The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

1. The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum Presented by: Caitlin Bujnoch Heather Buras Luke Cochran Robin Cochran Alicia Dobson Shara Tscheulin MKT 650 – Dr. Beth LaFleur – Summer 2008 The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum

2. Vision Statement The vision of the John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum is to become a historical and educational institution that inspires all to reach their greatest potential. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

3. Mission Statement The mission of the John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum is to establish and maintain a historical and educational account of John C. Robinson and all other Mississippians who played a role in aviation and space pioneering. The JCR Museum aspires to establish an accurate and relevant holding of oral histories, documents, and artifacts showing the heroics of everyone involved in creating this heritage. The JCR Museum wishes to bring hope to all that ordinary individuals can lead extraordinary lives. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

4. Board of Directors • Dr. James Pat Smith, Gulfport (President) • Ms. Lee T. Barnes, Gulfport (Vice President) • Mr. Sidney Rushing, Gulfport (Secretary) • Charles Dubra, Gulfport • Jim Foster, Gulfport • Mr. Francisco Gonzales, Biloxi • Ms. Rosemary Roosa, Gulfport • Mr. Roland Weeks, Biloxi • Mr. Thomas Simmons, Gulfport • Mr. Gene Warr, Gulfport • Ms. Dorothy McEwen, Long Beach • Ms. Deborah McGhee, Gulfport The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

5. Background for the Study • Ideas for theme of the museum include: • John C. Robinson • Mississippi aviators, aviation heroes and astronauts • Roscoe Turner, Jesse Brown, Key Brothers • Fred Haise, Donald Peterson, Richard Truly • Gulf Coast aviators • Regional aviators • Wiley Post, Ben Howard The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

6. Proposed Location • 5+ acres within a close proximity to the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport • Advantages • Runway access for air shows • Special events • Disadvantages • Distance from casinos • Commuter congestion of Hwy 49 The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

7. Statement of Research Problems/Opportunities • The Board of Directors needs assistance with: • Projecting revenues • Projecting costs • Determining project feasibility • Fundraising • Identifying recommendations The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

8. Research Design and Methodology for the Study • Exploratory Research • Academic literature reviews • Phone, personal and email interviews • Inquiry method • Qualitative method The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

9. Target Market • Tourists to the Mississippi Gulf Coast • Southeast region, average age of 50 years, average of 2 children, average annual household income of $61,800 • Veterans of the Armed Forces • Aviation, average age of 78 years • Schools on the Mississippi Gulf Coast • Students and teachers • Organizations affiliated with Mississippi heritage or aviation themes The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

10. Museum Market in the U.S. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

11. Market Segmentation • Segment 1- Tourists to the MS Gulf Coast • Of the 3.6 million visitors to the Gulf Coast in 2007, 84%, or 3,024,000 visitors visit on leisure/ personal trips The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

12. Market Segmentation • Segment 2- Veterans of the Armed Forces • 9,145 retired veterans of all branches of the Armed Forces within a 50 mile radius of Keesler Air Force Base • Also includes: • Air National Guard retirees • 38,000 Tuskegee Airmen alumni • 1,000 original Tuskegee Airmen • John C. Robinson, “The Brown Condor” The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

13. Market Segmentation • Segment 3- Schools on the MS Gulf Coast • Public School Sector • 161 public schools • 82,432 students • 4,347 teachers • Private School Sector • 29 private schools • 5,916 students • 377 teachers The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

14. Market Segmentation • Segment 4- Affiliates of organizations associated with MS aviation & its heritage The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

15. Total Estimated Market Potential The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

16. Market Needs • MS Gulf Coast is well-developed destination tourist market • Growing need for more diverse attractions • Appeal to wider populations • Families with children • Cultural tourists seeking educational experiences • Opportunity for success • Hurricane Katrina • Local interest in aviation The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

17. Market Trends • Museum management • Collections stewardship • Education • Marketing/ Public relations • Development • Operations • Fundraising • An emphasis on technology at the forefront of this evolution The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

