Buffalo Sabres and the tourism, hospitality, cultural, retail and civic sectors have come together to ensure an excellent visitor experience

Together with tournament hosts the Buffalo Sabres, representatives from the tourism, hospitality, cultural, retail and civic sectors have come together to ensure an excellent visitor experience for the thousands of hockey fans who will be in Western New York from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6 for the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World U20 Championship.

Hotel Occupancy Projections and Hospitality Readiness

Fans who stay at local hotels and visit our region’s attractions will be warmly embraced. The Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), in partnership with the Sabres, held a series of meetings with the Western New York hospitality community, as well as regional tourism promotion agencies from Ellicottville to Niagara Falls, Ontario. The CVB also issued a series of email newsletters to its hospitality partners to prepare them for the tournament.

“The World Juniors will have a large impact on Western New York,” said CVB President and CEO Dottie Gallagher Cohen.

“So far, almost 11,000 hotel room nights have been sold in Erie County for the tournament. If current Smith Travel Research trends hold, Western New York hotels will see a 10 percent increase in hotel occupancy for the 4th quarter. In layman’s terms, it’s like having two or three major conventions in town over the Christmas holiday. This is a boon to our community during a time of the year when things are usually pretty quiet.”

“With the World Junior Championship only days away, we’re very happy to see the high volume of hotel bookings in the downtown area,” said Michael Gilbert, director of public relations for the Buffalo Sabres. “The amount of fan interest in the World Junior Championship continues to build and we’re very excited to welcome the ten countries participating and their fans. Everyone has worked extremely hard to plan this event and we’re very confidant that all of the fans will have a memorable experience during their stay in Buffalo.”

Advance Visitor Readiness

Long before fans step foot in Western New York, they will have a wealth of information about our region. Those who visited the official World Juniors website (www.buffaloworldjuniors.com), which is operated by the Sabres, found sections for visitor resources and area information. Many fans have also visited the CVB’s World Juniors visitor webpage (www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/worldjuniors2011), which includes hotel rates and availabilities, special deals from local restaurants and attractions, a calendar of events surrounding the tournament, a map of Buffalo’s top attractions, and a dining and transportation guide. Canadian fans, which will make up more than 60 percent of the attendees, may also have come across visitor readiness stories in the Toronto Sun and London Free Press.

Welcome Signage and Visitor Information

Fans are receiving a warm welcome as they arrive in Western New York. Those who are flying into the Buffalo Niagara International Airport will be greeted by welcome signage and a visitor information table with volunteers recruited by the CVB. Many Canadian and international fans will enter our region via the Peace Bridge, which will be lit up in different country colors each night of the tournament and feature tournament signage. As they reach the downtown core, fans will see signage at HSBC Arena, welcome banners along Main St. and flags from each team’s country along Delaware Ave., all of which were coordinated by the Sabres. Fans will also see signage in the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)’s downtown bus and Metro Rail shelters, as well as banners and holiday decorations in the Buffalo EntertainmentDistrict, along Chippewa Street.

When a fan is looking for something to do between games, there are several free publications to help. They can pick up an Official Fan Guide (produced by the Buffalo News with assistance from the Sabres and the CVB), the Binational Economic and Tourism Alliance’s special Shop, Stay, Work and Play Guide, the NFTA and CVB’s combined Dining and Transportation Guide, the official Buffalo Niagara Visitors Guide or the CVB’s hockey fan guide map. These resources will always be near at hand. Within HSBC Arena, Dwyer Arena and the official tournament hotels, fans can grab information at tables staffed by volunteers who are coordinated by the Sabres and the Niagara (Ont.) Sports Commission. The CVB will place materials at tables in nontournament hotels, staff a visitor table at the Hockey Towne USA Fan Fest, operate its Visitors Center at 617 Main St. in Buffalo, and distribute information outside HSBC Arena during the busiest days of the tournament – Dec. 26, 28 and 31. Techsavvy fans can get realtime Buffalo restaurant and transportation updates via a Twitter “Twisitor Center” at #buffworldjrs, which is operated by the CVB.

