April 4, 201411 yr Las Vegas seems like such a risky choice for the RNC. I just can't see them nominating their Presidential candidate in "sin city". I think it will be Dallas or Cleveland. Cincinnati would be a great choice for them, but they don't have the type of arena that these conventions seem to rely on.
April 5, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it.
April 5, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it. Lack of "rail transit" may have been of concern--but that was hardly the deciding factor in Columbus getting the boot. (For example, exactly where is Cincinnati's rail transit?) :wtf:
April 5, 201411 yr I can't remember the proposed first day of streetcar operation. Isn't it early 2016?
April 5, 201411 yr I think it will go to Cincinnati or KC. Cleveland may be hard depending on the dates because of the Cavs potentially in the arena at that time. Dallas and Texas have been done by the GOP too much. KC provides that nice median. USBank arena sucks but it is not an eliminating factor. It all depends ultimately on which group is able to secure the funding for it.
April 5, 201411 yr ^I know this is getting a bit off topic, but I wonder if Cincinnati's bid includes using either Great American Ballpark or Paul Brown Stadium, rather than the arena. I remember Obama gave his acceptance speech at Mile High Stadium in Denver in 2012. I'm sure the arena would still be necessary for the convention, but maybe the outdoor venues could also be utilized with the arena as the weather back up.
April 5, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it. Didn't give Tampa the boot and they have less downtown hotel rooms than Columbus. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 5, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it. Didn't give Tampa the boot and they have less downtown hotel rooms than Columbus. But Tampa has all of those strip club shuttles which I'm sure more than made up for it in the eyes of the TPTB at the RNC. Having no tit-bits near Dowtown was probably a major factor for C-Bus's elimination. Frankly, I'm surprised Cincy made the cut for the same reason.
April 5, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it. Didn't give Tampa the boot and they have less downtown hotel rooms than Columbus. Tampa does have rail transit (TECO) but the line is underdeveloped in places.
April 5, 201411 yr I wouldn't exactly call that trolley from Ybor City to downtown as a practical use of transit to transport convetioneers to and from the airport. Then again, most cities don't have air-to-rail transit so I doubt rail had any significant factor. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 5, 201411 yr But Tampa has all of those strip club shuttles which I'm sure more than made up for it in the eyes of the TPTB at the RNC. Having no tit-bits near Dowtown was probably a major factor for C-Bus's elimination. Frankly, I'm surprised Cincy made the cut for the same reason. What are we saying here, anyway? That Cincy had less "tit-bits" than Tampa, but just about equal to Cbus? P-l-e-a-s-e! As you must already realize, the reasons Cbus lost its bid for the 2016 RNC (vs.Cincy) was about far more important things than this.
April 5, 201411 yr I think it will go to Cincinnati or KC. Cleveland may be hard depending on the dates because of the Cavs potentially in the arena at that time. Dallas and Texas have been done by the GOP too much. KC provides that nice median. USBank arena sucks but it is not an eliminating factor. It all depends ultimately on which group is able to secure the funding for it. I thought the convention was normally in late August/early September... MONTHS after even the NBA finals! NBA season doesn't start until November, so there should be no overlap if the convention is still held in late Summer.
April 5, 201411 yr I think it will go to Cincinnati or KC. Cleveland may be hard depending on the dates because of the Cavs potentially in the arena at that time. Dallas and Texas have been done by the GOP too much. KC provides that nice median. USBank arena sucks but it is not an eliminating factor. It all depends ultimately on which group is able to secure the funding for it. I thought the convention was normally in late August/early September... MONTHS after even the NBA finals! NBA season doesn't start until November, so there should be no overlap if the convention is still held in late Summer. Even if the convention happened to fall during the NBA finals, I don't think the Cavs would have much to worry about. :wink: Lets face it, Dan Gilbert owns the team. Anyway, there's always the Wolstein. Cleveland has plenty of downtown hotels currently/under construction, rail link from Hopkins to Tower City, a brand new convention center, and plenty of arena/stadium space all within a walkable area of eachother. At the end of the day, I am sure no Ohio city will get it.