18. Market Trends • Interactive exhibits • Simulations, theatrical exhibits (IMAX), interpretive signage, static exterior exhibits • Collections stewardship • “Reflected Energy Matching”, Microclimate control, “Plug-and-Play” exhibit cases • “Going Green” • Business partnerships The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

19. Strategy Implementation Summary • Focus to Educate and Inspire: • Educational Setting • Accurate and Relevant Historical Accounts • Inspirational Atmosphere • Build a Relationship-Oriented Business • Create Long-Term Business Relationships • Intense Direct-Mail Marketing Program • Special Events The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

20. Business Partnerships • Provide a critical opportunity to gain access to valuable resources that otherwise might not have been discovered. • Shared Costs • Shortened Schedules • Enhanced Expertise • Expanded Visibility & Awareness • Potential Alliances • MS Dept. of Archives & History • MS Dept. of Transportation • MS Heritage Trust • Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance • National Trust for Historic Preservation The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

21. Marketing Strategy • Discounts: • Family, Group, Student, Military, Veteran, Casino Cardholders, etc. • Package Sales: • Local Museums, Casinos, Malls, Water Parks, etc. • Coupons: • Airline e-Tickets, Hotel Receipts, Website, Company Flyers, Rental Car Receipts, etc. • Special Attractions: • Flyovers, Rocket Tests, Air Shows, Special Guest, Educational Lectures, etc. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

22. Marketing Strategy • Special Pricing Days: • Veterans Day, Memorial Day, International Museum Day, Mississippi Culture & Heritage Month, The National Aviation Day, etc. • Advertising: • Newspapers, Flyers (Located at Hotels, Gas Stations, Airport, Car Rental Counters, etc.) Special Interest Magazines, Pertinent Websites, etc. • Transportation Partnerships: • Partnerships with CTA and Local Cab Drivers to Direct Tourist, as well as, Locals to the Museum. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

23. Initial Fundraising • Critical to identify potential donors “Museums are built by a small number of large gifts and operated by a large number of small gifts.” -Stephen Watson The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

24. Fundraising Strategy • Memberships: • Direct Mail • Visitors Donations • Corporate Sponsorships: • Naming Rights • Special Events: • Air Shows • Conferences • Industrial / Educational Lectures • Endowment The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

25. Initial Projection Resources • Mr. Stephen Watson • V.P and C.O.O. , D-Day Museum, New Orleans, LA • Mr. John McFarland • Director of Marketing, SunHerald, Biloxi, MS • Income Tax Returns (990’s) • Museums of Interest The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

26. Revenue Projections • Museum Categories • Small Scale Aviation Museums • Mid-Scale Aviation Museums • Large Scale Aviation Museums • Local Museums • Projections derived from • Local Museums • Mid-Scale Aviation Museums The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

27. Discrepancies Found • Hurricane Katrina • Larger Contributions from donors • Larger expenses for rebuilding • No revenues from sales or admissions • For research purposes; financials were used from previous years The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

28. Average Annual Revenues • Estimated Potential Yearly Revenue of $516,127 The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

29. 10 % Growth Over 7 Years The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

30. Average Annual Expenses • Estimated Potential Yearly Expenses of $660,061 The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

31. 12 Month Cost Projection • Other Expenses Include: Consulting Fees, Advertising Fees, Insurance, Memberships, Maintenance, etc. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

32. Start-Up Costs The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

33. Conclusions & Recommendations • To be successful, it is necessary to appeal to and achieve the highest market share possible, which can be accomplished by: • Expanding theme/ subject matter of museum • Choosing a well-positioned location • Access, proximity to other attractions, room for special attractions (ie. Air Shows), room for expansion • Capitalizing on innovative technologies The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

34. Conclusions and Recommendations • Creating a strong family-oriented atmosphere with a focus on being historical, educational and inspirational • Identifying potential loyal donors • Initiated by Board of Directors • Building strong business partnerships The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum

35. Conclusions and Recommendations *All of the researched data concludes that achieving each of these recommended elements will facilitate the proposed museum’s ability to succeed as a revenue-generating educational institution. The John C. Robinson Aviation Museum 35 The John C. Robinson Mississippi Aviation Museum