Convention business trickles back to Reno-Sparks venues

The convention business in the Reno- Sparks area shows signs that it's going to perk up in 2006 and beyond, continuing its slow recovery from the dramatic decline after Sept.

11, 2001.

No one is predicting a quick return to boom times, but they point to a steady stream of organizations that are choosing Reno as the site for conventions.

In recent weeks alone, for instance, the Metal Treating Institute selected Reno for its September 2006 convention.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers selected Reno for its November 2007 convention.

Both are in the mid-sized convention market that's been one of the targets of the region's marketing efforts.

The Metal Treating Institute will account for about 1,375 room nights and the sporting goods group will account for 1,940 room nights.

"We're going after them with value.We're going after them with an abundance of adventure activities everything from gaming to golf and skiing," says Rob Enriquez, executive director of sales for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.

He says new adventure facilities such as Reno's Whitewater Park play a major role in that sales effort.

The major hotels whose sales staffs are a key element of the conventions business are beginning to see some benefits from the turnaround.

Recent figures compiled by the RSCVA show that hotel occupancies are up about 2.5 percent from year earlier figures.

More important, the average daily rate generated by hotel rooms is up by 8.6 percent, Enriquez says.

Convention-goers generally are willing to pay higher room rates, and they're more likely than vacationers to open their wallets at restaurants and entertainment venues.

John Carter, director of convention sales at Atlantis Casino Resort, notes that rebuilding the region's convention business is a slow process despite the availability of the newly remodeled Reno-Sparks Convention Center and the new Events Center downtown.

It's important, Carter says, to get meeting planners into town to take a

look around.

"We're not a cow town any more.We're a sophisticated city, a vibrant city," he says."As we get more meeting planners here,we have a very high conversion rate."

Steve Trounday, vice president of marketing at the Reno Hilton, notes that the conventions business remains exceptionally competitive.

"Every city in the country is overbuilt on convention facilities,"Trounday says."It's a battle."