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Kansas City, Mo. - In 2008, the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association (KCCVA) booked the highest number of hotel room nights in five years with 438,521 definite hotel room nights. That includes 332,483 hotel room nights for 41 meetings at the Kansas City Convention Center, the highest number since 1997.
The KCCVA generated those bookings through a record-breaking 808 meeting leads, representing more than 1.7 million tentative hotel room nights. This is the first time since 1993-94 the KCCVA has generated more than 1.7 million tentative room nights for two consecutive years. The organization also hosted 127 meeting planners on site visits in 2008-a 20-percent increase over the previous year.
"Meeting planners are responding to our downtown development," said Rick Hughes, president and CEO of the KCCVA. "Our new Convention District-with the new Grand Ballroom, Sprint Center and the Power & Light District-has created renewed interest in our city, causing meeting planners who normally may not consider Kansas City to take a second look, and then, ultimately book a meeting here."
Convention Statistics |
2007 |
2008 |
% Change |
Definite Room Nights |
333,346 |
438,521 |
31% |
Leads Generated |
791 |
808 |
2% |
Tentative Room Nights |
1,781,543 |
1,738,368 |
-2% |
Site Visits |
106 |
127 |
20% |
Convention Center Bookings |
27 |
41 |
52% |
Convention Center Room Nights |
184,202 |
332,483 |
80% |
Among the major convention bookings for the year was Educational Testing Service, which extended its commitment to Kansas City through 2014 and will become the city's largest convention in terms of hotel room nights. The group first met in Kansas City in 2008 to grade advanced placement exams. Other significant bookings include the NAACP convention in 2010, the Big 12 Men's and Women's Basketball Championships in 2010 & 2011 and an extension of Cerner's Annual Health Conference through 2010.
The KCCVA also landed the 2009 Experient Conference, March 2-6. The conference will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase Kansas City to an influential group of 300 third-party meeting planners who represent more than 3,000 events and 4.7 million hotel room nights.
"The impact these meetings have on Kansas City will be felt throughout the metropolitan area," said Hughes. "The average convention attendee spends $1,069 during their stay, which brings much needed tax money from outside the city that can help pave our roads and fix our sewers."
Major Convention Bookings in 2008
Name of Organization |
Year |
Room Nights |
Educational Testing Service |
2014 |
42,035 |
Educational Testing Service |
2013 |
38,005 |
Educational Testing Service |
2012 |
34,505 |
Big 12 Men’s & Women's Basketball Championships |
2010 |
14,340 |
Big 12 Men’s & Women's Basketball Championships |
2011 |
14,340 |
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People |
2010 |
12,385 |
Christian & Missionary Alliance |
2016 |
11,440 |
Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications |
2011 |
10,445 |
Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications |
2012 |
10,445 |
International City/County Management Association |
2016 |
9,970 |
Cerner Corporation |
2010 |
9,110 |
Cerner Corporation |
2009 |
8,342 |
Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World |
2009 |
7,400 |
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation |
2012 |
5,793 |
Christian & Missionary Alliance |
2011 |
5,425 |
Association of Zoos & Aquariums |
2013 |
4,800 |
The Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to enhance economic growth and quality of life for the region and its residents through marketing, sales and service for the convention and tourism industries. For more information about all there is to see and do in Kansas City, visit the organization's Web site at VisitKC.com.
## KC ##
Photo Credit: Photos Courtesy of the Kansas City Convention
& Visitors Association
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Kansas City Convention Center
Caption: The Kansas City Convention Center offers 26 newly renovated meeting rooms.
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Kansas City Convention Center, Grand Ballroom
Caption: The 46,450-square-foot ballroom is one of the ten largest convention center ballrooms in the country. Opened April 28, 2007.
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Kansas City Convention Center, Lobby
Caption: The meeting space at the Kansas City Convention Center was completely renovated in 2005.
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Overland Park Convention Center
Caption: The Overland Park Convention Center offers 237,000 square feet of space and is connected to the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel.
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Sky Stations at the Kansas City Convention Center
Caption: The Kansas City Convention Center is topped with four dramatic sculptures titled "Sky Stations/Pylon Caps"
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