1. Great Facilities.

The Kansas City area offers first-rate exhibit and meeting facilities of all sizes. The Kansas City Convention Center offers 388,000 square feet contiguous, column-free exhibit space in, Bartle Hall. As part of a $150 million improvement project, the center's meeting space has been renovated, and a new 46,500-square-foot ballroom opened in 2007. The Grand Ballroom is one of the ten largest convention center ballrooms in the nation.

2. Superb Hotels.

Excellent hotel facilities are available at reasonable rates. The metropolitan area offers more than 26,000 guest rooms, with nearly 2,000 hotel rooms within three blocks of the convention center. Major national hotel brands are represented, including Intercontinental, Hilton, Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Sheraton and Westin.

3. Convenience.

Kansas City is the most centrally located city in the nation. We are within a three-hour flight of either coast, and within a day's drive of 50 million people. Major cities within a day's drive include Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Denver, Memphis, Minneapolis, Dallas and Indianapolis. Kansas City International Airport is consistently ranked among the most user-friendly airports in the nation. Its unique terminal design puts ground transportation services within 75 feet of the gates. All major U.S. air carriers serve KCI, which offers more than 400 daily flights with nonstop service to more than 70 cities.

4. Affordability.

Kansas City is easy on the bottom line, thanks to reasonable rates for lodging, airfare, food and services. Since KCI Airport is not a hub for any single airline, competition among carriers keeps airfares down. When you compare hotel costs, food costs and other services, Kansas City stacks up well against its competition.

5. Top-Notch Attractions.

There is something for everyone, from major league sports to world-renowned museums like The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The area is also home to the Harry S. Truman Museum & Library, Kansas Speedway, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Toy & Miniature Museum, Arabia Steamboat Museum, Hallmark Visitors Center, Union Station, National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial, Worlds of Fun and Jesse James historic sites.

6. Nightlife.

Spend an evening listening to Kansas City's phenomenal jazz and blues music at clubs throughout the city. Enjoy the restaurants and clubs at local entertainment districts, including the Plaza, Westport, River Market or the Crossroads Arts District. Or, try your luck at one of four dazzling riverboat casinos.

7. Restaurants.

Though famous for sizzling steaks and mouth-watering barbecue, the city offers an incredible range of cuisine. The variety of excellent restaurants of every ethnic origin is quite impressive.

8. Shopping.

For shopping, the Country Club Plaza is well known for its Spanish architecture, sparkling fountains, restaurants and big-name shops. Exceptional shopping is also found at Hallmark's Crown Center, historic Westport, Zona Rosa, Village West and many suburban areas.

9. Hospitality.

Kansas City's reputation as a friendly city is well known and well deserved. There is something about Midwestern hospitality that makes a convention here enjoyable for both planners and attendees.

10. The Excitement is Building.

Kansas City is investing billions of dollars to create major new attractions and facilities that are either already open or will be in the next few years. This includes an eight-block downtown entertainment district and a new downtown arena, both near the Convention Center.