First two groups book conferences for new convention complex

CEDAR RAPIDS – Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett announced Monday that two conferences have agreed to use the new Cedar Rapids Convention Complex.

The Iowa League of Cities has selected Cedar Rapids to host its Annual Conference and Exhibit September 22-25, 2015. The annual conference is expected to bring 1,000 people to Cedar Rapids from across the state and generate an estimated $270,000 in direct visitor spending. This conference was last held in Cedar Rapids in 2002.

The Iowa Library Association has selected Cedar Rapids to host its annual conference October 15-17, 2014. It has an expected attendance of more than 700 with an estimated $150,000 in direct visitor spending. This annual conference was last held in Cedar Rapids in 2003.

“We're about two years from completion of the new Cedar Rapids Convention Complex and organizations are already booking their events. That shows that this is just the beginning of the possibilities for the new complex,” said Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett. “We believe even more organizations will choose to hold their events in Cedar Rapids as the new complex is constructed.”

Each of these conferences will fill the attached hotel and expand out into other area hotel properties. It is typical for conventions, meetings and sporting events to select a host site several years in advance.

Two new renderings of the Cedar Rapids Convention Complex were also revealed during the press conference.