Business View Magazine - September 2016 113
mits. “A conference center has opened up at the uni-
versity and we compete for some meeting business
with them. We also have a private event center that
opened up about ten years ago, as well, that we com-
pete against for social business, such as weddings.”
(The Center hosts over 50 weddings a year.) “There’s
also a great museum; we’re close to Fort Benning and
a private foundation opened up The National Infantry
Museum and they do events, as well. So, there’s been
a lot of competition, of late.”
Bevans believes that while the uniqueness of the Cen-
ter’s architecture is still a big draw, a major drawback
when it comes to booking business is a lack of nearby
hotel rooms. “That’s our biggest weakness, right now,”
he laments. “Most markets either have hotels at-
tached to the building or across the street and we just
have one hotel across the street with 177 rooms. The
one thing we do need in our immediate area is more
full-service hotel space.” Bevans says the land is avail-
able and that the city’s economic development author-
ity is working with the Columbus Georgia Chamber of
Commerce to attract a developer to locate another full-
service hotel adjacent to, or close by, the Center.
Meanwhile, keeping the old Iron Works building in top
condition is one of Bevans’ most immediate concerns.
“We have some more capital needs that we have to
take care of,” he says. “That’s our main focus, right
now. Since the structure is so old, we have to do some
maintenance. It’s about $2 million for stabilizing some
of the wooden beams in the exhibit halls, and we’re
also re-doing the roof, which is quite old.”
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the old Colum-
bus Iron Works was essential to the economic life of
the city. Today, in the 21st, the Columbus Georgia Con-
vention & Trade Center is seeking to play its role as yet
another important economic driver of business and
commerce in the City of Columbus’ revitalized down-
town.
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