 maha's
new Convention Center / Arena is not scheduled to open until late
summer of 2003 but several major events have already been booked
through 2006. Since most major
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Omaha's new Convention Center Arena will open Summer of
next year. |
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conventions are booked three to
five years in advance, it is imperative that the city goes after
as many of these type of events as possible now.
According to the Greater
Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau, the ten events booked so far
at the convention center plus one at the not yet built performing
arts center will bring in an estimated 27,800 people and $24
million to the metropolitan area.
In addition, the
convention center also has more than 120 other events already on
the calendar through 2006. The Visitors Bureau plans to try and
entice many other organizations that they have already identified
to travel to Omaha for their conventions during 2004 and 2005.
Conventions and major
events booked so far include:
• Women of Faith regional conference, Oct. 31- Nov. 1, 2003 (10,000)
• Iowa-Nebraska Petroleum Marketers annual meeting, March 14-18, 2004 (1,000)
• Mary Kay multiple career conference, April 25-27, 2004 (2,000)
• Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Nov. 18-21, 2004 (3,700)
• Western Assoc. State Highway & Transportation Officials, July 10-14, 2005 (500)
• Americas Conference on Information Systems, Aug. 11-14, 2005 (1,500)
• American Choral Directors, April 1-4, 2006 (1,000) - at the new performing arts center
• National Science Teachers Association area conference, Oct. 18-21, 2006 (1,800)
• American Orff-Schulwerk Assoc. of Music Educators Nat'l Conf., Nov. 8-12, 2006 (1,800)
• American Volleyball Coaches Assoc. Annual Nat'l Convention, Dec. 10-17, 2006 (1,500)
• NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship, Dec. 14-16, 2006 (3,000) |
Greater Omaha Chamber of
Commerce President, Lou Burgher, wants people across the nation to
know that Omaha is open for business. We have a lot to offer here
in Omaha and it's up to all of us to get that message across to
organizations that may be planning major events in the future.
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