Right Now Downtown

PUMP IT UP

Some of us remember Arnold Schwarzenegger before he was the Terminator or the governor of California.  Even before he became politician acclaimed superstar, his caricature may have landed on some TVs in the form of two young Saturday Night Live actors in bulky muscle suits named Hanz and Franz.  These two guys weren’t too concerned about politics as their skit promised to Pump You Up. 

Well Columbus, the remnants of Hanz and Franz may only be uncovered by a Google search, but The Arnold is coming to town and it pumps energy (and let’s face it, a boat load of cash) into the city, especially downtown.  Many of us would love to see this kind of spirit and all year long.

 The Arnold Sports Festival, like the man for whom it’s named, is big.  Big muscles.  Big numbers of visitors.  Big for Downtown Columbus, which means that Capital Crossroads SID must have a big response.

During The Arnold, the downtown population adds 17,000 athletes, 170,000 spectators and 700 exhibitors.   That’s twice as many athletes as the recent Winter Olympic Games.  Due to the volume of visitors, Capital Crossroads boosts its normal staffing levels with six additional Ambassadors and other staff members.  From Thursday, March 4 at 11 a.m. until Sunday, March 7 at 7 p.m., three to four staff members will be dedicated to the northeastern corridor of downtown around the convention center, along with the iCart kiosk, to ensure that someone is available to answer questions, provide safety escorts and keep the area clean.

In addition, a new pushcart – sort of a mini-iCart – will be deployed with an Ambassador at Broad and High for a few hours a time, loaded with pamphlets and other information.

“We really dedicate ourselves to this event,” explained Ryan Smith, Downtown Hospitality Coordinator.  “We are there to help people navigate around downtown, find great places to eat, provide directions, answer transportation questions and provide safety escorts.”

In addition, Capital Crossroads is in contact with hotels in and outside of downtown, to let them know that the SID is available to offer services and information, sort of like an additional concierge out on the street.

Statistics from 2009 show that through the four-day event, Capital Crossroads provided over 5,000 public assists, with 2,775 of those on the iCart alone.  The extra effort is well worth it.

For the second year, Capital Crossroads has partnered with The Arnold to print a hotel keycard map, which serves as a walking map, shuttle map and parking map for the event.  It also highlights the downtown wayfinding signs and the Capital Crossroads hotline number.

“We have gotten very positive feedback from the folks at The Arnold,” added Smith.  “They are very appreciative of what we do and believe we add real value to their event.”

Smith says that he and the rest of the staff enjoy the atmosphere and energy downtown during The Arnold weekend.  Plus they receive plenty of positive feedback from the visitors, including praise for the cleanliness of the city and the help that Capital Crossroads provides.

It’s important to note that this type of service is available during any event downtown; it’s what Capital Crossroads Ambassadors do.  But the size of The Arnold requires a bigger mobilization of people and effort.  When The Arnold is here, it’s all hands on deck.