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The Chamber will be going to Mobile, AL for our sixth annual benchmarking trip, presented by The University of Alabama, on July 21-23, 2024. 

Hotel NOT included. To book your hotel at the Chamber's discounted rate, CLICK HERE. 

Rate expires June 27, 2024.

On the agenda:

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center - The Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center anchors lively downtown Mobile, Alabama, a city that offers world-class accommodations, retail shops, restaurants, museums, parks and art galleries. The 317,000-square-foot facility features 16 meeting rooms, two ballrooms and two exhibit halls that total 100,000 square feet.

The City of Mobile plans to tear down the 60-year-old Mobile Civic Center and construct a new, world-class entertainment destination suited for concerts, family shows and sporting events. Mobile's New Arena

Bishop State Community College - Bishop State Community College is a state-supported, open-admission, urban community college located in Mobile, Alabama. The College consists of four city campuses, dedicated to serving the residents of Mobile and Washington counties in southwest Alabama. The College is part of the Alabama Community College System, the state-supported network of two-year community, junior, and technical colleges that serves the residents of Alabama. Bishop State offers university transfer programs for students wanting to continue their education at a four-year school, or for those who seek to start careers right away, the College's one and two-year career programs can put students on the fast track to rewarding jobs. Bishop State instructors are in touch with labor-market trends and job requirements, so their students can be assured they will get the education they need for success.

City of Mobile - Mobile & Mobile county has a combined population of 412,000. With just under 200,000 residents, the city Mobile is the 4th most populated city in the state of Alabama out of 586 cities.

Aside from being the oldest city in Alabama, Mobile, AL gets a lot of notoriety for being the home of America's Original Mardi Gras. Their proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay are claims to fame by having the 13th busiest port in the country and America’s Amazon in their backyard. Mobile has long been the cultural center of the Gulf Coast and you'll find an authentic experience like nowhere else in the southern United States.

Downtown Mobile Alliance - The Downtown Mobile Alliance is a non-profit organization established to facilitate the work of the Downtown Mobile District Management Corporation and Main Street Mobile, Inc.

Established in August 2006, the Alliance is a membership organization that exists to support the redevelopment of Downtown Mobile through marketing, advocacy, and the management of Business Improvement District services.

2023 Annual Report - Downtown Mobile Alliance

Mobile Area Education Foundation - The Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF) was founded in 1992 by Carolyn R. Akers as a convener of diverse community stakeholders around our local public education challenges. For over 30 years, we have served as an advocate and activist for public schools in Mobile County and have raised more than $ 40 Million dollars to support the improvement of public education.

In 2016, the Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF) formed the subsidiary MAEF Public Charter Schools, Inc. (MAEF PCS) to (1) foster innovation in school designs in the Mobile area, (2) inspire students who are most in need and prepare them to graduate college are career ready, and (3) serve as a center of learning and innovation for educational best practices across the state and region. As a first step to realizing the goals of MAEF PCS, a charter school proposal was submitted to and awarded by the Alabama Public Charter School Commission to form Alabama’s first charter school in August 2016. The school is the Acceleration (ACCEL) Day and Evening Academy. ACCEL Academy

Mobile International Airport - Mobile International Airport Just minutes from Downtown Mobile, the Mobile International Airport (BFM) will open in the spring of 2025 as the Gulf Coast's newest airport terminal, conveniently located off I-10. The airport is a great gateway to the global market as well as the thriving economy across the entire Mobile region.

Innovation Portal - Innovation Portal is a nonprofit incubator and innovation hub accelerating startup growth in the Gulf Coast region. Innovation Portal provides a growth-focused space and community for entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives to work and connect. In addition to amazing workspace, we provide targeted programming to encourage successful launch, development, and scaling of local ventures.

Port of Mobile, Alabama Port Authority - The Port of Mobile’s capabilities make it an ideal gateway for all types of cargo, from coal and containers, to forest products and steel, to automobiles and aggregates. With deep water, modern equipment and multimodal connectivity, our port is one of the most efficient, versatile and accessible ports in the nation. Perdido Queen (Port Tour Scheduled)

Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel – (Host Hotel) Conveniently located in Downtown Mobile. Room block ends June 27^th.

Saraland Board of Education - The Saraland City School System opened its doors to students during the summer of 2008. The system is comprised of four schools—Saraland Early Education Center (PK-1), Saraland Elementary School (grades 2-5), Saraland Middle School (grades 6-8), and Saraland High School (grades 9-12). Since its inaugural year, student enrollment has increased from 1,535 to 3,325.

The following is the current student enrollment each campus: Saraland Early Education Center - 535, Saraland Elementary School - 952, Saraland Middle School - 751, and Saraland High School - 1087.

Seventy-four percent of the student population is White, sixteen percent is Black/African American, and the remaining percentage is comprised of Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and other races.

Fifty percent of Saraland students receive free/reduced lunch.

Saraland City School System employs 368 persons, of whom 225 are teachers. The pupil-teacher ratio is 15:1.

University of South Alabama - The University of South Alabama is home to nearly 14,000 students and more than 115 academic programs. USA is a dynamic community of leaders and learners who support and challenge one another to be actively engaged citizens who advance the Gulf Coast region and the world. Founded in 1963, South’s vision is to foster an environment that couples engaging learning experiences with high-level research, enabling our faculty and students to be leaders in their disciplines.

Visit Mobile - Mobile’s downtown continues to be the heartbeat of the destination with an electric cuisine scene, museums, art galleries, nightlife, shopping, concerts, and waterfront eco-tours from Cooper Riverside Park - all just steps from one another.