How do you sell Huntsville?

Leaders to market space history celebrations, tout quality of life

Sunday, June 17, 2007

By GINA HANNAH

Times Business Writer gina.hannah@htimes.com

Area business leaders say it's too soon to tell how many people who are asked to come to Huntsville from the Washington, D.C., area for the latest round of base realignment will make the move. But they're not taking any chances.

A couple of well-placed events next year will offer the chance to market the city - and the state - on a national level.

In January, the U.S. will celebrate its 50th anniversary of going into space with rockets built in Huntsville. The Chamber of Commerce and other groups plan to recognize the historic event with a big splash. Also that month, the Saturn V museum at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is scheduled to open.

Both events are expected to bring media attention on the national and international level, said John Southerland, communications director for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. When chamber and government officials travel to the Paris Air Show this week, they will distribute an invitation to business people and media from all over the world, inviting them to come to Huntsville to celebrate next year, Southerland said.

This isn't the first push to garner Huntsville some headlines. But the latest effort creates one committee from disparate groups that previously may have been working on their own recruitment strategy, said Don Nalley, the chamber's vice chairman for image enhancement. The group is batting around various ideas in addition to the invitations to the anniversary celebration, Nalley said, such as promotional videos and brochures placed in local hotel rooms that visitors can view or take with them.

"We have an opportunity right now, with the space celebrations, as the beginning of a cumulative event," Nalley said. "Many people believe the Saturn V is one of the man-made wonders of the world."

The goal is to broaden how people view not just Huntsville, but also Alabama, as a place where aerospace and other high-tech industries can thrive.

"We feel Huntsville is part of a state that has gone high-tech, and we need to market that," Nalley said.

As 2011 approaches and BRAC jobs move to Huntsville in an already a tight job market for some industries, city leaders want to make sure people around the country know about the opportunities here.

In the mid-1990s, the city worked hard to convince missile defense employees who were moved to Huntsville from St. Louis that the Huntsville area was a place they'd like to live. About 60 percent of the St. Louis employees moved to Huntsville, much higher than the national average of 25 percent for BRAC moves.

But Washington is different, a "sexier" city in many ways, with its many cultural trappings, and many people who've been living there want to stay.

"The thought is, we have to do more, because there's more to do in D.C.," Nalley said. He noted that because many other government agencies have offices near the nation's capital, some BRAC recruits may choose to move to those jobs.

"We didn't have that with St. Louis," he said.

Still, he and Southerland believe they can sell Huntsville's own attributes, such as commute times, lower cost of living, easy access to cultural activities and sports and its proximity to such cities as Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham.

"The crucial thing is," Southerland said, "can you get them here to take a look?"



How do you sell Huntsville? Leaders to market space history celebrations, tout quality of life Sunday, June 17, 2007 By GINA HANNAH Times Business Writer gina.hannah@htimes.com Area business leaders say it's too soon to tell how many people who are asked to come to Huntsville from the Washington, D.C., area for the latest round of base realignment will make the move. But they're not taking any chances. A couple of well-placed events next year will offer the chance to market the city - and the state - on a national level. In January, the U.S. will celebrate its 50th anniversary of going into space with rockets built in Huntsville. The Chamber of Commerce and other groups plan to recognize the historic event with a big splash. Also that month, the Saturn V museum at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is scheduled to open. Both events are expected to bring media attention on the national and international level, said John Southerland, communications director for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. When chamber and government officials travel to the Paris Air Show this week, they will distribute an invitation to business people and media from all over the world, inviting them to come to Huntsville to celebrate next year, Southerland said. This isn't the first push to garner Huntsville some headlines. But the latest effort creates one committee from disparate groups that previously may have been working on their own recruitment strategy, said Don Nalley, the chamber's vice chairman for image enhancement. The group is batting around various ideas in addition to the invitations to the anniversary celebration, Nalley said, such as promotional videos and brochures placed in local hotel rooms that visitors can view or take with them. "We have an opportunity right now, with the space celebrations, as the beginning of a cumulative event," Nalley said. "Many people believe the Saturn V is one of the man-made wonders of the world." The goal is to broaden how people view not just Huntsville, but also Alabama, as a place where aerospace and other high-tech industries can thrive. "We feel Huntsville is part of a state that has gone high-tech, and we need to market that," Nalley said. As 2011 approaches and BRAC jobs move to Huntsville in an already a tight job market for some industries, city leaders want to make sure people around the country know about the opportunities here. In the mid-1990s, the city worked hard to convince missile defense employees who were moved to Huntsville from St. Louis that the Huntsville area was a place they'd like to live. About 60 percent of the St. Louis employees moved to Huntsville, much higher than the national average of 25 percent for BRAC moves. But Washington is different, a "sexier" city in many ways, with its many cultural trappings, and many people who've been living there want to stay. "The thought is, we have to do more, because there's more to do in D.C.," Nalley said. He noted that because many other government agencies have offices near the nation's capital, some BRAC recruits may choose to move to those jobs. "We didn't have that with St. Louis," he said. Still, he and Southerland believe they can sell Huntsville's own attributes, such as commute times, lower cost of living, easy access to cultural activities and sports and its proximity to such cities as Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham. "The crucial thing is," Southerland said, "can you get them here to take a look?" © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.