CLEVELAND (July 17, 2018) - Meetings and convention activity will continue at a strong pace in the third quarter of 2018 as the region is the host city for more than 65 events. The activity ranges from an event with some of the world's leading event management professionals to the largest content marketing event in the United States to annual association conventions. More than 45,000 associated visitors will come to Northeast Ohio during the months of July, August and September.
"Once meeting planners and attendees have a Cleveland experience, their perception of the region as a meetings destination changes significantly," said Mike Burns, senior vice president of convention sales and services, Destination Cleveland. "They go home knowing that Cleveland is an all-around great convention city with world-class attractions and friendly, helpful residents. The combination of first-hand experience and perception change increases the potential for our team to book future business with those meeting planners again."
Highlighted below are several meetings throughout the third quarter that have significant attendance, chose Cleveland as a host city because of visitor-related developments in Downtown Cleveland or are returning to Cleveland to host a meeting or event. The estimated economic impact of just the eight events listed below is more than $19 million. Estimated economic impact for the more than 65 events that will be held throughout the quarter is $63 million.
July 22-25 National Contract Management Association World Congress
About: The National Contract Management Association's World Congress will bring together contract management, procurement and acquisition professionals for the organization's largest education event. Individuals from various levels of government, industry and commercial business will come together for networking and training for all career levels. Agenda highlights include a contract management career fair, keynote speaker WIRED magazine editor-in-chief Greg Williams and sessions focused on negotiating, career advancement and the changing environment of the contract management industry. Guests can attend a Cleveland Indians game and an evening event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Estimated Attendance: 1,500
Headquarter Hotel: City wide*
Primary event venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Aug. 11-12 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships
About: The Age Group National Championships, USA Triathlon's largest annual event, will include an Olympic-distance race and an open-to-the-public sprint-distance race for athletes. The top finishers in each age group for the Olympic-distance race will qualify to represent Team USA the following year at the ITU Age Group World Championships. The course for both races will include a swim at Edgewater Beach Park, and the Olympic-distance run and bike routes will weave through Downtown Cleveland and neighborhoods including Detroit-Shoreway, St. Clair-Superior and University Circle.
Significance: Greater Cleveland Sports Commission bid on and won the hosting rights for this event, which is slated to return to Cleveland in 2019.
Estimated Attendance: 15,000 (5,000 athletes and 10,000 spectators)
Headquarter Hotel: City wide*
Primary event venue: Edgewater Park
Aug. 21-23 Federal Energy Management Program Energy Exchange
About: The U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program will bring thought leaders from the federal, private, education and state and local government sectors to its newly combined Energy Exchange and Better Buildings Summit. The event will feature interactive panels, technical training sessions, learning opportunities and a trade show for attendees.
Significance: Planners chose Cleveland based on the attractive meetings package with Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, hotel offerings and activities available for attendees.
Estimated Attendance: 2,500
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton Cleveland Downtown
Primary event venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Aug. 27-30 ConferenceDirect CDX18 Fall
About: ConferenceDirect, one of the world's leading event management and hospitality service firms, will host its signature customer event CDX18 Fall in Cleveland. The event focuses on education, networking and relationship building with the organization's top customers, associates and partners. Participants can attend an evening event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Significance: This meeting will bring some of the organization's leading clients and associations to Cleveland, some of whom may be experiencing the city for the first time and have the potential to bring future business to the region.
Estimated Attendance: 150
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton Cleveland Downtown
Primary event venue: Hilton Cleveland Downtown
Sept. 4-7 Content Marketing World
About: Content Marketing World is one of the industry's largest content marketing events, offering approximately 120 sessions with more than 225 speakers - including keynote speaker Tina Fey and presenters from Cleveland Clinic, LinkedIn, The New York Times, Pinterest, IBM, Google and Parker Hannifin. Session topics will focus on content strategy, social media marketing, journalism and content marketing, content creation and the future of content marketing. Attendees can attend an opening night reception at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and an evening event at the House of Blues.
Significance: Content Marketing World is returning to Cleveland for its sixth consecutive year, and it brings in attendees from more than 50 countries around the world.
Estimated Attendance: 3,500
Headquarter Hotel: City wide*
Primary event venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 14-16 ACN International Training Event 2018
About: The ACN International Training Event brings in ACN independent business owners from around the world for networking, education and training sessions and recognition of the company's top producers. ACN is the world's largest direct selling telecommunications company and offers services to consumers and small businesses from North America, Europe and Asia.
Significance: ACN has hosted previous events in Cleveland and chose to return to the region for this event based on its past success and the partnership created with Destination Cleveland.
Estimated Attendance: 7,000
Headquarter Hotel: City wide*
Primary event venue: Quicken Loans Arena
Sept. 19-20 BFG Grower and Garden Expo 2018
About: BFG Supply Co. will host one of its 2018 expos at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. The expo includes educational seminars as well as opportunities to meet with vendors for the greenhouse, nursery and independent lawn and garden industries.
Significance: The BFG Grower and Garden Expo is returning to Cleveland for its sixth consecutive year.
Estimated Attendance: 1,800
Headquarter Hotel: City wide*
Primary event venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 25-28 North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries Annual Conference and Trade Show
About: The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries Annual Conference will bring in attendees and vendors from 52 lottery organizations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Virgin Islands. The conference agenda will focus on where lotteries and consumers are going and how to implement success for the future. Evening events will be held at Collision Bend Brewing Co., Hilton Cleveland Downtown's Bar 32 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Significance: Planners were impressed by the package put forth by the Hilton Cleveland Downtown and Westin Cleveland Downtown, and there was support from the local chapter to bring the meeting here.
Estimated Attendance: 700
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton Cleveland Downtown and Westin Cleveland Downtown
Primary event venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
To learn more about Destination Cleveland or to keep up-to-date on new developments and activities, please visit www.thisiscleveland.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Pinterest.
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland's convention and visitors bureau. This private, non-profit organization's mission is to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality for Greater Cleveland through leisure and business travel. Cleveland welcomes 18 million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.
*Citywide conventions utilize three or more hotels in the region