MONTHLY MEASURE

Click here for the latest Monthly Measure, an executive summary of the recent performance activity from the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau. Detailed information includes several local and national industry barometers.


CELEBRATE NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK

Join us as we take time to celebrate San Antonio's travel and tourism industry with National Tourism Week from May 10 - 18, 2008. This year, instead of a luncheon, the CVB and the Pearl Stable at the historic Pearl Brewery are co-sponsoring a presentation and reception on May 22nd from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The CVB will present a branding update and also announce the winner of the prestigious Hugman Award, which is given out each year to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty and has enhanced or expanded the tourism industry in San Antonio. The deadline to submit your nomination is Wednesday, May 7.

This year's schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, May 6
Salute to Hospitality Students
Sponsored by San Antonio Area Tourism Council
The Spire @ St. Paul Square
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
RSVP to Linda Winchester, (210) 886-9991

Sunday, May 11
Hospitality Day at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Fiesta Texas will offer two (2) complimentary tickets and four (4) coupons for $25 (+tax) Adult General Admission, valid only on Sunday, May 11, 2008, for all employees of San Antonio hotels, attractions, CVB, Convention Center, local airlines, ground transportation.
Contact: Roxanne Kearns or Kim Charles at 210-697-5050

Tuesday, May 13
Salute to Firefighters, Paramedics and Law Enforcement
Sponsored by Louis Tussaud’s Wax Works & Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Louis Tussaud’s Wax Works & Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Contact: Janie Droemer, (210) 224-9299

Wednesday, May 14
Taxi Driver Appreciation Day
Sponsored by Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Downtown
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
1170 E. Commerce St
Contact: 227-8847

Airport Personnel Appreciation Day
San Antonio International Airport
Contact: David Herbert, 207-3534

Thursday, May 15
Salute to Law Enforcement
Sponsored by Rivercenter Mall
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Rivercenter Mall Lagoon
Contact: Jennifer Green, 225-0689

CVB Seminar: "Doing Business in International Markets"
Review the latest trends and initiatives of the State of Texas and the CVB
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
CVB Offices
203 S. St. Mary's St., Ste 200
Seating is limited. RSVP by May 9.
Contact: Jeanne McLanathan, (210) 207-6774

Sunday, May 18
Hospitality Day at SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld will offer two (2) complimentary tickets, valid only on Sunday, May 18, 2008, for all employees of San Antonio hotels, attractions, CVB, Convention Center, local airline/ground transportation.
Contact: Jo Cox, 523-3000

Thursday, May 22
NTW Presentation and Reception
CVB National Tourism Week Wrap-Up, Presentation and Hugman Award Presentation
Sponsored by the CVB and The Pearl Stables
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Pearl Stables at the historic Pearl Brewery
Contact: Robert Salluce, (210) 207-6718

Visit our website for a detailed schedule of events and discount offers from area attractions.

MAIN PLAZA HEATS UP

Since it opened on April 13th, the newly renovated Main Plaza has quickly become a hot spot to enjoy the spring weather, lunch, and music - which is now available seven days a week. The beginning of the work week is celebrated with Blue Mondays, a lunch-time Blues music series happening every Monday through August from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch-time music in the plaza continues Tuesdays - Fridays at the same time with Main Plaza Conservancy's High Noon Music Series. Raza in the Plaza happens every Friday in May from 6 - 8 p.m. and every Saturday in May from 7 - 9 p.m. with live home-grown San Antonio music. Kids can enjoy the Main Story Children's Literacy Series every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. through August. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call (210) 225-9800 or visit www.mainplazaconservancy.org. Construction is expected to wrap up in early June, however the Bexar County Courthouse grounds will not be completed until November.

SAY Sí CELEBRATES HEMISFAIR 40th

The history and impact HemisFair '68 continues to have on San Antonio has been captured on film by SAY Sí students. Their documentary and murals were part of the 40th anniversary celebration on April 6 during the NCAA Final Four weekend. Credited with changing the face of San Antonio and transforming the city into a world-class center for business and travel, HemisFair '68 also made it possible for San Antonio to welcome Final Four. Over a four-month period, the students gathered pictures, memories and stories from civic leaders involved in the planning of HemisFair including Patsy Steves, Lila Cockrell, Bill Sinkin, Boone Powell, Sherry Kafka Wagner and Vangie Flores.

