SPORTS ♦ ENTERTAINMENT ♦ SPECIAL EVENTS

2010-2011 Media Kit

GENERAL OVERVIEW

The Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) creates economic and community

benefits for the District through the attraction and promotion of hospitality, athletic,

entertainment and cultural events. The Authority owns and manages the Walter E. Washington

Convention Center, an anchor of the District’s hospitality and tourism economy that generates

over $400 million annually in total economic impact for the city. The Authority also manages the

Stadium-Armory campus, which includes Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, the DC Armory

and the surrounding Festival Grounds, and is the owner of Nationals Park. The WCSA is

organized into two distinct business units: Convention Center Operations and Sports,

Entertainment and Special Events. Both divisions are committed to bringing top-notch events to

Washington, D.C. along with providing first-rate service to customers and visitors.

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an extraordinary 2.3 million square foot

convention and meetings facility, is equipped to handle events of all sizes, from small groups and

break-out meetings to events for 500 to 42,000 attendees. One of the most energy-efficient

buildings for its size, the Center includes 703,000 square feet of prime exhibit space, 150,000

square feet of meeting space with a total of 66 break-out rooms and a 52,000 square foot

ballroom, the largest in the region. Whatever the size of the event, the service of the Convention

Center staff is second to none.

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, the historic D.C. sports venue that has entertained

spectators with its crowd-pleasing sightlines since 1961, is affectionately known as “RFK” around

the globe. The home turf for professional, collegiate and high school games during its history,

RFK was the first major stadium designed specifically as a multisport facility for both football and

baseball and is the current home for Major League Soccer’s D.C. United and the Military Bowl

presented by Northrop Grumman. The host of top-selling concerts, charitable events and

international sporting events, RFK Stadium has a capacity for 45,000+ visitors, features a natural

grass playing field and has modern locker rooms, lounge areas and club rooms for private and

group affairs.

Opened in 1941, the DC Armory is Washington, D.C.'s auditorium, arena, big top and ballroom

and one of the most versatile venues in the mid-atlantic region. Under its huge dome, visitors to

this landmark showplace enjoy a year-round parade of events as wide-ranging and diverse as the

people who come through its doors. The DC Armory can host conventions, circuses and

inaugural balls as well as concerts, expos, sporting events and trade shows and much more. The

Armory can be adapted to audiences of varying sizes from 10 to 10,000 people and its interior

features nearly 70,000 square feet of exhibition space. The Armory is the home of the DC

National Guard and the DC Rollergirls, a female flat-track roller derby league currently in its

fifth season.

Nationals Park, located in Southeast Washington along the fast-developing Capitol Riverfront

adjacent to the Navy Yard, opened in March 2008 and is the home of Major League Baseball’s

Washington Nationals. The exterior façade of the 41,546 seat venue features an innovative

design of steel, glass and pre-cast concrete to create a facility that uniquely reflects the

architecture of Washington, D.C. Visitors witness panoramic views of the riverfront, Navy Yard

and the surrounding city and landmarks such as the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

Nationals Park is equipped with state-of-the-art video and audio technology, including a 4,500

square foot high-definition scoreboard. Nationals Park, which features four large club spaces,

luxurious suites and 8,000 square feet of conditioned meeting space, is the nation's first major

professional stadium to become LEED Silver Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS DIVISION

From concerts and festivals to sporting events and galas, the

Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) is

involved in every aspect of sports and entertainment in the nation’s

capital.

Amidst Washington, D.C.’s iconic landmarks and world-renowned

attractions, the WCSA Sports, Entertainment and Special Events

Division brings world-class sports, entertainment, cultural and

hospitality events to the District while promoting the metropolitan

region as a premier destination. Additionally, the WCSA supports

citywide community events and programs involving sports and

entertainment properties.

The Authority’s venue portfolio includes the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the

Stadium-Armory campus which features RFK Memorial Stadium, the DC Armory and the

surrounding Festival Grounds, and Nationals Park ~ a diverse mix of historic, versatile and

accessible properties closely associated with the Washington, D.C. community and each equipped to

handle events of all sizes.

