Public Relations, Media Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Video
Industry: Tourism
Target markets: Meeting and event planners, associations and trade groups, corporations, sports groups, government agencies, nonprofit and community organizations, exhibitors and tradeshow organizations and educational institutions. Established by the New York State Legislature in 2004, the Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) oversaw the development and construction of the Albany Capital Center (ACC), which has been in operation since 2017. In January 2024, Monica Kurzejeski became Executive Director/CEO and led the Authority in launching an ambitious expansion project to nearly double the ACC’s size by incorporating a neighboring historic building on State Street. Since 2016, The Baker Agency has managed the ACC and ACCA’s communications and highlighted the venue’s economic impact on downtown Albany. In the past two years, the focus intensified around promoting the ACC’s major expansion.
The Challenge
The ACC faced challenges with brand awareness and engagement amid competition from regional convention centers and event venues. The Authority sought to differentiate itself and its work among a number of local, regional and state government entities in Albany and the Capital Region. Throughout the expansion approval process,
both the Authority and the ACC aimed to raise its profile and ensure its perspective was
recognized.
Our Approach
To address these challenges, The Baker Agency engaged local and regional media, stakeholders and the public to communicate the ACCA’s mission and vision as it related to the expansion. Our strategy utilized established media and community relationships to emphasize the expansion’s economic benefits and innovative partnership between local and state government offices and municipalities. Our team launched a quarterly ACCA e-newsletter, introducing Monica Kurzejeski and the Authority’s mission to stakeholders across the region. We also built relationships with elected officials and tourism and hospitality leaders at the local, state and regional level, including connections in the Capital Region and Pittsburgh. A detailed workplan was developed to highlight key milestones and dates, keeping the expansion top-of-mind for the press and local community through earned media, events, advertising, marketing materials and more.
The Results
The ACCA moved rapidly from planning and design to financing, regulatory approvals and construction, culminating in a groundbreaking event on October 16, 2025, just a year after project initiation. Within two years of Kurzejeski’s appointment, The Baker Agency organized three major events: a panel on women in sports alongside the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in March 2024, a celebration of local cultural events in October 2025 and the groundbreaking for the ACC expansion.The ACCA newsletter, launched in spring 2024, has shown strong subscriber growth and engagement, with open rates nearing 60% and double-digit click-through rates well above industry averages.
The Baker Agency has consistently secured extensive local, regional, and national media coverage for the ACC over the years. Local placements include the Albany Business Review, Times Union, Spectrum News, WTEN, WNYT, CBS6 and WAMC. Regionally, stories about the ACC have appeared in outlets across the Capital Region and throughout New York state, while national coverage has featured the ACC in respected trade publications such as Exhibitor Magazine, Business View Magazine and Smart Meetings.
In addition to media success, the ACC has received notable awards and recognition for its achievements. The venue was honored with the 2023 Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence Award, recognizing it as one of North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events. The ACC has also received the Times Union’s “Best Meeting Venue” distinction for three consecutive years and has been a recipient of three consecutive Stella Awards, which honor excellence in the meetings and events industry.
In 2025, the venue received eight prestigious industry awards showcasing the facility as a premier destination:
- Albany Business Review: 2025 Best Places to Work (Small Companies category)
- Association Conventions & Facilities: 2025 America’s Premier Convention Centers
- Business View Magazine: Five Time Best Managed Convention Center Award
- EXHIBITOR Magazine: 2026 Centers of Excellence Award
- Facilities & Destinations: 2025 Prime Site Award
- Northstar Meetings Group: Stella Award for Best Convention Center, Northeast Region Category, Bronze Medal
- Smart Meetings: 2025 Platinum Choice Award for Extraordinary Venue – State of New York
- Smart Meetings: 2025 Catalyst Kinetic Award (Shannon Licygiewicz)
These accolades underscore the ACC’s reputation for excellence, which The Baker Agency has helped to spotlight through strategic communications and storytelling for a decade.