April 7, 201411 yr Columbus has no rail transit. I guarantee that's what got us the boot, even from the GOP. Our lack or rail transit really sticks out now that everyone else has it. Considering the GOP is consistently the roadblock in just about every single public transit expansion project, this seems wholly ironic to me.
May 24, 201411 yr The largest-attended and biggest-spending convention in Columbus - the All American Quarter House Congress - looks like it will be staying in Ohio's Capital City. After threatening to move because of sub-standard facilities at the State Fairgrounds - (see this post from last year in this thread) - the new state budget includes an allocation for two new buildings at the Ohio Expo Center (aka State Fairgrounds): $38 million from state will keep horse event By Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch Saturday, April 19, 2014 - 4:49 AM A $38 million state allocation for two new buildings at the Ohio Expo Center has quelled fears that the lucrative All American Quarter Horse Congress might abandon Ohio. ... The state funds will be used to build a barnlike structure with 1,000 horse stalls and a 100,000 square foot multi-purpose building. The Quarter Horse Congress has been held at the 360-acre fairgrounds since 1967. As it grew, congress officials discussed moving it to a larger, fancier venue in another state. The expo center's contract with the congress expires next year. Congress officials had said they wouldn't discuss a new pact without improvements to the fairgrounds. The state money will allow the fairgrounds to nearly double the 1,200 permanent horse stalls it has under rood, eliminating the need for the congress to rent as many temporary stalls and tents. In recent years, the congress had spent $700,000 a year to rent temporary stalls and tents for its 24-day run every October, which draws 650,000 visitors and participants. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/04/19/38-million-from-state-will-keep-horse-event.html
June 2, 201411 yr The Dispatch had a recent profile on the Greater Columbus Sports Commission - which is a bit like the sports version of Experience Columbus - at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/05/22/payoff-pitch.html. - Columbus has two big sporting events next year - the 2015 NHL All-Star Game and the 2015 NCAA men's basketball tournament second and third rounds. The NHL All-Star Game is in January at Nationwide Arena and is the first time in Columbus. The NCAA men's basketball tournament is in March at Nationwide Arena and has been there previously in 2004 and 2012. - There are two other sporting events confirmed for 2016. In April 2016, the NCAA men's gymnastics finals will be held at the OSU campus. And in August 2016, the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament will be held at the Scioto Country Club in Upper Arlington. - The Sports Commission is also in the bidding for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in 2015 & 2016, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2016, the U.S. Track & Field Championships in 2017 and the NCAA Woman's Basketball Final Four in 2018 & 2020.
June 2, 201411 yr The 2016 Republican National Convention is not coming to Columbus. But Columbus was asked to formally submit a bid to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The bad news is that Columbus was one of 15 cities the DNC asked for bids. So it's not exactly a short list. The other cities the DNC asked for bids were: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City. More about the Columbus bid at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/05/24/democrats-working-hard-to-get-convention.html
June 2, 201411 yr ^ The city needs to recall a famous Shakespearean idiom: ("Discretion is the better part of valor") and apply it to this political situation, thus saving a lot of time, money, and grief...
June 3, 201411 yr ^ I wouldn't say Columbus is wasting a lot time and money with the RNC and DNC bids. The CVB already exists. And this is what they do anyway - Promote Columbus. And as far as grief is concerned, it never hurts to promote your city's image to the major media markets. Columbus (and Ohio in general) suffers from the low expectations of coastal elites. But bring them in and show them around. Show them the convention center and how it's right next door to Nationwide Arena. Show them the Arena District that was built around the arena. Show them the thriving Short North that's just north of the convention center and Arena District. It might change some attitudes. Plus, having an outside critical eye can sometimes prompt local changes. One reason given for the RNC passing over Columbus was not enough public transit options for a convention of this size. Columbus has done very well, even without a streetcar or light rail system. But the RNC's assessment (and most likely the DNC's assessment to come) was that without this, Columbus can't advance to the next level. And if local business interests start to see a lack of streetcars or light rail as being "bad for business", then you'll get more business support to address this. And if these bids nudge the political and business interests to address this, then the effort won't have been wasted.
