STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN

DURHAM CONVENTION CENTER

The Fuqua School of Business

Strategy 490: Strategic Planning Practicum

March 2009

Fuqua Team

Gen Arai

Janessa Pulliam

Happy Whitlock

Jianming Zhang

Faculty Adviser

Bill Sax

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Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 2 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3

The Purpose of Study .................................................................................................................. 3 Company Overview .................................................................................................................... 3 Industry Overview ...................................................................................................................... 4 Growth of Business ..................................................................................................................... 4 Market Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 4

Marketing and Sales Activities ................................................................................................... 5 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 5

Company Description ..................................................................................................................... 6

Durham Convention Center ........................................................................................................ 6 Durham Convention Center Ownership ...................................................................................... 6 Mission Statement ....................................................................................................................... 6 Key Performance Indicators ....................................................................................................... 7

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) .......................................... 8 Market Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 9

Competition............................................................................................................................... 10 Target Markets .......................................................................................................................... 11

Marketing and Sales Activities ..................................................................................................... 15

Overall Marketing Strategy....................................................................................................... 15

Sales Strategy ............................................................................................................................ 15

Traditional Communication Methods ................................................................................... 15

Develop DCC Branding Strategy.......................................................................................... 16

DCC Website ........................................................................................................................ 16

Public Relations Campaign ................................................................................................... 17

Product Life Cycle .................................................................................................................... 18 Operations ................................................................................................................................. 19 Production and Service Delivery Procedures ........................................................................... 19

Production and Service Delivery Capability............................................................................. 19 Operating Competitive Advantages .......................................................................................... 19 Management Staff and Structure .............................................................................................. 20

Funds Required and Their Uses .................................................................................................... 24 Current Funding Requirements ................................................................................................. 24 Funding Requirements Over the Next Five Years .................................................................... 24 Use of Funds ............................................................................................................................. 24

Long-Range Financial Strategies (liquidating investors’ positions) ......................................... 24 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 25

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 25

Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 25 Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 26

Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 27 Exhibit #1 .................................................................................................................................. 27 Exhibit #2 .................................................................................................................................. 28 Resumes of Fuqua Team ........................................................................................................... 29

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Executive Summary

The Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study is to address the following three areas in an attempt to help the Durham

Convention Center (DCC) overcome an annual operating deficit of approximately $1 million.

1. Build consensus between owners and management regarding the mission of the facility and

appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs) for the DCC.

2. Ensure operational alignment to mission statement. This will be driven primarily by a revised

incentive structure that is directly aligned to key performance indicators and, subsequently, the

new mission statement.

3. Develop marketing/branding strategy that better positions DCC within local market and drives

additional revenue to DCC.

Company Overview

DCC is equally co-owned by the City of Durham and the County of Durham. Management of the

facility is outsourced to Shaner Hotel Group, a Marriott franchisee that runs DCC under the

Marriott brand.1 The owners pay a management fee to Shaner Hotel Group. Shaner has decision

rights over revenue generation, operations, variable costs, minor fixed costs and budget

preparation. The owners have decision rights over major fixed costs, major capital

improvements, budget approval, budget shortfalls, and financing. Interdependencies between the

two sets of decision rights revolve primarily around the budgeting process, financing, and the

relationship between revenue generation and major capital improvements. These

interdependencies are further complicated by the fact that DCC has two owners.

The Durham Marriott Hotel attached to DCC has 20% of the necessary guest rooms for a

convention center of its size.2 This imbalance notwithstanding, DCC likely behaves as a loss

leader for both the surrounding community (see below) and the adjoining hotel. If DCC was

owned by one entity, this would not be an issue. Given the separate ownership structure,

however, cost allocation becomes a more complex issue. This underscores the importance of a

continued open, cooperative relationship between management and the owners, which, it

appears, both parties have achieved. Regarding cost allocation, salaries of all exempt employees,

with the exception of the managing director, are split evenly between Shaner Hotel Group and

the owners. An alternative option might be to split costs according to the amount of time and/or

revenue that each employee generates for the hotel versus the Convention Center. It is important

to note that Convention Center support staff is hired strictly on a temporary basis, greatly

reducing DCC’s labor costs.

Given that DCC has minimized its costs, increased revenue will depend on both the volume of

business and profit margins. Based on DCC income statements, audio/visual equipment (A/V)

and room rental yield approximately 80%-95% profit margins, followed by beverages at 65%

and food at 13%.3 As such, DCC should upgrade its technological infrastructure to a level that

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can support basic teleconferencing capabilities. The Convention Center should bring A/V in-

house in order to more directly benefit from the potential profit margins.

Industry Overview

Like most convention centers in second and third-tier cities, DCC is publicly owned and was

built to spur economic activity in downtown Durham while inducing the construction of a major

adjoining hotel. Historically, convention centers have acted as loss leaders. The broader

economic benefit that they generate, however, is often deemed sufficient to offset the operational

losses they incur.4

Tighter municipal budgets, exacerbated by the current economic downturn, have changed public

perspective, however, and publicly-funded convention centers, along with their managers, are

under greater pressure to reduce operating deficits.5 This is complicated by the fact that supply of

convention center space has outpaced demand. In addition, industry trends suggest that tighter

travel and meeting budgets, combined with more sophisticated teleconferencing capabilities, are

leading to an increased localization of meetings and conferences. This is even more reason to

have professional teleconferencing capabilities.

Growth of Business

The continued oversupply of convention center space6, as demonstrated by the recent

construction of the Raleigh Convention Center, will likely prevent any significant future growth

for DCC. In addition, the current economic downturn has resulted in a 9% decrease in

attendance and a 0.5% decrease in bookings throughout Durham (as of January 2009).7

Nevertheless, given the changing nature of the meeting and events industry, DCC does have an

opportunity to leverage its central position to both the community and downtown Durham and

position itself as the primary choice for local business. Future growth will also depend upon

DCC’s ability to upgrade its technological infrastructure.

