Las Cruces Convention Business on the Upswing
August 19, 2014
The Las Cruces Convention Center.
Over the last 12 months the Las Cruces Convention Center (LCCC) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, has increased the number of conventions booked at the facility. With nine conventions occurring during the year and 5,900 hotel room nights generated by way of conventions at the facility, the management team doubled the projected attendance for conventions inside the year.
The month of June 2014 became the highest volume month for conventions since the Las Cruces Convention Center opened in 2010. Three new conventions were hosted during the month including the New Mexico School Nutrition Association Conference, the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau (Cattle Growers) and the Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Catolico convention, a national convention.
The 2014 Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Catolico Convention consisted of more than 850 attendees from across the United States and Mexico. The LCCC executive chef, Tom Agius, prepared more than 7,000 meals during this three-day event proving what the convention center is capable of producing. “We were extremely grateful to have the opportunity to host this group here in Las Cruces”, stated Rebecca Bolton, Global Spectrum’s general manager of the Las Cruces Convention Center. “The attendees generated over 1,200 room nights at local hotels. This number of visitors in the community makes a large impact on the community in direct spending at local restaurants, retail shops, and historical sites. Steven Livingston, senior sales manager, worked diligently with the presidents of the organization for over a year to secure this convention for Las Cruces.”
The Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau enhances the “Las Cruces experience” for attendees by planning social activities, providing information for the attendees to explore Las Cruces, and sponsor transportation between activities. Phil San Filippo, executive director of the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau, stated, “The impact this event had on the City of Las Cruces was phenomenal. I am ecstatic that they chose our beautiful city and look forward to more conventions like this in the future.”
The next 12 months are projected to sustain the increase in conventions at the LCCC. Ten conventions are already confirmed at the facility. Joint sales initiatives between the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau at the Las Cruces Convention Center have increased awareness and interest for planners in the state of New Mexico.
The LEED Gold Las Cruces Convention Center has a building footprint of 55,000 sf with more than 30,000 sf of meeting space. The facility features a 14,500-sf exhibition hall, an 8,900-sf ballroom, and six break-out rooms totaling more than 2,800 sf.