2010 was the second best year in Denver history for meetings and conventions. Officials say this is a sign of continued economic recovery in the state.
Denver hosted 75 conventions in the Colorado Convention Center and 423 other meetings in 2010. These had an economic impact of $653 million in Colorado. 2008 remains the record year – that was when Denver hosted The Democratic National Convention. After a slump in 2009, 2010 came back with strong numbers. That is a strong sign that Denver’s economy is recovering from the recession.
“A lot of cities would be very envious about the recovery we’ve had in this economy. The other good news is that 2011 looks just as strong as 2010,” says Rich grant, spokesman for Visit Denver, The Convention And Visitors Bureau.
The economic impact is also felt outside of Denver, thanks to the growing trend of convention-goers staying in the state to vacation. Plus many businesses in Colorado are started or moved here after someone came to a meeting or convention here.
“That’s just another benefit,” says Grant, “we have a lot of people coming from all over the world. One of the fastest growing segments of conventions today is international attendance, and that helps a lot of things grow. That helps us develop international flights and keep them and it helps us become headquarters for international companies that are looking for a regional center.”
Some of 2010’s biggest conventions included The National League of Cities, which had an $8 million impact on the region, and the SnowSports Industries America Snow Show, which had a $30 million impact.