An Invitation to Come to the United States for the 13th
International Turfgrass Research Conference in 2017
Reasons for coming to the
NE United States:
٠
Location: NY/NJ Region
- New York City and New
Brunswick, NJ are Major
metropolitan areas
٠
٠
Excellent Hotel & Conf. Fac.
Major Turf Venues
- Golf courses, athletic fields,
sod farms, race tracks
٠
Strong University & Industry
Commitment
٠
Capacity to produce ITRC J.
◄ New Brunswick is a suburb of New York City
- Only 40 km from New York City (35-45 min. train ride)
- City of 48,000 people, restaurants and theaters and is in
the middle of a renaissance ($700 million in new construction,
including a new Corporate Conf. Center, and several new hotels
- Borders Rutgers University (54,000 students) including the Rutgers
Turfgrass Program
- Easy access to four major metropolitan airports (only 40-75 km away)
by train, bus, taxi, or rental car
Hotels and Conference Centers in the vicinity of
New Brunswick
♦ 20 three to five star hotels within 8 km of the city.
♦ 3 hotels with the capacity to serve as the Conference Hotel
♦ The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center is in the center of the city
is a new 5 star hotel that would be an excellent conference site.
♦ The Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick is also centrally located
and could serve as the Conference Hotel
● Contemporary convention center within
walking distance of downtown, the Theatre
District, fine restaurants, shops, and easy
access to four major airports and New York City
● > 300 guest rooms
The Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick
● The Conference facility has 21 meeting
rooms including a 8,800 m2 sq ft ballroom
that can be divided into three rooms
● Total meeting space =26,000 m2
♦ 2 restaurants within the hotel
♦ Rooms estimated @
● $150-175 US per night (weekday)
● $100 -125 US (weekends)
♦ Estimated registration costs for the 2017
New Jersey Conference = $450 - 600 US
The Rutgers Turf Program
♦ Established 1923
● Drs. H. B. Sprague & Edward Evaul
♦ 1962 – Dr. C. Reed Funk 1st full time breeder
● Many Landmark Cultivars ( e.g., Manhattan PRG and
Rebel TF
♦ 1991 – Rutgers Center for Turfgrass
Science formed
● 24 faculty, 10 post docs, over 100 staff
Rutgers Turf Program (cont’)
♦ Research focus : Germplasm Enhancement and
Turfgrass Management
● Turf breeding – cool-season grasses (> 70,000 turf plots)
● Turf Management - 3 research farms ( > 60 ha in turf)
♦ Teaching – > 150 students (24 GAs, 40 UGs, 80 - 90 two year)
♦ Outreach – serving the turfgrass industry in NJ (12 assns), the
region, and the nation
The Turfgrass Industry in New Jersey
 Green Industry is a $3.8 Billion Industry in NJ
 293 Golf Courses
 2,400 Service Providers
 Total revenues of over $1.4 Billion
 2.4 million home lawns covering 360,000 ha
 25 Sod Farms
 Predominant turf species include Kentucky bluegrass,
perennial rye, tall and fine fescue, bentgrass, annual
bluegrass and a small amount of zoysia
Rutgers University has the Capacity to Host the
ITRC in 2017 in New York City or New Jersey
♦ Scientific Program Committee – 7 Rutgers faculty with
extensive editorial experience volunteered to produce / publish the 2017
ITRC Journal, as well as organize oral, poster presentations & symposia
● Editor - in chief - Dr. Brad Hillman (Ed-in chief Phytopathology)
- Dr. James Murphy (Assoc. ed. Crop Sci /
2001 ITRC)
● Section editors – Drs. Stacy Bonos, Bingru Huang, and
Albrecht Koppenhofer
● Journal design, formatting, and layout – Dr. Ann Gould
● Program Committee Chair – Dr. Bruce Clarke
Rutgers University has the Capacity to Host the
ITRC in 2017 in New York City or New Jersey
♦ Local Arrangements Committee – 9 Rutgers faculty experienced
at providing logistical support for regional and national mtgs volunteered
for 2017 ITRC
● Chair - Dr. Albrecht Koppenhöfer
● Fund raising - Dr. Bill Meyer and Bruce Clarke (goal = $150,000
to reduce registration / meeting costs
● Mid-week Technical Tours - Dr. Steve Hart & Jim Snow
(USGA)
● Accompanying friends / family Programs
- Drs. Joseph Heckman , Stacy Bonos & County Agents
● 2017 ITRC web site - Gary Huntzinger (Assoc. Dir., Rutgers
Resource CTR)
● On-line / on site Registration
Rutgers Office of Cont. Prof. Education
Rutgers University has the Capacity to Host the
ITRC in 2017 in New York City or New Jersey
♦ Support from Rutgers Admin (Dean, Dept. Chair, Ctr. Drector)
● Secretarial / admin support confirmed
♦ Regional Turf Industry Support
● NJTA, NJTF, NJNLCA, Cult. Sod Assn of NJ, Sports Fields Mgrs
Assn. NJ, GCSANJ, Phila. GCSA, METGCSA, Irrig. Assn. of NJ,
Tri-State Res. Foundation, & others
● Logistical and financial support
♦ Post-Conference Tour – Northeastern US
● Drs. John Kaminski (UCONN), Frank Rossi (Cornell) and
Nathaniel Mitkowski (URI)
♦
Pre-Conference Tour – Southeastern US
● Drs. Alfredo Martinez (Univ. GA), Lane Tredway (NC State), and
Bruce Martin (Clemson Univ.)