For the Final Four project, Say Sí produced:

- A 15-minute documentary about HemisFair
- A 2-minute edit video played at Final Four events
- Four large scale murals along Houston Street.
- Banner murals at the San Antonio Airport.

The mural pictured left at the intersection of Houston and Navarro is just one of the pieces created by the students.

Last week, the students and guests from SALOC, SACVB and the City of San Antonio watched the documentary with the students at a viewing reception held at Say Sí. Patsy Steves (below center) and Vangie Flores (left picture, center), both featured in the documentary, also attended.

Say Sí student Olivia Hinojosa and Media Arts Director Guillermina Zabala pictured left and right respectively.

For more information about SAY Sí and its year round multidisciplinary arts program please visit www.saysi.org.

WITH SYMPATHY

We extend our deepest sympathy to CVC Commissioner Louis Barrios, the entire Barrios family, and staff of Los Barrios/Hacienda de los Barrios on the recent loss of beloved Viola Barrios. Mrs. Barrios was not only a tremendous supporter of the hospitality industry, but personified the passion of San Antonio's welcoming culture and authentic cuisine. She appeared in many national television shows and print articles over the years with her daughter Diana Barrios Treviño, and always was a gracious and beautiful representation of the spirit and love of San Antonio.

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GOSPEL ON THE PLAZA

American Legacy Magazine and the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau present the 2nd Annual Gospel on the Plaza to be held May 16 - 17, 2008. Participating groups will be selected from video submissions for the finals at Maverick Plaza.

Friday, May 16
Adult Gospel Choir Competition
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
1st place: $5,000
2nd place: $3,000
3rd place: $1,000

Saturday, May 17
Youth Gospel Choir Competition
12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
1st place: $500
2nd place: $300
3rd place: $150


The Gospel on the Plaza Competition will be part of the 9th Annual Soul Food Fest which features two days of music, food, arts and crafts at La Villita. The guest host for the competition is Guy Fortt, singer and actor of the Broadway Production "The Color Purple". For more information visit www.americanlegacymag.com.

FARMERS MARKET AT SAN ANTONIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

For the first time ever the San Antonio Botanical Gardens will host a Farmers Market on Thursday, May 8 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. The San Antonio Farmers Market Association will bring their fruits and vegetables to the free event at the Garden's parking lot every subsequent Thursday through early December. The Carriage House Bistro, located in the historic Carriage House at the Garden, will use the market selections in their menu. The restaurant is open Tuesday - Friday from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Visit www.sabot.org for special events offered year-round at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.


MCNAY STIEREN CENTER GRAND OPENING

With a little over a month before the opening of the The McNay Art Museum Stieren Center Grand Opening, international award-winning architect Jean-Paul Viguier is overseeing the finishing touches on the 45,000-square-foot facility. Known for his influence on French architecture, Viguier's (pictured right with Dr. William Chiego in the Stieren Center) 2-storey design for the Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions will nearly double the museum's exhibition space and will feature a specially designed multi-layered roof and ceiling to let sunlight in while also controlling the light according to the needs of each exhibition. Temporarily closed for the building of the extension and renovation of the main collection galleries, the McNay Art Museum will celebrate it's re-opening weekend June 7 - 8, 2008. Festivities include a family festival featuring center, hands-on children's art activities, food booths, musical entertainment, "Artists on the Lawn," Rick Diaz Perpetual Puppets and more.

-Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Evening activities, 6 p.m. - 11 p.m.
-Sunday, June 8, noon - 6 p.m.

Built in the 1920's by educator and artist Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival-style home opened as Texas' first museum of modern art in 1954. The McNay is home to works of art by 19th - 20th century luminaries including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

For more information visit www.mcnayart.org

Click here for a complete list of events from the SACVB website.

Have an event to submit to the CVB web calendar? Click here for the submission form.

