Increase tourism in your community by designing and expanding your local convention and exposition services! This book provides you with solutions to the issues that can arise during the planning and production phases of constructing a facility as part of a community’s tourism infrastructure. In Current Issues in Convention and Exhibition Facility Development, you’ll find diverse perspectives from experts in a range of disciplines—including public policy, tourism, convention management, and urban planning. As more communities attempt to gain a share of the economically important meetings and exhibition market, this critical resource will aid university faculty, state and city government officials, and convention and visitors’ bureaus. Current Issues in Convention and Exhibition Facility Development examines the reasons why certain communities should create convention, event, or tourism centers. The strategies and tips presented in this book can help you select the most appropriate course of action for any given community, from locating the best area to build a center, to allocating space for an exhibition center in an already existing public building. This extensive guide addresses the political, economical, and environmental concerns that can prevent a convention center from ever leaving the drawing board. This book offers you practical advice on a number of concepts, including: linear planning in the first phase—ten questions communities must confront Dedicated Convention Centers (DCC)—the “mother lode” of convention/exhibit tourism capitalizing on the union of two industries—conventions and casinos the definition of “success” in the lifetime of a convention center capturing a share of the market without interfering with local venues the facts behind the illusions—investigating the empirical evidence behind the central myths of the convention and tradeshow industry Current Issues in Convention and Exhibition Facility Development is generously enhanced with figures, tables, models, and case studies to illuminate the facts you need to know to stay competitive.