Isn't it time for Northern Kentucky to get some love from Frankfort for expanding the Northern Kentucky Convention Center?
Our successful convention center has had to turn away convention business that it has grown at its current facility and as well as other groups interested in the using the facility because it could not accommodate these conventions because of its current size -- which is stumping economic growth in our region.
The Northern Kentucky Convention Center has been forced to turn away more than 450 events that would have generated $3.6 million alone in rental fees at the facility. This business loss has caused local hotels to lose nearly 600,000 room nights, which translates into a loss of more than $10 million to these business. And millions of more dollars more were lost by other local businesses -- restaurants, retail shops, river cruise boats, taxis, etc. -- because these conventioneers did not visit our region.Expansion of the convention center will result in more than $100 million in economic impact and will generate more than $20 million in local and state taxes over a six-year period.
Our convention center, which was completed in 1998, has operated in the black since its beginning, even though early estimates were that it wouldn't turn a profit for five years. Unlike many convention centers, the Northern Kentucky Convention Center has always been well managed and maintained, providing our local community and the state with an excellent return on its investment.
Gretchen Landrum, executive director of the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, recently discussed this issue in article by Scott Wartman in the Kentucky Enquirer. That article can be read here: http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20120129/NEWS0108/301300015/Wait-convention-center-expansion-continues?odyssey=nav%7Chead
In addition, Strategic Advisers' Pat Crowley recently interviewed Gretchen in our continuing series of podcasts about important issues in Northern Kentucky. That interview can be heard here:
http://northernkentuckypodcast.podbean.com/2011/12/19/northern-kentucky-podcast-3/
Educate yourself about this issue and let your local legislator know that state funding for the convention center is an important component for continuing to grow the economy in our region.
