-ly completed Grand River Meeting and Conference Center in Dubuque. The convention center, which opens Saturday, is the final major component of ' ' ....... the America s River ProJect along the Mississippi River. %Ve came here for a family re- union," said Melissa Prieskorn of ': Illinois as she sat with 7-manth-old daughter Morgan. "It's a half poir~ for as.and for our family in Iowa City, and a lot of fun for my has- hand and I to be Mds again and go down the water slides." Andrew Anderson, a Des Moines lawyer, formerly the at- tomey for Vision Iowa, had brpnght 1-ds 6-year-old daughter, Meghan, and h/s 4-year-old son, Luke, to enjoy the water park and the aquarium for the first /5me since he put hts signat ure on one of the beams of the hotel dmSng the constructior~ "I was proud to come here and see it,' Anderson said. ~fs a won- derful example of what state in/fi- atives can do when they work with the community. Once the baseball stadim is ready, this town is rexlly going to flourish economically." ~er:,smd h~oul~ge ~'; ce~tic~ two roles · e ~eek;":'Iv~cl~; b~' Re id~ of :moving the ~ to ~qu? i~ ~ Mi. d~ :: ~O~ tcam t6 Dubuque:waan,t · ~.g, ueream_naaaplacet0play: ev~na ~ty'until about W c~a~,.0ffi~ ?a~,d_ a stadium m~'months:ugo, lo~g after the oma~onmeoty sriverfront; Vision iowa board had made its west of the recently completed award,- Gartner said America's Rivar Project. Wednesday. leaders in state grants for new comm. the triple-A Iowa Cubs in Des Il/lILY NEW~?APER STAR TRIBUNE Mim~apolls, MN SEPTEMBER 14, 2b'lB Bacon's · ~ '-~"' -~- - fi ~ · t eleora ng histOrical .. }ourney on Mississippi Catherine Watson/Star Triune 'The Delta queen is one of the larges{ riverboats in the Grand Excursion next year. By Cafi~erine Watson Senior Travel Editor Ifyou'db~en standing on the ~reanbanks of the upper MJssis- ": sippi 150yeaxs a~o next su~er, you'd have wimessed a~i am~ng sigh~: a whole armada, of steam- boats, fulloftherich and famous, proceeding upriver to the port of. St. Paul. · The even~was the Grand'Ik- · camion of 1854, an early--and · successful-- package tour and one of the first examples of how. flourgsm can heap an economy.. · Next summer, aparade of (l modem paddlewheea passenger boats, called Grand Excursion 2004., will.repeat ~O0-mile jottmey from the Quad Cities to the Twin Cities. "It's not a once-in-a-lifetime event," the Grand lZxcursion's ' :"/,. Websitepmmises."It'smorelike ~' 'onceintwr}~f' . ~: ~" Here's the best news: Thislife- '~5 time, you get to go alqng-- for a !? -- moming~-a day, an evening or many evenings, as your time and 'i:ipocketbook permit. Tickets fm- rides on the riverboats go on.sale tomorrow. · Ifyouhave your o~mb~at, so "' mdch/hebetter.~e~ctsev- · ~hundredadditiona[pleasure ." crafrtoioiain ong erOuta/' .: , ' "The r~ver is l~ud·~ open,". s~d, so the ~mber ~fpriva~e - tereraftallowedJnanygiVen.~ · stretch "just depends on the Coast · Gu,_ar_d-- they definitelykaow: ' we re coming' . :. :. -:... The originaltrip heaped-ira . '-: trodnce this part of the American frontier to the eyes -- and invest- ment portfolios -- of the coun- try's leaders, and ultimateay the world's. Minnesota Historical Society This steamboa~ the War Eagle, was part of the first Grand Excursion Up the Mississippi from what are now the quad Cities to St. Paul ia 1854. In 1870, the War Eagle was destroyed by a fire near LaCrosse, Wis.; relies ~rom the boat are in LaCresse's Riverside Museum. RIVER from G1 River trip of a lifetime,' and anyone can go along ~It wes boestedsm~and whenevar I tt~val aiong the