Visit Buffalo Niagara Annual Business Review 2006

BUFFALO NIAGARA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

2 0 0 6 ANNUAL BUSINESS REVIEW

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A MESSAGE FROM

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RICHARD GEIGER PRESIDENT

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CEO

VISITORS ARE BIG BUSINESS IN BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY. Convention delegates, tourists, group tour participants, business travelers, amateur athletes and their families – they all mean dollars spent in our hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions. When these visitors rent a car, go out to dinner, buy a cup of coffee, hail a taxi, go to the theater or enjoy a night out, they help to keep more than 20,000 of our friends and neighbors employed – as sales reps, accountants, front desk personnel, maintenance workers, chefs, waiters, bartenders and cab drivers.

In the last year alone, conventions and athletic events such as the Heartland Travel Showcase, Travel Expo New York (left), the International Aviation Snow Symposium, the USA Hockey Women’s Championships and the New York State Democratic Convention brought thousands of visitors and millions of dollars into our community. On top of this solid foundation of conventions and athletic events, CVB staff worked to entice group and leisure travelers to our region – efforts that helped result in a 6.5 percent increase in hotel occupancy and a 12 percent increase in revenue at Erie County hotels.

How big is our local visitor industry? In the year just past, a statewide economic impact study concluded that travel and tourism sales in Erie County amounted to more than $1.1 billion in direct spending in 2005. This figure included $176 million spent on lodging, $390 million spent on food and beverage, and $250 million in retail sales.

Conducted by Tourism Economics, a unit of Philadelphia-based Oxford Economics USA, the study provided authoritative documentation on the size and scope of the visitor industry.

The study confirmed what the Buffalo Niagara CVB and our partners have been saying all along: Erie County’s travel and tourism industry is a major contributor to the local economy, generating jobs, creating disposable income and filling state and county coffers with tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue.

Among the more notable conclusions of the study was the fact that tourism in Erie County generated more than $61 million in local taxes, including more than $6 million in bed tax on hotel rooms consumed by visitors to Erie County, and another $58 million in state taxes in 2005.

This data supports our contention that Buffalo’s convention and tourism industry is a vital contributor to the local economy and needs to be funded accordingly if we are to continue bringing visitors to our region and customers to our many attractions.

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000 0 0 0W 0 0 0 0 0 0 In an attempt to grow this already significant industry, Buffalo Niagara has been investing heavily in new tourism products that have begun to make our region more attractive to visitors. In the last year alone, substantial work has been accomplished on the Erie Canal Harbor on the waterfront. The Martin House Restoration Corporation completed the re-construction of buildings demolished more than 40 years ago at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin House Complex. A new visitors center was built at Old Fort Niagara. A Regional Underground Railroad Interpretive Center opened on the campus of Niagara University. Ground was broken on a new home for the BurchfieldPenney Art Center. The Buffalo Zoo added two new aquatic exhibits. The Botanical Gardens continued work on a far-reaching restoration. The list goes on.

It’s important to note, however, that while Buffalo has been investing in product development in recent years, so have our competitors. There are many like-minded cities out there intent on re-inventing themselves and reinvigorating their economies through tourism. They are sparing no expense in their attempt to offer potential visitors new experiences. In each case, the investment in bricks and mortar is accompanied by significant marketing dollars to get the word out about the new attractions.

This is the competitive context Buffalo finds itself in as we look eagerly toward the completion of these projects. Consumers have innumerable travel options available to them and if we are not visibly, actively promoting Buffalo as a destination, they will choose to go elsewhere. It’s really that simple.

Without a dedicated source of destination marketing funds, it will take many years for the reputations of Buffalo’s attractions to spread, thus delaying the financial return to the community for its investments in various restoration and development projects.

In order to leverage the investments made in new product and infrastructure, the bed tax must be dedicated to tourism sales and marketing.

The Buffalo Niagara CVB looks forward to working with our partners throughout the region in making Buffalo Niagara a world-class visitor destination.

Sincerely,

Richard Geiger President & CEO

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WHO’S COMING TO BUFFALO?

000 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hotel/Motel Market Segmentation The chart below outlines the allocation of hotel rooms occupied in Erie County in 2006. Approximately 38% of all the room nights consumed in 2006 were generated by corporate transient visitors, 30% by conventions/meetings and amateur sports groups, 29% by leisure visitors and 3% by group tour visitors.