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FIESTA AT THE CVB

Over 100 customers joined CVB staff to watch the Texas Cavaliers' River Parade on April 21st at the River Room in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

Pictured below are Jim Strayer, Shriners of North America; Brenda Square, CMP, CME, SACVB Convention Services Manager; Robert Jett, Shriners of North America.

The Shriners are set to have their annual Imperial Council Session in San Antonio in July 2009, with 15,000 attendance expected.

BEHIND THE GATES OF THE ALAMO

Kari Eustace & Felicia Madison are not in jail - they're waiting for gates to open at the Alamo! The CVB hosted a brunch at Alamo Hall to welcome customers in for Final Four weekend. No worries, Kari & Felicia joined the rest of the group as soon as the gates opened.

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TEX MEX COOKING

San Antonio’s culinary passions shone on NBC’s Today Show on April 2, when “Tex Mex Cooking” was featured to an audience of more than four million viewers. Diana Barrios Treviño prepared enchiladas rancheras with news anchor Ann Curry, and was joined at the end of the 5.5-minute segment by Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Meredith Viera. This great exposure for San Antonio was a result of teamwork with the State of Texas Economic Development & Tourism Department, as a part of Texas in NYC week.

The media value of the show was $275,000 in positive exposure for San Antonio. Recipes are still posted “Tempt friends with a fiesta of Tex-Mex flavors”

The full week included more than 20 desk side appointments with key national travel, golf, cuisine and lifestyle media. Special events included TexFest where the SACVB and partners SeaWorld San Antonio, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa, Becker Vineyards, and others promoted the area to more than 100 travel journalists. A chef’s demo was also held for consumers at Macy’s Cellar.

Media visits included Bride’s, Budget Travel, Travel + Leisure Golf, the Wall Street Journal, National Geographic Adventure, Fodor’s, Domino, Meeting News, Conde Nast Traveler, Men’s Fitness, Gourmet and others.

To cap the week, Dee Dee Poteete, SACVB Director of Communications, and Diana Barrios Treviño, went live on Sirius’ Martha Stewart Living Today radio show. Successful pitching brought the entire show live to the San Antonio River Walk to kick off Fiesta on April 18. More on the live remote in next issue of this newsletter.

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LINK TO OUR WEBSITE

A critical strategy in elevating San Antonio as a top visitor destination is to enlarge the city's "digital footprint." One way to do that is to have as many links as possible from other websites to visitsanantonio.com. Please link your website to ours to increase our visibility. Thank you in advance for doing so.

If you have a business listing on visitsanantonio.com and have not reviewed it recently, please check it for accuracy. Contact Kerry Allison, (210) 207-6834 if you have any changes.

S.A. IN PRINT & ONLINE

San Antonio ads will appear in the following publications during the month of May: Visitor Advertising, AARP, American Legacy, Bon Appétit, Bridal Guide, Budget Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, Departures, Dreamscape, Food and Wine, Gourmet, Links, Southern Living, Texas Bound for Golf, Texas Monthly, Travel & Leisure Golf, Trade Advertising, Associations Now, Black Meetings & Tourism, Hispanic Meetings and Travel, Meeting News, Meeting Planner International, PCMA Convene, Successful Meetings, New Air Service.

With the arrival in June of new air service to San Antonio—AirTran Airways--we are leveraging the opportunity to reach new targets. We will advertise in both the June and July issues of GO Magazine, which is AirTran’s in-flight magazine. AirTran is also working on a 30-page editorial section featuring San Antonio! Go Magazine is distributed on all AirTran Airways flights—over 750 per day.

San Antonio is promoted via e-newsletters to subscribers of Bon Appetit and Midwest Living and on a number of websites including the following:

Bon Appétit: www.bonappetitnow.com
Bridal Guide: www.bridalguide.com
Conde Nast Traveler: www.cntpromo.com
Gourmet: www.gourmetscoop.com (Go to Gateways)
Midwest Living www.midwestlivingtravel.com
Southern Living www.southernlivingvacations.com
Texas Monthly: www.texasmonthly.com

S.A.V.E.

The S.A.V.E. program is currently running a Yahoo! Campaign focusing on Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. S.A.V.E. appears on Yahoo!'s homepage, through users email and through My Yahoo! based on previous behavioral targeted searches and clicks made by the user.