IvtJs- . var/successful," said Steve Os- man, dkector of HistoricFort Snellin~ the Minnesota H/s- toricai Society's premier site, which overlooks the confluence' of the Mississippiand Mhmeso- ta rivers. '~ere was this huge, fun excursion.., to unabached- lypromote this newvantumin the West cailed-Minn asota," Org~nlzers ofG~nd Excur- · sion 2004 hope it will have the sissippL Mu ch has changed since 1854, of course. The I~msissippi has become a chain ofmRnaged lakes, ur pools, createdbythe Corps of Bngineers. The fiver banks now are down to the river's edge. Eagles rode thermals overhead, the ' shady sloughs were r/ch with wild bkds, and the ~eat golden bluffs towered ma~i~icently overall. tt's the best river in the world, ! tbiuk. ~nerica's river. Our river. A fiver about which it ' is OKto be completely, hope- lessly, sappilypa~xiotic. 1 urget the Rhine: If the Mississippi were in Europe, this iswhere the Lorelelwould sing. ckwithpeople,inam u · ]lieu arid flOW towns ~db~ dfi~ ~t ~w ' -up where~dem~s ~d been ~ ~ of~ ~ Gr~d ~m~b~tby~eprospefi~ ~on~ abig~e for~e ~at~e~r bro~t ~en ~omTe~to~ 1~ ' .same effect now, showcasing the v~ed richness of the Mis~ sissippi and the towns alongiQ banks in lliinals, Iowa, Wiscon- sin and Minnesota. ,pl~nn~ngbeg~n 21mo~t 10 years ago, FriedI ~a~d. The result involvesf0urstates, more than 50 fiver communities, two dozenurganizations, 16 po~ts of call'and at least 500 special' events and celebrations along the way. The dates are June 25 to ~uly5nextye~r.. '.As theoriginalfloflla '. steamed north 150 years ago, and the panorama of the river unfolded~ thepa~engers must hava.felt theyware craisinginto Eden. That's howit leeks to me, you think about it.that wa~, the Mis~issippiis America's greatest -highway. But there ere still placas, . many places, where the river' banks and backwate~ look as wild and lovely as they did in 1854-- es they did;in fact, when the first European ex- plurers encountered the Father of Waters, an~Iong before that. Idmvemost of the Grand' ~ Excursion's muteon Lshor Day weekend and marveled, as al: ways, at the beautyofit. The wide malu cb ~nnel glis- taned blue in the sun, with scat-' teredislands floatingk~e rafm of trees onits broad surface. Thickl~ean forests crowded theyear St. Paulwas incorpo- rated as a city, the year the fi~t flour mill opened at the town of St. Anthony, and the year Min- neapolis, onthe opposite bank, · was smvayed for the first time. (A suspension bn~ ~dge connect- ingthe two w'4sn t bnilt until the nextyeer.) It was aiso in 1854 that the Chicago and RockIsland Rail- road finished the first railline' between Chicago and the Mis- sisstppi. To celebrate, the com- panyinvited eestem dignitaries to travel its newly laid track to Rack Island, I]1. Steamboats car-' fled them the rest of the way to St. PauL The trip put theyoung dry - on thC]nap, and there was a suitablyg~udreeapfion at the. Capito~ Passengers ate supper in the House of ReprasentativaS and used the Supreme Court; -. ch~rnher esabaliroom. ' By!_a~$~panofthe xm~ntier was regarded as abeau~ and Wmantic das- tination. Advanturesome trav- elers fxomthe eastern ~tarss. and Europe were already visit- ing, drawn bytales of early ex- plorers and such scenic at~ tractions as Minnehaha Falls . . and the Fails of St. Atithony. . The newtraiuline made get- ting here alot e~sier. The Grand Excursionpwvadit was wo~li' doing. . .. · The pessenger list, the ~- ca~go Tribune reported, was "the most brilliant ever sssembl~din. the West, statesman, historians, ~ diplomats, poets, and the best · editorial talant in the count~' -- a referanea to the 50 new~pa- per editors whowent along." NOt surpfidngly, the region got a flood offrea ad~g. And, boy, did it pay off.