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Bill Brooks: Tourism Calgary Open House great way to start 2017

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For your faithful social scribe, there can be no better place on earth in which to live than our beloved city. Sure, if I had a ton of dough, I would love to spend summers in the south of France and winters in Phuket, but  end of the day, there’s no place like home.

Our beloved city was ranked number one in 2013 on the Overall Best Places to Live index. We receive more sunshine than any major Canadian city (2,400 hours a year). We have no sales tax (for now!). And we welcomed more than 7.3 million visitors in 2014 and our guests spent more than $1.6 billion. There’s no doubt these last many months have been more than economically challenging for many, but this year could well see record numbers of tourists flocking to our fair city- a boon to business coffers, to be sure.

A great way to start out the new year and get into a positive vibe is by attending Tourism Calgary’s Annual Open House. This year, hundreds of guests gathered at the Grey Eagle Casino for an evening of food, drink, celebration and networking. That two Air Canada tickets were given as the door prize added greatly to the evening’s cache.

Among those in attendance were: Tourism Calgary president and CEO Cindy Ady with board chair Rod McKay, board colleague Jeff Robinson, Shelley Zucht-Shorter and Casssandra McAuley, director, stakeholder engagement and destination development; Mark Nichols, director of sales and marketing, Hilton Garden Inn; Dave Sclanders, executive director, Calgary Meetings and Conventions; Luke Azevedo, Calgary Economic Development Commissioner, Film, Television and Creative Industries; Air Canada’s Serge Corbeil, Caroline Johnson and Chase Myhill; MLA Richard Gotfried; Calgary Airport Authority’s Mammen Tharakan; CTV’s Donavon Fuessel, Brigette Rothe and Bob Sumner; Miss Canada 2014, Angie Shilliday; Delta Lodge’s Lona Johnson; CBI’s Catherine Brownlee; Strategic Group COO Randy Ferguson; Postmedia’s Leanne Northwood and Mike Slimm; Homeplace Ranch’s Mac Makenny; Fairmont Palliser director of sales and marketing, David Woodward; WestJet’s Robert Palmer; Nexus Exhibits’ Milena Radkovic and Kristal Ball; Inland Audio Visual’s Brian Ymbang; Stampede Royalty- 2017 Queen Meagan Peters and Princesses Brittany Lloyd and Lizzie Ryman; Winsport’s Judy Black; James Starlight; Bruce Starlight Jr.; Faith Starlight; Bison Starlight; Terrance Starlight; Charm Fox; Leo Starlight; and Wild Manywounds.

 

Cal 0128 Tourism 1 Pictured at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House held this year Jan 19 at the Grey Eagle Casino are, from left, back row, James Starlight, Bruce Starlight Jr., Faith Starlight. Bison Starlight and Terrance Starlight. Pictured front row, from left are Charm Fox, Leo Starlight and Wild Manywounds.

 Pictured at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House held this year Jan 19 at the Grey Eagle Casino are, from left, back row, James Starlight, Bruce Starlight Jr., Faith Starlight. Bison Starlight and Terrance Starlight. Pictured front row, from left are Charm Fox, Leo Starlight and Wild Manywounds.

Cal 0128 Tourism 2 MLA Richard Gotfried (left) joins Calgary Airport Authority's Mammen Tharakan (centre) and Air Canada's Serge Corbiel (right) at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House held this year Jan 19 at the Grey Eagle Casino.

 MLA Richard Gotfried (left) joins Calgary Airport Authority’s Mammen Tharakan (centre) and Air Canada’s Serge Corbiel (right) at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House held this year Jan 19 at the Grey Eagle Casino.

Cal 0128 Tourism 4 Pictured, from left, at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House Jan 19 are Luke Azevedo, Calgary Economic Development Commissioner, Film, Television and Creative Industries, Tourism Calgary's Cassandra McAuley and WestJet's Robert Palmer.

 Pictured, from left, at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House Jan 19 are Luke Azevedo, Calgary Economic Development Commissioner, Film, Television and Creative Industries, Tourism Calgary’s Cassandra McAuley and WestJet’s Robert Palmer.

Cal 0128 Tourism 5 CBI president and CEO Catherine Brownlee and Strategic Group COO Randy Ferguson were among the hundreds of guests in attendance at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House Jan 19. This year's event, the perfect way to kick off the new year, was held at the Grey Eagle Casino.

CBI president and CEO Catherine Brownlee and Strategic Group COO Randy Ferguson were among the hundreds of guests in attendance at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House Jan 19. This year’s event, the perfect way to kick off the new year, was held at the Grey Eagle Casino.

Cal 0128 Tourism 6 Postmedia's Mike Slimm and Leanne Northwood had a great time at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House Jan 19. This year's event was held at the Grey Eagle Casino.

Postmedia’s Mike Slimm and Leanne Northwood had a great time at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House Jan 19. This year’s event was held at the Grey Eagle Casino.

Cal 0128 Tourism 7 Angie Shilliday, Miss Canada 2014 (centre) poses for the lens at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House with, from left, CTV's Donavon Fuessel, Delta Lodge's Lona Johnson, CTV's Brigette Rothe and CTV's Bob Sumner.

Angie Shilliday, Miss Canada 2014 (centre) poses for the lens at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House with, from left, CTV’s Donavon Fuessel, Delta Lodge’s Lona Johnson, CTV’s Brigette Rothe and CTV’s Bob Sumner.

Cal 0128 Tourism 8 All smiles at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino are Air Canada's Chase Myhill and Caroline Johnson with Hilton Garden Inn's Mark Nichols. Air Canada was a major sponsor of the annual event that was attended by hundreds of guests.

 All smiles at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino are Air Canada’s Chase Myhill and Caroline Johnson with Hilton Garden Inn’s Mark Nichols. Air Canada was a major sponsor of the annual event that was attended by hundreds of guests.

Cal 0128 Tourism 10 Nexus Exhibits' Milena Radakovic (left) and Kristal Ball (right) join Inland Audio Visual's Brian Ymbang at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. Hundreds of guests attended the event-the perfect way to kick off the new year.

 Nexus Exhibits’ Milena Radakovic (left) and Kristal Ball (right) join Inland Audio Visual’s Brian Ymbang at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. Hundreds of guests attended the event-the perfect way to kick off the new year.

Cal 0128 Tourism 9 Joining Tourism Calgary board chair Rod McKay (right) at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino is Fairmont Pallliser director of sales and marketing David Woodward.

Joining Tourism Calgary board chair Rod McKay (right) at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino is Fairmont Pallliser director of sales and marketing David Woodward.

Cal 0128 Tourism 11 Royalty were front and centre at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. Pictured, from left, are Calgary Stampede 2017 Princess Brittany Lloyd, 2017 Stampede Queen Meagan Peters and 2017 Princess Lizzie Ryman.

 Royalty were front and centre at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. Pictured, from left, are Calgary Stampede 2017 Princess Brittany Lloyd, 2017 Stampede Queen Meagan Peters and 2017 Princess Lizzie Ryman.

Cal 0128 Tourism 12 Tourism Calgary's Shelley Zucht-Shorter joins Someplace Ranch's Mac Makenny at Tourism Calgary's annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. The annual open house is the perfect opportunity for supporters of our beloved industry to gather early in the new year and share in good cheer.

 Tourism Calgary’s Shelley Zucht-Shorter joins Someplace Ranch’s Mac Makenny at Tourism Calgary’s annual Open House -held this year Jan 18 at Grey Eagle Casino. The annual open house is the perfect opportunity for supporters of our beloved industry to gather early in the new year and share in good cheer.


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