From the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority:
The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) announced today that Director of National Accounts Robyn Nichols has booked four conventions worth more than 40,000 room nights from the three largest veterans organizations in the United States: The American Legion, in August 2017 or 2020; the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), in July 2020; and, the Disabled American Veterans, in both July of 2018 and 2021.
“It's a great honor to secure any of these major conventions for Reno,” said RSCVA President and CEO Christopher Baum, upon his return with Ms. Nichols from the American Legion Spring Meeting held in Indianapolis this week. “But the fact that the RSCVA beat all of our competition for the ‘Big Three' and, within a six-month span, secured definite commitments for four of their future conventions is truly a remarkable achievement.”
Reno beat Phoenix, Tampa, and San Juan, Puerto Rico for the 2020 American Legion convention this week, but upon receiving the news that Louisville was closing its convention center for renovations and would not be able to accommodate the group in 2017, The American Legion's meetings department asked Ms. Nichols if Reno could possibly accommodate them in 2017 instead. The northern Nevada resort community responded immediately to the affirmative. The American Legion's National Executive Committee then voted late Wednesday to approve Reno for 2017 or 2020, subject to further internal discussions over the coming weeks.
“As the local representative of The American Legion, I am very pleased we were able to reach a consensus to bring our national convention back to Reno,” said The American Legion Department of Nevada Adjutant Lionel Motta. “The local community was very supportive during our last convention here in 2007, and I am confident this partnership will continue to be mutually beneficial in the future.”
Baum noted that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Nevada has the 11th-highest concentration of residents who have served in the U.S. military. Even so, the RSCVA reported that most attendees for the four conventions will be from posts and chapters across the United States, resulting in a combined economic impact to the Reno-Sparks area of more than $36 million.
From the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority
