Individual Project: MLA Format – Research Assignment;

Using reference materials research a convention city located in the state that you were assigned. All work must be word-processed, essay format with subject headings/subheadings, MLA formatted work cited, and double-spaced unless otherwise noted. Please refer to the attached rubrics to receive maximum point value.

Cover Page: Include title of paper, your name, course name and number, professor’s name, and date

Table of Contents – List Headings/Subheadings and Work Cited; and their page numbers.

Page Numbers: Top or Bottom Right of each page

In-text Citations: Used when you use a direct quote – immediately follows quote.

Work Cited: See MLA Format in LibGuides for specifics. List of all sources used to write paper, includes personal interviews, websites, journals/periodicals, brochures, etc.

Headings/Subheadings – HEADINGS are in all capital letters/ subheadings are lower case. It makes it easier to read if you make them in bold.

Charts/Graphs/Tables – when using charts, graphs, and tables it is important to make sure that they fit on the page. It does not look professionally done if it is hard to read or it overlaps multiple pages. Font size should be between 10 and 12 points to read on a standard report.

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INTRODUCTION

1-2 paragraphs introducing the paper, first sentence should be the topic sentence followed by supporting sentences. Last sentence should help to transition into the next paragraph.

DESTINATION RESEARCH

1 paragraph stating why this city would be a good location to host meetings and it should introduce the following areas:

Historical Aspects

The topic sentence introduces the history of the city. This section should be 1-2 paragraphs that give an overview of the city’s history that would be relevant to a meeting planner. You should use direct quotes to support your points.

Entertainment and Attractions

The topic sentence introduces the city’s entertainment venues and attractions. This section should be 1-2 paragraphs that give an overview of the city’s entertainment and attractions offerings that would be relevant to a meeting planner. You should use direct quotes to support your points.

Population Demographics

The topic sentence introduces the city’s population demographics. Remember demography is a study of a population’s people based on gender, age, income, and occupation. This is a great section to utilize graphs and charts. Please describe the information you are diagramming in the graph/chart. Meeting planners would like to know this information because it might impact the decision to place a meeting in that city. Make sure to include an in-text citation for the resources you used to obtain the data.

Key Industries/Major Corporations

The topic sentence introduces the key industries and major corporations that are located in this city. This section could have a bulleted list as long as the topic sentence and summary sentence are used before and after the bulleted items. A corporate meeting planner might be planning a corporate meeting and may need to know what industries or corporations are in a city being considered to host a meeting.

Sales, Rooms & Meals Taxes

This section can be 1-2 sentences that state what the sales tax, rooms tax & meals tax are. There are many configurations of these taxes. Some states have a tax and then the city also has a tax in addition to it. Make sure you cover this section and explain these taxes. This is very important for a meeting planner to know.

Tourism

The topic sentence introduces the reasons why people travel to this city. Do people travel to the area to take a cruise, play golf, go on bus tours to look at leaves turn color in the fall, ski? This information is important to a meeting planner to make the meeting more attractive to attendees, especially those whose attendance is voluntary.

Citywide Conventions

The topic sentence introduces the city’s ability to host very large conferences and conventions. By definition citywides require more than 1 hotel to house attendees. Some convention and visitors bureaus may list this information on their website or a convention center website. If they do not, you might need to ask someone from the CVB.

Special Events

The topic sentence introduces the city’s annual festivals. Meeting planners would like to know what festivals take place as well as when and where. They might use these to make their meetings more attractive or might decide that they will detract from the meeting, so they choose to have their meeting at a different time.

Destination Research Summary

This section ties together all of the previous sections. So based on the above information, please write 1-2 paragraphs explaining why you believe this will be a great meeting destination.

VENUE RESEARCH

The first paragraph should introduce the following chart. You will be finding 5 venues that would successfully host a meeting of 20 to 500 people. Hotels, convention centers, and unique venues should be considered.

Venue Name Number of People they can accommodate in their largest room Do they have

on-site accommodations?

Yes/No

If yes, State Number of Rooms Facilities?

F&B/Catering

On-site Parking

Free Parking

Shuttle Service

Gym, Spa, Golf

Business Center Additional Information:

History?

Unique Characteristics?

Awards Won?

FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS

Off-Site Group Meal Options

The first paragraph should introduce the following chart. You will be finding 5 restaurant venues that would successfully host a group meal. A meeting planner will place a meeting off-site to enhance the meeting – make it memorable.

Restaurant Name and Address Type of Cuisine Number of People the Restaurant Can Seat Average Entrée Price Ranking from Zagat, Yelp, AAA, or other 3rd Party Organization

Off-Site Individual Meal Options

The first paragraph should introduce the following chart. You will be finding 5 different restaurant venues where meeting attendees can go on their own. Meeting planners may have attendees go out on their own for a meal – usually dinner. This helps the meeting budget and it allows meeting attendees to explore the city – again to make the meeting a memorable experience.

Restaurant Name and Address Type of Cuisine Distance from hotels/convention center (general distance) Average Entrée Price Ranking from Zagat, Yelp, AAA, or other 3rd Party Organization

TRANSPORTATION

Interstate Travel

The topic sentence introduces the types of transportation that is available for attendees to use to get to your city. You need to address air travel, trains (Amtrak), Interstate Bus Lines (Greyhound, Peter Pan, etc.), and Interstates/Highways for automobile travel.

Local Travel

The topic sentence introduces the types of transportation that is available to and for attendees to move around the city. You should address: taxis, local bus systems (like RIPTA in Providence), Subways, and charter coach companies (where you can hire private cars, limousines, and buses to move people. Private cars and limousines are usually for VIPs – buses or what we would call coaches can be used to move large groups of people from one destination to another or can be set up as a shuttle systems – picking people up at hotels and taking them to the convention center and then back to the hotels throughout the convention.

CONCLUSION

Topic sentence introducing your conclusion. What conclusion can you make based on your findings? 1-3 sentences. You can restate why you think this would be an excellent meeting destination.