June 9, 201411 yr 6 cities bid for Democratic National Convention in 2016 By JAMES HOHMANN | POLITICO 6/7/14 3:02 PM EDT Six cities submitted bids to host the Democratic National Convention in 2016: Birmingham, Cleveland, Columbus, New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix, Democrats announced Saturday. In April, the Democratic National Committee invited 15 cities to make a proposal and these are the ones that responded by the deadline. A Technical Advisory Committee will now evaluate all six cities, making site visits and studying their logistical ability to handle the crowds of people. A final decision will be announced either late this year or in early 2015. MORE: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/democratic-national-convention-six-cities-bid-107560.html
June 9, 201411 yr More about the Columbus bid for the DNC: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/06/06/columbus-submits-bid-to-host-democratic-national.html http://www.nbc4i.com/story/25726482/6-cities-competing-for-2016-democratic-convention
November 8, 201410 yr Like I said before, The All American Quarter Horse Congress held annually at the State Fairgrounds is not an event I'm personally interested in. But when an event attracts 650,000 visitors and pumps an estimated $180 million into the local economy each year, you take notice. And local and state officials did too. After the Quarter Horse Congress threatened to move because of sub-standard facilities at the State Fairgrounds, the new state budget includes an allocation for two new buildings at the Ohio Expo Center (aka State Fairgrounds) - see this post from earlier in the thread. Now, the Quarter Horse Congress has signed a new contract with the State Fairgrounds to stay in Columbus for another 10 years. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/10/23/Quarter-Horse-Congress-signs-new-10-year-contract-with-Expo-Center.html
November 8, 201410 yr According to the below linked NBC4 report, the DNC will narrow its list of 2016 National Convention candidate cities from five to three before Thanksgiving. The report states that the local convention team is highly confident that Columbus will make the cut and move on to the final round of negotiations. Also, that they expect Birmingham and Phoenix to be cut from the list. If that happens, Columbus, Philadelphia and Brooklyn would be the final three DNC locations. I hope they are right. Making the final cut would good for the city. And having both the RNC convention (congrats Cleveland) and the DNC convention held in Ohio in 2016 would be a big boost to the state. Especially after hosting the 2015 NHL All-Star Game in Columbus and the 2015 MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Although I tend to agree with the CU poster at http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/is-columbus-ready-to-host-a-national-political-convention/page/21 when he said he was getting "that stone brewing feeling". Still, I'm hoping for some good news. http://www.nbc4i.com/story/27271676/dnc-decision-approaches-comparing-columbus-to-other-cities
November 18, 201410 yr Still no word from the DNC about 2016. But Columbus did get an announcement on another big event they were waiting on: The NCAA announced last night that Columbus and Nationwide Arena had been selected as the hosts of the 2018 Women's Basketball Final Four. Columbus was one of seven cities vying for a Women's Final Four between 2017 and 2020. Dallas (2017), Tampa (2019) and New Orleans (2020) were the other three cities selected. This is the second time Columbus tried for the Women's Final Four - they were an also-ran in 2008. http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2014/11/18/1117-womens-final-four.html
November 18, 201410 yr holy crap what if columbus gets the dnc? that would be amazing to have both in the state. it is perfectly fitting though, that is truly how key ohio is. would they do that?? has it been done before? i guess it's up the the dnc to decide. http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/ohio/2014/07/23/cleveland-state-chair-says-columbus-odds-pretty-good/13065065/ edit: The conventions have been in the same city five times since 1900. The most recent case was Miami Beach in 1972. Never in different cities in the same state.
