COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER FLOODS

Repairs to convention center could take weeks

Thursday,  January 10, 2008 12:02 PM

By Bill Bush, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The Greater Columbus Convention Center reopened for business today, but its director said it might be weeks until all water damage is repaired and months until all is back to normal after a broken water main flooded it early Wednesday.  Also unknown is the full cost of repairing the damage beyond the initial cleanup work, which could cost up to $200,000.  Consultants will drill into the dirt beneath a 5-inch concrete floor where the break occurred to determine the extent of the damage, said William Jennison, executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority.

 

The break occurred in the northwestern corner of the building, which includes a concourse and meeting rooms along High Street. That probably will remain closed for the next two months, Jennison said.  Carpeting has been removed, and crews were preparing to cut into the concrete floor to see how much of the underlying dirt had been washed away, Jennison said.  The exhibition hall, some of which is in use today, just needs to be cleaned.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/01/10/convention_center.html

the Cleveland Convention Center and IX center should be all over this and lend Columbus a helping hand. 

Convention Center repairs to grow

Checking for flood erosion under floor adds to cost

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 3:10 AM

By Bill Bush, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Repairing the Greater Columbus Convention Center after it flooded last week will probably be more difficult and time-consuming than first thought, the facility's director said yesterday.  A large section of 5-inch-thick concrete floor must be removed to examine how badly the ground beneath it was eroded when a burst main sent water surging, said William Jennison, executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority.

 

Before the floor can be taken up, crews must remove large sections of meeting-room walls near where the water main broke, he said.  "It looks like it's going to be fairly extensive," Jennison said. A price for the work hasn't been estimated, he said, but it will greatly exceed the initial estimates of between $100,000 and $200,000.  "We're looking at a couple of months" before repairs are completed, he said.

 

Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/01/16/floors.ART_ART_01-16-08_B1_DN92OVJ.html?sid=101

Columbus losing out as convention destination

Thursday,  January 24, 2008 - 3:13 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Columbus is losing convention business, a decline that's even affecting its strongholds of state associations and religious groups.

 

Hotel-room bookings for future meetings were down more than 30 percent in 2007 compared with 2006, said Brian Ross, vice president of sales for Experience Columbus, the area's convention and visitors bureau.

 

Ross also said there's cause for concern that Columbus' lost-business rate -- or the number of groups Columbus pursues that end up going elsewhere -- has risen for the past two years.  "We're touching more people, but we're getting less of a benefit," he said.

 

 

 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/01/24/convention_bookings.ART_ART_01-24-08_C8_FL954JM.html?sid=101

Hopefully this spurs some momentum in getting a new hotel built or expanding an existing hotel. I would love to see the Yankee Trader building propsal come to fruition, as well as the planned expansion of the Hyatt. I would rather the parcel with the railroad tracks underneath in front of Nationwide Arena remain vacant until a transit plan is developed, that way a multimodal transit center can be built there, and then possibly a hotel on top of it.

Something I am thinking about as I am reading this last story and writing.

 

How would the Short North do if the Columbus Convention Center were to relocate to the now defunct City Center Mall property?  I think the main reason I ask this is because 1. you have the Hyatt on Capitol Square and the Former Adam's Mark (it's current name is ecaping me, is it the Regancy?) and 2.  you have more room to grow.  The current location of the Convention Center leaves very little room for expansion while River South has plenty of room.  I mean, if we want to be competative, we will need room to grow and I don't think the current location allows for that.  Just a thought.

Actually, the current convention center is pleanty big as it is. In addition, there are plans going through to expand it with the expansion and reconfiguration of Battelle Hall (the "original" convention center). As has been mentioned, the problem moreso is the fact that there aren't enough full service hotel rooms in the area to cater to big-time events. I think a better solution would be to connect the hotels further south in the actual business district (i.e. The Rennaisance, Hyatt on Capitol Square, and the Westin Great Southern) via light rail or streetcar with the convention center.

Here's that article on the boutique hotel proposal for the Yankee Trader building across the street from the Convention Center.

