The event officially welcomed baseball fans, visitors, and MLB to the region and highlighted the key corporate, civic, hospitality industry and government contributors working to create a memorable experience during All-Star Week. It also highlighted the All-Star Game preparation efforts, which started with a formal bid to MLB prepared by the Cincinnati Reds in partnership with the Cincinnati USA CVB in 2012.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since the bid process began,” said Dan Lincoln, president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It’s been three years of collaboration, vision and dedication to make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity. Hundreds of local leaders and businesses and thousands of volunteers have stepped up to make our region shine. And the positive impact will be enjoyed by a global audience of millions.”
The 2015 MLB All-Star Game is expected to bring more than 100,000 visitors to the region, drive more than $60 million in economic impact and attract more than 35 million television viewers. By January 2015, MLB had booked more than 16,000 hotel room nights for executives, corporate sponsors and guests, and hotel room bookings have continued to grow rapidly, making this one of the largest events in the history of the city.
“Our entire community has been creative and proactive over the past two years, and we are more than ready to welcome the world this week,” said David Mann, vice mayor of the City of Cincinnati. “Our enthusiasm and preparation demonstrate once again that Cincinnati can plan, host and execute a large-scale, world-class event successfully. We did it in 2012 with the World Choir Games, and we’re poised to exceed expectations again this week. Our time is now. And whether we’re preparing for future events like the 2016 NAACP Annual Convention or trying to win other major events, we know we’re ready and that our track record speaks for itself.”
When the 2015 MLB All-Star Game was awarded to Cincinnati in January 2013, planning began immediately to identify both short-term improvements to the city and long-term travel and tourism legacy programs.
Highlights include:
- The CVB launched the Cincinnati USA Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program earlier this year, creating a volunteer opportunity for residents and hospitality industry staff to deepen their knowledge of the region and create extraordinary experiences for every visitor, every time. So far, more than 600 people have earned their CTA credentials in advance of the All-Star Game, nearly doubling the program goal.
- The region’s Community Organizing Committee (COC) has planned dozens of community activities to complement MLB’s calendar of events, including free concerts, neighborhood celebrations, photo booths and storefront signage and décor, as well as organizing a volunteer force of more than 200 to assist visitors and man information stations throughout downtown. For a full event listing, visit: www.cincyusa.com/coc
- Official All-Star events kick off on Friday, July 10 with the T-Mobile All-Star FanFest at Duke Energy Convention Center and include The Color Run MLB All-Star 5K, Presented by Nike (July 11), the Budweiser MLB All-Star Concert, part of the Pepsi Music Series at Paul Brown Stadium featuring Ariana Grande (July 11) and the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders (July 13). For a full event listing, visit www.allstargame.com.