Erie County Hotel/Motels (Total Room Nights Reported 819,007) Leisure (Non-group) 29%

Corporate Transient 38%

Conventions/Meetings/ Amateur Sports (Group) 30%

Group Tour 3%

NOTE: The survey results compiled above were based on a sample of 819,007 room nights

reported by participating properties, which accounts for approximately 38% of the total room nights consumed in Erie County during 2006.

SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH ERIE COUNTY HOTEL REPORT

2006 2005

O C C U PA N C Y

AV E R AG E R AT E

H OT E L R E V E N U E S

65.90% 61.90%

$78.47 $75.09

$165,441,831 $147,732,856

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CONVENTION SALES

0000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The convention sales and services staff at the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau works tirelessly to promote our city as a meetings and competition destination to convention, meeting and amateur athletic planners. Most often the process of landing a convention or sporting event can be a daunting task – from initial contact to hosting the event can often take years. The sales process begins with phone calls, meetings and correspondence to the potential client. In the meantime, the CVB staff collaborates with local hotel and attraction partners to assemble a proposal and presentation to the organization. Before producing a signed contract, meetings, discussions and negotiations regularly take place.

The sales department’s efforts in 2006 resulted in 392 new sales leads and they hosted 45 site visits for organizations interested in Buffalo. During 2006, the sales department booked

208 future conventions, meetings and events. As a result, nearly 130,000 people will visit Buffalo and utilize over 105,000 hotel room nights in Erie County hotels. While this represents a significant “win” for the CVB, the real impact will be seen in our local restaurants, hotels, stores and entertainment venues where out-of-town visitors will make expenditures of more than $60 million.

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CONVENTIONS BY THE NUMBERS

105,435 208 392 45 7

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Booked 105,435 hotel room nights Booked 208 conventions, meetings or events Generated 392 new sales leads Conducted 45 site inspections for convention and event planners Attended 7 trade shows promoting Buffalo Niagara 4

AMATEUR SPORTS

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amateur athletics and special events is a source of considerable revenue for Buffalo Niagara’s hotels, restaurants and other service providers. Among site selectors, meeting and event planners and sports officials, Buffalo is known for its outstanding venues, commitment to service and community hospitality. In the amateur athletics community, the Buffalo “brand” is strong and growing stronger. In 2006, Buffalo Niagara’s economy was enhanced by almost

$20 million from 56 amateur athletic events that were held at area sports venues.

Over 36,000 athletes and spectators consumed more than 37,000 hotel room nights due to competitions held in Buffalo.

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A M AT E U R S P O RT S B Y T H E N U M B E R S

56 36,900 37,600 $19,600,000

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Amateur sports events Attendance Hotel room nights Economic impact

HIGHLIGHT EVENTS

AT T E N D A N C E

USA Hockey – Girls Divisions US Swimming – Eastern Zone Buffalo Erie Marathon, Inc – Annual Marathon Northeast YMCA State Swimming Championships USA Taekwondo – National Qualifier USA Track & Field Association – Region II Atlantic 10 Swim Championships USA Hockey – Women’s Championship 5

2,400 1,800 1,500 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,000 700

LANDING A BIG ONE How we reeled in the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament

Buffalo used the right bait to land a big one last year. Chuck Giglia, CVB convention sales manager, had been casting his line into the water since 2002 hoping to hook an ESPN BASS tournament and 2006 was the year he reeled it in.

For the past four years, a group of Buffalo community partners hosted a variety of events that demonstrated the city’s ability to hold successful fishing tournaments. The dedicated team consisted of the CVB, the NFTA Boat Harbor, and the Erie County Fishing Advisory Board. Everyone involved in planning and pitching Buffalo as host to the Bassmaster tournaments put their best foot forward and waited patiently to land the big one.

“Buffalo is an angler’s paradise,” said Scott Gould, professional angler and Fishing Advisory Board representative.

“The region has some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the world and it’s only minutes from downtown Buffalo. Within a short drive from the city, anglers can fish Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the Niagara River.”

Following a lengthy bid process, the CVB and its partners successfully secured one of the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments. Buffalo will be home to 100 BASS Elite pros and 100 amateur partners for the prestigious tournament July 19 – 22, 2007. Elite Series anglers will compete for a top prize of $100,000.

According to Giglia, ESPN decision makers cited Buffalo as an outstanding tournament venue and the number one reason for selecting the city to host the 2007 tournament.

“The site selectors also noted that the local organizing committee will bend over backwards to accommodate tournament directors’ needs,” said Giglia. “They noted that it’s rare for a city to have a marina the size of ours that has the amenities and ability to host a tournament of this size – including dockage, ramps, manpower, and space for pre-and post-tournament events.”