Market Analysis

While meetings attendance in Durham has fallen by 9%, attendance in other major convention

centers, such as the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, has fallen by 20%.8 This may be

partly attributable to the fact that Atlanta is a premiere destination, reflecting the decline in long

distance travel associated with conferences and meetings. It also likely reflects the fact that

Durham is somewhat insulated from the immediate effects of the recession because it is fed by

“recession-resistant” industries and sectors, such as universities, hospitals,

medical/pharmaceutical companies and advanced energy companies. Indeed, Durham’s growth

rate far exceeds the national average, all of which should benefit DCC. Regarding the specific

issue of guest rooms, by 2011, there should be 500 additional guest rooms within walking

distance of DCC.9

Perceptions of Durham as an unsafe city are often cited as reasons why DCC does not attract or

benefit from more visitors. Based on our research, however, we are more inclined to attribute

low volume to a lack of awareness among several key local customer groups, particularly since

they are already booking events in Durham. Another critical issue facing DCC is the increased

fragmentation of its customer base. Fragmentation is primarily driven by the delegation of

meeting planning to individuals as opposed to a centralized meeting planner.10

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Marketing and Sales Activities

Approximately half of DCC’s bookings are made online via the Marriott website.11

This

underscores the importance of the internet in meeting and conference planning today. The

Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB) also provide DCC with leads. DCC

participates in trade shows and conducts sales visits with meeting planners. Indeed, the Johnson

Consulting Group has developed an extremely detailed marketing plan that DCC should continue

to pursue. Reaching the full range of target customers, however, will be increasingly difficult,

particularly as consumer groups continue to become fragmented. An overarching branding

strategy would mitigate these challenges, including construction of a dedicated website for the

convention center.

Recommendations

Mission Statement and Key Performance Indicators

Adopt proposed mission statement and KPIs

Track and revise on a quarterly basis, if necessary

Build relevant KPIs into contract with Shaner

Introduce mission statement and KPIs to all employees

Revised incentive system

Review proposed incentive system

Work with Shaner to adopt incentive system (parts or whole) in

order to align activity directly to DCC

Follow proposed Implementation Plan when introducing the

system to employees

Branding strategy

Develop branding strategy that positions DCC as anchor of

downtown Durham

Refine DCC target to include local, high margin business

Develop dedicated website that enables:

o Online booking

o Promotion of DCC/customer events

o Joint promotion of downtown events (DPAC, DBAP, and

The Carolina Theatre)

o Press releases

Media campaign

Technological upgrades

In-room screens, projectors and computers

Reconfiguration of ballroom

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Company Description

Durham Convention Center

Durham City and Durham County in North Carolina equally co-own DCC, a facility which

provides over 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space in downtown Durham, including

one of the area’s largest ballrooms. The Convention Center is attached to the Durham Marriott

Convention Center, a 189-room hotel.

With a growing population of approximately 218,000 people in 2008, Durham is a market known

for its universities, medicine, and arts (see Exhibit 1).1213

DCC was built in 1989 as the Durham

Civic Center and was founded to revitalize and provide economic stimulation to downtown

Durham. DCC is positioned in the midst of a diverse group of potential customers, including

numerous organizations that are a part of Duke University, North Carolina Central University,

Duke Hospital, and all the companies located in Research Triangle Park. It’s located within a

few minutes of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and two interstate highways

along with local public transportation in downtown Durham. Major Durham landmarks,

including the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP), Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC),

and the adjacent Carolina Theatre, bring in potential customers for DCC. Current customers from

local and county government and civic organizations add to the mix of corporate customers and

social customers, such as those holding weddings. DCC has food/beverage catering services, a

full-service restaurant, and audio-visual offerings to serve the needs of all types of customers

holding meetings and events.

Durham Convention Center Ownership

Durham City and Durham County contracted a third party, Shaner Hotels Group, to manage

DCC and established a Convention Center Authority Board of volunteers to monitor the

management of the facility. Shaner Hotels is also the owner-operator of the adjacent Marriott

Hotel. Since DCC was not established with a comprehensive mission statement, the goals of the

facility were sometimes vague to the Authority Board, management, and the owners. All parties

raised concerns, including DCC’s financial and economic goals, target customers, and “civic”

responsibility of DCC.

Mission Statement

The Authority Board needed clarity moving forward and a clear mission statement and overall

vision to guide the management and owners. All parties were brought together to craft a mission

statement. The group constructed the mission statement using a framework that helped them

answer three pertinent questions:

Purpose: What are the opportunities or needs that we exist to address?

Providing economic and community development to Durham

Business: What are we doing to address these needs?

Providing convention and meeting services

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Exceed customers’ requirements

Values: What principles or beliefs guide our work?

Limit burden on Durham citizens

Once those answers were clear to all parties, the mission statement was crafted. The following

mission statement was established at the January 2009 meeting of the Convention Center

Authority Board:

Mission Statement

To stimulate economic and community development in Durham by providing

convention and meeting services to exceed customers’ requirements while limiting

burden on Durham citizens.

Key Performance Indicators

Along with its mission statement, DCC needed a way to measure its overall performance against

the organization’s mission, especially with a third party management structure in place. The

Authority Board and DCC owners will need Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) established to

accomplish this. The answers above that were flushed out during the mission statement were also

used to drive the creation of KPIs for DCC staff and management. It is important that KPIs are

easy to track and understand, meaningful, realistic, well-rounded, and monitored regularly. DCC

is at an advantage because some of the KPIs that will measure their success are already captured

and reported by the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB).* As shown below, we

have established KPIs under each of the broad areas used to construct the mission statement:

Providing economic and community development to Durham

Maintain or increase net value added to downtown Durham*

Determine acceptable annual tax revenue contribution for convention

center’s customers*

Providing convention and meeting services & Exceeding customers’ requirements

Maintain or increase occupancy rates above area average*

Maintain or increase market share above area average*

Improve food/service rating on event survey

Increase number of repeat customers

Limit burden on Durham citizens

Reduce deficit annually, with goal of achieving break-even by 2015

Keep actual costs within 10% of projected costs

Anticipate capital improvements so they can be included in owners’

annual budgeting process

Each recommended KPI above will measure DCC’s success against its mission statement. For

the first category, the tax revenues and overall contributions to the Durham community will be

measured to account for benefits realized outside of DCC’s financial statements. These types of

contributions are already calculated by the DCVB and published regularly. The DCVB also

tracks occupancy rates and market share for comparable facilities. DCC can utilize these

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benchmarks to measure its success. The second category of KPIs focuses on DCC’s operations

and how they measure against comparable facilities. DCC’s own food/service survey can be used

as a KPI along with tracking the number of repeat customers. Finding out what attracts

customers to use the Convention Center’s services again will be important in retaining other

customers and leveraging DCC’s strengths going forward. The third KPI category ensures DCC

remains focused on deficit reduction, low budget variances, and budgeting for planned capital

expenditures. Overall, these KPIs will impact all areas of DCC, especially marketing and

operations, as all parties involved are guided by the mission statement.