On 5/11 and 5/18, a S.A.V.E. newspaper insert will be dropped into the Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Houston Chronicle, Oklahoma City Oklahoman, Corpus Christi Caller Times and Waco Tribune Herald.

S.A.V.E. subscribers will also be receiving an e-blast the week of 5/19 to remind them to take advantage of the program for summer vacation savings.

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VISITS FROM BRAZIL & ARGENTINA

San Antonio is top of mind in Argentina! Manu Ginoboli and Fabrizio Oberto have made San Antonio one of the most recognizable cities in the United States in Argentina. Argentineans know we have the greatest basketball team on the planet and now they also know we have the most beautiful city as well. The CVB hosted two FAM's that included some of the top publications from Argentina and Brazil. The media were thrilled to experience a Spurs game, then visit some of San Antonio's great destinations as well as the Hill Country and wineries in Fredericksburg.

April 9 - 11, 2008
Analia Belcher, CVB, pictured 2nd from right with writers from:
Clarin
LADEVI
Buró Creativo
El Cronista
Contraseñas
Picture taken at Guenther House.





April 21 - 23, 2008
Analia Belcher, CVB, pictured center in the King William district with writers from:
FAM Latino America
Continental Airlines
Folha De S. Paulo
La Nacion
O Globo
Interamerican
La Nacion

MEXICO CITY MEDIA LUNCHEON

Summer is one of the busiest travel periods for Mexico travelers and the CVB is making certain San Antonio is first on their list vacation destinations. We hosted a media luncheon in Mexico City, attended by 28 Mexico consumer and trade publication that included : Amura - Asesoría Turística - Bleu & Blanc - Boletín Turístico - Buen Viaje - Conexión Turística - El Economista - El Financiero - Excelsior - Bon Voyage - Diez - Mujer Banorte - Revista Enage - Expansión Grupo Editorial - Grupo Editorial Agenda México - Grupo Mundo Ejecutivo - Hedoné Emotion - Infor Golf México - Milenio Diario - National Geographic Traveler - Platino y Altura - Caras Golf - RCI - Turistampa - Record - Revista Deep - Revista Travesía - Swishy Magazine - Tourist Media Group - Caras - El Universal - Escala Aeroméxico - Gastrotur - El Occidental - Golf & Spa Magazine - Harper's Bazar - Invertour - Mercado de Convenciones/Golf & Spa - The Billionaire - Status - Reforma - Luxe & Class - Travel + Leisure México. We promoted all the new and exciting attractions for this summer, new hotel and shopping developments and the day trips to the Hill Country.

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FREE INTERNATIONAL MARKETS SEMINAR

The SACVB Tourism Department invites you to review the latest trends and initiatives of the State of Texas in a seminar on "Doing Business in International Markets." Brad Smyth, Deputy Director of Tourism for the State of Texas and Eric Hamblin, Managing Director for Global Hospitality (official representation for San Antonio in Europe) will present at the seminar scheduled for May 15, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the SACVB offices. The event is free, but seating is limited. Please RSVP by Friday, May 9 to Jeanne McLanathan.

IMEX 2008

In a cooperative effort with the state and other Texas CVB's , San Antonio was represented at IMEX 2008, the Worldwide Exhibition for incentive Travel, Meeting and Events held April 22- 24, 2008. IMEX welcomed well over 8,000 buyers to Messe Frankfurt, of which more than 3,600 were hosted buyers - a far larger proportion of these being from long-haul markets than ever before. Buyer breakdown was as follows: Association 11%, Corporate 25% and Incentive/Agency 64%.

CVB Director of Tourism Dorah Putney is pictured below (center) with:
Jay Buress, Vice President, Dallas CVB; David Dubois, Executive Director, Ft Worth CVB; Jorge Franz, VP of Tourism Houston CVB; Roy Benar, VP of Austin CVB; Daniel Palomo, International Sales Manager, Houston CVB; Brad Syth, Deputy Director of Tourism State of Texas; Julian Luther, Account Executive, Avaisreps Mangum, Official Representation for the State of Texas.

