RD129 - Annual Report of the Jamestown 2007 Steering Committee


Executive Summary:
2006 Highlights

Governor Timothy M. Kaine and First Lady Anne Holton, the governor's cabinet, members of the General Assembly and invited guests were in attendance as Godspeed set sail on an 80-day goodwill tour in May 2006. During visits to Alexandria, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Newport, Rhode Island, Godspeed and the landing Party Festival greeted more than 456,000 visitors providing each with the story of Jamestown and the significance of Virginia as the birth place of modern America. Attendance surpassed original estimates of 250,000 to 350,000 visitors.

More than 20 Virginia 2007 communities and regional tourism agencies participated as exhibitors in the Landing Party Festival during the Godspeed Sail signature event. The experience strengthened and created numerous unions as localities joined together to design regional exhibits. New tourism alliances were formed, including one for Southside Virginia and one in the Petersburg area. One significant factor contributing to the Godspeed Sail's success was the extensive media coverage that produced nearly 900 million media impressions.

More than 35 new communities joined the Virginia 2007 Community Program this past year, bringing the total of participating communities to 167. Community committees are working on nearly 1,000 initiatives for projects and special events that are complementing the overall commemoration.

Both Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement neared completion of multi-million dollar projects that will enhance the Jamestown experience for visitors in 2007 and beyond. New at Historic Jamestowne is a $7 million visitor center opening in the fall of 2006 and a $4.9 million "Archaerium," which displays 17th-century artifacts unearthed on the island in the past 10 years. At Jamestown Settlement, newly expanded exhibition galleries opening in fall 2006 will chronicle a more comprehensive story of Jamestown's three original cultures, Virginia Indian, European and African.

More than 60 national and statewide partners continued to provide opportunities for America's 400th Anniversary. Throughout the year, partners have provided extensive marketing and promotional support for the Anniversary. Through in-kind support, e-bulletins, print articles, and conference exhibitions, word of the commemoration has been spread nation-wide to a wide range of audiences, saving thousands of marketing dollars.

With support from the federal Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission, the Jamestown 2007 British Committee added an international component to America's 400th Anniversary by sponsoring a delegation of representatives of the 8 Virginia Indians Chiefs and over 50 tribal members on a six day series of events in England including a national Symposium and Cultural Festival. The historic trip was the first time that a delegation of Indians had traveled to England in 230 years.

To help increase regional awareness, the Historic Triangle Jamestown 2007 Host Committee invited the public to participate in four separate "2007 Community Conversations." The "town hall" like meetings were individually themed and served as invaluable tools for engaging local citizens on commemoration planning, transportation and security concerns. In addition, the meetings were recorded for distribution to local cable channels.

America's Anniversary Gardens made beautification a major theme of the commemoration. Guided by Virginia Cooperative Extension offices and Master Gardeners, Virginia 2007 communities are encouraging organizations, schools and businesses to plant red-, white- and blue-theme America's Anniversary Gardens along road corridors and in parks and other public spaces.