CG CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU APPROVES INVESTMENT FROM DISCOVER COTTAGE GROVE, BUSINESS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ALSO AVAILABLE

By Joseph Back

Meeting February 22 in the St. Croix Room at City Hall, the Cottage Grove Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CGCVB) covered several agenda items, including one for a June 11 on a Community Night from Saint Paul Saints ticket representative Kailyn Johnson.

With the meeting opened by chair Steve Dennis and seeing vice chair Justin Olsen, City economic director Christine Costello, and CGCVB director Laurie Levine in attendance as well, before long it was in to the presentation by Johnson.

Introduced by Cottage Grove Marketing and Communications Specialist Julie Prior-Miller, Johnson said that those on the outskirts of the Saints ticket area were in her opinion more committed fans, meaning it was important to recognize them.

“People who live in Cottage Grove, Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, they have to take those extra miles to come and support the Saints,” Johnson said in her presentation on a Community Night for Cottage Grove residents. “And that’s something that’s really important and we want to find a way to thank that fan base and give them an opportunity to utilize that platform that we have,” she said.

Next playing a video showing just who the Saint Paul Saints were in terms of both fun and baseball games, Johnson then went into some brief statistics, including the following for 2021: · A total of 65 games at CHS field · A total of 403,751 attendees over the season, the number impacted by season restrictions.

· Ranked first in the Triple- A Baseball game day experience and fifth in total attendance for minor league baseball “We’re also very involved in the community,” Johnson said, giving the example of a blood drive held at the ballpark as supplies have hit a historic low for the Red Cross, meaning that every donation counts. Giving more statistics on social media growth and the Saint’s fan base, Johnson went into the point of her presentation: working with Discover Cottage Grove on a Cottage Grove Community Night for this June 11.

“We’ve seen a lot of minor league baseball teams do something similar to this,” Johnson said of where the idea had originated. “They gave communities the opportunity to use their ballpark, their social media, and promote whatever is important to that community,” Johnson said.

Going next into the game ticket picture, Johnson said that a Community Night could include special activities or giveaways, with ticket packages being used by the Saints to add “exciting elements” to a normal game ticket, with some examples given to the assembled CGCVB members. “It could be doing something on the field pre-game, for example. It could also be a donation element, people being able to give back to an organization they really support,” she said. Bringing up businesses next, Johnson said businesses could have the opportunity to sponsor the community night, including tickets for giveaway, ticket sponsorship, Public Announcer (PA) recognition, and In-Park Display.

“Most of our sponsorships are a season long investment, so obviously it’s a big thing to jump into a one night thing,” she said. Nonetheless, it was a way to get the organization or business name out there.

Next going into what promoting Discover Cottage Grove might entail, Johnson presented a possible partnership. Included in the prospective sponsorship by Discover Cottage Grove would be 35 reserved outfield tickets, 30 general admission tickets, PA recognition, and In-Park Display, as part of a Cottage Grove Community Night June 11. And the total investment?

Just $900.

“We take into consideration what’s going to be important to you and what’s going to be most beneficial, then package it together,” Johnson told those CGCVB members present. “Thank you.”

“Thank you for the presentation and boy, that video really gets you moving,” chair Dennis said of the Saints promotional video. Vice chair Olsen then addressed Johnson.

“Thanks for being here this morning,” he said. “Especially for such a crummy morning for driving.” Shifting next to the Community Night, Olsen had both comment and a question for Johnson.

“With respect to a Cottage Grove Community Night, I think you encapsulated our role in that pretty well,” he said, then going on. “If it’s going to be a Cottage Grove Community Night, are there other businesses, other entities within Cottage Grove that would also participate, that you’ve been working with?”

“Laurie Levine and I have been working with the Chamber side of things to give the same opportunities to businesses that are members of the Chamber,” Johnson told Olsen. “Whether or not those businesses want to invest in that sponsorship is totally up to them.” The Saint Paul Saints representative also said she intended to contact businesses on her own as well. “There’s definitely room to grow as this event will happen in June,” she said. Bureau vice chair Olsen then closed out with praise for both Johnson and Levine.

“It really feels like a great opportunity to celebrate Cottage Grove,” he said of the Community Night. “Thank you.”

With motion made by Bureau director Levine and seconded by vice chair Olsen, the proposal for $900 by the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau towards a Cottage Grove Community Night at CHS Field June 11, was passed unanimously.

Opportunities for Cottage Grove businesses are also available, Levine also active with the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce and working with Johnson.

Above: Included with Johnson’s presentation was a promotional video with outtakes from Saints baseball games. Images from CottageGroveMN YouTube channel.

Right: Now in its second year, the Cottage Grove Convention and Visitor’s Bureau recently put together a free official visitor’s guide, which readers can view in more depth at https://discovercottagegrove.com/visitors-guide/. Pictured on the cover ofthis year’s guide is the city’s kayak rental program at Hazen P. Mooer’s Park. Image courtesy www.discovercottagegrove.com.