BUDWEISER MADE IN AMERICA FESTIVAL ALREADY BENEFITTING CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ECONOMY

Philadelphia, July 14, 2014 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter said that the Budweiser Made in America Festival is already producing significant benefits for the City of Philadelphia noting that the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association is reporting a considerable increase in rooms booked this Labor Day weekend. Mayor Nutter also spotlighted recently released logistical information for patrons of the Festival, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant accommodations, a remote parking/shuttle service from The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, live streaming of the concerts on two websites, and specifics about the Festival venue.

“Even though we won’t have a full picture of the economic impact that Budweiser Made in America will have on the City of Philadelphia until sometime in September, it is encouraging and even exciting to see that the Festival is already doing positive things for the city,” said Mayor Nutter. “Labor Day weekend is normally a quiet holiday for the hospitality industry in the city. But the early reports we’re getting indicate substantially increased activity in our Center City hotels. We hope this will mean good news for the entire tourism and hospitality industry, including the many restaurants, shops, museums and bars that those visitors will patronize.” Ed Grose, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association said, “Historically Labor Day weekend is slow for Philadelphia hotels, however this upcoming weekend my members are telling me that they are doing very well. While some hotels sold out, there are still rooms available. Visitors who are interested in booking a room should check their favorite hotel website and if there are no rooms available then go to www.visitphilly.com to book a room.

While we don’t survey customers as to why they are here, the only different factor this year is the Budweiser Made in America Festival and it appears that this two-day event is a reason for the increased occupancy this weekend.” City Representative Melanie Johnson talked about the long-term impact that the city hopes to attract. “We are hearing from our hotel partners that occupancy rates are much higher this upcoming holiday weekend than in years past. This welcome news confirms our confidence that Philadelphia has so much to offer visitors — whether its the Budweiser Made in America festival, the Philadelphia Art Museum and it’s blockbuster ‘Visions of Arcadia’ exhibit, the new Barnes Foundation, or our many other attractions,” said Johnson. “We expect them to also take advantage of our exploding restaurant scene and have a truly special experience here — and then come back to Philadelphia for more.”