 In 2008, more than one million meeting & convention attendees came to Anaheim California, according to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau (AOCVCB). “Meetings have a significant economic impact on our area’s hotels, restaurants, transportation and entertainment venues,” said Charles Ahlers, President of the AOCVCB. “We are very pleased that so many meeting and event planners reported record numbers in 2008 and had a positive experience here.”
Meeting data tracked by the CVB noted that 764 meetings, trade shows or conventions were conducted in 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center and area hotels. As a result, a reported 1,252,067 people met in the Anaheim/Orange  County area last year. Additionally, these meeting attendees spent a total of $975 Million throughout the region during their stay.
Some of the 2008 Anaheim Convention Center highlights include:
- The American Library Association hosted its first-ever meeting in Anaheim with an attendance of 22,000, and rebooked this So-Cal destination for 2012.
Orange County California and its spectacular 1.6 million-square-foot Anaheim Convention Center (the largest on the  West Coast) held a special prominence in the meetings & events industry in 2008. In July, the center was the host venue for the International Association of Assembly Managers 83rd Annual Conference & Trade Show, considered one of the most successful events ever held by the organization. “We had the largest onsite registration as well as the largest grossing Trade Show in IAAM history,” said Dexter King, CFE, Executive Director, IAAM. “Our location in Anaheim coupled with our educational sessions, our networking, and our trade show made the perfect combination for a successful event.”
Since 2004, the number of meeting/convention attendees coming to Anaheim have  shown increases in the hundreds of thousands per year. In spite of economic uncertainty, the momentum from a banner 2008 has set a positive opening for 2009. “Given the tenuous global economy, we are cautiously optimistic that 2009 will prove to be another quality year for Anaheim and Orange County’s meetings and conventions,” said Ahlers. “One very positive note is that there will be more citywide conventions in 2009 than in recent years.”
Anaheim’s major meetings in 2009 include: NAMM: International Music Products Association (estimated attendance:89,000); Craft & Hobby Association (estimated attendance:22,000); Helicopter Association International (estimated attendance:15,000); Religious Education Congress (estimated  attendance:40,000); Natural Products Expo West (estimated attendance: 50,000); Distributive Education Clubs of America (estimated attendance:14,000); California Dental Association (estimated attendance:30,000); Institute of Food Technologists (estimated attendance:22,000); Future Business Leaders of America (estimated attendance:8,000); ASIS International (estimated attendance:24,000); Produce Marketing Association (estimated attendance:18,000); Solar Electric Power Association (estimated attendance:20,000); Rockwell Automation (estimated attendance:10,000); Milton H. Erickson Foundation, Inc. (estimated  attendance:8,000).
The centerpiece of conventions in Orange County is the Anaheim Convention Center. Since 1967, the Anaheim Convention Center has gone through three major expansion projects plus several cosmetic renovations to update the Center, including a $13 million glass facade and palm tree-lined walkways. The main lobby area soars 190 feet to the top of the highest spire, and the venue features 815,000 square feet of dedicated exhibit space, 130,000 square feet of meeting space located on two levels, a 38,000-square-foot ballroom, a 9,000-seat arena, 200,000 square feet of pre-function space and onsite parking for more than 6,500 vehicles. The Anaheim Garden Walk—adjacent to the center, is an exciting, 440,000-square-foot shopping, dining and entertainment district. The final phase of the Anaheim Garden Walk-- scheduled to open mid-2010—includes two hotels with a combined 866 guest rooms and 50,000 square feet of meeting space.
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