Stadium Parking Attendant Surprised With
Arlington CVB's Inaugural WOW Award
T
he Arlington Convention &
Visitors Bureau awarded the
first recipient of the inaugural
Arlington Tourism WOW Award on
Friday, May 10, at Texas Live! to Carrie
Bogard, a 19-year Parking Attendant
for Stadium Parking. The award was
presented by Arlington Mayor Jeff
Williams and Arlington Convention &
Visitors Bureau President & CEO Ron
Price, along with mascots, Rowdy
of the Dallas Cowboys and Rangers
Captain of the Texas Rangers.
The recipient was showered with
balloons, a gift card and a specially
designed WOW Award. Additionally,
the audience was treated to a
preview of the Arlington CVB’s
new campaign “Arli & The World of
Wonderful.”
The WOW Award recognizes a
front-line professional who goes to
great lengths to be kind and create
a memorable experience for guests
at an Arlington hospitality related
organization, including hotels,
restaurants, attractions, and retail
and entertainment venues.
With more than 14.5 million visitors
annually, and more than 10,000
tourism-and hospitality-related jobs
supported; tourism is in the DNA of
Arlington. As the only organization
100 percent dedicated to marketing
Arlington as a premier visitor
12
destination, the ACVB recognizes
the importance of the people who
interact with our visitors every day.
The Arlington Tourism Hospitality
WOW Award is one way the Arlington
Convention & Visitors Bureau can
shine a light on the hardworking,
dedicated people who make
Arlington a World of Wonderful!
MORE ABOUT THE ARLINGTON
WOW AWARD RECIPIENT:
“Carrie is the 'go to' person for
information at both stadiums. She
procures rides for those needing
assistance to the stadium and knows
the location of every Rangers lot
to assist our visitors looking for
their correct parking lot. Every
Thanksgiving, Carrie dresses up as a
turkey to greet our guests, and she
was recently dressed as the Easter
Bunny on Easter Sunday, handing
out candy eggs to the kids attending
the game. Carrie also works the
Methodist Church shuttle stop after
the Cowboys games, entertaining
the line of people and coordinating
activity between various buses. Carrie
is so much more than a parking
attendant, she has become friends
with all of her regular customers.
She will go to great lengths to make
sure their game-day experience is
fantastic, starting with parking. I
cannot imagine anyone doing more
to make our guests feel welcomed.”
(Excerpt from her nomination from
her Supervisor Sharon Smith.)
MORE ABOUT THE ARLINGTON
WOW AWARD:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Non-managerial employees in the
hotel, restaurant, retail, tourism- or
hospitality-related fields, including
the public sector. Employees should
have direct contact with, or provide
support to, visitors and customers
and distinguish themselves by
promoting Arlington through
exemplary service, kindness and
customer satisfaction. Nominations
for the Arlington WOW Award were
submitted by April 30, 2019.
JUDGING & CRITERIA
Nominees were judged by three
members of the Travel & Sports
Legacy Foundation Board. The
Travel & Sports Legacy Foundation is
creating educational opportunities
and career pathways to persons
interested in travel, tourism and
sports management careers. The
panel of judges looked at how the
nominees have gone above and
beyond to provide memorable and
kind experiences for their guests.