Note: The KPI measuring net value added uses number of DCC delegates and an estimate of

spending based on national averages to determine how much delegates contribute to downtown

Durham.14

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)

Strengths (competitive advantages)

Marriott Brand (vis-à-vis business customers)

Existing customer base/brand awareness in

o High-Tech companies (Lenovo, Cree etc)

o Local Communities

o Recognition by citizens (74% use DCC annually)15

Experience in

o Weddings

o Community meetings

o Sports events

Large room (Ballroom)

Close ties with local government

500 guest rooms within walking distance by 2010 or 201116

Location close to developing area of Durham

Weaknesses (competitive disadvantages)

Marriott Brand not appropriate for high-end

Limited customer based/brand awareness among

o Pharmaceutical companies

o High-end wedding planners

o Temporary residents (i.e. students)

Limited promotion

Limited number of guest rooms

Outdated technology

Lack of hospitality industry expertise among owners

Capital upgrades take extended periods of time to complete

Opportunities (External factors)

Growing energy and environment industry

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Growing opportunities in infrastructure and construction sectors

(stimulus bill)

Increasing number of high-tech firm employees

Expected increase in number of matriculating students

More available hotel rooms in downtown Durham

Durham Transportation Center and possible development of a

commuter rail station

Threats (External factors)

Economic downturn and potential drop-off in volume of

meetings/events from outside the local area

Competition from other North Carolina meeting/event venues with

more space and close proximity to hotel rooms (i.e. Raleigh

Convention Center)

Market Analysis

Industry Description and Outlook

Industry Overview

Convention centers are primarily built to attract visitors and spur growth in downtown

metropolitan areas. Similarly, according to interviews with hospitality professionals, hotel

conference facilities are used to attract large groups of guests to the hotel. In both cases,

convention and meeting facilities generally serve as loss leaders and are intended to drive

broader economic activity within a community or, in the case of a hotel, drive revenue to guest

rooms.17

The majority of convention centers in the U.S. are publicly-owned. Operations are typically

outsourced to a destination marketing organization (DMO), with marketing managed by the local

convention and visitors bureau. Historically, due to the purported economic benefit of

convention centers and the fact that convention centers initially served as the primary source of

new business in an area, operating losses were generally accepted. However, as convention

centers matured and downtown economic conditions improved, expectations regarding the

financial performance of convention centers changed.18

The current economic downturn, tighter

municipal budgets and an oversupply of space inventory have exacerbated the situation.

According to the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB), national demand for

convention meeting space over the past year grew by 2.5% while supply, driven by construction

of 500,000 square foot mega centers, continues to balloon.19

Industry reports, however, suggest

that the era of large mega centers is ending and that a combination of tighter travel budgets,

improved teleconferencing technology and a desire for more convenient, local meeting centers is

leading to an increased localization of meetings and conventions. The current economic

recession will likely hasten these developments.

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Market Overview

Within Durham, convention-related visitors constitute approximately 12% of all travel to

Durham. Growth in this segment is slow, with the leisure travel segment expanding far more

rapidly. This presents both challenges and opportunities to the Durham Convention Center. In

the near term, however, the economic impact of the current recession triggered a 13% decline in

group meetings and a 0.5% decline in group meeting bookings. Likewise, attendance and room

nights have fallen by approximately 9%. This is consistent with developments across the

country, with the Georgia World Congress Center reporting a 7% drop in revenue and a 20%

drop in attendance, impacting both the centers’ revenue stream and the overall economic benefit

to the surrounding community. Increasing fragmentation of the customer base is exacerbating

this problem, as companies and universities downsize their meetings departments and delegate

meeting responsibilities to individuals. For example, in Duke there are 75meeting planners and

hundreds of students responsible for organizing annual meetings. Most groups have a meetings

budget of approximately $1,000, and hold their meetings at Sheraton Imperial or Millennium.

When asked, students did not know of the existence of DCC.

Nevertheless, given the high concentration of “recession-resistant” industries and sectors in and

around Durham, DCC may be slightly insulated from the effects of the recession. Such sectors

include universities, alternative energy companies, medical companies and hospitals,

infrastructure and building companies, and fraternal and religious groups. There are

opportunities for DCC to increase market awareness of its services in both the educational sector

and RTP. It is also important to note that internet-booking capabilities and a targeted web

presence are becoming critical to the effective positioning of convention centers throughout the

U.S. We will discuss these developments in further detail below.

According to DCVB, DCC represents approximately 17% of meeting space in Durham and

accounts for approximately 23% of all meetings. Nevertheless, DCC’s performance is still

hampered by the fact that it cannot compete for large groups because the number of hotel rooms

within walking distance are inadequate to fill DCC space. An additional 500 hotel rooms should

be constructed by 2011, at which point the facility will be too small to accommodate the full

supply of hotel rooms. It is important to note, however, that several of these projects have been

delayed and these projections are contingent upon full occupancy.

Currently, primary DCC customer groups include corporate accounts, including local companies

in RTP and Durham, with an emphasis on high-tech companies and SMERF accounts (important

market segment, an acronym for Social, Military, Educational, Religious, and Fraternal)

Competition

The Convention Center faces competition for meeting and events throughout the State but

especially in the entire Triangle region. Many of the local large institutions, such as Duke

University and Duke Hospital, have other comparable facilities within close proximity. These

include the following sites in Durham:

Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club

Durham Hilton

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Millennium Hotel

Sheraton Imperial

DCC faces other regional competition also. The Raleigh Convention Center recently opened and

is a much larger facility catering to meetings with more attendees. There is also the Koury

Convention Center located in Greensboro, North Carolina, in the Piedmont Triad region. As

noted earlier, one important aspect of DCC is the imbalance of the number of sleeping rooms

available in the adjacent Durham Marriott. This smaller volume of sleeping rooms impacts the

number of attendees and types of meetings that DCC can accommodate, whereas other facilities

may have larger volumes of rooms within walking distance. This concern may cause target

markets for DCC to shift towards meetings of local organizations or those that do not require

overnight accommodations.