 

Boutique hotel suggested

Talk of 155-room inn near convention center riles backers who want a full-service property

Saturday,  January 12, 2008 - 6:48 AM

By Mike Pramik and Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

A funky novelty store predating the Greater Columbus Convention Center and today's trendy Short North may play a key part in the future of both.

 

The owners of Yankee Trader have enlisted a real-estate broker to seek a buyer who will convert their aging brick building at 463 N. High St. into an upscale hotel.

 

More at http://www.dispatch.com

From here: http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15725

 

<b>Experience Columbus hosts Blogging Event</b>

 

<img src="http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/images/logo.png">

 

<A href="http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/">Experience Columbus</a> will be unveiling a new marketing campaign this afternoon at a special event only for bloggers. The event takes place at the Experience Columbus space in the Arena District at 6pm today. If you're a blogger interested in attending, you can RSVP by <A href="http://www.larakretler.com/?p=56#comments">leaving a blog comment here</a>.

 

The event will include some local snacks (Jeni's ice cream, Brownie Points) and free t-shirts from <A href="http://skreened.com/">Skreened</a>. There will be free wifi available for anyone to use to liveblog with.

 

The mainstream media has not been invited to take part in this event, so this will be the local online media's chance to be the first to check out this new marketing campaign and get the scoop.

From here: http://walker.columbusunderground.com/?p=773

 

<b>Hey Columbus! Let's nab a National Convention in Columbus in 2012</b>

 

Over two years ago, Columbus <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3824">attempted to land the 2008 Republican National Convention</a> in our city, but ended up falling just short of the required number of full-service hotel rooms located within easy access of the downtown area. When discussed two years ago on Columbus Underground, there were some jeers from the democrats in the crowd, but you can't ignore the amount of money and global recognition this brings into a city. If we can manage to get that new Convention Center Hotel built that's <a href="http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14711">been on the table for several years now</a> by 2012, then perhaps we can host the next RNC or DNC. But for now, all we can do is look to the north-west and see the sorts of news that is already starting to come out of Minneapolis two months ahead of the RNC:

 

<img src="http://www.finance-commerce.com/images/articles/small.jpg">

 

<a href="http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/07/26/St-Paul-venues-filling-up-ahead-of-the-Republican-National-Convention"><b>St. Paul venues filling up ahead of Republican National Convention</b></a>

by Betsy Sundquist

July 25, 2008

 

Jon Stewart is taking over the History Theater, and CNN’s occupying the Eagle Street Grille. Those are just two of the many spots filling up fast in St. Paul – and around the Twin Cities – as the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention approaches.

 

Most popular, of course, are those in downtown St. Paul, near the Xcel Energy Center, site of the quadrennial GOP gathering. It’s a massive undertaking all around, as seen by how the Xcel essentially shut down last week as workers began transforming the hockey and music venue into a wired convention site.

 

In all, 46 sites around the Twin Cities have been designated as “official” venues for the RNC.

 

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have approved extended hours for liquor sales in conjunction with the RNC; a $2,500 permit will allow approved establishments to serve liquor until 4 a.m. each day of the convention.

 

The RNC is expected to attract 45,000 visitors to Minneapolis-St. Paul, one-third of them members of the media.

 

<a href="http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/07/26/St-Paul-venues-filling-up-ahead-of-the-Republican-National-Convention">READ MORE</a></blockquote>

Agreed, but how do you get a private business to open or build a hotel?  And why aren't they already expanding the Hyatt?  I would think that us losing the RNC would spure them on to build.  If that hasn't gotten them to build it already, then what will?

Agreed, but how do you get a private business to open or build a hotel? And why aren't they already expanding the Hyatt? I would think that us losing the RNC would spure them on to build. If that hasn't gotten them to build it already, then what will?

 

The answer to all of your questions: <b>MONEY</b>.

 

Typically convention hotels are built with <b>major</b> incentives from the City that wants them built.

Where should we put the new hotel?

Tough to pull off a hotel in this environment.  Even with government backing.  There's a major partially constructed hotel project in downtown Indy (the JW Marriott) that I'm very worried about since I've never seen confirmation that they actually have a construction loan.  Plus, with the budget situation, can Columbus afford to be doling out this kind of money?  Didn't Columbus just TIF its whole downtown for other projects?

