CLEVELAND (June
28, 2017) - Cuyahoga County continues its strong showing of meetings and
convention activity entering the third quarter of 2017 as the region will host more
than 65 meetings leading
into fall. The events range from bowling championships to a beer
CANvention to annual business meetings and will bring more than 20,000 visitors
to Northeast Ohio, representing a diverse collection of associations and
organizations. Five of the meetings and conventions are considered citywide
events, meaning they will utilize a combination of venues including three or
more hotels.
"Cleveland's ability to attract such a variety of
business showcases the destination's capacity to accommodate the needs of many
different audiences," says Mike Burns, senior vice president of sales and
services, Destination Cleveland. "It further demonstrates that the assets we
offer as a meetings and conventions destination - including our state-of
the-art convention center, Downtown and suburban hotel offerings, and unique
venues - inspire a wide variety of industries to bring their event to
Cleveland."
Highlighted below are several meetings throughout the third
quarter that have significant attendance, have chosen Cleveland as the host
city because of visitor-related developments in Downtown Cleveland or through the
advocacy of local ambassadors. The estimated economic impact of just the ten meetings
listed below is more than $20 million.
July 13-30 United
States Bowling Congress - Youth Open and Junior Gold Championships 2017*
About: The Junior Gold Championship will bring
the top male and female youth bowlers from across the country to Cleveland.
This annual national tournament features six divisions for bowlers; those
competing in two of the divisions have the opportunity to earn a spot on the
Junior Team USA. The Opening Ceremony for the tournament will be held at
Cleveland Public Auditorium on Sunday, July 16, and a special event - the
Ebonite Lakefront Beach Party - will be held for attendees at the Edgewater
Kite Field. Competitors can also walk the exhibitor floor at the Huntington
Convention Center of Cleveland and browse through information and merchandise from
various colleges and bowling vendors.
Significance: Hosting its event for the first
time in Cleveland, the United States Bowling Congress chose the city due to the
facilities available in the region. The tournament will utilize seven bowling
centers throughout the suburbs including Parma Heights, Brook Park, Mentor,
Bedford and Wickliffe.
Estimated Attendance: 2,000 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Holiday Inn
Cleveland South - Independence
Primary meeting venue: Various
locations throughout Northeast Ohio
July 16-22 National Black Prosecutors Association Annual Conference 2017
About: The National Black Prosecutors
Association's annual conference offers attendees the opportunity to learn about
the latest developments in criminal justice, network with fellow prosecutors
and listen to industry speakers from across the country. The conference will
host more than 15 educational sessions for attendees as well as a job fair for
law students. Special events will be held at the Corner Alley on East 4th
Street and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Significance: A group of Cuyahoga County
prosecutors, who are also members of the National Black Prosecutors Association,
were instrumental in bringing this conference to Cleveland. The group's
planning committee was also impressed by the bid put forth by the Westin
Cleveland Downtown, which included the room availability and meeting space
options needed to accommodate the business.
Estimated
Attendance: 200 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Westin
Cleveland Downtown
Primary
meeting venue: Westin Cleveland Downtown
July 17 Alternative
Press Music Awards
About: The Alternative Press Music Awards (APMAs) return to Cleveland on
July 17. The annual awards show honors some of biggest names in alternative
music. Performers at this year's event include All Time Low, Pierce The Veil,
Sleeping With Sirens, critically-acclaimed punk band Against Me!, rap icons
Bone Thugs, and GRAMMY® Award winning hard rock/metal legends Korn.
Significance: After a one
year hiatus, the APMAs are returning to Cleveland, which is the home of the event's
organizer, Alternative Press magazine. This national awards show helps to reinforce
Cleveland's reputation as a music destination.
Estimated
Attendance: 6,500 - 7,500 attendees (5,000 being out-of-town visitors)
Headquarter Hotels:
Westin Cleveland Downtown and Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center
Primary
meeting venue: Quicken Loans Arena
July 25-27 Mid-America Association of Transportation
Officials (MAASTO) Annual Meeting
About: The MAASTO annual meeting will bring
together association members from ten states in the Midwest. Sessions for
attendees will feature discussions on hot issues in policy, safety, technology,
construction projects and innovation, and the future of the workforce. Outside
of these sessions, attendees can enjoy a day outing at Sleepy Hollow Golf
Course, an Indians game at Progressive Field and a dinner at the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame.