“Hosting this event for the first time means even more to Buffalo than its initial economic impact,” Giglia noted. “The media exposure on a highly-watched national network will help to position Buffalo as a fishing and visitor destination.”

“Prime time exposure on ESPN2, with Buffalo and its beautiful waterfront as a backdrop, is a priceless addition to our marketing efforts,” said CVB President Richard Geiger.

More than 1,200 hotel room nights throughout Erie County will be used by competitors, organizers, media, vendors and families during the tournament that will have nearly a $1 million dollar impact on the local economy.

“With the bodies of water and locations these Elite anglers will visit in 2007, I expect big fish on the scales, lots of BASS members and fans in the crowds and growing viewership on ESPN2,” said Don Rucks, BASS vice president and general manager.

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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The tourism department of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau has the task of selling Buffalo as a place to visit. In order for Buffalo to see cars and buses full of visitors pulling into the city, the department spends years cultivating relationships with group and leisure markets.

In attracting the group tour market, the tourism department utilizes a variety of tactics and communications tools to gain the attention and interest of tour decisionmakers. Once the tour operators are impressed with Buffalo, they then have to convince consumers to book a tour to the Queen City. In 2006, the tourism department hosted 24 familiarization tours and 10 site inspections for more than 850 tour operators. The department also conducted six sales blitzes. As reported by Erie

County hotels, more than 16,000 hotel room nights were consumed by group tours in 2006.

For the leisure travel market, the department advertised in the New York State TPA (Tourism Promotion Agency) Council Cooperative Advertising Program in regional and national publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, Ladies Home Journal, More Magazine, Family Circle, USA Weekend and The New York Times. Tourism sales staff attend “One Tank Getaways” trade shows which are used to promote the area’s assets to consumers within a 300 mile radius. The tourism staff collaborates with local tourism industry and cultural attractions to develop incentives, promotions and packages for the Southern Ontario market promoting shopping and Buffalo Bills and Sabres weekends.

More than 350,000 Buffalo Visitors Guides were distributed to meeting planners, group tour operators, convention delegates, business travelers, visitor centers, New York State Gateway Centers, rest stops and AAA and CAA offices. An integral part of the CVB’s ongoing effort to re-brand Buffalo Niagara as a destination rich in culture, heritage and family entertainment, the 72-page Visitors Guide is the primary tool utilized by staff to tell the Buffalo story to potential visitors. The cover of the 2006 guide featured an illustration of the Darwin Martin House by local artist Michael Gelen.

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TO U R I S M B Y T H E N U M B E R S

24 10 850

8 6 66,000

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Designed and conducted 24 fam tours and 10 site inspections for 850 tour operators and group leaders

Attended 8 trade shows to promote Buffalo Niagara Conducted 6 sales blitzes with local tourism industry partners Responded to 66,000 visitor inquiries 7

WHATEVER IT TAKES Using every sales tool at our disposal to bring business to Buffalo Niagara

Sometimes all the stars align. That’s what Leah Mueller, CVB Tourism Sales Manager, thought when she made a routine follow up call and landed a nice piece of business.

In the fall of 2003, Mueller began contacting and reaching out to AYS Tours of Indianapolis with the goal of getting the tour company to bring motor coaches full of visitors to Buffalo. Over the years, she used every connection possible to sell a Buffalo tour to the Midwest company. She included them in a schedule of sales blitz tours. She met with them at industry trade shows such as Heartland Travel Showcase (right) and Travel Expo. She added them to invitation lists for group familiarization tours and events scheduled as part of a conference. She invited them to the CVB’s popular I LOVE NY fun auction and dine-a-round programs.

“If one approach didn’t work, we’d try another,” she said. “You just never know what’s going to spark an interest in Buffalo – sometimes it takes years and repeated contacts before results begin to show.”

In the case of AYS Tours it was a broadcast of WNED-TV’s “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo” documentary along with a well-timed phone call that finally did the trick.

“I’d been trying to put together a group tour of Frank Lloyd Wright properties for college professors and professionals and while watching the PBS special on Wright I began to realize that Buffalo’s Darwin D. Martin House Complex and Pennsylvania’s Fallingwater would make a terrific tour for this group,” said Beverly Roberts of AYS. “And it just so happens that both Leah and the Hyatt Regency Buffalo called to check in with me!”

Roberts recalled Buffalo’s beauty and amazing architecture that she saw during the Heartland Travel Showcase February FAM tour. Seeing the PBS special was just what she needed to begin to make plans for a group tour to Buffalo.

