Business View Magazine - October 2016 155
would bring to the destination. We’re not expected to
make money. In fact, we do tend to lose and we bud-
get for that. We do make money on things like park-
ing, rental, food and beverage, rigging, utilities, but the
maintenance of the facility – our electric bill, alone, is
so astronomical that it’s virtually impossible to break
even or to make money. We really look at the economic
impact and keeping people in the community working,
the ‘heads in beds,’ and people using the taxis, the
restaurants, the shops, the attractions, and the golf
courses.”
BVM: Howmany events do you have in a normal year?
Canning:
“We host approximately 200 events each
year. About 120 of them are in that convention/
trade show category; large events – 5000-plus up to
100,000 attendees with large exhibits and meeting
space needs.”
BVM: Some convention centers do a lot of local
events: weddings, banquets, graduations. Do you?