Target Markets

Characteristics of the Primary Target and Market Segments

Targeting Method

To define target markets and build a marketing strategy for each target, we adopted GE’s

portfolio analysis matrix. (Table 1)

<Table 1: GE Matrix>

High Medium Low

HighProtect

PositionInvest to Build

Build

Selectively

MediumBuild

Selectively

Selectively

Manage for

Earnings

Limited

Expansion or

Harvest

LowBuild

Selectively

Manage for

Earnings

Mar

ket

Att

ract

iven

ess

Business Strength

First, we evaluated the attractiveness of possible markets for DCC (Y-axis). Then, we

determined the degree to which DCC’s existing strengths and capabilities have been/could be

adapted to each possible segment (X-axis).

Market Attractiveness Analysis

To determine attractiveness of possible markets (Y-axis), we used another evaluation table which

defines possible target segments by account types and meeting types. Then, based on research

including interviews, market reports, economic reports, we evaluated attractiveness of each

target by profitability, expected market size, growth expectation, competition, and proximity to

Durham. With “market attractiveness” defined in terms of profitability, we focused on profit

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margins of different meeting revenue streams. As noted above, according to DCC 2007 financial

statements, gross profit margin from food service is 12%, beverage is 63% and that of Audio

Visual (AV) service is 95%. Although AV may require substantial capital expenditure, we

evaluated profitability of each segment based on the presence of AV or Beverage service. As for

expected growth, we considered the industry’s expansion, the effect of the ongoing recession on

the industry20

and its meeting/convention planning. Comment: The high 95% figure does not

take into account depreciation.

Table 2 is the evaluation table of market attractiveness.

<Table 2: Market Attractiveness>

Meeting Types

Account Types Small

functional

Training Networking &

Promotion

Personal

Corporate Accounts

Pharma & Medical High Middle High N/A

Energy & Environment High N/A High N/A

Government Low Low Low N/A

Hospital Middle N/A High N/A

High tech N/A High Middle N/A

Infrastructure Middle Middle Middle N/A

SMERF Accounts

Social Middle Middle High Middle

Military N/A N/A N/A N/A

Education Middle N/A Low N/A

Religion Middle N/A High N/A

Fraternal Middle N/A High N/A

Following are major points of the segment evaluations.

Corporate Accounts21

Pharmaceutical and medical companies in RTP

Durham is known for its large number of pharmaceutical and medical industry companies and

research institutes, primarily in Research Triangle Park area. The largest companies in this

category include GlaxoSmithKline, National Institute of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA), Quintiles, and Biogen Idec etc. Compared with other industries, including

financial and manufacturing industries, the revenue and business of companies in pharmaceutical

and healthcare-related industries are historically less affected by economic downturns. Though

these companies are suffering from the reduced funding in R&D, revenue streams from the sales

of medicine are still healthy. In addition, sales meetings will become increasingly important as

fewer new drugs are introduced to market. Meeting needs from pharmaceutical and medical

companies include research conferences, sales meetings and training sessions, which heavily

require the usage of audio and visual equipments. In addition, DCC will likely prove a more

cost-effective option than other mid-high end hotels, and could attract additional business. In

RTP, there are 40,00022

high-tech employees, and the number has been increasing. Some of the

start-up high-tech firms have expanded dramatically. We can expect more training-related

opportunities such as Lenovo’s relocation training in DCC, which was one of its most profitable

events yet.

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Green Energy Companies

We recommend companies that use green energy be one of the targeted customer sectors of

DCC. Durham is pushing forward “green initiatives” within its public facilities. Also green

energy is supported at the federal level. In March 2009, the state of North Carolina projects to

receive approximately $ 208 million for energy related projects in the coming two years, as part

of Federal Economic Stimulus plan.23

Getting involved in green initiatives and hosting green

energy related meetings in DCC not only promotes the “environmental friendly” image of DCC,

but also generates revenues from these meetings. Many companies within Durham and RTP area

are members of North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, and actively participating in

green energy related businesses. Our team projects the needs in meeting facilities increases in the

coming years along with the implementation of economic stimulus plan and the recovery of the

overall economy.

Duke Hospital

Within the Durham area, the Duke Hospital System includes Duke University Hospital and

Durham Regional Hospital. The VA (Veterans Administration) Hospital is also a very significant

piece of this medical complex. Being one of the best medical systems in the United States, Duke

Hospital System hosts hundreds of research meetings every year, from small discussion groups

to large annual association meetings. These meetings generate demand for meeting spaces and

largely rely on audio/visual and computer equipment to demonstrate research ideas and findings,

display pictures, and deliver presentations. Despite the fact that Millennium Hotel has positioned

itself as the destination of choice for Duke Hospital, DCC should be able to leverage its size to

attract these high margin meetings. In addition, the ongoing economic recession and reduced

events budgets may result in an increase in local meetings that otherwise would be held in resorts.

Infrastructure Companies

Infrastructure companies include road construction, bridge building, electricity network, etc,

which provides the basic physical and organizational structure needs for the operation of a

society. Under the newly signed economic stimulus plan, “Rebuild America” program was

devised and about $45 billion dollars will be invested to infrastructure industry in the coming

years. This program is estimated to generate more than $230 billion dollars in economic

activities, and will surely enlarge the size of meeting service market in infrastructure industries.

The meetings falls in this category are trade shows of infrastructure equipments, state level and

regional meetings on infrastructure planning, etc.

SMERF Accounts

Social events, such as weddings, have emerged as one of DCCs most important accounts, with a

particular emphasis on Indian weddings. Given DCC’s newly renovated ballroom, DCC can

leverage its internal capabilities to further target this segment. However, it is important to note

that social events tend to be less profitable than business events. In addition, based on interviews

with high-end meeting planners, DCC is not the venue of choice for high-value weddings. DCC

has developed a critical niche market in low-mid range weddings and ethnic weddings. DCC

should maintain these accounts, but should not invest additional capital in expanding its

weddings capabilities.

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As the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is one of the largest events held at DCC24

, art

festivals and events can yield attractive convention opportunities. As DCVB recognizes the

broad range and diversity of performing arts activities as one of Durham’s emerging strengths,

cultural arts will likely be promoted through DCVB’s marketing strategy for Durham.25

Religious and fraternal accounts are not very profitable accounts, but they should be cultivated,

as they constitute extremely stable accounts during times of economic downturn. Through

interviews with successful convention centers, we discovered that they highly rely on these

accounts.