December 17, 201410 yr Eh, a little late posting this CU excerpt/link here. But its a fine to-the-point read. Plus loads of additional infographs and video links about CBUS tourism/convention info at the CU link below: Tourism Contributes $8.7 Billion to Columbus Economy By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground October 15, 2014 - 1:37 pm Columbus doesn’t have mountains, oceans or internationally known landmarks, but that doesn’t mean that tourists are non-existent in our city. In fact, Experience Columbus released a report yesterday that highlights the fact that economic impact from visitor spending is up 11% in the past two years to a grand total of $8.7 billion, generated by 37.6 million visitors. That spending is spread across multiple support industries including retail, food and beverage businesses, transportation services, entertainment and lodging. Collectively, the businesses serving the visitor industry provide over 71,000 jobs in Franklin County. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/tourism-contributes-8-7-billion-to-columbus-economy
December 29, 201410 yr Don Brown tapped to lead Convention Facilities Authority By Josh Jarman, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, December 25, 2014 - 6:03 AM The man who oversaw construction of Franklin County’s new Common Pleas Courthouse and looked out for county interests in the construction of Huntington Park is expected to take those skills to the agency that runs the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Nationwide Arena. Don Brown, who retired in October after more than nine years as Franklin County administrator, will soon take over as executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority. The authority’s executive committee decided this week to recommend Brown for the job, a move the full board of directors will consider in late January. Brown replaces longtime director Bill Jennison, who has led the authority since 1995. Jennison had previously announced that he would step down as director next month. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/24/County_administrator_to_lead_convention_center_owner.html
January 27, 201510 yr DNC Names 2016 Convention Finalists: New York, Philadelphia, and Columbus There's been quite a bit of recent news about the DNC (but no site announcement yet). Here are the updates we do have: DNC Announces 2016 Convention Date, No Host City Announced Yet: Still no announcement on the host city for their 2016 convention. But the DNC did announce when it will be held: The week of July 25th. That's right after the RNC holds their convention in Cleveland from July 18 to July 21: http://www.columbusunderground.com/dnc-announces-2016-convention-date-no-host-city-yet How Hosting NHL All-Star Game Could Help Columbus Get 2016 DNC: Columbus just concluded its by-all-accounts successful hosting of the NHL All-Star Game - UO thread on the ASG. And it just so happens that the two biggest facilities involved in hosting the ASG are the same two facilities key to hosting the DNC: Nationwide Arena and the Convention Center: http://wcbe.org/post/how-hosting-nhl-all-star-game-could-help-columbus-get-2016-dnc The DNC Convention Chair Revisited the Columbus Hosting Sites Yesterday: This event was closed to the media, but multiple sources said they were testing walking distances between the Arena, Convention Center and various hotels and attractions in the Arena District and Short North areas: http://wosu.org/2012/news/2015/01/26/dems-2016-convention-chair-revisits-sites-columbus/ And to top it off: The announcement that the DNC will be held during the week of July 25th might be very important. Not only is it right after Cleveland hosts the RNC. But the late July time frame would allow Ohio State to use its thousands of dorm rooms to support the DNC. An August time frame would conflict with OSU's fall semester and would not allow the DNC to access these rooms and other the OSU resources detailed in this report at Business First: Drake: Ohio State willing to help host Democrats in 2016 By Tom Knox, Reporter – Columbus Business First January 27, 2015, 11:33am EST As the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee tours the three finalist cities this week before deciding which will host the 2016 convention, there's plenty of debate about Columbus' chances. Columbus doesn’t have the public transportation to match the other finalists, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. It doesn’t have the big-city reputation. But it does have something neither of its northeastern counterparts has: A huge university willing to offer its dorm rooms, buses, students and Ohio Stadium to support the convention. When DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz toured the city Monday, she got her first chance to sit down with the man in charge of it all: Ohio State University President Michael Drake. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2015/01/drake-ohio-state-willing-to-help-host-democrats-in.html
