As Butch Davis prepares his third Tar Heel football team for the upcoming season, six Chapel Hill area organizations have united to produce the “Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” campaign with the shared goal of bolstering the community, hometown spirit and economic activity during football weekends.

2009 will mark the second year of an aggressive mass media branding campaign designed to remind fans coming to Kenan Stadium that “It’s your school.  Your team.  Your town.  So why not make it your day?  There’s a lot to do all around Chapel Hill, so stay and play on game day.” 

The organizations involved in this campaign include: Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Department of Athletics, and UNC Rams Club.

“Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” strives to encourage football fans, both residents and visitors, to start early and stay late in Chapel Hill after the game ends and enjoy nearly 100 restaurants, 50 specialty stores and a mile of family cultural attractions.

Local officials will utilize many more marketing vehicles this season.  Magazine, radio and interactive ads. Street banners. An enhanced web site TouchDowntown.com. Email blasts.  Brochures. Concerted communications and publicity push. Numerous cross promotions.  

The suggestions for merchants, restaurants and businesses include: have employees wear something with the UNC logo (hat, visor, tee, polo, etc.); put a UNC flag, or a UNC and the opponent’s flag outside; display UNC blue and white balloons; put a “GO Carolina/Tar Heels/Heels, etc.” banner or sign in the window, and inside as well; offer a game day special or items with a game tie-in; put a “Welcome Tar Heel Fans” or “Welcome Opponent Fans” sign in display window or front door; have a face painter on game day painting “Heel” logos on kids and adults faces; have a bunch of “Heel” logos printed as peel off stickers to give to customers; have a “Go Heels” or a “Heel” logo on buttons to give or sell to customers; do a Football Weekend window display; encourage employees to ask customers to come back after the game.

A recent economic impact study conducted by Dr. Nathan Tomasini of the VCU Center for Sports Leadership found that the 2008 North Carolina-Notre Dame football game generated $6.4 million for the Chapel Hill and Orange County economies plus $325,000 in local and state tax revenue.  With seven home games on the schedule for 2009, the total economic impact projects to be over $40 million in addition to more than $2 million in local and state tax revenue.   

In 2009, North Carolina faces The Citadel on September 5, East Carolina on September 19, Virginia on October 3, Georgia Southern on October 10, Florida State on Thursday, October 22, Duke on November 7 and Miami on November 14.  

“In today’s economy, it’s important to ask for the business,” said Aaron Nelson, President and CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. “There was a day when we could assume our streets, hotels and restaurants would be full but other communities have stepped up their efforts to attract Carolina fans and we must do the same. ‘Touch Downtown’ tells fans – new and seasoned – that Chapel Hill wants their business. That’s a smart move.”

In addition, Chapel Hill Transit offers bus transportation from six Park & Ride lots before and after 2009 Tar Heel football games. Rather than sitting in traffic on I-40, 54, 15-501 and other roads, two lots on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard offer Tar Heel Express service three hours before kickoff and three hours after the game with drop-off points including Franklin Street, Tar Heel Town and Kenan Stadium so coming early or staying after to enjoy Downtown Chapel Hill has never been easier.

The drop-off site for all six routes is one block from Kenan Stadium and Tar Heel Town. The costs for all Tar Heel Express buses are $5 round trip and $3 one-way.

Additional information is available at 919-968-2060 or 888-968-2060 or www.TouchDowntown.com.
 
To learn about game day activities, parking and transportation, as well as dining and other attraction options, visit www.touchdowntown.com.