Dining Options

When it’s time to eat, fans will have plenty of options. In the fall, the CVB held a meeting with the downtown restaurant community to prepare them for the tournament crowds. As a result, many restaurants and bars have extended their hours, hired additional staff, added special promotions and created simplified menus for quicker meal turnaround times. For example, the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery is decorated with team flags and will operate all five floors for tournament visitors and the Buffalo Bisons will offer extended hours at Pettibones Grille, located within CocaCola Field. The Sabres have constructed a 17,000 sq. ft. tent, called the Labatt Blue Hockey Lodge, outside HSBC Arena, which will feature food, drinks and live entertainment for tournament ticket holders.

Transportation

Throughout the course of the tournament, fans will have a series of simple, affordable transportation options to get them to Buffalo’s restaurants, shops and attractions. The NFTA is offering expanded service to and from HSBC Arena, including additional Metro Rail runs along Main St. and shuttle busses that will carry fans to destinations along Chippewa St., Elmwood Ave., Allen St. and, for the first time for a major sporting event, the Museum District.

Entertainment, Events and Attractions

While the onice action will be the center of attention, there will be no shortage of events and activities outside the arena. The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation has removed fencing around the new cobblestone streets of the Canalside district and the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park will offer extended hours, tours and special events throughout the tournament. A few blocks uptown, the Hockey Towne USA Fan Fest, featuring the Stanley Cup, a bubble hockey tournament, a hockey rink, beer, food, children’s entertainment and 100 vendors, will take place at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on Dec. 27, 28 and 29. New Year’s Eve should be packed in Buffalo, as the Independent Health Foundation presents its annual familyfriendly First Night Buffalo event at the Convention Center and the 23rd annual Buffalo Ball Drop & Fireworks Display takes place at the Iskalo Electric Tower.

For fans who want to strap on skates themselves, Buffalo Place has extended the hours of downtown’s outdoor Rotary Rink. Fans can then head one block north to the Theatre District for a range of activities. “Hockey Courage,” a documentary about sled hockey players, will have its world premiere at the Market Arcade Theater from Dec. 24 to 30 and Canadian singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan will perform at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Jan. 6. Fans can also check out “Magical Memories on Main Street,” a series of windows with vintage AM&As automated holiday displays, which were recently restored by the Theatre District Association of Western New York and the Rotary Club of Buffalo.

Even the Museum District is gearing up for fans. The AlbrightKnox Art Gallery is presenting “Forty: The Sabres in the NHL,” an exhibit of more than 200 photographs from throughout the Sabres’ 40year history, through Jan. 9. The AlbrightKnox is also an anchor site, along with the Burchfield Penney Art Center, for “Beyond/In Western New York,” a major exhibit of works by artists from Buffalo, Southern Ontario and beyond, which runs through Jan. 3. The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society is reaching out to families by running its popular Rail Barons Model Train Display on Dec. 26, 28, 29 and 30 and Jan. 2. Nearby in Delaware Park, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy is operating its new Olmsted Nights Winter Lights display, featuring more than 50,000 energy efficient lights, on Dec. 26, 29, and 30 and Jan. 2, 5 and 6.

For fans who want to get a taste of Buffalo’s worldclass architecture, Buffalo Tours will offer guided tours on each day of the tournament, except Jan. 1 and 2, while Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House Complex is offering special tour discounts.

Shopping

Many tournament visitors, especially Canadians, will be looking to shop while they’re in town, and they’ll find special deals designed for fans at several shopping centers, such as the Boulevard Mall and the Fashion Outlets. For those who want to shop at independently owned boutiques, the Elmwood Village Association has been preparing its member shops for an uptick in foot traffic.

Security and Public Safety

Fans will also see an expanded Buffalo Police presence as they move around the city. To ensure a safe tournament experience for visitors, the department has planned for additional police on duty, walking patrols and officers placed at fixed locations. In addition, the Erie County Sheriffs will have mounted patrols near the Convention Center for the Hockey Towne USA Fan Fest and First Night Buffalo.