True to its mission, the Sports, Entertainment and Special

Events Division actively engages in the attraction of new and

diverse activities to the District. The Authority played a

critical role in bringing Major League Baseball back to the

nation's capital in 2005. The Washington Nationals played

at RFK Stadium for three seasons before moving into state-

of-the-art Nationals Park along the Anacostia waterfront in

2008. The Authority led the contracting effort for the

ballpark, the first LEED-certified green stadium in the United

States. For its efforts, the Authority received the ‘2008

Achievement Award’ from the DC Building Industry Association, the ‘Economic Impact Award’

from the DC Chamber of Commerce and the ‘Project of the Year’ for the National Capital region

from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The goal of bringing compelling city-wide events to the

nation’s capital is ongoing. The WCSA is working with local

organizers to bring the opening stages of the 2012 Giro

d’Italia to Washington, D.C. This historic bid would bring one

of the world’s three grand cycling tours to the United States for

the first time, positioning the international media spotlight on

Washington, D.C. The Authority is also a key partner in the

U.S. bid to bring the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup back to

the United States. Washington, D.C. is one of 18 host cities

representing the U.S. bid.

When the idea of bringing an NCAA postseason bowl game

to Washington, D.C. first surfaced, the WCSA was ready to

help make it happen. As a founding partner in the historic

effort, the Authority has hosted the Military Bowl

presented by Northrop Grumman at RFK Stadium since

2008 and is instrumental in planning and executing a variety

of Bowl week events throughout the city including the

popular Official Tailgate Party at the DC Armory and the

Teams Luncheon at the headquarters hotel. The bowl game

is scheduled to feature a team from the Atlantic Coast

Conference against Navy, Army or a Conference USA team

in rotating years, pending bowl eligibility.

Major League Soccer’s D.C. United has called RFK Stadium

home since the team’s inception in 1996. Since that time,

United have won four MLS Cup Championships and is

regarded as the most successful professional soccer

organization in U.S. history. United’s loyal fan base enjoys

the stadium’s legendary bouncy seats and electric soccer

atmosphere. The stadium has hosted games for world-class

soccer events including the 1994 World Cup, the 1996

Olympics and the 2003 Women’s World Cup and regularly

hosts the U.S. Men’s National Soccer team, which has won

more games at RFK Stadium than any stadium in the world.

The Authority was also successful in recruiting an all-

female roller derby league, the DC Rollergirls, to the DC

Armory in 2007. Since that time, the Rollergirls have

become local favorites, attracting ever increasing crowds to

each competition and bringing family-friendly

entertainment to thousands each season. The Rollergirls are

a member of the national Women’s Flat Track Derby

Association.

The Authority’s city-wide efforts extend to a wide range

of cultural and entertainment events including the

internationally renowned National Cherry Blossom

Festival, an annual two-week festival which features arts,

theatre and live performances along the scenic tidal basin

and surrounding areas each spring and Jazz in the ‘Hoods

presented by the Washington Convention and Sports

Authority, a major program of the annual DC Jazz

Festival. Jazz in the ‘Hoods is a series of nearly 80 live

performances in clubs, restaurants, hotels and galleries

throughout the District.

And the fun doesn’t end there. Each year, events such

as ShamrockFest and the DC101 Chili Cook-Off

have become can’t miss dates on the social calendar.

These events attract thousands of music lovers from

around the city and across the region to the RFK

Stadium Festival Grounds for a day-long celebration

of music, culture, food and fellowship. Top talent such

as the Stone Temple Pilots, the Roots, Train, Third

Eye Blind, Puddle of Mudd, Mary Mary and local

favorites Ginuwine and Chuck Brown have graced the

stage.

The WCSA is dedicated to supporting citywide

community events and programs involving youth,

amateur and professional sports. Recent events

supported by the Authority include the Washington

International Horse Show, the Washington Kastles,

D.C.’s 2009 champion Team Tennis squad, the

SunTrust National Marathon, held annually in the

spring at RFK Stadium, the Capital Criterium, D.C.’s

premier pro cycling race on Pennsylvania Avenue and

the Nation’s Triathlon to Benefit the Leukemia &

Lymphoma Society, the fastest growing triathlon in the

nation. Previous events supported by the Authority

include the All City Bowl, an annual high school all-star football game featuring players from D.C.

public, private and charter schools and the Congressional Bank Baseball Classic, featuring public

and private high school baseball teams from around the District.

Avid supporters of health and fitness, the Authority participates in sport and fitness expos throughout

the year. The SunTrust National Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, the Army Ten-Miler Race

Expo and the Marine Corp Marathon Health & Fitness Expo are among the many expos the

WCSA hosts on the Stadium-Armory campus each year.

Whether in our venues or around the nation’s capital, the Washington Convention and Sports

Authority is the Authority on sports and entertainment in Washington, D.C.

SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS

PREMIER EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH WCSA/WCSA VENUES

SPORTS

Military Bowl presented by Northrop

Grumman Held annually in December

RFK Stadium

www.eaglebankbowl.org

D.C. United

MLS season runs March-October

RFK Stadium

www.dcunited.com

Washington Nationals

MLB season runs April-October

Nationals Park

www.nationals.com

Washington Kastles

WTT season held annually in July

CityCenterDC

www.washingtonkastles.com

DC Rollergirls DCRG season runs October-May

DC Armory

www.dcrollergirls.com

SunTrust National Marathon

Held annually in March

RFK Stadium

www.nationalmarathon.com

Capital Criterium

Held annually in September

Pennsylvania Avenue

www.capcrit.com

Capitals Convention

Held annually in October

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

www.washingtoncapitals.com

Nation’s Triathlon

Held annually in September

West Potomac Park

www.nationstri.com

Washington International Horse Show

Held annually in October

Verizon Center

www.wihs.org

Health & Fitness Expos

National Marathon, Army Ten-Miler &

MarineCorp Marathon

Held annually in March, October & October

DC Armory

MCM: In Convention Center for 2010 only

ENTERTAINMENT/SPECIAL EVENTS

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Held annually in spring

Multiple venues throughout D.C.

www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org

Jazz in the ’Hoods

Held annually in June; part of DC Jazz Festival

Multiple venues throughout D.C.

www.dcjazzfest.org

DC101 Chili Cook-Off

Held annually in May

RFK Stadium Festival Grounds

www.dc101.com

ShamrockFest

Held annually in March

RFK Stadium Festival Grounds

www.shamrockfest.com

SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS DIVISION

2010 EVENT DATES

MARCH

Shamrock Festival March 13 RFK Festival Grounds

SunTrust National Marathon March 20 RFK Stadium

National Cherry Blossom Festival March 27-April 11 Various Locations

APRIL

Washington Nationals (season opener) April 3 Nationals Park

D.C. United (season opener) April 3 RFK Stadium

D.C. Rollergirls Championship Bout April 10 DC Armory

MAY

DC101 Chili Cook-Off May 22 RFK Festival Grounds

JUNE

Jazz in the ‘Hoods June 1-13 Various Locations

JULY

Washington Kastles July 5-22 Kastles Stadium

Capital Criterium July 11 Pennsylvania Ave

SEPTEMBER

Nation’s Triathlon September 12 West Potomac Park

OCTOBER

Capitals Convention October 2 Convention Center

DC Rollergirls (season opener) October 2 DC Armory

Army Ten-Miler Expo October 22-23 DC Armory

Washington International Horse Show October 26-31 Verizon Center

Marine Corp Marathon Expo October 31 Convention Center

DECEMBER

Military Bowl presented by Northrop December 29 RFK Stadium

Grumman

STAFF LISTING

EXECUTIVE

Gregory A. O’Dell

President / Chief Executive Officer

Sports, Entertainment and Special Events Division

ADMINISTRATION

Erik A. Moses

Senior Vice President and Managing

Director

Meredith Hawkins

Executive Assistant to Senior Vice

President

Patricia Wiseman

Receptionist

SALES AND SPONSORSHIP

Sam Cole

Director, Sales and Sponsorship

Amy Weinstein

Sales Manager

COMMUNICATIONS

Teri Washington

Director, Communications

Amber Johnson

Communications Manager

LEGAL

Nicole Jackson

Deputy General Counsel

EVENT OPERATIONS

Troy D. Scott

Director, Event Operations

Adelle Chenier

Event Manager

Rebecca Stirrett

Event Manager

Kellie Cavalier

Project Coordinator

RFK STADIUM GROUNDS CREW

Willie Leak

Jeff Hunter

Anthony Jones

Pablo Blanco

WCSA EXECUTIVE BIOGRAPHY

Gregory A. O’Dell

Washington Convention and Sports Authority

President and Chief Executive Officer

Gregory A. O’Dell serves as the president and chief executive

officer of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, which

owns and operates the Walter E. Washington Convention Center

and the historic Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The

Authority also operates the non-military functions of the District of

Columbia Armory and serves as owner/landlord of Nationals Park.

The Government of the District of Columbia created the quasi-public Authority in October 2009

through the merger of the Washington Convention Center Authority and the D.C. Sports and

Entertainment Commission. Mr. O’Dell has the unique experience of leading both organizations

as part of his public service in the District of Columbia.

