NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Hilton Garden Inn Grand Forks / UND
Doug DeMars
General Manager
(701) 775-6000

Grand Forks, North Dakota, September 13, 2002 - The University of
North Dakota School of Business and the Hilton Garden Inn Grand Forks /
UND today announced the creation of a marketing grant to help create
special events in Grand Forks.
The grant will fund the University's supervision of an independent
study group of 3-4 students, whose goal and objective each semester will
be to create an event in the community that will promote Grand Forks as
a destination location. They students receive academic credit for their
work and they will experience what it is really like to take and idea
and bring it to completion.
"The Hilton Garden Inn grant will be a perfect compliment to the needs
of our community. Not only does it bring the University and community
together in promoting Grand Forks, it provides a unique, real life
opportunity for the students to apply their education and talent in a
practical and productive way," stated Business School Dean Dennis
Elbert. Dr. Susan Nelson, Chair of the Marketing Department will
directly oversee the students and their progress. She acknowledges,
"this funding will give the students the opportunity to create, the
responsibility to budget, the challenge to sell and seek assistance from
other community organizations, and ultimately, the accountability for
its success or failure - it is truly a rare opportunity in the
educational setting."
"Our desire in establishing this program is to bring more people
together within the community to promote Grand Forks, and its tremendous
assets in the Alerus Center and the Engelstad Arena," stated Doug
DeMars, the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn. "I was a student
here at UND, and I wish we would have had an opportunity like this when
I was a student."
Julie Rygg of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau is excited about the
program. "This grant will help bring another resource to those of us in
the community who are trying to promote and create new and exciting
things in Grand Forks, we are thrilled this grant will promote more
cooperation between the University and our business and tourism
partners."
Ideally situated in the University Tech Park at the intersection of
42nd Street and DeMers Avenue, the three-story Hilton Garden Inn Grand
Forks / UND is scheduled to open in December of this year. The hotel is
now taking reservations for dates after January 1, 2003 at Hilton
Reservations Worldwide at 1-800-HILTONS, at Hilton.com; at
hiltongardeninn.com; or by calling the hotel directly at 701-775-6000.

Hilton Garden Inn Grand Forks / UND
4301 Dartmouth Drive
Grand Forks, ND 58203
(701) 775-6000
(701) 746-0298 fax