MCASC Annual Meeting Photos Click Here

MCASC Annual Meeting & Market Place
August 23 - 26, 2010
Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park, Spartanburg, SC

Monday, August 23
7:30 – 5:30 Registration
Registration Bags sponsored by Lancer Insurance Company
Pocket Schedules sponsored by United Motorcoach Association
Badges sponsored by Sardo Bus and Coach Upholstery
Information table provided by Spartanburg CVB

8:15 Golfers Board Coaches for Tournament at Woodfin Ridge Golf Course
Coordinator: Tim O'Bryan, Service Insurance Agency
Tee times begin at 9:00 and lunch will be provided.
Beverage Cart sponsored by Service Insurance Agency
Transportation provided by Daimler Buses North America

9:30 Board Coaches for Familiarization Tours
Tour 1: Culinary Tour of Spartanburg
Start the morning at Little River Roasting Company where a local Spartanburg Blend is made and shipped to many favorite coffee shops across the US. You will take a tour of the facility with Gervais, the owner, and see firsthand how the coffee is roasted, prepared, mixed and brewed. Make your own blend to take home, taste whichever combination sounds appealing and see why this is a definite stop on the culinary tour.
Home & Garden Classics will host an interactive lunch in their chef’s kitchen to show you how to prepare one of their signature dishes. Make your own lunch, learn a new recipe, shop in their phenomenal kitchen, home and stationary store and eat at the counter or outside on their patio. After lunch enjoy a homemade cupcake from their own “SugaCakes” recipe.
From there, you will venture over to RJ Rockers Brewing Company in the heart of downtown. You will take a tour of the brewery to learn the art of Mark Johnson’s brew mastering. There will be a tasting to follow and you will have the chance to take home your own RJ Rockers mug, shirt, cozy or case of beer. Just recently RJ Rockers’ Light Rock Ale earned the Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. It is the biggest beer competition in the world.
From the heart of the city, you will travel to the outskirts of Spartanburg County to Cooley Farms, home of the Southeast’s largest strawberry field. You will enjoy a hayride through the strawberry and peach fields guided by Brandi Cooley, a movie of the farm’s history in their covered amphitheatre while having homemade apple pie and homemade ice cream. Take advantage of the open air market where fresh baked bread, fruits, vegetables, honey, cider, jams and much more are available for you to take home.
End your day with a trip to Green Creek Winery! You can stroll the vineyard and take a full tour of the winery learning how a passion turned into a business. Sit outside and enjoy your wine as you view the beautiful mountainous scenery of the foothills of South Carolina. You won’t want to leave!

Tour 2: History Tour of Spartanburg
The Spartanburg County Historical Association invites you to experience the history of a small Southern city from its establishment in the 1780s through its growth as a textile, railroad, and cultural hub by taking a historic walking tour of downtown Spartanburg! Brad Steinecke, an historian with the SCHA, is making this special tour available to convention attendees. Participants will have the chance to see historic photos and hear fascinating stories about the origins, development and expansion of "the Hub City." …a nickname given from all the trains running through Spartanburg and for which The Hub City Rail Museum has been dedicated. You will experience firsthand the origins of rail in the South and its influence on textiles, agriculture and automotive industries bringing us full circle in all of these areas for the 21st century. Next, we will venture to Wagstop Plantation in the eastern part of Spartanburg County. A National Register site that reveals a portion of the Old Green River Road located on the 800 acre working farm. A re-enactment of General Daniel Morgan’s American Revolutionary victory march is held each January. The Greek revival style plantation home dates back to 1790 where we will be met with period dress and served a delicious lunch on site. Heading to the historic mill village of Pacolet, SC you will start at the Marysville Community School, another National Register site, built in 1915 by the Textile Industry for children of African Americans who worked for the mill. The school was fully supported and one of its kind for that time period. Even further back in time, travel along the Pacolet River with Dr. Terry Ferguson to see the soapstone pottery of the Catawbas, learn the trading and hunting patterns of the Cherokees and see firsthand petrogliff sites scattered along the eastern side of Spartanburg County. Venturing into the musical heritage of our region, we’ll make a stop at the Pacolet Amphitheatre and Opry House where we’ll hear some local musicians play songs passed down over the generations. Have a snack and enjoy some down home blue grass, gospel and, maybe if you are so inclined, some of your own pickin’ on stage. This area hosts “A Village at Christmas” each year attracting thousands during the holiday season. We’ll end the day at the Pacolet Area Museum, a celebration of natural resources and cultural heritage representing pre-historic life, Native American, American Revolution, early settlers, African American and the Textile industry. This sleepy mill village is alive with history and learning is no challenge when you can see and experience the places where history happened!