“Even though we consistently use every marketing and sales tool at our disposal, in this case the connection is obvious and the result is just as we hoped,” added Mueller. “AYS Tours will bring a motor coach full of visitors to Buffalo, the community will realize a $12,000 economic impact for every night they stay, and each of the visitors will leave with a new impression of Buffalo that they will share with others back home.”

The tourism department continues to work with AYS Tours to bring more business to Buffalo.

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COMMUNICATIONS

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Working in collaboration with Resnicow Schroeder Associates, a New York Citybased media relations firm specializing in cultural clients, and OEB International, a marketing communications firm headquartered in Toronto, the Communications Department successfully placed stories with a variety of national and international media in 2006.

Notable placements included an extensive article entitled “A Frank Lloyd Wright Showpiece is Brought Back to Life in Buffalo” in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer; an article about the Martin House and “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo” in The Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin; an article entitled “Buffalo Builds, Once Again” in the Architect’s Newspaper; an Associated Press article about the BPO’s production of “Shining Brow” and the Frank Lloyd Wright Immersion Weekend that ran on the Associated Press national wire and was picked up by more than 50 newspapers, including the International Herald Tribune; an article about the Martin House and the Roycroft Campus in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; an article in The Globe & Mail entitled “The city of Buffalo shows it has the Wright stuff ”; and an article in Chatelaine, Canada’s no. 1 women’s magazine. Electronic coverage included four features about Buffalo’s summertime diversions on The Weather Channel; a sevenminute feature on CBC Radio about the Martin House; and a segment on Fashion Television (interviewing Eric Lloyd Wright at the Martin House, above), a Canadian cable channel devoted to fashion, art and architecture.

Buffalo Niagara also began to be noticed in the blogosphere in 2006 with postings on the Prairie Mod blog and the Frank Lloyd Wright Newsblog.

Locally, The Buffalo News and Business First continued their steady coverage of the hospitality industry. Both publications weighed in on the bed tax issue with forceful commentary supportive of the restoration and dedication of the bed tax.

0 112 49 65 10 12

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B Y T H E N U M B E R S

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Distributed news releases that led to 112 out-of-town print media hits Facilitated 49 appearances by the CVB staff for electronic media Managed media relationships and pitched stories that resulted in 65 local print placements Secured 10 speaking engagements and presentations by CVB staff to community organizations Wrote and distributed 12 e-mail newsletters to an average of 6,000 subscribers

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WHEN BUSINESS BECOMES PLEASURE A visiting photographer finds a lot to like in Buffalo

He came to Buffalo on assignment for Southwest Airlines’ Spirit Magazine, fell in love with our fair city and wound up coming back with his wife and mother-in-law. Visiting writers and photographers are often wowed by the unexpected charms of Buffalo, but no one in recent memory fell quite so hard as Randy Duchaine.

Duchaine’s photographs of Buffalo graced a 10-page spread (right) extolling the virtues of our region’s indigenous delicacies and renowned restaurants in the October 2006 issue of Spirit – an inflight magazine seen by more than one million Southwest customers throughout that month. The article was the perfect marriage of words and pictures, depicting the very best of Buffalo’s culinary delights.

Hosted by the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Duchaine spent the better part of a week here last summer clicking away at dining spots ranging from Ted’s to Anderson’s, Gabriel’s Gate, Spot Coffee and the Left Bank. He left town dazzled by our hospitality, grateful for the assistance and more than a little smitten by the neighborhoods he passed through as he completed his assignment.

Describing himself as something of a “culture vulture,” Duchaine went back to Brooklyn singing Buffalo’s praises to his friends and family. “People I know in New York City go to Europe all the time,” he told The Buffalo News. “I know they would go wild for this place.

There is so much culture and art, it’s incredible.”

Determined to come back and explore Buffalo as a tourist, Duchaine convinced his wife and mother-in-law that an Upstate road trip would be just the thing to do on a lovely September weekend.The three of them made their way to Buffalo via the Corning Museum of Glass and set about creating their very own arts and culture immersion weekend.They attended a production of “3 Mo’ Divas” at Studio Arena Theatre, enjoyed dessert at the Chocolate Bar on Chippewa Street, dropped by the opening of Craft Art Western New York at the BurchfieldR A N DY D U C H A I N E Penney Art Center, took in a performance by violinist Sarah Chang at the season premier concert by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall, toured the Darwin Martin House and the Roycroft Campus and still had energy left over to stroll through the Elmwood Village.