 

The biggest selling point of an Ohio city is politics because of the electoral vote count and swing state status.  Otherwise, there's not much reason to have it there.  I think Indy has looked at bidding on the conventions, but has never really made even the initial cut.  And Indy's convention hosting capability crushes Columbus.

 

New Hilton might soothe Columbus’ hotel-room envy

Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball

Friday, January 22, 2010

 

The planned construction of a new 500-room convention hotel in downtown Columbus will help the city expand its reach into the convention and trade show business.  But the city still has a long way to go to catch up with the hotel packages available at its regional competitors, many of whom have their own expansion plans as the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority prepares to begin construction by mid-2010 for the $140 million Hilton Hotel project.

 

The authority, which owns the downtown’s convention center complex, worked out the financing of the hotel project in early March through a combination of city and county funds to back the floating of bonds to build the facility.  That hotel is scheduled for a late 2012 opening on North High Street between Nationwide Boulevard and Vine Street.

 

The CEO of Experience Columbus, the region’s convention and visitors bureau, said it is already planning a marketing push to draw the larger events that in the past have bypassed Columbus because the city didn’t have enough hotel rooms at the convention center.

 

GRAPHIC SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF DOWNTOWN HOTEL ROOMS

 

Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/01/25/tidbits2.html

Tourism funding sought -- now

Officials say they need city, county money to market new hotel to convention planners

Thursday,  February 4, 2010 - 3:12 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The new $140 million convention hotel expected to open in fall 2012 will be a great asset to Columbus -- but only if the rooms are filled.  To do that, local tourism officials need resources -- quickly -- to market it and Columbus at large to meeting planners, a panel of Columbus tourism leaders said yesterday.

 

"The time has already passed" for that aggressive marketing to have begun, said Paul Astleford, CEO of Experience Columbus, the city's convention and visitors bureau.  Groups frequently make convention decisions years in advance, he said.

 

He joined Bill Jennison, convention facilities authority chief, and Matt MacLaren, director of the Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association, in expressing their hopes for more marketing money to those attending yesterday's meeting of the Columbus Metropolitan Club.

 

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/02/04/columbus_tourism.ART_ART_02-04-10_A8_BRGG8SH.html?sid=101

FYI: If you're looking for more information about $140 million Hilton Hotel mentioned in the previous two articles, there is a construction thread for it in the Central Ohio Projects & Construction section.  Below is the link to where the new Hilton Hotel across from the Convention Center was first announced last year.

 

Columbus: Convention Center Hotel proposal

City marketing plan is a High Five

Focus is on High Street from German Village to University District

Tuesday,  February 23, 2010 - 2:46 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch

 

The Magnificent Mile.  Bourbon Street.  High Street?  A partnership of neighborhoods and attractions in and near Downtown is launching Columbus High Five, a marketing initiative that they hope can do for Columbus what other famous streets have done for the images of cities such as Chicago, New Orleans and New York.

 

More specifics will be unveiled in an announcement Wednesday, but the general idea outlined by several people involved is to use the High Five brand online and in printed materials to encourage visitors to explore a 5-mile stretch of High Street from German Village in the south to the University District at the north.

 

"Even in the Columbus suburbs, there are people that for the longest time haven't explored the offerings here (around Downtown)," said John Angelo, a marketing consultant who recently stepped down as head of the Short North Business Association.  "We want to let them and others know that there is so much side by side right here."

 

HIGH FIVE: THE TEAM

Member districts and destinations that are part of the High Five marketing initiative:

• German Village

• Downtown

• Arena District

• Greater Columbus Convention Center

• North Market

• Short North Arts District

• South Campus Gateway

• Wexner Center for the Arts

• University District

 

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/02/23/city-marketing-plan-is-a-high-five.html?sid=101

Marketing push highlights 5 High St. neighborhoods

Thursday,  February 25, 2010 - 2:54 AM

By Marla Matzer Rose

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Columbus has a chic and vibrant 5-mile stretch along High Street in the heart of the city.  That stretch now is being marketed as High Five, and yesterday a promotional campaign was rolled out to tout its appeal to residents, visitors and businesses.  An interactive Web site, maps and brochures were unveiled by backers of High Five, which refers to 5 miles and five neighborhoods along High Street, from German Village to the University District.

