The Las Cruces CVB hosted 10 tour operators from all over the world as part of a pre-conference Go West Summit FAM tour January 21, 2009. The group was treated to some of the best Las Cruces has to offer. During their time in Las Cruces, the group toured White Sands National Monument, Mesilla, the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, the Farmers & Crafters Market, the Museum of Art, and the Branigan Cultural Center. After their time in Las Cruces, the group was off to other New Mexico cities including: Carlsbad, Roswell, Gallup, Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The tour was an opportunity for tour operators from around the globe to experience New Mexico firsthand to help them better sell the state to their clients when they return home.

Helga Byndas has been hired as the new general manager of Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, a Heritage Hotel & Resort property. Byndas began her career with Heritage Hotels & Resorts nine years ago as a front desk manager eventually working her way up to general manager of Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque. Helga has been in the hospitality industry for over 12 years and brings with her a strong skill set and a determined drive for organization and success. She replaces John Rickey who left last fall.

Built in 1848, Alameda House, one of the oldest historic properties in Las Cruces will be opening to the public as an event location and bed-and-breakfast beginning May 1, 2009. As a fully restored 8,000+ sq ft turn-of-the-century estate, Alameda House will offer 10 guest rooms all with private baths plus 3,000 sq ft of gathering rooms. The four casitas suites will feature a private courtyard for smaller events. Perhaps most impressive will be the two acres of lawn, patio and pool entertaining areas available for corporate and political events to weddings to reunions.

The process to build a convention center for Las Cruces is moving right along. The City has contracted with Global Spectrum, a private management company who will oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility as well as work with the CVB to book conventions and shows for the center. The City - in conjunction with HNTB - is in the final stages of facility design and negotiations are on going with a construction company to build the facility. Ground breaking is expected in late first quarter/early second quarter 2009. For questions about the Las Cruces Center, contact the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 541-2444 or cvb@lascrucescvb.org.

Holiday Showcase, December 15-17, 2008
The Rochelle Miller-Hernandez, Convention Sales Manager and Jennifer Bales, Services Manager, attended the Holiday Showcase tradeshow in Chicago, IL, on December 15-17, 2008. The show was sponsored by the Association Forum of Chicagoland and was an opportunity for the bureau to meet face-to-face with government, association and corporate meeting planners. The bureau's participation in the show generated several excellent sales leads, and meeting planners in attendance were highly impressed with Las Cruces as a meetings destination and very excited about the new Las Cruces Convention Center and wanted more information when available.

Go West Summit, January 26-29, 2009
On behalf of the Tourism Sales Department, Jennifer Bales, Services Manager, attended the 2008 Go West Summit in Albuquerque, NM, January 26-29, 2009. The summit has developed into one of the premier meeting places because of its unique focus, effective format and intimate business setting structured to give suppliers from 13 western states the opportunity to promote their destination with tour operators from all the major tour markets, including Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, Mexico, Scandinavia and the United States. This is the 8th year the bureau has attended the summit and remains one of the CVB's best shows for developing leads and making new contacts in the tour market.