Despite economy, Lake Lanier CVB still getting inquiries about meetings, conventions

GAINESVILLE - The economic downturn has had an impact on conventions and conferences in the Atlanta area and across the country, but for the Lake Lanier Convention and Visitors Bureau it's pretty much business as usual.

Lake Lanier CVB President Stacey Dickson said nationwide there has been a decrease in hotel bookings, and more impulse bookings instead of people reserving rooms far in advance.

However, "we're holding our own pretty good," Dickson said. "We actually have some meetings that are looking at us to move away from more expensive markets in the area."

She said meeting planners are looking at the Gainesville-Hall County area because "we have such a great value in the cost of meeting space, the cost of the catering and also our room rates are very competitive to other second-tier cities around the state of Georgia."

Dickson said the Lake Lanier CVB has not gotten any meeting cancellations due to the current economic conditions, and that they are still receiving inquiries about meetings in the long-term.

Dickson attributes the inquiries to interest in the future construction of a new hotel in downtown Gainesville, as well as plans in the works to build a bridge to the Georgia Mountains Center.

She said they have also had a "huge surge" in sports marketing inquiries since the Frances Meadows Center opened.

"We've booked several large swimming tournaments for that facility, and that's a whole new market segment that we haven't been able to bring into the community before," Dickson said.

She said those events bring 400-500 swimmers, plus their families, for two nighst and that several such events are already booked from now through the spring.