- "The region atWacted m/l- lions ofinyestment dollam," the Grand l~x~ai0n 2004 Web site. says. Within four yoars, "Min- nesota was catapulted into statehood, and the entire region was positioned as a dominant force in the development of the n~tionin the 19th eantm~f When HenryWadswo~ Longfenow's epic p,?em, "The:. Song of Hiawatha, came out the nex~ year, it put even more icing on the cake. The 2004 excursion The big boats in the 2004 flotilla will be modem but itill pictaresque paddlewheelers. About 10 paddiewheelers are ~pected to parddp a. te, Friedl-: These seven aredgned up so · ~ fan. theJ~aBelleSwain, Spirit. o.fPeoria, Harriet Bishop, Anson ' Nox~d~ap, Calebration Belle and the two biggest-- the Delta Queen and the Mississippi .', .... River:towns plan a boatload of related events " , Tie-mm turaJevenLss at1 ', ·. '.' '. :" ~.' . ":'asearly'as]anttm3/an[h'urt ', ' ' . · .H~drea~ofotherboatsa~e 8~roughsprhi~ 'l'hebig~est ' .... · ....... . ....... ' ' .:eXpected MSo,.komkaDks to- ' onew~ll.happe-nin clas'~ooms: ."Here sa tin'sa nple of :' ' IF V~ I f A ' ~ ' - '.:"" ' "' · ' '. · .: ' ou deA ~,~],.; ...... ;~.=. ' ' ho.~sppE~ts;~m~boa~tomot? aroun~d~esion;Mor~dm;a whatelsewtllbehappenmg. · lt.t~U ~_ .......... : 'Ml~q~;:.~ ~ ~;~'~:~a~" '. , 'Wilmnaha. aah.ka~aa.ra - ' yachts 'fne b~g tssue mr spell- ' 825 schools nave s~mieo u, tot ~ and clo~ tl~e ri~er ~ ~ ri ~ .... " · ' - ..... ~A~;:~;;'?~'?~ ~ a ~=' · · . 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'tr~sqo~nepackedwith!iffor,"ShowBoat?wii~ba:per- ~illCodv, winhe&tare~va or :~a~ ~ ~7~''~p ' M0reml0rmail0O. . · .... ' '. .~nemrm~a~lcnoiC;rana...bynvertowns. Theyllbe ' :' '~. co ~.andDmtgaswillde)ate Otl~reventsincludeatided ;~iJ;[~";~~ ~ ;~~tia 's,a ~nna ~,*a;~,~,~;~' ":" ' ' . ·. uavenport. The~o Quee~s learnabout them sslss ~p's · '~ ghZa lc -ttt nble ~oo~l-t - t off~lMont me ~t ant ¢ e '?kl;?;.qq~ :~u ~; ~,11 .. L:.~::::~'C';~::~'~7-'~:~:'' .' ' .. '. · wllltr?elJ09gerfl~ant~erest, h[story, e~ologFan~cuku'm..' i 'min'dverto~ofEastDu- · Contest nnearhyMcG'egor ' ' "~;q~";':';~ ~ ~}q~':' tout i,,~llv,nO~fad lfh,a ' """ .. · ~eaa~n[paLo[~;~. ~o~s on.... ~ a,~e eypts a? ?mpd at ~ I{tFlue Vrom~aes~a, Adult and a'two-dayjazz and blues ' '~;~'~ :'; ?:5 ~ ~: '~,~:[*~.::L" '...maos of~e r~er' -ietur~ -f'' ", . · june ~.m~ nounawmreacn c~murattpg ~he Mlss~ss~ ~pl~. [ tostumedAdventure" ~dos-. ' 'festiv~-- featt rin~ 12' ~m~ds[' ' ' ' ...... : ?' 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'. . stveciuisbnp-rl/er o~ ell.her, al.. · ~ ' ' ' ;' ' '. .-. i.a iJi~ii~ciffgraml?a~, named 'die few ferric& Operating · · in'et..Paulto break a record I]w · boat ki ia ld~owto custom- .'. ' - . . die river ~ueeas. (The seven-'Catli~e ~qtso, is at ' j ft~r (,eh. aud'P.r?klem U.S. across the Mississippi-- ~lans building the world's largest" ize youthS, cml 1L866-439- - ' : ~gy{0~streamcruise~:s . ;~?tso,~st~rtHb,,?:com~"" . ~ , C~:au~,?m fown s ~!lo~tl'am-walkingt~ufs;there are S[~e~ ' baboon, arc ~ 20 feet big ~ ' 2004 '. · ' · ' ' '~ . · cn~.pe~l . "· '~. . . ... ....· . ~ 0~tsc~zen. '.. . ' cl~eventsat~istoricStone- ~vertheMisstssloDi. ~ls~: ' ' · ' "' : .... ' ' ... · my~uaens.arenmo;~Hng ' ..... ' . :.;~.'ln. loWa. Dttbt(1 ..... ew. . tick V age aidOenoaw where Red whidi~',,on~ '. o ~ . - ' " , ' %~,,,~,;,e"'-~mso,, · · . a~ytrips, b~tsm~ler ~dtlle-. · . : ~ .' . 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