“I’m not into a Disneyland kind of experience.

I like the real thing, and Buffalo has the real thing.”

“You have a market here for people like me,” said Dee Sato, Duchaine’s motherin-law. “Buffalo is one of the few places that didn’t tear down its great buildings. Whether it’s because you didn’t have the money to, or you had the foresight not to, you have all of this great architecture left. I’m quite impressed.”

The Duchaines left Buffalo as ambassadors for our often over-looked and underappreciated region, promising to pass along the news of our “golden gems” to their friends in New York City.

“I’m not into a Disneyland kind of experience,” concluded Duchaine. “I like the real thing, and Buffalo has the real thing.”

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AMERICAN MASTERS, AMERICAN TREASURES The Architecture and Art Marketing Initiative

In 2006, the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau began the implementation of an integrated marketing communications plan designed to raise the profile of our architecture and art attractions in the highly competitive tourism marketplace. The tools we employed included media relations, familiarization (fam) tours, advertising, direct marketing, and an enhanced Web presence.

This marketing initiative was funded through the generosity of the John R. Oishei Foundation, M& T Bank, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Empire State Development Corp., Sen. Mary Lou Rath and the Phyllis W. Pierce Charitable Lead Annuity Trust. In-kind services were contributed by the Convention & Visitors Bureau in the form of grant writing, project management, design services and financial oversight.

Highlights of the yearlong initiative included: • An aggressive media relations campaign that employed the services of Resnicow Schroeder Associates of New York City and OEB International, a Toronto-based marketing communications firm.

Significant coverage in publications ranging from The Globe & Mail to The New York Times was a direct result of our engagement of these firms.

• The gobuffaloniagara.com web site was re-designed and re-launched as wrightnowinbuffalo.com. More than 150,000 unique visitors have spent time on the site since its debut in June.

We’re not tryi build Buffalong to up.

H Frank Llo yd Wright, Louis Sullivan H.H. Richar and on already did ds that.

• An ad promoting Buffalo as an architecture destination appeared throughout the year in Preservation Magazine, the member publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Nearly one thousand inquiries requesting additional information were received as a result of these insertions.

• ArtsMarket, a cultural tourism research and planning consulting firm, was engaged to assist our partnering organizations (Martin House Restoration Corp., Graycliff, Roycroft Inn, Roycroft Campus Corp., Albright-Knox Art Gallery) better understand who their customers are, where they come from, what motivated them to visit Buffalo and how to effectively target more like-minded individuals.

• CVB staff worked closely with WNED-TV and the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier to successfully win a $100,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo’s 21st Century Fund to promote “The Buffalo Architecture Experience.” These dollars

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Buffalo is a vas t outdoor mu seum, displaying the work of many of the greatest architects of the mid-19th to the mid-2 0th century. The homes and pu blic buildings they erected are oft en breathtakin g and always interesting.. .The architec tural treasures of Buffalo are riv eting.

They must be seen.

- The Atlanta Jou rnal-Constitution

American as ters American TrMea sures 1-800-BUF wrightnowinb FALO uffalo.com

were used to advertise the nationwide broadcast of WNED’s production of “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo,” create interpretive signage and produce a ten-minute mini-documentary entitled “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures.”

• The CVB created a line of merchandise (T-shirts, posters, coasters and magnets) featuring images of our historic architecture that is for sale in the gift shops of partnering organizations.

In 2006, the CVB’s role as our community’s storyteller took on new life, energy and impetus thanks to the vision and generosity of our many Architecture & Art Initiative funding partners. We gained significant traction in developing a unique selling proposition for Buffalo under the banner of “American Masters, American Treasures.” This concept was broad enough to encompass our art, architecture and heritage attractions, as well as our natural wonders.

We developed a distinctive inventory of illustrations of local landmarks that visually distinguish Buffalo from competitor cities and the many timeworn clichés of the destination marketing industry. We articulated a point of difference for our community based on assets and attractions that are authentic, organic and profoundly “Buffalo” in nature. In short, we began the process of creating a new Buffalo brand.

The Architecture and Art Marketing Initiative represents a very significant step forward in re-imagining our city and reinvigorating our marketing efforts.

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BUFFALO ONLINE Telling Buffalo’s story to a worldwide audience

The CVB continues to utilize online resources to generate interest in Buffalo.

The visitbuffaloniagara.com web site remains a prominent clearinghouse of reliable and current destination information. From the casual tourist to the group tour planner, this web site dispenses all the relevant information needed in considering Buffalo as a travel destination.