Tour 3: BMW Day/Driving Experience/Greer
The BMW Zentrum is the visitors center and museum adjacent to the manufacturing facility that reflects and displays BMW's heritage of engineering excellence, innovation and commitment to social responsibility. Four separate but integrated galleries are contained within the 28,000 square-foot facility. From the 1930 Dixi to the latest all new X6 Sports Activity Coupe, visitors experience the heritage of BMW-a tradition that includes aircraft engines, motorcycles and a passion for racing. Our new and updated 3-screen virtual factory tour gives visitors a chance to experience the BMW factory. The Zentrum also features a 250-seat auditorium and conference facilities. After spending time in the Zentrum, see firsthand BMW’s manufacturing as you tour the BMW plant and view where all X6s and Z4s in the world are made. Have lunch at Greer City Hall and stroll Greer Station, Greer, SC’s hip and historic downtown! A National Historic District-Greer Station has preserved more than 40 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Quality turn of the century buildings characterized by exposed brick, wood beams, ornate ceilings and hardwood floors are now home to specialty retail stores, world class restaurants, antique dealers and a variety of service providers. Take advantage of the many restaurants offering a wide variety of lunch options, shop at any of the stores or just swing in the beautifully designed City Hall Park. After a relaxing lunch the BMW Performance Driving School will take your driving skills to the Master’s level. Your campus: a versatile driving course where you’ll encounter a skid pad, slalom course, water walls, all under the expert guidance of professional driving instructors, and behind the wheel of a fleet of new BMWs. The BMW Performance Driving School is about control. It’s about pushing a BMW to its limits – and yours. So when you face the everyday hazards of the highways, you will be ready.

4:00 – 6:00 Bowling Tournament
Coordinator: Need Volunteer
Come out for MCASC’s Bowling Tournament! Bowling skill is not a prerequisite. The cost is $10 per person. Cash prizes will be awarded Tuesday evening during the Awards Banquet. This optional event is offered for an additional networking event at the conclusion of the tours while the Board of Directors meets.

4:00 – 5:30 Board of Directors Meeting

5:45 – 6:30 New Member Orientation
Moderator: Linda Morris, MCASC Staff
This session is not an industry education session; however, participants can learn more about how to prepare for market place and learn a few things about the association and relationship building. While this is a “new member or first timer” session, veteran members are welcomed to share industry knowledge, and, maybe learn something as well!

7:15 Welcome Event: Dinner on the Farm
Enjoy an evening at Live Oak Farm in Woodruff, SC dining in the barn with white linen and picnic tables. You will enjoy some locally grown produce, locally grown meet, enjoy a hayride around the farm learning all the rare breed animals up close and personal, have the opportunity to see draft horses working on the farm and sample some farm fresh, homemade yummies from their farm store.

Tuesday, August 24
8:00 – 5:00 Registration

7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast
Industry Update: United Motorcoach Association

8:45 - 10:30 Market Place I: Coach Sales
Operators must participate in this market place to be eligible for $500 fuel card door prizes sponsored by Georgia Department of Economic Development, Tourism Division. All operators will visit each coach as a group for 7 minutes with the coach sales staff. Operators are encouraged to revisit the coaches for more in-depth, individual time with the sales staff.

8:45 - 10:30 Associate Education Session:
Roundtable Discussion & Market Place Preparation
This session is intended to be a pre-market place session, an opportunity for associates to get to know the operators. What do they expect? What do they need? How can Associate members make their group travel more successful? How can they help sell a trip? Is your property or venue motorcoach friendly? Panelists will have a brief statement about their company and how they package tours or work with charter customers to package tours followed by questions from the audience. This is not a session for panelists to do all the talking. Associates should take advantage of this opportunity which could be very helpful in making the market place sessions more productive.

10:45 – 12:00 Market Place II:
Operators and Associates assigned to this session
Refreshments sponsored by American Bus Association
Market Place Binders sponsored by Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism
Associates and operators are asked to observe the 5-minute limit. A bell will ring as a reminder for those who need it!

10:45 – 12:00 Associates Education Session (To be determined)

12:15 Board Coaches for Lunch
12:30 – 3:00 Lunch at RiverBend
The River Bend Lodge has a fully stocked pro shop, 2 dining rooms, men's and lady's locker room with steam room, bar and lounge, fireplace and conference areas. The River Bend Chef will prepare lunch for all of our ‘hunters’ in the finest Carolina style. After lunch, you will enjoy a round of shooting Sporting Clays in beautiful upstate South Carolina. Sporting Clays is a shotgun sport that offers the thrill of game hunting without the kill. Clay targets of different sizes and shapes are thrown at varying speeds, angles and heights to simulate the path of hunting game. At River Bend, shooters find out why Sporting Clays is the nation's fastest growing shooting sport.

4:00 – 5:30 Market Place III:
Operators and Associates assigned to this session
Refreshments sponsored by American Bus Association

4:00 – 5:30 Associates Education Session (Repeat)

7:00 – Icebreaker Event at Chapman Cultural Center
Enjoy Drinks and Music in the patio of Chapman Cultural Center Pre-dinner
Enjoy great food and entertainment provided by the Stars of Spartanburg which include: Wades, Mexico Lindo, Persimmons, NuWay, and Beacon, local musicians.

Wednesday, August 25
8:30 – 5:00 Registration
8:30 – 9:30 Breakfast
Industry Report: American Bus Association

9:45 – 11:45 Market Place IV (Operators and all associates)
Refreshments sponsored by American Bus Association

12:00 – 2:00 Lunch and Business Session
Business Session: Association Reports and Election

2:30 – 5:00 Session for Operators (To be determined)

2:30 – 4:30 Associates Seminar (To be determined)

6:30 Reception
Sponsored by Host for the 2011 Annual Meeting and Market Place

7:30 Awards Dinner
Board Installation and Recognition
- 12:00 Hospitality will open after dinner event.

Thursday, August 26
8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast / Networking Session

9:15 – 10:15 Board of Directors Meeting

Click Here for Annual Meeting RFP

Click Here to see the
Roadeo Photos

Click Here for the Coach Roadeo
RFP Information