Educational accounts can be extremely attractive targets and have, as yet, been largely

undeveloped, although DCC recently hired a sales person dedicated to Duke accounts. By way of

example, hundreds of students have decision rights over annual off-site club meetings every year

In addition, Duke holds extensive recruiting events. However, given that event planning is not

centralized, DCC will need a more broad reaching strategy to penetrate this potential target

market.

Based on the market attractiveness analysis and the SWOT analysis, we developed the following

matrix to select target markets and identify basic strategies for each market. (Table 3)

<Table 3: GE Matrix for DCC’s convention business>

High Medium Low

High

Protect Position

-Hospital Symposiums

-Religion/Fraternal Meetings

Invest to Build

-Environment Workshops

-Arts/Cultural Festivals

Build Selectively

-Pharma/Medical

Conferences

-Infrastructure meetings

Medium

Build Selectively

-High-tech Training

-Wedding (Normal)

Selectively Manage for

Earnings

-Incoming student events/

Recuruting Events

Limited Expansion or

Harvest

-Pharma/Medical Training

-Wedding (Luxuary)

LowBuild Selectively

Government Meetings

Manage for Earnings

Student Events (Universities)

Business Strength

Mar

ket

Att

ract

iven

ess

In the target markets where DCC should “protect position,” DCC can expect stable business

leveraging their existing strength, including brand recognition in the market, infrastructure, and

meeting experience, while making effort to maintain the strength.

On the other hand, “Invest to Build” and “Build Selectively” imply that both capital and

marketing expenditures are needed to enhance DCC’s position in the markets. For example, to

attract more environmental workshops, additional investment in eco-friendly infrastructure, such

as energy-efficient lights26

, could be extremely useful, as well as special promotions to improve

brand recognition to the organizations in the target market. As noted above, continued

investment in computer technology also falls within these categories. For arts/cultural festivals,

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the Full Frame Film Festival is an excellent success story, but more efforts are needed to attract

potential events. For example, more communication with DCVB, which is leading Durham’s

marketing campaign, can help develop new opportunities. Moreover, tie-up or cross-selling with

DPAC should also be pursued.

For other groups, DCC should work to maintain existing customers, but should avoid further

targeted promotions to these sectors. In the case of weddings, DCC has done an excellent job

targeting and developing a niche market within the Indian/ethnic wedding segment. While DCC

should maintain these customers, it is important to note that the profit margins associated with

weddings are relatively low2728

and may not merit significant, additional investment. Regarding

more technical training conferences, the degree of capital investment required to attract these

types of meetings is significant. Given that many of these companies have their own training

facilities, we do not recommend that DCC build capacity for these types of meetings.

Marketing and Sales Activities

Note: The Johnson Consulting Report provided a detailed marketing plan that DCC should

continue to pursue. The following recommendations are intended to complement and support

existing sales efforts.

Overall Marketing Strategy

The overall marketing strategy for DCC should include development of a branding strategy and

promotion of the brand among target segments. Based on our interviews with meeting and

wedding planners, we found that many were not aware of the Convention Center and had not

used their services before. DCC should utilize several distribution channels in its marketing

strategy, including the internal sales force, external meeting planners, the DCVB, and online

reservation systems. We recommend using several cost-effective marketing communication

methods, such as a dedicated DCC web page, press releases, feature articles, industry association

publications, personal selling, and public relations (PR), to promote the DCC brand. DCC should

also build relationships with local establishments, such as the DBAP and DPAC, to cross-

promote.

Sales Strategy

Effective communication between DCC and its target customers is critical to its branding

strategy. Given the increasingly fragmented nature of the market, reliance on traditional

communication methods will not suffice in reaching the full range of potential customers.

Traditional Communication Methods

Traditional communication methods include direct contact with corporate and university

accounts, advertisements and networking with SMERF accounts and meeting planners at trades

shows and industry meetings. Traditional approaches rely heavily upon the circulation of

brochures, fliers, and magazines for corporate and SMERF accounts, and personal sales

techniques including email and phone calls with meeting planners. As DCC’s target audience

16

becomes more disperse, continuing to rely on these market techniques will not prove cost-

effective.

Develop DCC Branding Strategy

Developing a widely-recognizable brand image is an excellent way to raise awareness of DCC in

the local market, complement existing sales strategies and enable DCC sales staff to capture

more business. DCC’s brand image needs to resonate with its target audience. Given the industry

trends noted above, the importance of high margin services to DCC’s future income and the

increased localization of meetings and conferences, we recommend that DCC’s new brand image

include the following:

DCC as anchor of downtown Durham

DCC as facilitator of Durham’s continued progress

Focus on high-tech and green technology,

DCC goes Green

DCC as supporter of local community events and developments

Possible core values could include the following: positive; energetic; authentic; accessible;

capable; cutting-edge; environmental friendly. Please note that some of these core values have

been taken from DCVB’s Marketing Plan. Given that DCVB’s marketing is the official

marketing plan for Durham, it is critical that DCC’s brand image align with DCVB’s efforts.

We recommend that DCC adopt the following tagline:

Where Durham Connects

Please note that this closely mirrors DCVB’s tagline, “Durham: Where Great Things Happen.”

Again, alignment between the two marketing initiatives will enhance market awareness of both.

Recommendations for implementation follow below.

DCC Website

We strongly recommend that the DCC develops its own independent website. The fact that over

50% of DCC’s bookings originate from the Marriott website underscores the critical role that the

internet plays in current consumption patterns. If a business does not have an online identity, it

will not exist for some customers.

DCC does not have a centralized business website. When using online search engines to search

for “Durham Convention Center,” the first several websites linked to either the Durham

Convention and Visitor Bureau website or the Durham County government website. The lack of

a dedicated website has become one of the obstacles that limit public awareness of DCC.

A DCC website will provide DCC with another portal through with to process bookings. In

addition, DCC will be able to use the website to promote its customers’ events, providing

additional incentive for customers to work with DCC. A DCC website will also serve as a critical

tool for communicating DCC’s brand image and its values.