Potential Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NYC/NJ
2017 ITRC: 3rd or 4th week of July 2017
● Welcoming reception
– Zimmerli Art Museum,
Rutgers University
● 2 Special research symposia
(topics TBD) and possibly an applied
symposium for local turf managers.
● Concurrent oral presentation sessions
● Posters on display daily / allotted time w / authors
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NYC/NJ
● Mid-week technical tours (tentative ideas)
* AM - Tour Rutgers Field Research
and a typical American BBQ lunch @ the Adelphia or
North Brunswick Field Research Stations
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
● Mid-week technical tours (tentative ideas)
* PM – Choice of 3 tours
● Golf - visit USGA Golf House Museum / Testing
facility + Trump National Golf Course
or Pine Valley (Golf Digests # 1 GC)
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
● Mid-week technical tours (tentative ideas)
* PM – Choice of 3 tours
● Athletic Fields – Behind the scenes @ Yankee
Stadium and the Great Lawn
in Central Park
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
● Mid-week technical tours (tentative ideas)
* PM – Choice of 3 tours
● Monmouth Park Racetrack (home of the
2007 Breeders Cup) – view new turf track
constructed in association with Rutgers faculty
and visit sod farms
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Evening Activities
- Visit New York City for a Broadway Play
- Catch a play at one of
New Brunswick’s Theaters
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Evening Activities
- Dinner at Fiddlers Elbow CC site of the Rutgers Golf Classic
- NY Yankee or Met Baseball Game
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Activities for Accompanying Friends / Family
- Tour of NYC / Philadelphia (Central Park, Museum Tours, Broadway)
- Day at the Beach ( > 180 km white sand beaches; 22 C in July)
- Longwood Gardens (DuPont Estate; 90 ha)
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Activities for Accompanying Friends / Family
- Trip to Atlantic City
- Liberty Science Center / Tour the Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Activities for Accompanying Friends / Family
- Zoos / Botanical Gardens / Aquariums – NYC / NJ / Philadelphia
- NYC Shopping (AM) / Broadway Matinee (PM)
Additional Highlights for the 2017 IRTC in NJ
●
Thursday Night Banquet - aboard the Spirit of New Jersey
for a sunset cruise around Manhattan / Statue of Liberty
Pre-Conference Tour 2017 ITRC
Alberto Martinez
Lane Tredway
Bruce Martin
Points of Interest
1.
Atlanta, GA
2.
Augusta National GC
3.
Charleston, SC
4.
Pinehurst Resort
5.
Biltmore Estate,

7
6
5
4
Asheville, NC
6.
Norfolk, VA/Chesapeake
1 2
3
Bay
7.
Washington, D.C.
NC STATE TURF PATHOLOGY
Day 1 -2
•Turner Field home of the Braves Baseball team
•Centennial Park-Home of the 1996 Olympic games
•Museum World of Coke,
•Martin Luther King Memorial,
•Several PGA tour golf courses.
•Callaway Gardens
•Augusta National golf Course. Home of the Master Tournament.
Day 3
• Charleston South Carolina
• Other South Carolina Locations
• Myrtle Beach
Day 4 - 5
Pinehurst North Carolina
Eastern North Carolina
Biltmore house Ashville
Research Farm in Raleigh. Research Triangle area
The Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
‘America’s Largest Home’
Norfolk area-Chesapeake bay
Day 6-7 Norfork and Washington DC
ITRC 2017 Post Conference Tour
Northeastern United States
John Kaminski
Nathaniel Mitkowski
Frank Rossi
Day 1: Golf Course Tours
Quaker Ridge Golf Club
Scarsdale, NY
• Ranked 30th Among
Americas Top Golf
Courses (Golf Digest
2005-2006)
Day 1: Golf Course Tours
• Winged Foot Golf Club
(Mamaroneck, NY)
• Ranked 34th (Golf Digest
2005-2006)
• Host of the 2006 US Open
Day 2: Mystic Seaport, CT
• Day Tours In Mystic
MYSTIC
AQUARIUM
Day 3: Newport, RI
• Optional Tours
Whale Watching
Day 4: Athletic Field Tours
• Gillette Stadium (New England Patriots)
Day 4: Athletic Field Tours
• Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
Day 4: Overnight in Boston
Day 5: Bus Tour of Upper NE
Day 6: UConn Turf Field Day
Day 6-7: Back to NY/NJ for Return
Flights Home
We hope that you will agree that NYC/ NJ is the
perfect place for the ITRC in 2017 !