February 3, 201510 yr More about the bid to the DNC from the Dispatch's Capital Insider column. Some details about who might get what hotel near Nationwide Arena and the convention center. Plus, an interesting notice about Philadelphia's bid for the DNC at the end... Capitol Insider: Nominee could command the Horseshoe By Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch Published: Sunday, February 1, 2015 Columbus has “offered” but not necessarily “pitched” 105,000-seat Ohio Stadium for the Democratic nominee's acceptance speech, a source with knowledge of the plan says. ... Party leaders also are proposing the Joseph, a new Le Meridien hotel in the Short North, to house major Democratic donors. The Hilton Columbus Downtown and the Hyatt Regency, both next to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, would serve as joint convention headquarters, the source said. One likely would house the nominee, the other President Obama. The Ohio delegation would get premium space just outside the proposed security perimeter at the Crowne Plaza on Nationwide Boulevard. (. . .) According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, that city already has a convention planned the week of Democratic gathering, with 18,000 people registered that would have to move. There is also concern about the number of hoetl rooms available for two large conventions. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/02/01/nominee-could-command-the-horseshoe.html
February 12, 201510 yr Ah, well. Sometimes you miss when you swing for the fence... Columbus loses out on 2016 DNC, but Coleman pledges to try again in 2020 By Tom Knox, Reporter - Columbus Business First UPDATED: Feb 12, 2015, 10:17am EST The 2016 Democratic presidential convention will be in Philadelphia, not Columbus or Brooklyn. Democratic National Committee representatives will hold a conference call with reporters explaining their decision at noon. Columbus went all-in on efforts to bring the convention to town, emerging as the mid-sized underdog to the two East Coast competitors. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/02/12/columbus-loses-out-on-2016-dnc-but-coleman-pledges.html
February 12, 201510 yr Ah, well. Sometimes you miss when you swing for the fence... Columbus loses out on 2016 DNC, but Coleman pledges to try again in 2020 By Tom Knox, Reporter - Columbus Business First UPDATED: Feb 12, 2015, 10:17am EST The 2016 Democratic presidential convention will be in Philadelphia, not Columbus or Brooklyn. Democratic National Committee representatives will hold a conference call with reporters explaining their decision at noon. Columbus went all-in on efforts to bring the convention to town, emerging as the mid-sized underdog to the two East Coast competitors. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/02/12/columbus-loses-out-on-2016-dnc-but-coleman-pledges.html Damn
February 12, 201510 yr Maybe this will be a wake-up call to give this big city a big-city transportation system. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 13, 201510 yr ^ Maybe not only for a future DNC/RNC bid, but also for future Arnold weekends, as well: Arnold Sports Festival recap: New events meant bigger crowds, but overwhelmed shuttles By Evan Weese, Staff Reporter - Columbus Business First March 11, 2015, 1:09pm EDT The Arnold Sports Festival went off with few hitches in its first year without its long-time home at Franklin County Veterans Memorial, but tweaks will be made as the event adjusts to new facilities and additional sports. Shuttle service between the main venue at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and additional facilities at the Ohio Expo Center could run more smoothly, said Brent LaLonde a spokesman for the Arnold. Its popularity caused longer lines and slower commutes than expected on the 2-mile route. "We were a little bit of a victim of our success," he told me. "We were a little overwhelmed by the transportation challenge." MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/03/11/arnold-sports-festival-recap-new-events-meant.html
July 24, 20159 yr Columbus lands 2 big conventions as region targets national gatherings By Brian R. Ball, Staff Reporter Columbus Business First - July 22, 2015, 2:19pm EDT Experience Columbus has landed two national trade association conventions. Experience Columbus CEO Brian Ross told me the American Academy of Audiology selected the city for its March 2019 AudiologyNow! annual meeting. The conference is expected to attract 4,000 attendees to fill 12,300 hotel room nights during the four-day gathering. Ross also confirmed a tip sent to me that the National Auctioneers Association will hold its July 2017 national convention in Columbus. That is expected to draw 1,000 attendees taking up 3,125 hotel room nights. Ross said the opening of the downtown Hilton convention hotel in 2012 and ongoing improvements to the Greater Columbus Convention Center coincide with a beefed-up sales effort to draw the national association business. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/07/22/columbus-lands-2-big-conventions-as-region-targets.html
July 28, 20159 yr Separate article about Thirty-One Gifts and this year's convention in Nationwide Arena posted at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,3163.msg765692.html#msg765692 Morning Roundup: Thirty-One Gifts will be back Business First - July 28, 2015, 7:43am EDT Thirty-One Gifts is coming back to Columbus next year. The direct-sales juggernaut wrapped up its national convention at Nationwide Arena on Monday, bringing in about 10,000 attendees for the three-day gathering. The company estimated the convention – the region's second-largest after the All American Quarter Horse Congress – had a $6.3 million economic impact on the city. The attendees included about 300 Canadian sales consultants, representing another growth area for the business. Thirty-One Gifts, with revenue of $643 million last year, already has about 4,200 consultants in Canada after an expansion push this year. It has about 112,000 sales reps in the U.S., including about 900 in Central Ohio. And it has about 1,500 employees in Columbus, Johnstown and Springfield. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/morning_call/2015/07/morning-roundup-thirty-one-gifts-will-be-back.html
