Business View Magazine - July 2024

impacted their business.“We struggled and lost a lot of events, especially school system events that were not allowed,” Murphy acknowledges. However, their ability to adapt and maintain operations provided a crucial lifeline. “We were in a unique position where we could operate safely and continue to host business when many others couldn’t,” he adds. By the time other convention centers began reopening in 2021, Gatlinburg Convention Center had already established itself as a leader in safe event hosting, thanks to its management team’s early and decisive actions. ECONOMIC GROWTH AND “BLEISURE” TRAVEL As Gatlinburg Convention Center grows, its impact on the local economy becomes increasingly significant. The center’s role in the city’s economic landscape has been profound and consistent, with recent years marking notable gains. 153 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 07 GATL INBURG CONVENT ION CENTER

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