 

High Five not only should appeal to visitors but to companies looking to lease offices and build housing in the heart of the city, said Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of Downtown's Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District.  The proximity to amenities highlighted by the High Five campaign is "very appealing" to people, especially young professionals, looking for a place to live and work, Ricksecker said.

 

Yesterday's kickoff included the debut of the marketing materials.  John Angelo, a destination marketing consultant and past director of the Short North Business Association, said colorful maps and brochures promoting the area were printed in-house by Grange Insurance.  Quick Square Consulting, a Columbus Web design firm, donated its work on the Web site, www.columbushighfive.com, which went live yesterday afternoon.

 

Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/02/25/marketing-push-highlights-5-high-st--neighborhoods.html?sid=101

 

 

HIGH FIVE WEBSITE:  http://www.columbushighfive.com/

Worldwide ecology summit coming to Columbus in 2012

Business First of Columbus

Wednesday, May 12, 2010, 12:21pm EDT

 

As many as 2,000 scientists from around the world will head to Columbus two years from now for an ecology summit hosted in part by Ohio State University. 

 

The school this week said the fourth international EcoSummit will be hosted at the Greater Columbus Convention Center Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, 2012.  William Mitsch, an Ohio State professor, was among the original organizers of the conference, which has taken place three times in the past 14 years in Copenhagen, Denmark; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and, most recently, in Beijing in 2007.

 

The school is working with the City of Columbus and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission on early details of the summit, which will be formally announced in August at a meeting of the Ecological Society of America in Pittsburgh.

 

Full article: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2010/05/10/daily22.html

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Thrives in Columbus in 2011

By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

Published on January 30, 2012 3:45 pm

 

According to the Smith Travel Research Report, the hospitality industry continued to grow in Columbus in 2011, despite the economic recession.  A total of 395,418 room nights were booked in 2011, which Experience Columbus cites as an increase of 10.3% over 2010.  Additional findings from the Smith Travel Research Report include:

 

■ Columbus area hotels had an average occupancy rate of 59.5%, up 5.6% YTD.

■ The average daily rate at Columbus area hotels was $81.42, up 3.2% YTD.

■ Revenue per available room (RevPAR) at Columbus area hotels averaged $48.46, up 8.9% YTD.

 

Beyond visitor spending, Columbus will also benefit from the hospitality boost through the hotel bed tax collection, which was up 7.55% in 2011.  That tax generated over $30 million in revenue in 2011, which funds Experience Columbus and the Convention Center in addition to public arts programs, social services and affordable housing initiatives.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/tourism-and-hospitality-industry-thrives-in-columbus-in-2011

Horse show needs more room at fairgrounds

By Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch

Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 11:11 PM

 

The All American Quarter Horse Congress wants to build additional facilities at the state fairgrounds so the annual show can continue to grow and stay in Columbus.

 

Its contract with the fairgrounds runs through 2015.  And Cam Foreman, the manager of the congress, mentioned the possibility that the congress might move. “We’d like to grow, but right now we’re maxed out,” Foreman said of the congress, which is put on by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association. “The only way to expand is with added facilities.”

 

The congress is the largest single-breed horse show in the world and pumps an estimated $180 million into the local economy each year, according to an expositions commission study.  The monthlong show, held in October, attracts more than 650,000 visitors and showcases about 8,000 horses from around the world.  Congress officials talked with the Ohio Expositions Center staff last week about possible additions.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/29/horse-show-needs-more-room-at-fairgrounds.html

Experience Columbus gets budget bump from city

Business First

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 12:02pm EST

 

Experience Columbus is getting a boost from the city’s general fund.  Columbus City Council approved the city’s $6.44 million contribution to the convention and visitor’s bureau’s 2012 budget at a meeting Monday night.  Last year, the city contributed $5.4 million to Experience Columbus.

 

That $6.44 million includes $2 million from the city’s general fund, up from $1.1 million in 2011.  The remaining $4.44 million comes from a 1.5 percent allotment from the city’s hotel and motel excise tax.  In 2011, Experience Columbus received about $4.4 million from the tax.