December 29, 20159 yr Columbus Hotel Occupancy Rates Rise, New 1000-Room Hotel Recommended By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground September 9, 2015 - 5:16 pm Columbus isn’t typically regarded as a tourist destination, but that isn’t stopping our visitor numbers from growing steadily. Experience Columbus released a new report today that says that visitor volume grew by 200,000 people between 2013 and 2014 to a total of 37.9 million last year. Additionally, between mid-year 2014 and 2015, hotel occupancy rates increased by 2.5 percent while the average daily hotel rate went up 6.1 percent. “Overall, Columbus is having a very strong year,” said Experience Columbus president and CEO Brian Ross. To accommodate the growth of conventions and related events, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority broke ground this year on an expansion at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which is adding 40,000 square feet of space, a new 800-spot parking garage on Goodale Street, and includes extensive renovations to the interior of the 1.7 million square foot building. After those renovations are complete, the next big step for the area would be the addition of a full service 1000-room attached hotel. “We built the Hilton in 2012 and added 532 more connected hotel rooms, and we’ve actually seen an increase in demand and an increase in occupancy rates,” explained Megumi Robinson, Associate Director of Public Relations at Experience Columbus. “What we hear from our clients and from national meeting planners is that we need another 1000 rooms either adjacent or connected to the Convention Center.” MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-convention-center-growth
December 29, 20159 yr Tourism Generates Record-Setting $40 Million in Bed Tax Revenue By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground December 17, 2015 - 2:47 pm The Columbus tourism industry had a very good year in 2015. In fact, it was pretty much the best year ever. Leaders at Experience Columbus announced yesterday afternoon that the organization tallied up a grand total of $40 million in hotel bed tax collections for the year. The increase was due to increases in hotel occupancy, revenue per available room, and average daily rate. Additionally, the total number of visitors to Columbus has grown to nearly 38 million per year, as the city hosted more conventions and sports events in 2015 than ever before. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/tourism-generates-record-setting-40-million-in-bed-tax-revenue
January 25, 20169 yr Two big conventions recently announced: - CEOs for Cities Conference Coming to Columbus in 2016 - September 28-30, 2016 - Columbus lands National Urban League conference in 2018 - Four-day conference in August 2018
May 21, 20169 yr Columbus recently hosted the Midwest Travel Writers Association annual spring meeting at the downtown Hilton. And the Columbus tourism industry took full advantage to show them the city during their five-day stay: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/05/14/1-selling-columbus-is-key-to-hosting-midwest-travel-writers.html
May 21, 20169 yr Part 1 of the below article: Columbus hopes to lure North Carolina conventions over ‘bathroom law,’ unveils mobile media lounge By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - 1:53 PM Professionals tasked with attracting conventions to a city tend to make friends with their colleagues around the country. But when it comes to getting a group to choose their city over another, business is business. Dan Williams, vice president of sales for Experience Columbus, said his staff is “definitely reaching out” to groups that might be looking to move upcoming meetings out of North Carolina because of the controversy over that state’s new “bathroom law,” which requires people to use public restrooms designed for their birth gender even if they identify as a different gender. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/05/19/1-central-ohio-planners-hope-to-poach-north-carolina-conventions.html
May 21, 20169 yr Part 2: Airstream ad for city By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - 1:53 PM Also at the meeting, Experience Columbus spokeswoman Megumi Robinson unveiled a “wrap” designed by Columbus College of Art & Design students for an Airstream trailer — also designed by students — that will serve as a mobile media lounge for journalists visiting Columbus this summer and fall to cover the 2016 presidential campaign. Experience Columbus intends to take advantage of the media exposure to market Columbus as a tourism destination. The wrap highlights neighborhoods such as the Short North, German Village and the Arena District, plus Columbus’ growing reputation as a “foodie paradise,” sports destination and fashion capital. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/05/19/1-central-ohio-planners-hope-to-poach-north-carolina-conventions.html