Significance: The Mid-America Association of
Transportation Officials chose Cleveland for its annual meeting based on the meeting
space available at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel and unique venues like the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Estimated Attendance: 600 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Renaissance
Cleveland Hotel
Primary meeting venue: Renaissance
Cleveland Hotel
Aug. 6-9 American Society of Mechanical Engineers' International Design Engineering
Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE)*
About: IDETC/CIE is the world's leading design
research conference which includes 15 sub-conferences with a particular focus
or discipline of design engineering. Some of the sub-conferences include advance
vehicle technologies, design education, mechanisms and robotics, and frontiers
in biomedical devices. Attendees can listen to keynote speakers and partake in
panel discussions and workshops in their respective sub-conference disciplines.
Significance: Cleveland's central Midwest
location and easy accessibility for members not based in Cleveland appealed to the
meeting's planners. Additionally, the group chose Cleveland based on the
amenities offered at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.
Estimated
Attendance: 2,200 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton
Cleveland Downtown
Primary
meeting venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Aug. 24-26 Brewery
Collectibles Club of America 2017 Annual CANvention
About: The Annual CANvention is the largest
single gathering dedicated to collecting "breweriana" - better known as items
having to do with beer and brewing. In its 47th year, the event brings
members from around the world to gather, trade, sell and buy all things
brewery-related. Attendees can also participate in one of the special events such
as "Micro Night," which features samples from various local breweries. The
group will enjoy an outing to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as beer
tours around the area.
Significance: The Lake Erie chapter of the
Brewery Collectibles Club of America advocated for this event to be held in
Cleveland. The club chose Cleveland due to the assets offered at the Huntington
Convention Center of Cleveland, the proximity of Hilton Cleveland Downtown to
the facility and Cleveland's burgeoning beer scene. This convention also has
the potential to bring future brewery-related events to the region.
Estimated Attendance: 1,200 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton
Cleveland Downtown
Primary meeting venue: Huntington
Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 5-8 Content Marketing World*
About: Content Marketing World is one of the industry's
largest content marketing events, hosting approximately 150 sessions with more
than 225 speakers - including presenters from GE, Microsoft, Google, Dell,
KeyBank, Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Session topics will focus on content strategy, social media marketing,
journalism and content marketing, video marketing and measuring the
effectiveness of content. Attendees have the opportunity to attend an opening night
reception at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an 80's concert at the House of
Blues and an after party at Hilton Cleveland Downtown.
Significance: This event has been
held in Cleveland for the past five years and brings in attendees from more
than 60 countries around the world.
Estimated Attendance: 2,000 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton
Cleveland Downtown
Primary meeting venue: Huntington
Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 12-14 Penton Media Inc., 2017 Contractor
Leadership Live*
About: Contractor Leadership Live is a new event that focuses on
business transformation, techniques and strategies to improve contract
businesses in the HVAC industry. Session topics include an insider's secret to
sales success, customer service excellence and leadership as well as an
exclusive workshop on how to have tough conversations as a business leader. The
group will also hold a special evening event at the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame.
Significance: Penton Media Inc. chose to launch
its newly branded event, Contractor Leadership Live, in Cleveland as it was
also the location for its previous program Comfortech.
Estimated Attendance: 1,500 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton
Cleveland Downtown
Primary
meeting venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 19-20 BFG Grower and Garden Expo 2017*
About: BFG Supply Co. will host one of its 2017
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: This event is returning to Cleveland
for its fifth year.
Estimated Attendance: 2,000 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Westin
Cleveland Downtown
Primary meeting venue: Huntington
Convention Center of Cleveland
Sept. 23-26 National
Association of Business Economics Annual Meeting
About: The National Association of Business
Economics 59th Annual Meeting will focus on the forces reshaping the
world economy. The annual meeting will feature a wide variety of speakers
including Federal Reserve System Chair Janet Yellen. Attendees can also choose
from sessions like global economic challenges and opportunities, the future of
manufacturing and financial stability. The group also has the opportunity to
participate in a tour of the Cuyahoga River and attend offsite receptions at
the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Significance: The National Association of
Business Economics chose Cleveland for its annual meeting due to the bid presented
by Hilton Cleveland Downtown, which featured its various meetings spaces to
accommodate the group's needs.
Estimated Attendance: 450 attendees
Headquarter Hotel: Hilton Cleveland Downtown
Primary meeting venue: Hilton
Cleveland Downtown
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.
*Citywide convention
###
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 more than 17 million visitors annually. For more
information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.