17

Recommendations - We recommend the following content:

Where to Meet,

Where to Stay,

Where to Dine,

Where to Shop,

What’s Happening at DCC

DCC in the News,

1. DCC Adopts Energy Efficient Technology

2. DCC Host Local Events

3. DCC Upgrades Teleconferencing Capabilities

4. etc.

Video of the rooms and meeting facilities at DCC, and

Joint promotion content with other Durham Downtown attractions and facilities.

Online booking capabilities

Please review the adjoining PowerPoint presentation for a graphic depiction of the proposed

DCC website.

Public Relations Campaign

Press releases

Feature articles

Content could include upgrades to DCC, website launch, upcoming events, and joint

promotions with local facilities

Special events:

Trade shows,

Film festivals, and

Dance festivals, hosted at DCC and other downtown Durham facilities

Joint promotions/cross-selling:

Marriott

DPAC

Carolina Theatre

DBAP

Such as pre-show/after-show dinner packages, Meet the Artist series, etc.

Strengthen ties with DCVB

Participate in DCVB coop

Link to DCVB website

Host DCVB events

18

Products and Services Detailed Product / Service Description

The Durham Convention Center was initially founded to induce construction of a major hotel in

downtown Durham (Omni-now Marriott), attract business to downtown Durham and revitalize

the struggling city center. Currently DCC contains a convention center and an on-site Marriot

hotel. The convention center provides over 40,000 square feet of meeting and 13 meeting rooms

in downtown Durham, including one of the area’s largest ballrooms. The Convention center

currently provides meeting service and food catering for business conventions, social events, and

weddings.

1 Highlight for business conventions29

i. All event space conveniently located on one level

ii. State-of the art space with high-speed internet access and on-site audio-

visual services

iii. Expert and creative catering and events team to develop custom menus

and themes

iv. Dedicated Event-Services Manager available though out the duration of

your event

2 Highlight for social events and Weddings30

i. Catering capabilities to enhance weddings, social events and theme parties

ii. Skilled planners to coordinate events

iii. Expert and creative catering and events teams to develop custom menus

and themes

iv. On-Site Certified Wedding Planner

v. Unique settings for receptions, ceremonies, and parties

3 Competitive advantages

i.Competitive rate by public support

ii.On-sight high-class hotel

iii.Located amid Downtown Durham's arts, entertainment, and historic districts

Product Life Cycle

With two ballrooms, the convention center has enhanced its product offerings and is able to

respond to a broad range of customer needs. However, the audio/visual equipment and computer

setups need to be updated to support the kinds of services that will attract higher margin business.

19

Operations

Production and Service Delivery Procedures

1 Internal

a. Meetings and Conventions

Reservation management

Meeting space Setup

Certified Wedding planning

b. Catering Service (Catering Manager)

Serving Team

Restaurant management

c. Sales

Customer relationship management

Meeting Planner management

2 External (subcontractors)

a. Meeting Planner

Agency and fee payment

Production and Service Delivery Capability

1 Internal

a. Extensive and flexible capacity (1 ballroom, 8 halls, 6 meeting rooms)

b. Expert and creative catering and events team to develop custom menus

and themes

c. On-Site Certified Wedding Planner

2 Anticipated increases in capacity

a. $6 million in additional renovations

3 Lead time- Initial orders

a. Over the phone – 2-3 days

b. Meeting Planner – about 2-3 week

c. Internet requests – reply and confirm order within 24 hours

4 Lead time –Turn around

a. About 2-3 days

Operating Competitive Advantages

1 Experience

Experience of developing customized service

Highly experienced management team

High rating on GSS (guest service survey)

20

2 Economies of scale

Competitive, extensive capacity in downtown Durham

“One-stop shop” for accounts seeking hotel, restaurant and meeting

space.

Access to Marriot event booking system

Management

Management Staff and Structure

Organizational Issues

As discussed above, there has been an unclear consensus regarding convention center business

between owners and management. The mission statement and KPIs, which are recommended

above, should better align the owner and the management. To ensure that the mission statement

and KPIs are integrated into daily business, however, organizational systems such as

organization structure and incentive systems need to be adjusted.

Brand Identity - We recommend that DCC build its own brand identity. Therefore, it is

important to have the management and the employees recognize DCC’s business separately.

Therefore, incentive systems which encourage employees to improve convention center business

and quality of service need to be considered.

Decision rights between Shaner and DCC need to be realigned. Shaner has decision rights over

revenue generation, operations, variable costs, minor fixed costs and budget preparation. The

owners have decision rights over major fixed costs, major capital improvements, budget

approval, budget shortfalls and financing. In developing the framework for a revised incentive

system, Shaner’s performance should only be judged against its decision rights, and it should not

be held accountable for developments, such as the current economic downturn or the time-

consuming financing procedures, that might negatively impact revenue. Again,

interdependencies between the two sets of decision rights revolve primarily around the budgeting

process, financing and the relationship between revenue generation and major capital

improvements.

New Contract - The Shaner contract expires in a little over two years. Now is the time for DCC

to redraft the contract as they see fit. Then after the draft is complete, review it with Shaner.

Before initiating negotiations with Shaner, decide within DCC where you have flexibility and

which points are crucial to a successful contract. This should all be done when there is still one

year to go on current contract so there is sufficient time to search for another firm if a

satisfactory deal cannot be struck.

1. Management staff organization

One of the features of the organization structure is direct reporting lines between directors and

GM (see Exhibit 2). This flat structure helps GM understand detailed situations ranging from

sales to service to personnel issues. However, with this type of structure, communications across

functions may not be as effective. Therefore, we recommend establishing cross-functional teams

21

as appropriate in order to ensure that each division is aware of how their activities impact other

divisions and, as a result, the profitability of DCC as a whole..

2. Incentive system

a. Analysis of incentives for management/staff

Chart 2 outlines DCC’s current incentive system.

<Chart 2: Current Incentive Structure>

Hotel

GSS BonusOverall

RevenuesPersonal Goals

Convention

Center

Hotel

GSS BonusOverall

RevenuesPersonal Goals

Convention

Center

Under the current incentive system, the DCC and hotel are treated as one unit and employees are

evaluated against the performance of the hotel and DCC together. DCC is ultimately treated as a

loss leader for the hotel. Again, this is typical for convention centers in the U.S.

