Million Dollar Convention Takes its Business to NIU

http://www.wrex.com/News/index.php?ID=18311

May 22, 2007

Quote:Summer in downtown Rockford may not be the same. The city loses one of its biggest conventions and the money generated from the estimated 50,000 people that come with it.

For the past few years, stateline Jehovah's Witnesses held their annual Midwest convention at the MetroCentre. This summer they'll move it to Northern Illinois University because the MetroCentre will be under construction. John Groh with the Rockford Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau says, "We wouldn't want to have a convention where accessibility to the center would be seriously hindered."

Parking problems and traffic congestion that come with construction will pose extra challenges to River District businesses as well. Kevin Seuring, owner of the The King's Table Cafe says, "It's just going to be bad altogether. They'll be closing Elm Street and Main Street. There'll be no way to access my restaurant."

But Seuring isn't worried. He knows being close to the MetroCentre brings challenges, and many feel we need to find a way to get and keep people downtown.

That's why one of the main goals of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau is to push for a hotel. Groh says, "Downtown Rockford to be successful long term definitely needs a hotel or a few hotels. That's something that's missing right now within the equation of the development of downtown Rockford."

The RACVB estimates a loss of approximately one million dollars from not hosting the Jehovah's Witness Convention this year. But it plans to win the event back in 2008.

We always have them folk at the Convo center. No surprise there.

BleedsHuskieRed Wrote:We always have them folk at the Convo center. No surprise there.

Exactly. They have been at NIU for several years. I was even stopped by one who started a conversation with me while on campus. I haven't been there in 3 years so that kind of gives you how long they have come to NIU.