 

The bureau’s overall budget is expected to increase from $7.5 million in 2011 to about $8.5 million this year.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/02/28/experience-columbus-gets-budget-bump.html

City plans to reallocate its fraction of bed tax to help bring in visitors

By Lucas Sullivan and Steve Wartenberg, The Columbus Dispatch

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 - 8:03 AM

 

Funding for tourism, the arts and human services will get a $3.5 million boost from Columbus next year in the hope that the additional money will create jobs and improve the city’s reputation as a vibrant destination.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman unveiled his plan yesterday to reallocate nearly all dollars the city receives next year from the hotel/motel tax, also called the bed tax, to initiatives by Experience Columbus, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Human Services Chamber.

 

The plan doesn’t call for an increase in the bed tax, which is 10 percent of the room rates hotels and motels charge.  It is Coleman’s response to a study he commissioned last year of how to increase funding for tourism, the arts and human services.  Under the plan:

 

• Experience Columbus, the city’s tourism and convention bureau, will receive a total of about $7.3 million in bed-tax money in 2013, compared with $4.74 million this year. The bureau could receive $8.5 million in 2014 if it meets certain conditions.

 

• The Greater Columbus Arts Council will receive about $5.3 million in 2013, compared with $4.74 million this year. Funding for 2014 will be at least as much as in 2013 but could be higher.

 

• Human Services will get about $1.7 million compared with $1.3 million this year. It will get at least $1.7 million in 2014, possibly more.

 

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/11/14/arts-tourism-will-get-a-lift.html

 

GRAPHIC: Current and Proposed Bed Tax Allocation

Columbus Business First had a November article about the City of Columbus thinking about making a bid for a 2016 presidential convention:

 

Columbus preparing bid for 2016 presidential convention

Business First by Jeff Bell, Staff reporter

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012, 6:00am EST

 

Experience Columbus CEO Paul Astleford thinks the time finally may have arrived for Columbus to make a legitimate pitch to host the Democratic or Republican national conventions in 2016.  Columbus enjoys a high profile as the capital of the ultimate swing state in presidential elections.  Boosted by the recent opening of the Hilton Columbus Downtown convention hotel and the addition of other hotels, the city now is capable of offering the kind of package needed to land a major political convention drawing thousands of delegates, many more candidate backers and the army of media following them, he said.

(. . .)

It’s not too early to get organized for a 2016 bid.  The national political parties are expected to make site decisions in spring 2014 for their conventions two years later.  Officials at Experience Columbus, the region’s tourism and convention agency, have been talking with city and elected officials about making a bid for one of the conventions, Astleford said.  Two former national political power brokers from Central Ohio, Republican Jo Ann Davidson and Democrat David Wilhelm, are involved in the discussions.

(. . .)

But Columbus’ business community would need to get behind the effort because the private and public sectors in host cities must make major financial commitments to land a convention.  Astleford doesn’t know what the cost would be in Columbus, but it could be around $50 million based on the experiences of host cities. ... The return on such an investment could be considerable for Central Ohio.  The host committee for the Democratic convention in Charlotte estimated it would have an economic impact of $150 million to $200 million in that region, said Laura Hill, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.  Some 35,000 people attended the convention, including 6,000 delegates and 15,000 members of the media, she said.

 

READ MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/11/16/is-it-our-turn.html

Companion piece to the above Business First article about Columbus thinking about making a bid for a 2016 presidential convention.  This piece looks at four aspects of the convention bid and sees how Columbus compares to the 2012 sites of Charlotte and Tampa:

 

Business First: Columbus needs to show commitment, excitement to land 2016 presidential convention

 

Arena Seating Capacity:

Columbus - 20,000

Charlotte - 20,200

Tampa - 20,000

 

Convention Center Meeting Rooms:

Columbus - 61

Charlotte - 37

Tampa - 36

 

Downtown Hotel Rooms:

Columbus - 3,800

Charlotte - 4,100

Tampa - 4,000

 

Total Hotel Rooms:

Columbus - 26,438

Charlotte - 30,000

Tampa - 24,000

Cleveland is looking to host one of the political conventions in 2016 as well.  I think both Cleveland and Columbus should each go for both political conventions, and in a best case scenario both conventions come to the nation's ultimate battleground state.  Normally I'd think that the parties try to spatially spread out, but in this era of Ohio is the end all be all state of presidential politics, I think both conventions coming here is a very real possibility.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/12/readying_a_2016_convention_bid.html#incart_2box

I'm surprised that Tampa has fewer hotel rooms than Columbus, Tampa being a major league city in the State of Florida.

