Bismarck Mandan

What Bismarck Mandan does

Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau (operating as "No Boundaries ND") is a private nonprofit destination marketing organization headquartered at 1600 Burnt Boat Drive in Bismarck, North Dakota. The organization serves as the official promotional body for the Bismarck-Mandan metropolitan area (MSA population approximately 134,846), aggregating and distributing visitor information, promoting local businesses to travelers, and supporting meeting and event planners seeking venues and services in the region. Its service population spans leisure visitors, group tour operators, meeting and event planners, sports event organizers, and 200+ local SMB member businesses.

The CVB operates a portfolio of destination promotion products centered on its marketing website (noboundariesnd.com), including the digital Bismarck-Mandan Savings Pass (a mobile-based discount passport), the Art Trail gamified exploration program across 100+ locations, the 250 Challenge experience program, and the 50th State recognition program for visitors completing all U.S. states. The organization also runs a physical Visitor Information Center with the Genuine Dakota Gift Shop, provides group tour packaging and meeting/event planning assistance including RFP submission, operates charitable gaming at five locations (blackjack and pull-tabs), and administers the Partner Event Grant Program to subsidize qualifying events. Underlying technology consists of standard web and mobile-web platforms with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility commitments; no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue derives primarily from membership fees paid by 200+ local businesses (subscription/recurring model) and transaction-based charitable gaming operations at five partner venues. The organization is led by CEO Sheri Grossman (since April 2015, with the CVB since 1997) and operates with approximately 10 named staff. The CVB reports hosting 500+ multi-day events annually drawing 378,000+ attendees who spend an estimated $32.6 million locally, though these figures measure visitor economic impact rather than CVB revenue. As a nonprofit DMO, the organization likely also receives tourism or lodging tax allocations, which are typical but not explicitly disclosed in the source materials.

Name

Bismarck Mandan

Legal name

Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau

Website

https://noboundariesnd.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nonprofit destination marketing organization that promotes the Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota region to leisure visitors, meeting planners, and group tour operators through digital savings programs, event hosting, gaming operations, and a 200+ member business network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing & Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Destination & Venue Reservation Systems (DMO/MICE) (THALADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guest Management (Invitations, RSVPs, Seating, Check-in) (HSACAAAJ), Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD), Hotel & Resort Convention Venues (Convention Hotels) (THAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Convention visitors bureau
• Tourism promotion services
• Meeting event planning
• Visitor information services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bismarck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Local businesses pay membership fees to join the CVB, receiving benefits including website listings, Savings Pass participation, visitor center brochure distribution, newsletter inclusion, and recommendation priority to planners.
2. Gaming Operations: The CVB operates charitable gaming at five locations (Bismarck Hotel's Nickels Lounge, Blarney Stone Authentic Irish Pub, Comfort Inn Lounge, Radisson Hotel's Off Broadway Lounge, Stadium Sports Bar & The Lodge) including blackjack, pull-tabs, and electronic pull-tabs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau operates as the official destination marketing organization for the Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota area. It markets the destination to leisure visitors, meeting planners, and sports event organizers, coordinates group tours, runs a digital Savings Pass and Art Trail program, and manages a Visitor Information Center with the Genuine Dakota Gift Shop. It also operates a membership program for 200+ local businesses and charitable gaming sites at five local venues.

Product overview

Bismarck Mandan CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau) operates a portfolio of tourism promotion products and services centered on its marketing website at noboundariesnd.com. The core offerings include the digital Bismarck-Mandan Savings Pass (mobile-based discount passport), the Bismarck-Mandan Art Trail (location-based exploration with prize rewards), and the Visitor Information Center with the Genuine Dakota Gift Shop. The CVB also provides group tour packages (sample tours, themed itineraries), meeting and event planning assistance including RFP submission and the Partner Event Grant Program, and operates a membership program for local businesses. Additional programs include the 250 Challenge, the 50th State recognition program, and charitable gaming operations at five local venues. The organization functions as a destination marketing organization rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 378,000+ event attendees annually generating $32.6 million in local spending
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BMCVB Member BusinessescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 August 2021200+ local businesses participate as members, receiving promotional benefits including website listings, Savings Pass inclusion, visitor center brochure distribution, and recommendation priority in exchange for supporting CVB initiatives.
• Bismarck Event CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2021Co-host venue partner for the Firefighter Combat Challenge 30th Anniversary National Tour, providing Lot C space for the event expected to draw competitors from across the United States.
• Bismarck Fire DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2021Partner in hosting the Firefighter Combat Challenge, reinforcing the importance of fitness in the fire service and educating locals on firefighting tasks.
• Mandan Fire DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2021Partner in hosting the Firefighter Combat Challenge, celebrating firefighter heroes and heroines while supporting public safety.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Visit Grand Forks: Direct peer CVB serving Grand Forks, ND; comparable nonprofit DMO structure, member-driven marketing model, and event-hosting services targeting a similarly sized North Dakota MSA.
• Visit Fargo-Moorhead: Direct peer Convention & Visitors Bureau serving the Fargo-Moorhead MSA in North Dakota/Minnesota; runs comparable member-based destination marketing, event recruitment, and visitor services for a similar-sized upper-Midwest market.
• Visit Sioux Falls: Direct peer Convention & Visitors Bureau for Sioux Falls, SD; comparable destination marketing scope, member business network, sales team for meeting/event planners, and digital visitor platforms for an upper-Midwest city.
• Visit Billings: Direct peer CVB serving Billings, Montana; similar nonprofit DMO structure, member-based funding, and emphasis on event acquisition and leisure tourism promotion for a mid-sized Western city.
• Visit Rapid City: Direct peer CVB serving Rapid City, SD; comparable destination marketing organization with member programs, event sales, RFP coordination, and digital visitor engagement targeting a similar regional tourism market.

Others

• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization that partners with and provides tooling, research, and marketing support to US CVBs including smaller DMOs like Bismarck-Mandan; relevant as an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.
• Destinations International: Industry trade association for destination marketing organizations worldwide; not a direct peer, but the CVB's industry body that sets standards, advocacy, and education for organizations like Bismarck-Mandan.

Broad incumbents

• Visit Indy: Mid-to-large peer CVB/DMO with extensive convention sales infrastructure, member network, and digital visitor engagement; comparable in mission and structure but operating at significantly larger scale and budget.
• Experience Scottsdale: Larger peer destination marketing organization with mature member programs, sports/event sales, and digital visitor platforms; illustrates an upscale benchmark for CVB operations and member monetization.
• Visit Omaha: Larger peer DMO for the Omaha metro; offers a broader portfolio of convention sales, leisure marketing, and member services comparable in scope but operating at meaningfully greater scale than Bismarck-Mandan CVB.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bismancvb
• Instagraminstagram.com/bismancvb
• Xx.com/bismancvb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bismarck-mandan-convention-visitors-bureau

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bismarck Mandan