Pinehurst Resort
Site of the 2005 U.S. Open
When Pinehurst was tapped to host the 2005 U.S. Open, the public relations director of this North Carolina resort immediately realized the tremendous strain that such an event would place on her staff and computer systems. Not only did the client need a reliable, cost-effective way to accommodate a huge influx of media requests; she also needed a compelling argument to convince Pinehurst executives and information technologies staff that the situation demanded much more than an in-house solution.
Wieck proposed a digital newsroom that would reside within the existing Pinehurst site, with a seamless interface linking users to a Wieck-powered database of media-ready photos, news releases, and video footage. This would enable the Pinehurst media-relations team to extend its capabilities without sacrificing responsiveness or jeopardizing the reliability of corporate systems and servers.
Wieck’s proven expertise in the news arena, combined with its effective use of leading-edge technologies, soon convinced Pinehurst executives and IT staff that the value gained from a Wieck solution would far outweigh the monetary savings of keeping the project in-house. Wieck began working with Pinehurst about a year before the June 2005 event to develop and launch a full-featured digital newsroom well in advance of the tournament.
Although the U.S. Open was the driving force behind this digital newsroom, it wasn’t long before the client began to see the benefits of a permanent Wieck-powered media site as well. Today, Pinehurst has a comprehensive digital newsroom that continues to grow and change along with the needs of this world-class resort.