MEXICO CITY FAM

The CVB Tourism Sales Division worked with The Office of the Governor Economic Development & Tourism Department on a Mexico City Familiarization/Buyer tour April 17-18. The project was a direct result of the recent Expo Vacaciones tradeshow.

The group comprised five of the top wholesalers and four of the top travel agencies in Mexico. The wholesalers currently package San Antonio, and work was focused on expanding their packaging scope. The fast-paced visit focused on activities ranging from cultural and historic venues, to shopping and leisure activities such as SeaWorld and the River Walk.

We thank the partners assisting with the visit including the Witte Museum, General Growth Properties, Drury Plaza Hotel, SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio Cruises and AeroMexico Airlines for providing airline transportation.

TEXAS TRAVEL FAIR

CVB staff attended the Texas Travel Fair sponsored by Texas Travel Industry Association and presented in partnership with the Texas Traveler Counselor's Conference in Beaumont April 23 - 24. Yolanda Rodriguez, our Visitor Information Center representative, attended the TTC Conference. There were 89 registered travel counselors from cities throughout Texas and 158 DMO and attraction attendees for the Travel Fair, which included a tradeshow exhibit. Pictured below are all the San Antonio representatives.

From left to right: Davis Phillips, Ripley's Haunted Adventures, Guinness World Records Museum, Ultimate Mirror Challenge; Roxanne Kerns, Six Flags Fiesta Texas; Keith Kenny, Splashtown; Jan Warner, SeaWorld San Antonio ; Joe Trevino, Certified Folder Display, Inc.; Tirey Thomas, Hard Rock Cafe; Janie Droemer, Ripley's Believe It or Not & Louis Tussaud's Wax Museum; Sonny Marston, Guinness World Records Museum, etc; Caren Myers, IMAX Theatre; Bevin Henges, Buckhorn & Texas Rangers Museums; Kim Charles, Six Flags Fiesta Texas; and Carla Norwood, SACVB.

ACTIVE AMERICA TRAVEL SUMMIT

CVB Tourism staff also attended the 17th annual Active America Travel Summit sponsored by Northwest Airlines and produced by North American Journeys which was held at the Renaissance Marriott in Detroit Apr 17 - 19. This conference brings together Northwest Airlines' top Japanese tour operator and travel agent clients with U.S. and Canadian destinations and suppliers to build new programs for the coming season. It is also the only venue that truly brings Japanese buyers together with North American suppliers to create long lasting relationships, discuss plans on how to grow the business and strengthen each other's results. It featured sessions educating U.S. suppliers on the latest trends in the Japanese marketplace and as well as one-on-one appointments where staff had 20 appointments.

Attractive to this market segment is the daily non-stop Northwest flight from Tokyo to Detroit and connect with non-stop flight from Detroit to San Antonio (same flight schedule applies returning).

NEW AIR SERVICE

Spirit Airlines welcomed it's inaugural flight with a ribbon cutting at the San Antonio Airport on April 14th. They are the leading Ultra Low Cost carrier to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Central and South America. They provide service to more places in the Caribbean and Latin America than any other low fare, low cost airline. They have an all Airbus fleet and they are the youngest in the Americas. Fly to 43 destinations and offer 200 daily flights. The new daily non- stop service offers two direct flights between San Antonio and Ft. Lauderdale. In cooperation with the Ft. Lauderdale CVB and the Airport, we hosted a Travel Agent Education seminar on April 15th. The San Antonio CVB is scheduled to host a Travel Agent Education Seminar in Ft. Lauderdale mid-May. For information on Spirit Vacations and other ways to partner with Spirit Airlines, please contact Sal Garza at (210) 207-6763.

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"PROPIEDAD AJENA" STARS VISIT S.A.

While in San Antonio for the premiere of their latest film "Propiedad Ajena", filmmakers and cast members took an extended location tour of San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country. At a rest stop at Becker Vineyards, writer/director Luis Vélez, his wife and producer Rossana Arau, actor Plutarco Haza, and the film's lead, Ludwika Paleta (also husband and wife), enjoy the wine tasting tour at Becker Winery near Johnson City. "We can maximize our participation in all our local film festivals by meeting with, and touring the City with, the filmmakers and cast members that attend," notes Drew Mayer-Oakes, from the CVB's Film Commission. Mayer-Oakes continues "the mission of Film San Antonio / the San Antonio Film Commission is to market the City as a filming location. The Hill Country is an asset we share with other cities nearby, but when you combine those rural locations with our historic downtown and fantastic neighborhoods, producers respond very positively." The film "Propiedad Ajena" was filmed in San Antonio in 2006, and had its local premiere at the 2008 CineFestival April 12th.

