Cape CVB to help market the city's new conference center

The next chapter in the growth of Cape Girardeau's status as a regional hub will come in the form of a conference center.

Submitted photo An artist's rendering shows the view from Interstate 55 of the planned conference center and hotel.

The $11 million project, made possible through a partnership among the city and several hotel owners, makes the city a prime location for large group gatherings that otherwise would have taken place elsewhere in the state.

"I really do think we're on the verge of taking another big step forward as a community, and that's exciting," said Chuck Martin, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A conference center with an attached hotel has been an amenity at the top of the city's wish list for a few years, but it was placed on the back burner because of the cost.

An opportunity to bring the project to life came earlier this year when Drury Southwest Inc. approached the city.

It planned to tear down the aging Drury Lodge and replace it with a more modern hotel.

The company likewise had an interest in building a conference center, but much like the city, it knew the venture would be costly.

Last month, the city council approved an agreement requiring financial contribution from the city, Drury Southwest and five other hotels to help cover construction of the conference center.

Guests make their way through the lobby of the Drury Lodge to attend a luncheon in a meeting room Thursday. (Glenn Landberg)

The agreement also stipulated the city would market the new conference center through the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

There are many aspects in the bureau's marketing of the city, Martin said, but when it comes to conferences and conventions, one of the primary methods is direct sales.

By visiting expos and showcases, the bureau could begin spreading the word about the new facility.

Making these visits allows for interaction with organizations such the Missouri Society of Association Executives or the Society of Government Meeting Planners.

Martin said those are just a few examples of many where the CVB could go distribute material "regarding meeting space, what amenities they're looking for and having an opportunity to really convey the message that Cape Girardeau is really a great place to visit and successful place to hold a meeting."

A study conducted last year by hospitality research firm HVS found a conference center would meet an unaccommodated demand in Cape Girardeau for large gatherings and estimated the city was turning away 27,000 room nights each year because of seasonal demands.

As Martin and Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO John Mehner said, the new conference center would attract new groups rather than poach from the groups making use of the city's existing meeting spaces.

The draw is in the convenience of the added hotel component.

Plans by Drury Southwest also include an attached restaurant, further adding to the convenience.

"There is no doubt that that is a question that comes up as you seek conference business: 'Do you have a conference center, and is it attached to a hotel?'" Mehner said.

Martin called the lack of such a facility "one of the biggest missing pieces" in the city's efforts to target the conference business effectively and efficiently. With that component secured, he said the CVB could spread the word across an even broader spectrum by looking at other conferences and conventions that have been held throughout the region.

"Taking a look at St. Louis, Memphis, Paducah, Evansville -- just a number of different communities to get a feel for some of the conferences and conventions they have held and then to possibly send out an enticement piece to those points as well," Martin said.

The types of conferences the city hopes to attract likely will bring a crowd too large to be housed at just one hotel, so potential visitors also will be made aware of other hotel options, specifically those involved in the conference center funding deal.

These hotels include Drury Lodge and Pear Tree Inn-East, Drury Suites, Auburn Place Hotel and Suites and the new Hampton Inn and Suites.

Marketing efforts are a key piece of the success of a conference center. With groups planning a year or more in advance, it's important to make sure the location is on their radar as they make a decision.

"So as long as you can get to them and sell that message, many times that gives us a chance in an area that we didn't have before as you bring stuff online," Mehner said.

He also pointed out not all of the marketing focus will be directed outside of the region; it's just as important to look within.

Lions clubs, Rotary clubs, Zonta clubs and other organizations with local chapters all have statewide conferences, too, he said. Sometimes local officers serve in statewide capacities.

"So you make those contacts here locally to make sure those folks understand, and hopefully they can help you get in that mix, too," Mehner said.

Drury Southwest plans to demolish the Drury Lodge in January. Ideally, the new hotel and conference center would be complete by late spring or early summer 2017.

Once complete, the eight-story hotel will include 168 rooms, and the conference center will cover more than 20,000 square feet.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

104 S. Vantage Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.