Unique Visitors To CVB Web sites

2003

186,648

2004

229,858

2005

314,438

2006

428,424 0

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IN HUNDREDS

In July 2006, the CVB re-launched the gobuffaloniagara.com web site under the new domain name of wrightnowinbuffalo.com. The reconfigured site’s objective is to draw attention to Buffalo’s incredible wealth of architecture, art and heritage attractions by making them readily accessible to online audiences in an attractive, authoritative and compelling manner. The site’s interactive tools have garnered significant attention, with over 1,200 visitors viewing the online videos of “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo” and “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures.” Through the site, over 225 requests have been made for the CVB’s “Art & Architecture Package” – a familiarization kit of our region’s treasures.

Visitbuffaloniagara.com and wrightnowinbuffalo.com attracted more than 425,000 unique visitors in 2006, a 36% increase over 2005.

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT BUFFALO Winning Friends and Influencing PeopleThrough the Media “Music lovers and fans of Gothic Revival architecture have a new reason to visit Buffalo, the hometown of the punk folk-singer Ani DiFranco.

Ms. DiFranco recently raised $10 million to buy and restore a Victorian church, which has been converted to house a performance hall, offices for her recording company, Righteous Babe Records, and an arts center.”

The Globe and Mail

THE NEW YO R K TIMES

“ D E P E N D I NG O N W H ER E YO U LO O K W H ILE AT T H E DA RWI N D. MA RT IN H O USE CO MP LEX, YO U GET I M P R E SSI ON S OF T H REE CO MP LET ELY DIFFER ENT T H INGS : A N AR C H A E OL OG I C A L RUIN, A 1904 CO NST RUCT IO N SIT E , OR A WE L L -P R E S E RV E D HISTO R IC H O ME. R EST A SSUR ED T H AT T H E Y ’ R E A L L WORT H TH E T WO - H O UR DR IV E TO BUFFA LO .”

“Against all odds – crumbling and vanished buildings, a transformed landscape and a daunting price tag to make it all right again – this lakeside city 14 years ago dared to think the unthinkable and do the undoable. The result? The restoration of the Darwin D. Martin House and the miraculous regeneration of its outbuildings, an expansive Frank Lloyd Wright-designed estate long given up for gone. Driven by a desire to make their city a must-see stop on the architectural tourism trail, Buffalonians raised $35 million in public and private funds to revive one of Mr. Wright’s most important early houses and resurrect its long-demolished pergola, conservatory and carriage house.”

PITTSBURGH P O S TGAZETTE

“ T H E F OL K S W H O DISMISS T H E CIT Y ’S BLUE- CO LLA R C H A R M H AV E N E V E R EXP ER IENCED A LL T H AT BUFFA LO H A S TO OF F E R . F ROM TH E WO R LD- CLA SS CO LLECT IO N O F Spirit M OD E R N ART AT T H E A LBR IGH T- KNOX A RT GA LLERY, TO IT S Magazine P R I S T I N E OL M ST ED- DESIGNED PA R K SYST EM, TO T H E ART D E C O M A S T E R P I E C E T HAT IS CIT Y H A LL, T H E NICKEL CIT Y H AS ALWAYS B E E N , F OR L AC K O F A BET T ER WO R D, UNDER R AT ED .”

“Few places in America measure up to the waters around Buffalo, N.Y., for variety and quality of fishing. Within a few minutes drive of the bustling downtown, fisherman can work the sprawling Lake Erie OUTDOOR waterfront for smallmouth bass and walleyes; fish in the picturesque LIFE Niagara River for smallies, walleyes, trout and salmon; or tap nearby Lake Ontario for the same species. The proximity of these three diverse waterways affords Buffalo-area anglers the opportunity to catch fish in virtually any weather 12 months of the year.”

The Financial Times

“THE ALBRIGHT-KNOX IS, OF COURSE, JUSTLY CELEBRATED FOR ITS MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS – ONLY MOMA OUTSHINES IT IN TERMS OF QUALITY AND DEPTH .”

“If architecture crystallizes a moment in time, the clock is doing strange and wonderful things at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House. It’s running backward and forward at the same time.

Recognized globally as a masterpiece of Wright’s pivotal, early 20th-century Prairie Style, the Martin House is undergoing a long, loving and expensive restoration and reconstruction.”

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CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER

617 Main Street i Suite 200 i Buffalo, NY 14203 716 852 0511 i www.visitbuffaloniagara.com 15