ONE WEEK AWAY: Progress Breakfast, Presented by Eric Mower + Associates, to Shine Spotlight on Arts & Culture Throughout Downtown Syracuse

Event to feature three presentations: Landmark Theatre’s Next Chapter, Downtown as a Tourism Destination & Downtown as a Stage to Celebrate the Arts Tuesday, March 14 8:00 am at Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

Syracuse, NY – More than 175 attendees are expected at the first Progress Breakfast of 2017, presented by the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. and Eric Mower + Associates; and there are still seats available! The event, which is focused on arts and culture and its influence on life in Downtown Syracuse, is set for next Tuesday, March 14 at 8:00 am in the Persian Terrace of the Marriott Syracuse Downtown (map). Attendees will learn about three themes related to the arts that are contributing to Downtown’s renaissance, in the words of the individuals at the helm of the movement.

Presenter Line-Up: First, Mike Intaglietta, General Manager of the Landmark Theatre, and Stephanie Crockett, President of the Landmark Theatre’s Board of Trustees will share the Landmark Theatre’s story of resurgence. Fresh off the heels of the announcement that “The Lion King” will make the theatre its home for five weeks this fall, as the production prepares for – and kicks off! – a national tour, Intaglietta and Crockett will preview what else is on the horizon for the historic treasure as the curtain rises on its next chapter.

Then, Carol Eaton, Vice President of Marketing for Visit Syracuse, will share the tourism bureau’s new regional branding initiatives and discuss who Syracuse tourists are, the role the culinary arts have played in terms of generating new business, stirring economic development, and tourism interest throughout Downtown Syracuse. Attendees will see a new side of Visit Syracuse’s new spokesperson, “Winter,” and they will get to experience some of his favorite Downtown memories (so far!) through his eyes.

Finally, masterful storyteller Sean Kirst will shed light on the effort behind the scenes to resurrect a Syracuse tradition, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade – and the movement to bring it down Salina Street and conclude at (what’s now) the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. Kirst promises to re-introduce attendees to a national WWI monument, “The Rock of the Marne,” located at Downtown Syracuse’s southern gateway, honoring a local infantry that marked the turning point in the war. His overall message will encompass Downtown’s symbiotic relationship with the arts: How Downtown has become a stage for the arts, and how the arts have shaped Downtown’s character, culture and charm.

As part of this special program, all presenters will make themselves available after breakfast, so that guests may mingle and network in a more personal setting, asking any questions they may have.

Ticket Information: Tickets (priced at $25 for an individual seat, or $200 for a table of eight) are on sale now, and will be available through Monday, March 13 through the Downtown Committee’s website. You may also call 315-422-8284 and reserve your tickets over the phone, to be paid on the day of the event.

The Good Morning Downtown Syracuse Progress Breakfast was designed to celebrate the forward-thinking and progress that has fueled recent redevelopment in Downtown Syracuse. The first-ever Progress Breakfast that was highlighted three transformative projects, while the most recent Progress Breakfast celebrated entrepreneurial contributions to Downtown’s 24/7 life.

“The Progress Breakfast provides the perfect forum to build upon the progress storyline, that resonates throughout Downtown residents, employees and visitors – everyone who has a stake in Downtown Syracuse,” said Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee. “Downtown is the stage on which we celebrate our community, and we’re looking forward to seeing how each of the presenters’ messages highlight a different element of Downtown’s arts scene. We’re grateful to partner with Eric Mower + Associates, a marketing and public relations agency that chose to set up its Syracuse operations in the Heart of Downtown, to present this event.”

“EMA is very excited to be sponsoring the Progress Breakfast series,” said EMA managing director, and president of the Landmark Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Stephanie Crockett. “As long-time tenants of Downtown Syracuse, we believe in the importance of a vibrant city center. There is so much that Downtown Syracuse has to offer to our residents and businesses, and EMA’s values of progress and innovation align with the mission of the Downtown Committee.”

For more information about the Progress Breakfast, please visit www.downtownsyracuse.com. You may follow along with the Progress Breakfast conversation on the day of the event, by following the conversation on the Downtown Committee’s Twitter Page (@downtownsyr). The Downtown Committee will be using the hashtags, #ThisIsOurTown and #ArtsInDowntownSYR.

About the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc.
The Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit, professional downtown management organization representing all property owners and tenants within the central business district. The Downtown Committee undertakes programs to improve downtown's image, strengthen its economic base, increase its attractiveness, and assure that it's clean, safe and accessible. For more information, visit www.downtownsyracuse.com.

About Eric Mower + Associates:
Eric Mower + Associates is a digitally-integrated independent marketing and public relations agency. With 210 professionals in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany, N.Y.; New York City; Cincinnati; Charlotte, N.C.; Boston; and Atlanta, EMA delivers strategic insights, digital solutions, smart creative, and award-winning results to clients. Part of two global agency networks—thenetworkone and IPREX—as well as the 4A’s, EMA has estimated 2016 capitalized billings exceeding $200 million. For more information about EMA, please visit www.mower.com.

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