As president and CEO, Mr. O’Dell oversees the Authority’s two lines of business: Convention

Center Operations and Sports, Entertainment and Special Events. His primary responsibilities

include oversight of the development and promotion of hospitality, athletic, entertainment and

cultural events that generate economic impact and create community benefits for the District of

Columbia.

Prior to the merger, Mr. O’Dell served as chief executive officer and general manager of the

Washington Convention Center Authority, where he was responsible for the operations of the

2.3-million-square-foot Convention Center, an award-winning facility that sees approximately 1

million visitors per year and has generated nearly $2.2 billion in direct delegate spending since

opening in 2003. Mr. O’Dell was also responsible for the Authority’s development efforts,

having led negotiations with the selected private developer in the public-private partnership for

the proposed 1,100-room Washington, DC Marriott Marquis Convention Center hotel.

Before joining the Washington Convention Center Authority, Mr. O’Dell was the president and

chief executive officer of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, where he led the team

that completed – in record time and within the legislatively mandated cost cap – the 41,888-seat

Nationals Park, the nation’s first LEED-certified green professional sports stadium. Before

heading up the Commission, he was the chief development officer for the Government of the

District of Columbia, where he was responsible for stimulating and promoting economic

development within the District.

Preceding his move to District government, Mr. O’Dell worked for the former management and

IT consulting firm BearingPoint. While there, Mr. O’Dell advanced to senior manager and

practice lead for Construction Advisory Services, responsible for construction and development

services to both public and private clients. After leaving BearingPoint, he served as a principal

and owner of the Clemens Consulting Group, where he continued to provide consulting services

to clients throughout the lifecycle of their development projects.

A resident of Ward 2, Mr. O’Dell serves on the boards of the Children’s National Medical

Center; the Washington Hospitality Foundation/Hospitality High School; the Washington, DC

Economic Partnership; DC Surface Transit, Inc.; the Downtown DC BID; Destination DC; the

Historical Society of Washington, DC and the National Cherry Blossom Festival. He received a

bachelor’s degree in finance and government from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South

Carolina.

WCSA EXECUTIVE BIOGRAPHY

Erik A. Moses

Washington Convention and Sports Authority

Senior Vice President and Managing Director,

Sports, Entertainment and Special Events Division

Erik A. Moses has directed the operations of the Washington

Convention and Sports Authority‟s Sports, Entertainment and Special

Events Division since June 2008. The Washington Convention and

Sports Authority (WCSA) attracts sports, entertainment, cultural and

hospitality events to Washington, D.C. while promoting the

metropolitan region as a premier destination. The Authority‟s venue

portfolio includes the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the

Stadium Armory Campus, which features RFK Memorial Stadium,

the DC Armory and the surrounding Festival Grounds, and Nationals Park.

As Managing Director of the Sports, Entertainment and Special Events Division, Mr. Moses is

responsible for setting the strategic vision and managing the overall operations of the division,

including the departments of administration, legal, event operations, sales, sponsorship,

marketing and public relations.

The WCSA was established on October 1, 2009 through the merger of the Washington

Convention Center Authority and the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission (DCSEC). Prior

to the merger, Mr. Moses was the Chief Executive Officer of the DCSEC from June 2008

through September 2009. In addition to leading the Commission‟s successful effort to merge

with the Washington Convention Center Authority, Mr. Moses oversaw the closeout of the

Nationals Park construction project, the development and launch of the EagleBank Bowl, the

first-ever college football bowl game in Washington, D.C. and now called the Military Bowl

presented by Northrop Gruman, and the introduction of the DC Armor indoor football team. In

2009, Mr. Moses was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Military Bowl presented

by Northrop Grumman.

During his tenure, the Authority expanded its footprint within the entertainment scene by

sponsoring Jazz in the „Hoods, a series of over 80 live music performances in venues throughout

the District and a major program of the annual DC Jazz Festival, and a multitude of

entertainment events on the Stadium-Armory campus. Mr. Moses also led the Authority to

broaden its support of citywide community events and as a result the organization received the

“Positive Choices Community Impact Award” in March 2009.

Prior to joining the WCSA, Mr. Moses served as the Director of the District of Columbia's

Department of Small and Local Business Development. In this capacity, Mr. Moses managed the

agency charged with fostering the economic growth, development, and retention of District-

based businesses. As agency director, Mr. Moses served as the District‟s chief advocate for local

businesses, advising the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Mayor

on all programs, policies, and issues related to or affecting the local business community.

