Convention Center nets 3 more 2009 bookings in July

Three new opening-year bookings have been made for the Lancaster County Convention Center, which is set to open next March.

This brings the total number of booked events for 2009 to 16 - three trade shows, eight consumer shows, and five other events.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts' (the marketing team's) target for 2009 is 56 events, leaving a balance of 42 yet to book, according to Josh Nowak, director of Sales & Marketing for the Convention Center.

The three new bookings bring the actual amount of booked revenue as of July to $202,400, which is 83.5% of their July target of $242,500.

The total amount of opening-year definite and prospect revenue as of July stands at $319,200, according to Nowak.

Nowak said that he thinks that the state of the economy is prolonging the time it takes for potential meeting planners, particularly for smaller events, to close the deal on bookings.

Chairman of the Convention Center Board Art Morris and Executive Director Kevin Molloy both repeated that they expect more smaller events to be booked closer to the times that they would actually be held.