Pictured left in Johnson City are producer Rossana Arau, writer/director Luis Velez, actors Ludwika Paleta and Plutarco Haza.

SAFILM FESTIVAL

Just as CineFestival wrapped up, word spread about the next film festival. SAFILM- San Antonio Film Festival is scheduled for June 19- 22, 2008 at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico, 600 HemisFair Park. Formerly known as the Underground Film Festival, organizers changed the name of the festival to better reflect the types of films the event showcases. Many of these films, which have been included in Sundance & Cannes, will be making their southwestern premieres at the SAFILM. The four day event promises to benefit our city by bringing international filmmakers to San Antonio. For more information visit the festival website at www.safilm.com

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FROM FINAL FOUR TO GOLDEN JUBILEE

As the NCAA Final Four festivities came to an end Monday, April 7 the Alamodome and Convention Center staff were busy at work. With the Golden Jubilee, Islamic Religious Gathering, just days after the completion of the Final Four, there was no time to rest. Converting the Alamodome from an arena configuration to a full size, fully carpeted dome would normally take two weeks, however, this schedule only allowed three days.

Hosting this massive religious gathering just days after the Final Four crowds left town was a major undertaking. The Golden Jubilee required a fully carpeted, trade floor configuration, the use of every meeting room, all levels of the Alamodome including the outdoor concourse, and the entire Convention Center. In order to make this happen a large number of crews worked round the clock. The Convention, Sports, and Entertainment Facilities came together with over 300 employees working diligently to make the conversion possible.

After planning the event with such short notice, hosting over 30,000 people, and serving close to 200,000 meals, it is safe to say there is no challenge to large for San Antonio to overcome. With the Convention, Sports, and Entertainment Facilities Department's impressive turn around the Golden Jubilee turned out to be icing on the cake to a very successful Final Four.

PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS TO THRILL THE ALAMODOME

The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) bucks into San Antonio for the Ford Best in Texas Shootout for one night only in May. The top 45 bull riders in the world will face off against the rankest bucking bulls on the planet when the Alamodome hosts this 22nd stop on the elite Built Ford Tough Series Tour (BFTS) presented by Wrangler on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 6:50 p.m.

The Ford Best in Texas Shootout guarantees cutting edge excitement and all the adrenaline charged action typical of a BFTS event - pyrotechnics, fire-breathing bulls, rock & roll music, and two-hours of edge of your seat excitement. For as little as $20 for adults and $10 for children, PBR fans, new and old, can experience this exclusive one night event. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, the Alamodome Box Office, or by phone at 886-448-7849.

The PBR is the premiere bull riding organization in the world, boasting contestants from the United States, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, and Canada. Its events air weekly on VERSUS, NBC, and FOX and in recent years it has been tagged the "fastest growing sport in the country." For more information on the Ford Best in Texas Shootout, please visit www.pbrnow.com or call Katharine Sherrer at (719) 242-2800 ext. 3372.

CLASS OF 2008

This year the Alamodome will host 17 high school graduations and celebrate 12 successful years of commencement ceremonies. In 1996, the Alamodome hosted its first two commencement ceremonies for the senior classes of Judson High School and Southwest High School. To date, the facility has hosted 74 graduations with more than 378,000 graduates, friends and family in attendance. While most commencements average 5,000 guests, the Alamodome's special graduation floor plan provides a seating capacity of 12,000.

