Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Green Bay's KI Convention Center to Expand


Link to July 14 Green Bay Post-Gazette article, "Room tax to help fund KI Convention Center expansion".

Excerpt:   The proposal calls for adding 32,320 square feet to the 43,630-square-foot convention center, most of it raised above Adams Street, the adjoining Holiday Inn parking lot and some of the Holiday Inn meeting area. It will allow Green Bay to compete with all but the state's largest convention center competitors. The estimated cost is $18.5 million to $19.5 million.

"We've talked to the customers. This is what they want," said Mayor Jim Schmitt.

According to Betsch's research, which he said was "as conservative as we can be," a 75,950-square-foot convention center would attract 68,000 more convention delegates annually, resulting in $12 million in new direct spending, with an annual economic impact of $24 million. It would provide $3 million more in direct wages and $248,000 more in room taxes
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The Wisconsin Library Association held its 2007 conference at KI.  And I suspect we're likely to return there in 2013.

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