Kansas City Gets Busier
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 7/30/2007
The Kansas City (Mo.) Convention & Visitor's Assn. said it is exceeding its goals.
That's because in the first half of 2007, room night bookings increased 79 percent compared with the same period in 2006, economic impact is up 50 percent for the same period and the convention sales staff has sold more future bookings than usual.
“I think it affords us an opportunity to showcase our revitalized product,” said Bill Bohde, vice president of convention sales and services. Hopefully, that will lead to greater awareness, greater interest and repeat bookings for Kansas City, he added.
Convention center bookings are up 27 percent – 14 during the first six months of 2007 compared with 11 by June 2006 – and future bookings have increased 31 percent in the same period. Recent announcements of large bookings include the Church of God in Christ's Intl. Women's Convention in 2008; Sam's Club's contract extension (for one more year) through 2012; Educational Testing Service's contract extension (for two more years) through 2011; and the Natl. Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry at the Sprint Center (scheduled to open in October) in 2009.