Mr. Moses is the recipient of the 2009 Commitment to Diversity Award from the DC Chapter of

the National Association of Minority Contractors, the 2008 Small Business Advocate of the Year

Award from the Greater Los Angeles African-American Chamber of Commerce, and the 2007

Small Business Initiative Best Bar Project from the District of Columbia Bar.

Mr. Moses began his career in private practice in Washington, D.C. with the law firm of Dow

Lohnes PLLC representing several large media and communications companies in merger and

acquisition transactions as well as regulatory and compliance matters following the passage of

the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Mr. Moses left private legal practice to join the America Online division of AOL Time Warner.

At AOL, he served as the primary legal counsel to several business units including MapQuest,

Moviefone, AOL Entertainment and Digital Media Services, Inc., among others. Mr. Moses later

served as a director of business development for the International & Web Services division

where he was responsible for building strategic alliances and other commercial partnerships

related to the development and distribution of new products and services. He is the co-founder of

Legacy Holdings LLC, a private investment partnership.

Mr. Moses received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law. Mr. Moses is a member of the

Maryland Bar and the District of Columbia Bar. Mr. Moses is actively involved in the

community and has served on boards of various nonprofit organizations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our eleven-member Board of Directors is appointed by the mayor, and with the exception of two

ex-officio members, confirmed by the Council of the District of Columbia. The Board members

represent specific business segments of the community.

Beverly L. Perry Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy

Pepco Holdings, Inc.

Chairman, Board of Directors

Member, Development Committee

Member, Finance Committee

Member, Operations Committee

Member, Sports and Entertainment Committee

Mitchell Schear President

Vornado/Charles E. Smith

Vice Chairman, Board of Directors

Member, Development Committee

Linda Greenan Assistant Vice President for External Relations

Georgetown University

Secretary, Board of Directors

Member, Operations Committee

Member, Sports and Entertainment Committee

Emily Durso President

Hotel Association of Washington, D.C.

Treasurer, Board of Directors

Member, Development Committee

Member, Finance Committee

James Abdo President & CEO

Abdo Development

Chairman, Development Committee

John Boardman Executive Secretary-Treasurer

UNITE HERE Local 25

Member, Operations Committee

Dr. Natwar Gandhi*

Chief Financial Officer

Government of the District of Columbia

Chairman, Finance Committee

Jay Haddock Ortiz President

Capital Hotels

Member, Operations Committee

Member, Sales and Marketing Subcommittee

Member, Finance Committee

William N. Hall Partner

Winston and Strawn

Chairman, Sports and Entertainment Committee

Member, Finance Committee

Valerie Santos*

Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development

Government of the District of Columbia

Member, Development Committee

* Denotes ex-officio members

WASHINGTON, D.C. CAPITAL CITY FAST FACTS

GEOGRAPHY: Location: 90 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, south of Maryland, north of Virginia. Carved

out of land donated by the state of Maryland. DC is not a state, nor is it part of any state. It is a

federal district created specifically to be the seat of government for the United States.

Elevation: 409 ft.; lowest point: sea level

Size: 68 square miles

Orientation: Divided into four quadrants: Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast. The U.S.

Capitol marks the center where the quadrants meet.

Metro Area: The Metro Area refers to D.C. plus five Maryland counties (Charles, Calvert,

Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George's), five Virginia counties (Arlington, Fairfax,

Loudon, Prince William and Stafford) and five Virginia cities (Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax

City, Manassas and Manassas Park).

Climate: Generally temperate, with four distinct seasons. Spring, early summer and fall are the

most comfortable seasons, although moderate winters are not uncommon, with more rain than

snow.

HISTORY: Founded: 1791

Named for: President George Washington and Christopher Columbus. The “Columbia” in

District of Columbia refers to Christopher Columbus.

POPULATION/ DEMOGRAPHICS: Population: 588,373 (metro region population: 6.1 million)

Demographics: 54% Black/African-American, 36% white, and 8% Hispanic/Latino. 47% male

and 53% female

Median age: 35

Median household income: $67,308

Education: Greater Washington has the largest percent of adults with advanced degrees (21%)

in the U.S., more than twice the national average. 43.9% of local women have a Bachelor’s

degree or higher, the highest percentage in the nation.

International DC: 88,000 DC residents (15%) speak a language other than English at home;

76,000 DC residents (13%) are foreign-born

INDUSTRY: Major industries: DC’s primary industry after the federal government is tourism, which

generates more than $5.5 billion in visitor spending.

