PHILADELPHIA …January 9, 2012…Like the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia's convention and tourism experience has risen to new heights and dimensions since the expanded center – now the 14th largest convention center in the nation -- welcomed its first customers last March. And 2012 looks even stronger for the meetings and conventions industry in Philadelphia.

According to the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), which is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia globally, and the primary sales and marketing agency for the expanded convention center, it has booked 225 meetings and conventions for the upcoming year, with 565,866 total hotel room nights, with an economic impact of more than $813 million. In addition to the meetings already on the books, the sales staff of the PCVB will continue to book short-term meetings throughout the year.

“An expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center is helping Philadelphia reach a broader audience nationally and internationally,” said Jack Ferguson, president & CEO, PCVB, whose organization has booked $3.8 billion worth of future business into the convention center, of which $2.8 billion is expansion-related. “Working with our partners at the convention center and throughout the hospitality community, more visitors are expected to fill our hotels, restaurants and attractions in 2012.”

For the first time, the convention center will host a franchise group when The Wendy's Group, owners of hamburger giant Wendy's, will make its first appearance in Philadelphia, October 1-2, with its Update Meeting featuring 1,400 attendees, 2,700 total hotel room nights and $5.4 million in total economic impact. 

For 2012, other notable conventions and tradeshows include: Risk and Insurance Management Society, (April 15-18, 29,575 total room nights); UBM Canon Communications, LLC, (May 22-24, 8,450 total room nights) and the American Chemical Society, August 17-21, (26,120 total room nights). Army-Navy Weekend returns in 2012, December 7-9, with 10,000 total room nights, generating $35 million in economic impact.

The new North Broad Street entrance has also become an attraction since the unveiling of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Lenfest Plaza in October 2011. It links the convention center to Museum Row on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where in May 2012, the Barnes Foundation will join the world-renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum and the Academy of Natural Sciences Museum when the Barnes opens at its new location. The addition of the Barnes, the largest collection of post-impressionist art outside of Paris, is expected to be very popular with international visitors and convention attendees to Philadelphia. International attendees comprise 30 percent of Philadelphia's meetings and conventions attendees.

Upcoming 2012 conventions that could not come to Philadelphia without the expansion are: the Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, March 24-26, (13,000 attendees, 22,376 room nights); the American Psychiatric Association, May 5-9, (13,000 attendees, 36,960 room nights); the American Diabetes Association, June 8-12, (17,000 attendees, 46,622 room nights) and ASIS International, September 8-12, (25,000 attendees, 35,240 room nights). 

The expanded convention center is 62 percent bigger, features one million square feet of saleable space, 79 meeting rooms and the largest ballroom on the East Coast. It can now host mega tradeshows or two conventions simultaneously. In addition, the second entrance on North Broad Street means convention autonomy.

Here is a look at some of the larger PCVB-booked meetings and conventions at the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center and area hotels for 2012. - See more at: http://www.discoverphl.com/media-room/press-releases/meetings-and-conventions/as-expanded-pennsylvania-convention-center-enjoys-first-year/#sthash.23vFgbNs.dpuf