Strengths of current system

This system is very simple and flexible. The system encourages employees to use DCC to drive

revenue to the hotel and vice-versus. Employees can act as a “one-stop shop” service provider,

meeting the full range of customer demands. In addition, this structure mirrors that of local

competitors, thereby enabling DCC to submit competitive bids for business.

Weaknesses of current system

The system does not reflect DCC’s ownership structure. Employees focus less on the convention

center business and its mission and do not treat DCC as a standalone entity. There are no

incentives directly aligned to the convention center business unit.

a. Recommended Incentive System

Note: Important considerations in any incentive system should include controllability, alignment

interdependence and horizon. With respect to management, management’s performance should

be judged against its ability to have a positive impact on those activities that fall under its

decision rights (discussed above). After discussing this with several experts in the field of

incentive systems and performance management, we determined that the most appropriate

performance measures for management include the following:

Budget variances

Event satisfaction

22

Revenue

Budget variances are an excellent way to measure the performance of a facility against itself, and

will discourage management from underestimating or overestimating budget projections. This is

particularly useful when a project is not profitable, but, for various reasons outlined above,

merits continued investment.

We recommend that the performance measures noted above be included in DCC contract.

i. Structure

Chart 3 explains the basic structure of the proposed incentive system.

<Chart 3: Proposed Incentive Structure>

Hotel/

Convention

Team Goals HotelPersonal Goals Convention

Hotel/

Convention

Team Goals HotelPersonal Goals Convention

Recommendation - We recommend that structure outlined above for the rest of DCC staff.

The primary difference between the existing system and our recommendation lies in the

separated incentives (performance measurements) for the hotel and convention center business

units. For DCC, measurements such as: profit, revenue, event evaluation, and other proposed

KPIs can be used. These should be developed to align directly with the KPIs that measure

overall performance of DCC.

Team Goals - Since the convention center business involves more team-oriented work, team

goals should be set and used as performance measurements. “Teams” can include not only

existing divisions but also cross-functional teams such as a specific event team. Goals and

measurements can include revenue targets, gross profit of events, and specific items on the event

evaluation forms.

Personal Goals - Personal goals also exist in the current incentive system. We recommend that

management develop goal-setting guidelines based on position and function.

Individual Goals should include - Convention-related goals, such as individual sales from

convention services, event evaluation of the events, and other KPIs. At the same time, DCC

should maintain goals that continue to encourage “one-stop shop” behavior, including goals that

capture total revenue from the convention and hotel business.

23

Strengths and Weaknesses

The most significant benefit of the proposed system is that it accurately reflects the ownership

structure of DCC. This will better enable employees to pursue DCC’s specific mission and goals.

However, given that most competitors do not treat meeting space and guest rooms as separate

entities, the above system could discourage more competitive behavior by employees. Therefore,

DCC could institute a set of individual goals that encourage employees to treat the two business

units as one. Following are our recommendations for implementation.

ii. Implementation Plan

The first step of the implementation should focus on increasing awareness of the new incentive

system among the management and the employees. Initiate workgroups to introduce the mission

statement and KPIs, and solicit and incorporate employee feedback into the incentive system.

As a result of the workgroups, develop a short-term implementation plan with which employees

are comfortable. Given that DCC is currently operating at a loss, it will be difficult. However,

individual goals should include convention specific goals. While it may be difficult to link each

personal goal directly to compensation, we recommend that DCC begin by using an overall

evaluation based on individual performance...

To stimulate awareness of and alignment to the mission statement and the new incentive system,

DCC could institute an additional, complementary award system. For example, employees who

provided service exceeding customer expectations can be awarded a “Beyond Expectation

Award” .

Over the long-term, the incentive system should motivate the management and the employees to

more proactively develop DCC business. Therefore, specific DCC business goals and results

should be adopted as performance measures. At the same time, measurement of individual

achievement should become more quantitative, with each individual’s measurement linked

directly to the compensation system.

24

Funds Required and Their Uses

Current Funding Requirements

1 Government subsidy of approximately $1million/year

Funding Requirements Over the Next Five Years

2 Government subsidy expected to continue at similar or lower level, although they

will likely increase over the next year due to the impact of the economic

recession.

Use of Funds

1 Capital expenditures

a. Website development $14,000 - $20,00031

b. Media campaign $20,000

c. Computer installments $4,000/each32

d. Note: We recommend that DCC conduct a tour of Fuqua facilities in order

to determine which type of computer installment would be appropriate for

DCC. Fuqua constantly upgrades its technological infrastructure in order

to remain at the cutting edge of global business schools.

2 Staff salaries/cost allocation

a. DCC and Shaner Hotel Group might consider allocating costs according to

the amount of time that employees spend on hotel vs. convention center

and/or and proportional revenue that each employee generates for the hotel

vs. the convention center.

3 Management fee

a. The management fee should be tied to the performance measures outlined

above.

Long-Range Financial Strategies (liquidating investors’ positions)

1 There is no realistic exit strategy for the owners of DCC, given poor financial

performance of facility and government interest in maintaining a convention

center.

25

Summary

Conclusion

Alignment of Owners and Management to Common Mission Statement

While communication between DCC owners and management is open and clear, there still seem

to be unresolved issues regarding the purpose of DCC and owners expectations for management.

Throughout the course of the study, we worked with all parties to develop a mission statement

and KPIs that will clarify any confusion.

Operations

Currently, employee costs are allocated on 50/50 basis. DCC should allocate costs in a way that

better reflects the economic reality of the hotel versus the convention center.

In addition, incentive structures currently treat the hotel and convention center as one unit. While

this is standard practice in the hospitality industry, the ownership structure of the convention

center complicates matters. Given that the incentive system is not directly aligned to the

convention center, we recommend the system be modified.

Marketing

Over the course of the research study, we identified the following challenges that DCC needs to

address as it formulates its marketing strategy

a. Lack of awareness in marketplace regarding DCC

b. Increasingly fragmented customer base

c. Unclear position of DCC in downtown Durham

d. Unclear target

e. Outdated technology

Recommendations

Mission Statement

We recommend that DCC adopt the mission statement (on page 7) and KPIs proposed above.

Recognizing that this is a living document, however, we encourage DCC to revisit the KPIs on a

quarterly basis to both track progress and confirm relevance, if necessary.