Possibly due to the Orlando area being so close?

Cleveland is looking to host one of the political conventions in 2016 as well.  I think both Cleveland and Columbus should each go for both political conventions, and in a best case scenario both conventions come to the nation's ultimate battleground state.  Normally I'd think that the parties try to spatially spread out, but in this era of Ohio is the end all be all state of presidential politics, I think both conventions coming here is a very real possibility.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/12/readying_a_2016_convention_bid.html#incart_2box

I tend to agree.  In an ideal world, somehow combining the Columbus/Cleveland bids to get both conventions would seem to make sense.  I haven't seen anything about this one way or the other yet.

 

The only downside I can see to combining the bids is that each city would need to pick either the DNC or RNC.  Since Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are (and have historically been) heavily democratic, they would likely insist on hosting the DNC.  Which would be kind of a bummer, because I'd much rather see the DNC in Columbus than the RNC.  Both personally and functionally.  Functionally, because Columbus and Franklin County have swung heavily democratic over the past decade.  And personally because I find the DNC to be more fun and interesting. 

 

But Columbus wouldn't turn down the RNC if they choose us in 2016.  Because, at the end of the day, Republican money spends the same as Democratic money!

It ain't the DNC or RNC, but the convention and tourism people seem pretty happy that they landed the National Association of Counties.  Or NACO, as the cool kids call it.  Apparently this is alot of County Commissioners and administrative officials from all around the country.  More from the Business First non-subscription-required article below:

 

Business First: NACO bringing 2017 convention to Columbus, with $9M estimated impact

Paul Astleford, CEO of Central Ohio's tourism and convention agency, Experience Columbus, is retiring at the end of this month.  Astleford has been the head of Experience Columbus for the past 13 years and has been in the middle of some major projects, like the expansion of the Greater Columbus Convention Center and the funding and construction of the Downtown Hilton Hotel across the street from the convention center. 

 

Below are two recent interviews with Paul Astleford that look back at his tenure with Experience Columbus.  He talks about the city's past, present and future with regard to the convention and tourism industry as well as how perceptions of Columbus have changed both internally and externally:

 

Business First: Astleford says more-collaborative discussions have aided city’s future

 

Columbus Underground: Paul Astleford Discusses Hotels, Conventions and the Columbus Brand

The massive Quarter Horse Congress is once again prodding state officials to make improvements to the Ohio Expo Center (aka The State Fairgrounds) - as previously noted in 2012 in this thread:

 

Horse show threatening to abandon fairgrounds

By Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch

Sunday, November 3, 2013 - 7:18 AM

 

The world’s largest single-breed horse show is again making noise about ditching the Ohio Expo Center and moving to another state.  Officials of the All American Quarter Horse Congress told the Ohio Expositions Commission recently that the show has outgrown the 360-acre fairgrounds and participants are complaining.  The congress’s current 10-year contract with the commission runs through 2015.

 

The show has been held at the fairgrounds since it began as a three-day event in 1967.  It has grown to 24 days in October, and studies show it pours $180 million into the local economy each year. ... Dr. Scott Myers, executive director of the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, told Ohio Expo commissioners that the fairgrounds has 1,200 horse stalls under roof, and the congress needs 5,000, so it spends $700,000 a year to rent temporary stalls and tents.  The congress wants to add events but can’t because of lack of space, Myers said. 