2008 Commencement Ceremonies at the Alamodome:

June 4th: Judson (6:00 p.m.)
June 6th: Southwest (6:00 p.m.)
June 7th: Brackenridge (8:30 a.m.), Highlands (12:00 p.m.), Jefferson (3:30 p.m.)
June 8th: Harlandale (11:00 a.m.), McCollum (6:00 p.m.)
June 9th: Stevens (6:30 p.m.)
June 10th: Holmes (6:30 p.m.)
June 11th: Clark (3:30 p.m.), Marshall (7:00 p.m.)
June 12th: O'Connor (8:30 a.m.), Taft (12:00 p.m.), John Jay (3:30 p.m.), Warren (7:00 p.m.)
June 14th: Memorial (12:00 p.m.), Kennedy (5:00 p.m.)

Note: Noisemakers, helium balloons, and large banners or signs are prohibited.
Ingress/Egress and smoking doors will be at the North Plaza only. The South Plaza doors will be open for disabled patrons only. No concessions will be sold. For more information please visit www.alamodome.com.

RINGLING BROS. BELLOBRATION TO GO ON SALE MAY 17th

Everyone is invited to join the Bellobration at the Alamodome on July 2 through July 6, as Ringling Bros. takes audiences on what is sure to be a fast-paced circus adventure! Circus-goers will witness jaw-dropping stunts, high wire high jinx, adrenaline-pounding trapeze and the amazing animals in a performance packed full of the latest in 21st century technology. One step into the arena and audiences will immediately be transported into a magical world of lights, colors and contemporary music.

Tickets are $65 (Circus Celebrity) / $45 (Front Row) / $30 (VIP) / $20 / $15 / $10. All seats are reserved, and tickets are available at www.ringling.com, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at 210.224.9600.

Show Schedule:
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 4, 2008 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, 2008 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, 2008 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 6, 2008 2:00 p.m.

Arrive one hour before show time for the interactive All Access Pre-Show to learn circus skills, become CircusFit®, meet Ringling Bros. performers and get an up-close look at the animal stars of The Greatest Show On Earth - FREE to all ticket holders!

For more information about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Bellobration please visit www.alamodome.com or www.ringling.com.

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A WARM SAN ANTONIO WELCOME TO...

The Texas Dental Association brought more than 12,000 participants to the Convention Center May 1- 4, 2008 making their 138th annual session the largest meeting for the month of May. Dentists, dental residents, students, assistants, hygienists, office staff and lab technician's attended workshops, seminars, and a product exhibition.

Other groups coming to San Antonio during the month of May include...

5 LINX Enterprises, Inc.(1000)
Air Force Public Affairs Alumni Association (100)
Ambulatory Surgery Foundation (2400)
American Academy of Physician Assistants (8000)
American Association of Airport Executives (40)
American College of Healthcare Executives (75)
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (800)
Amerinet Inc (1000)
Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (100)
Boston Scientific Corporation (75)
Intermountain Healthcare (1200)
M/C Communications, LLC (800)
MDRC (70)
Marquis Software Solutions (100)
National Association of State & Military Resource Managers (175)
National Business Incubation Association (500)
National Commission on Correctional Health Care (500)
National Community Development Association (20)
National Legal Aid & Defender Association (50)
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (200)
National Petrochemical & Refiners Association - National Safety Conference (400)
National Petrochemical & Refiners Association - Reliability & Maintenance Conference (2000)
National Swine Registry (100)
Practice Management Institute (400)
PEI/First Bank (50)
Randolph Company Grade Officer Council (200)
SAE International (35)
Social Security Administration (200)
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (105)
Teachers of Accounting at Two Year Colleges (300)
Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (1200)
Texas Golf Association (300)
The Healthcare Roundtable (50)
Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc. (190)
US Army Corps of Engineers (300)
US Department of Veterans Affairs (225)
Underwriting Executives Council (90)
Victory Outreach International (4000)
Voluntary Protection Program Participants' Association (1500)
World Head of Family Sokeship Council (120)

Click here for a complete schedule of meetings from the SACVB website.

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Newsletter Information
From The Heart is a collaborative effort of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Convention, Sports and Entertainment Facilities.

Our Mission is "To promote and market San Antonio as a premier visitor and convention/meeting destination for the purpose of positively affecting the city economy."

For more information, or to be removed from this newsletter list, email us at CommunityRelations@VisitSanAntonio.com, or call the Community Relations division at (210) 207-6737.

Masthead photo of Main Plaza fountains courtesy of the City of San Antonio.