FEATURE PROJECT
           Geothermal Plant Groundbreaking Ceremony

In the summer of 2008, the Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation secured FORTHGEAR to provide event management, public relations, and associated design/ graphic services for the groundbreaking of the tribe’s first geothermal plant—Shoshone Renaissance.

The Challenge
Create enough interest to draw attendees and the media to Honeyville, Utah, a rural town north of Brigham City, for the groundbreaking event on October 2, 2008. Because the groundbreaking was literally held in a former cow pasture, all services including staging, chairs, sound system, bathroom facilities, parking, food/beverage, etc. would need to be provided.

Media coverage would need to be leveraged to not only report on the actual Shoshone Renaissance groundbreaking, but to educate the public about the tribe and how this business endeavor would help the Shoshone Nation. The tribe viewed the event as a “cultural celebration.”

The Solution
Logistics management, creativity and continuous client and internal coordination were key in planning a successful event. Logistics included coordinating entertainment, the “Light Up the Land” program, vendors, needs of tribal business partners, timelines and volunteers.

A revamped Shoshone logo was created to effectively “brand” event collateral that included print and e-mail invitations, program, kit cover, media information CD, hardhat decal, signage, banners, logo sticker, and a give-away for attendees. A media kit, press release and event announcement were sent to the media and follow-up calls were made leveraging the business, environmental and cultural aspects of the event.

The Result
The Shoshone tribal members, NWB Shoshone Economic Development Corporation and their business partners were very pleased with both the attendance and media coverage of the event. Articles announcing/reporting the event were published in all area newspapers: Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, Standard Examiner and Box Elder News Journal. Deseret News and Standard Examiner also created slide shows of the event that were available online. Other media included a story on KSL-5 TV and announcements on various radio stations.

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