All In Stitches Quilt Guild 5/23/2018

ECONOMIC IMPACT Who will benefit: Direct benefits to the community include: • Restaurant patronage is increased due to the AOW Arena not serving or allowing outside food. We estimate 3,000 attendees and our event crosses meal time. • Hotel occupancy is increased due to our two evening events and vendors requesting overnight referrals. We currently have inquiries asking for hotel accommodations. We estimate at least 50 overnight stays, with another 150 in unpaid accommodations, and additional 400 traveling over 50 miles not staying overnight. • Extended stay activity suggestions are mentioned above. All those attractions could have increased patronage. • Downtown Everett has several shops that can benefit from increased patronage. One goal for the show is to benefit small quilt shop businesses in the area, by generating more interest in the art and increase revenue. While Marysville, Snohomish and other nearby communities have quilt shops, currently, Everett does not have one catering specifically to quiltmaking. Many local quilters are hoping for another. The success of EQS can prove that Everett is a place that fosters the arts and supports businesses surrounding the quilting industry. Youth volunteer hours. We plan to offer curbside service, with volunteers, taking sewing machines and supplies to the classroom while guests park their cars. Shuttle Service: We have reached out to work with a local organization to offer shuttle service from the surrounding parking lots to the conference center front doors. To Increase Tourism: We expect about 3,000 visitors in 2018 and are encouraging each one to bring friends or spouses to make it a getaway weekend in Everett by highlighting other attractions such as: The Village Theatre, Aviation Museums, Schack Art Center, galleries, golfing, restaurants, and various shopping.We continue to develop relationships with these other attractions. • Blocks of rooms at The Courtyard by Marriott, Best Western Cascadia Inn and Hampton Inn, all near the Event Center. In 2018, the Hampton is offering free work space to quilters who stay the night. Best Western offers shuttle service within a 5 mile radius, and can therefore pick customers up from the AMTRAK station, AOW Arena and transport to other local sites.