 

He’s disappointed that the fair’s new master plan - still in the works - doesn’t include a new building south of the Celeste Center that congress officials had suggested.  Fair manager Virgil Strickler said commissioners would consider adding a building if it could be used by other fairgrounds customers as well.  The commission’s draft capital-budget request for state money includes $12 million to build a building for the congress.  A task force of congress and Expo Center officials have met and more meetings are planned, Myers said.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/11/03/horse-show-threatening-to-abandon-fairgrounds.html

More about Columbus exploring hosting either a DNC or RNC convention in 2016.  First, a December article from the Dispatch that looks at the people behind the city's bid and a comparison of Columbus with the 2012 sites of Charlotte and Tampa:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2013/12/12/city-officials-explore-hosting-a-convention.html

Next - Columbus made an informal pitch at last week's Republican National Committee winter meeting along with other cities.  Columbus made a similar pitch at a Democratic National Committe meeting in November.  Interested cities have until Feb. 26 to submit formal bids to the RNC:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/01/25/columbus-woos-rnc-to-host-16-convention.html

The Dispatch looked at hotel occupancy numbers for 2013.  This was the first full year that the new downtown Hilton Hotel has been open.  The article looked at how the downtown Hilton affected occupancy numbers and the convention trade:

 

Downtown Hilton’s success rubbing off

By Steve Wartenberg, The Columbus Dispatch

Friday, January 31, 2014 - 7:58 AM

 

Central Ohio hotels attracted nearly 14 percent more visitors last year, and convention officials say it is in part because of the new Hilton Columbus Downtown.

 

The 532-room Hilton also has enabled Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission to attract larger meetings and events that would have been out of reach in the past, officials said.  Hotel backers and experts say the upscale hotel on N. High Street, which opened in October 2012, is matching the high hopes that spurred construction of the convention hotel.

 

“Bidding on the Republican or Democratic national conventions (in 2016) and the NCAA women’s basketball Final Four (for 2017 to 2020) and hosting the NHL All-Star Game in 2015 wouldn’t be possible without the Hilton,” said Brian Ross, CEO of Experience Columbus, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/01/31/downtown-hiltons-success-rubbing-off.html

 

Columbus Launches Websites to Lure Political Conventions in 2016

By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

Published on February 16, 2014 - 10:20 am

 

As first announced back in November, city leaders have thrown the Columbus hat in the ring for hosting both the Democratic and Republican national conventions in 2016.  The effort has continued since then through meetings with RNC officials, and presentations with four other cities (Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Kansas City) in Washington DC.

(. . .)

The latest way that city officials have continued with the effort is by launching a collection of websites that explain why the city is the best in the country to hosts these national political events. ... For more information, visit www.columbusfor2016.com.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-launches-websites-to-lure-political-conventions-in-2016

 

Columbus named as a finalist for 2016 Republican presidential convention

By Steve Wartenberg, The Columbus Dispatch

Thursday, February 27, 2014 - 10:15 AM

 

Calling it “our Super Bowl” and the opportunity to showcase the city’s “swagger” to the world, Columbus officials submitted a bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, and is preparing to compete for the Democratic convention.  This morning, Reince Priebus, the chairman for the Republican National Committee, announced on Twitter a list of eight finalists who submitted bids yesterday: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Phoenix.  A winner is expected to be picked by late August or early September.

(. . .)

The 2016 Republican convention is expected to attract 45,000 visitors, total 65,000 hotel room nights and create $150 million to $200 million in economic impact, Brian Ross, CEO of Experience Columbus said.

(. . .)

Requirements to host the Republicans include an arena capable of holding 18,000 people, 40,000 square feet of office space, 250,000 to 300,000 square feet of space for a media center near the arena, parking for 2,000 cars and 300-plus buses and 16,000 first-class hotel rooms, plus 1,000 one- and two-bedroom suites.  The winning city must raise an estimated $55 million to defray convention costs.  JobsOhio, Gov. John Kasich’s privatized development agency, pledged up to $10 million to any Ohio city that lands either national convention.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/02/26/columbus-submits-bid-for-Republican-presidential-convention.html

Columbus Business First also looked at the RNC requirements to host a presidential convention and how the Columbus bid stacks up to these requirements at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/02/does-columbus-have-what-it-takes-to.html

 

Plus, Columbus is also bidding for the Democratic National Convention.  From the above posted Dispatch article:  "Senator Sherrod Brown, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and county and state officials will lead a delegation that is planning to meet today in Washington, D.C. with the Democratic National Committee.  The DNC has not sent out a request for proposals for its 2016 national convention."