Other important industries: Trade associations (home to more associations than any other U.S.

city); law, higher education, medicine/medical research, government-related research, publishing

and international finance.

Major corporations: The region serves as home base to large corporations and organizations as

Marriott International, Hilton Hotels Corporation, AMTRAK, AOL, Gannett News, Exxon

Mobil, Sprint Nextel, Discovery Communications and the International Monetary Fund.

ATTRACTIONS: Notable: Many of DC’s cultural and historical attractions, and historic monuments and

memorials are free and open seven days a week.

Most visited (2008): National Museum of Natural History (7 million visitors); National Air &

Space Museum (7 million visitors); Lincoln Memorial (4.7 million visitors); National Gallery of

Art (4.5 million); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (4.2 million visitors); World War II Memorial

(4.2 million visitors); Arlington National Cemetery (4 million); Korean Memorial (3.7 million

visitors); FDR Memorial (2.6 million visitors); Jefferson Memorial (2.4 million visitors);

National Zoological Park (2.1 million visitors); Rock Creek Park (2 million visitors); National

Museum of the American Indian (1.5 million visitors).

Neighborhoods: Include Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill/Riverfront,

Anacostia, Downtown, Woodley Park, U Street/Shaw/Logan Circle, Columbia Heights,

Cleveland Park and more, all of which have a variety of attractions, restaurants, shopping and

nightlife.

SALES TAX: DC: Sales tax is 6%. Total hotel tax including sales tax is 14.5%. Food and beverage tax is 10%.

Maryland: Sales tax is 6%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between

5% and 8%.

Virginia: Sales tax is 5%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between

9.5% and 10%.

SYMBOLS: Official Flower: American Beauty Rose

Official Bird: Wood Thrush

Official Tree: Scarlet Oak

Motto: Justitia omnibus (Justice to all)

Flag: Adopted in 1938; based on shield from George Washington’s family coat of arms.

HOTELS:

Statistics: There are 116 hotels and 27,800 hotel rooms in DC proper. There are approximately

620 hotels and 101,200 hotel rooms in the metro area.

RESTAURANTS

Fast Facts:

There are more than 100 restaurants located in downtown Washington, DC alone, not

including fast food, delis and take out.

Forty restaurants in the metropolitan region received Zagat scores of 25 or higher (out of a

possible 30).

Called “one of the most exciting restaurant cities on the East Coast” by Travel + Leisure, DC’s

culinary distinctions include James Beard award-winning chefs, AAA Five Diamond ratings

and restaurants included on Esquire’s list of the “Best New Restaurants in America.”

TRAVEL & TOURISM

2008 Facts and Figures:

DC welcomed 16.6 million visitors (a 2% increase from 2007), including 15.2 million

domestic visitors and 1.4 million international visitors.

DC was the 8th-most visited U.S. destination for international travelers in 2008.

54% of 2007 -domestic visitors traveled to DC for leisure.

For overnight visitors, the average length of stay is 3.0 nights.

Approximately 1.4 million international visitors come to DC annually. Top countries of origin

include: United Kingdom, Germany, Latin America (Brazil, Mexico), Japan, India, South Korea,

Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden), Australia, Italy, France China, Benelux

(Netherlands, Belgium) and India.

DC's hospitality industry generated an estimated $5.64 billion in visitor spending on hotels,

dining, shopping, transportation and entertainment in 2008, a 1% increase over 2007.

Although international visitors represented only 8% of total visitation in 2006, this market

accounted for 24% of all spending.

TRANSPORTATION

Airports: Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport

(IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), handling

more than 62 million passengers each year, providing direct service from every major U.S.

airport and more than 40 international cities.

Rail Service: The metro area’s mass transportation system includes more than 450 miles of rail

line. MARC commuter trains connect DC and Baltimore, MD. VIRGINIA RAILWAY

EXPRESS trains connect several outlying Virginia communities with DC. AMTRAK passenger

rail service is headquartered in DC and connects major cities throughout the entire region with

the rest of the country.

Metro: Five rail lines and an extensive bus system connect the District with the Maryland and

Virginia suburbs. Train lines are named for colors: red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. Station

entrances are marked by brown pylons, capped with the letter “M” and colored stripes indicate

which lines are available. Visit wmata.com for hours and fares.

Taxis: DC’s taxi cabs have now transitioned from a zone system to a meter system. The base

fare is $3 plus a 25 cent increase for each one-sixth of a mile traveled thereafter. Other

surcharges for rush hour and additional passengers still apply.