Cost Allocation

Regarding operations, we recommend that the cost allocation system be adjusted to reflect

economic reality.

Incentive Systems

We recommend that DCC integrate the proposed incentive system into the existing system, in

order to ensure that employees’ incentives are aligned to DCC KPIs, Note that management

should only be judged against whether it has successfully executed against its decision rights.

This is particularly important in a business that is not profitable but continues to merit

investment. Controllability, interdependence, alignment and horizon are critical considerations in

measures performance over time.

26

Marketing and Branding

We recommend the following steps in order to overcome the lack of awareness regarding DCC

in the marketplace:

a. Refine target markets according to the following criteria: profitability, proximity,

recession-resistance, DCC strengths

b. Develop brand image that both positions DCC as anchor of downtown Durham and

attracts high margin business (see PowerPoint presentation)

Implementation

Mission Statement

It is critical that all employees understand and accept the new mission statement and the KPIs.

We recommend that DCC introduce the mission statement and KPIs to all employees in an

organized meeting. Employees should feel inspired and motivated to support the mission

statement, and they need to feel like they are part of the process. This can be achieved by using

current fiscal situation to create a sense of urgency among employees and then establishing work

groups to develop both team and individual strategies for overcoming the challenges that face

DCC and realizing the goals of the mission statement.

Operations

Follow the recommendations outline above for implementing incentive systems for management

and employees. Again, weights placed on different performance measures should change over

time, assuming that the financial performance of DCC will gradually improve.

Marketing and Branding

Marketing Communications (MC) Campaigns

Adopt tagline “Where Durham Connects”. This aligns with DCVB’s tagline and captures

the value of meetings, weddings and conferences.

Implement MC campaign that reflects core values that will resonate with target audience

and position DCC as anchor of downtown Durham. See PowerPoint presentation for

suggestions.

Develop dedicated DCC website that reflects core values, serves as platform for joint

promotions, promotes events throughout downtown Durham and allows for online

booking.

Use press releases and feature articles to promote relevant developments at DCC

Use joint promotions with Carolina Theatre, DPAC etc to cross-sell services. Possible

ideas include pre-theatre and after-theater dinner packages, “Meet the Artists” series,

where DCC hosts visiting artists while serving beverages

Strengthen ties with DCVB by participating in DCVB events, linking to DCVB website,

and supporting DCVB initiatives.

Upgrades

Computer/Projector Installments

Updated Audio System

Energy-Efficient Technology

Reconfiguration of ballroom33

27

Appendix

Exhibit #1

28

Exhibit #2

GM

Controller Chief Engineer Director of Sales F&B Director

Corporate Sales Mgr

Security Manager Revenue Manager HR Director

Catering Manager

Conv Serv Mgr

Event Manager

Sales Mgr

Sales Coordinator Asst Bqt Mgr

Bqt Captain

Bqt Captain

Bqt Captain

AM Rest Supervisor

PM Rest Supervisor

Front Office Mgr

Front Desk Sup

Front Desk Sup

Bell Captain

HSKP Sup

HSKP Sup

Supervisor

Front Desk Sup

Sales Mgr

HR Asst

Exec Sous Chef

GM

Controller Chief Engineer Director of Sales F&B Director

Corporate Sales Mgr

Security Manager Revenue Manager HR Director

Catering Manager

Conv Serv Mgr

Event Manager

Sales Mgr

Sales Coordinator Asst Bqt Mgr

Bqt Captain

Bqt Captain

Bqt Captain

AM Rest Supervisor

PM Rest Supervisor

Front Office Mgr

Front Desk Sup

Front Desk Sup

Bell Captain

HSKP Sup

HSKP Sup

Supervisor

Front Desk Sup

Sales Mgr

HR Asst

Exec Sous Chef

29

Resumes of Fuqua Team

Gen Arai_Fuqua Resume.pdf

JanessaPulliam_Fuqua Resume.pdf

HappyWhitlock_Fuqua Resume.pdf

JianmingZhang_Fuqua Resume.pdf

1 Durham_Civic_Center_Presentation_9_19_08.ppt

2 White Paper-Convention Visitation and the Durham Civic Center, DVCB, 12-4-08

3 DCC Income Statements 2007, Durham _Civic_Center Presentation_9-19-80.ppt

4 Best Practices-Convention Center Sales and Center Operations: A Report from the Joint Study Committee,

Destination Marketing Association International,8-25-07 5 Ibid

6 Space Race Hyperbole Masks Reality, DCVB, 1-16-09

7 DCVB

8 http://www.ajc.com/business/content/printedition/2009/01/28/gwcc0128.html

9 White Paper: Convention Visitation and the Durham Civic Center, DCVB 12-4-08

10 DCC staff

11 DCC staff

12 http://www.durham-nc.com/about/visitor_research_stat/category/27/

13 http://www.durham-nc.com/about/overview-facts-history/durham_facts.php

14White Paper: Convention Visitation and the Durham Civic Center, DCVB 12-4-08

15 DCVB’s Annual Survey, 2005

16 White Paper-Convention Visitation and the Durham Civic Center, DVCB, 12-4-08

17Best Practices-Convention Center Sales and Center Operations: A Report from the Joint Study Committee,

Destination Marketing Association International,8-25-07 18

Ibid 19

White Paper: Convention Visitation and the Durham Civic Center, DCVB 12-4-08 20

http://www.resumebear.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/29/top-50-recession-proof-industries-and-what-makes-them-

recession-proof-part-1/ 21

http://leadsexplorer.com/blog/269/the-15-industries-you-could-sell-to-in-the -2009-recession-year/ 22

http://www.rtp.org/files/Fact%20Sheets/rtp_history.pdf 23

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/durham/4-1109710.cfm 24

Durham_Civic_Center_Presentation_9_19_08.ppt 25

DCVB Marketing Strategy 26

www.raleighconvention.com 27

2006-2008 Income Statements, Durham_Civic_Center_Presentation_9_19_08.ppt 28

Detailed outline revenue from top-ten accounts, provided by DCC 29

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/event-planning/travel/rducv-durham-marriott-convention-center/ 30

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/event-planning/wedding-planning/rducv-durham-marriott-convention-center/ 31

Estimate from Rock Creek Strategic Marketing, http://www.rockcreeksm.com/ 32

Estimates from Fuqua’s IT department 33

DCC staff