 

Columbus Underground had more about that delegation to the DNC via this press release posted at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/is-columbus-ready-to-host-a-national-political-convention/page/8

 

Press Release:  Columbus 2016 to Host Cocktail Reception at DNC Winter Meeting

 

Columbus 2016 will host a reception at The Capital Hilton hotel in Washington D.C. for members of the Democratic National Committee during their Winter Meeting.  Joining Mayor Michael B. Coleman, the host group includes:

 

• Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown

• Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty

• Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan

• Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland

• Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern

• Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady

• Columbus City Council President Andy Ginther

• Columbus City Councilmember Zach Klein

• Columbus City Councilmember Michelle Mills

• Ohio State Representative Kevin Boyce

• Ohio State Representative Kathleen Clyde

• The Columbus Partnership

 

When:  Thursday February 27, 2014

 

Where:  The Capitol Hilton Presidential Ballroom

            1001 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Being that Sherrod Brown lives outside of Cleveland and he and Ted Strickland represent (represented in Ted's case) the entire state of Ohio, why do you suppose they are giving support to Columbus over the other 2 Ohio cities vying for a convention?

Why shouldn't Sen. Brown and former Gov. Stickland support the capital of the state they represent/represented?

^Plus I am sure they would all go to bat for Cleveland and Cincinnati for their bids as well.  City rivalries aside, for the state as a whole it's great if any one of the 3 cities get the convention, heck I'd like to see them both in Ohio.  Of course as a Clevelander I'd like to see one here, and let Columbus and Cincinnati fight over the remaining convention!  :-P

If the GOP picks Ohio, doubt the dems will. If GOP goes somewhere else there is a pretty good chance the Dems go to Ohio.

I would love Cleveland to get the Dem convention but if not them, Columbus is good too. I am pulling for Cincy for the GOP but if not, I would rather see Columbus.

Is it too much to expect that the 21st century Republican Party make a smart decision?  Apparently, it is.

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-out-of-running-for-gop-2016-convention

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/04/02/columbus-out-of-mix-for-2016-republican-national.html

:-D

well it figures. im doing as well calling the site of this convention as i am with march madness.

Is it too much to expect that the 21st century Republican Party make a smart decision?  Apparently, it is.

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-out-of-running-for-gop-2016-convention

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/04/02/columbus-out-of-mix-for-2016-republican-national.html

 

I wouldn't call either Cleveland or Cincinnatti bad decisions. Why can't people cheer for other cities than their own?    A convention of this stature in any city in Ohio benefits the entire state.  If Columbus had been selected, I would be disappointed that Cleveland didn't get it, but I would quickly recover and throw full support behind Columbus.  Don't throw the Columbus pity party yet- there is still the DNC.

Is it too much to expect that the 21st century Republican Party make a smart decision?  Apparently, it is.

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-out-of-running-for-gop-2016-convention

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/04/02/columbus-out-of-mix-for-2016-republican-national.html

 

I wouldn't call either Cleveland or Cincinnatti bad decisions. Why can't people cheer for other cities than their own?  A convention of this stature in any city in Ohio benefits the entire state.  If Columbus had been selected, I would be disappointed that Cleveland didn't get it, but I would quickly recover and throw full support behind Columbus.  Don't throw the Columbus pity party yet- there is still the DNC.

 

Well, I didn't intend for my gentle jab at the GOP to come off as a slam to Cleveland and Cincinnati.  Because I agree with your sentiment about supporting other Ohio cities.  And if Columbus can't host the RNC convention, it would be great if Cleveland or Cincinnati could.

 

But I'm not relying the 21st century Republican Party to be smart.  It's likely that they'll shaft Cleveland and Cincinnati too and pick Las Vegas instead.  After all, numerous Republican presidential candidates made a pilgrimage there last weekend to kiss the ring of casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson.  Why not just take the next step and hold the entire RNC convention there?

^ I get your point. They weren't just kissing the ring of  Adelson, they were eating it. I think you're right--Las Vegas here they come.