August 26, 20168 yr Visitor spending set record for Columbus in 2015 By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday, August 24, 2016 - 8:19 AM Columbus’ success at attracting visitors last year led to record spending and city lodging-tax revenue, according to data being announced today by convention and visitors bureau Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. In total, the city welcomed 39.3 million visitors for day or overnight visits, resulting in direct spending of $6.4 billion and an overall economic impact of $9.7 billion. Brian Ross, CEO of Experience Columbus, said several large groups contributed to a 4 percent increase in overnight visits versus 2014 and an increase in the average length of stay. These included the NHL All-Star Game in January 2015 and the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in June 2015. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/08/24/1-visitor-spending-set-record-for-columbus-in-2015.html
September 28, 20168 yr Columbus Hosting National CEOs for Cities Meeting This Week By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground September 26, 2016 - 4:26 pm Over 400 leaders from 75 US cities are descending upon Columbus this week for the CEOs for Cities annual meeting. The organization, which aims to bring together thought leaders from both the public and private sector, is hosting a series of speakers, panels, presentations and local group tours that will highlight not only national issues, but will also shine a spotlight on local accomplishments. ( . . . ) The 2016 CEOs for Cities National Meeting takes place Tuesday, September 27th through Thursday, September 29th. For more information, visit www.ceosforcitiesnationalmeeting.org. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-hosting-national-ceos-for-cities-meeting-this-week
November 17, 20168 yr From yesterday's Morning Roundup at Business First: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/11/16/morning-roundup-columbus-is-no-1-for-conventions.html Columbus is the best city in the Midwest for hosting conventions: That's the conclusion of SmartAsset, which has ranked cities across the U.S. for their ability to put on a good conference for attendees. Their analysis included several factors, including the availability of hotels, room rates, restaurant costs, airport proximity and even crime in tourist-heavy areas. It concluded that Columbus was the sixth-best city in the U.S. for conventions, and the only one in the top 15 in the Midwest. REPORT: https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-best-cities-for-conferences-in-2016
November 17, 20168 yr 2016 hotel occupancy and rate report from yesterday's Experience Columbus board meeting: Hotels stay busy as Columbus rises as tourist destination By Marla Matzer Rose, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, November 17, 2016 - 5:49 AM Hotel occupancy was up to 67.6 percent in the first nine months of the year, members of Experience Columbus’ board were told Wednesday. That’s higher than the occupancy rates in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The increase came despite construction at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The statistics, from a Smith Travel Accommodations Report report, show that Columbus ranked 5th among 11 competitive cities, up from 7th in the year-earlier period. Nashville and Charlotte were by far the leaders in occupancy rate, at more than 73 percent, followed by St. Louis. Meanwhile, Columbus’ average room rate remained relatively low. The city ranked ninth in both average daily rate and revenue per available room - Columbus’ rate was just shy of $102 - Cleveland and Pittsburgh rooms averaged between $110 and $120. For meeting planners, lower room rates mean that Columbus is seen as a “value” destination — a cost-effective city in which to hold a convention or conference. That, along with high rankings on national tourism lists, has boosted Columbus’ reputation, according to tourism officials. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/11/17/columbus-hotel-occupancy-rate-rises-with-its-tourism-reputation.html
November 20, 20168 yr I'd love to see some real movement in the next year to either expand an existing property (Hilton or Hyatt), or build a new one in order to get the much-talked-about 1,000 room convention hotel. The many, smaller options that are under development in the area are nice to have (AC, Canopy, Cambria, Moxy, Autograph, Curio, Home2Suites, etc), but really not what will drive a large expansion in the convention business from what I understand.
November 20, 20168 yr I'd love to see some real movement in the next year to either expand an existing property (Hilton or Hyatt), or build a new one in order to get the much-talked-about 1,000 room convention hotel. The many, smaller options that are under development in the area are nice to have (AC, Canopy, Cambria, Moxy, Autograph, Curio, Home2Suites, etc), but really not what will drive a large expansion in the convention business from what I understand. I'd be shocked if we didn't get an announcement on that within a few months of the completion of the convention center upgrade. My bet is on the Hyatt; they seem to have a little more land for an expansion.
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