News
June 29, 2016SMG Selects Baker Public Relations as Communications Agency of Record for Albany Capital Center
SMG, on behalf of the Albany Capital Center, is pleased to announce that Baker Public Relations has been selected as the communications agency of record for the Albany Capital Center and the Capital Complex. Baker PR was chosen following a competitive RFP process.
Baker Public Relations, a full-service public relations firm in Albany, N.Y., will serve as the strategic communications partner to SMG as the group executes pre-launch and launch efforts for the Albany Capital Center, an 82,000-square-foot convention center slated to open on March 22, 2017, as well as the Capital Complex which includes other local venues including the Times Union Center and Empire State Plaza. Baker PR will develop and implement a long-term marketing and communications strategy for the meeting and events facility, which will include traditional and social media, community relations and event planning as well as efforts to drive interest in Albany and the Capital Region.
Operated by SMG, the Albany Capital Center will provide exciting new opportunities for events, banquets, conventions and meetings and will drive tourism and business to downtown Albany and the surrounding area. The Albany Capital Center currently has 10 events booked which are projected to generate the equivalent of 2,300 hotel stays and another 92 events pipelined making it a true business generator for the area.
“We are delighted to work with Baker Public Relations to bring this long-standing vision to life in the Capital Region,” said Bob Belber, regional general manager, SMG. “Baker PR demonstrated a strong understanding of our goals and delivered creative and strategic thinking that will help us communicate with multiple stakeholders in a meaningful way.”
“This partnership has all of us at Baker PR feeling inspired,” said Megan Baker, president & CEO, Baker Public Relations. “The Albany Capital Center and Capital Complex are a great platform to showcase the Capital Region to audiences across the state and beyond. This partnership with SMG is particularly exciting and we are eager to bring this project to life.”
“The Capital Complex will be one of the great drivers of the local economy and we see the Albany Capital Center as the central feature of this installation,” said Gavin Donohue, chairman, Albany Convention Center Authority. “With construction moving ahead and opening not too far away, we’re pleased to partner with Baker Public Relations as we announce the exciting events and meetings we have in store.”
Baker PR partnered with the Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) in 2010 on a project basis to provide marketing, media relations, community relations and public affairs services as the ACCA sought government approval for the project. The ACCA was created in 2004 to meet an immediate need to institute a comprehensive, coordinated program of convention activities in the City of Albany.
