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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Convention Impact Hits $46 Million

From Staff And Wire Reports

Spokane’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau reported $46 million of convention-related business last year, and predicted conventions would bring more business here in 1995.

The bureau uses a formula to figure how much money convention delegates spend locally to arrive at the total. The city hosted 225 conventions and delegates at those meetings spent about $75 each day, according to Martha Lou Wheatly-Billeter, director of communications at the bureau.

As of the beginning of this year, the bureau has booked 162 conventions for the upcoming year and estimates that will bring $50.5 million in retail, food and lodging sales. The number of conventions always rises as more groups schedule events during the year, Wheatly-Billeter said.

The bureau has booked conventions through 2004 with a total economic impact of $165 million, she said.