Committee debates whether Sandy should aim for conference space or phased hotel growth

Committee discussion shifted from the hotel study into how meeting and conference space might change demand capture. Members noted a countywide shortage of mid-size conference facilities and argued a smaller, multiuse meeting space could be a more realistic and useful starting point than a single, large convention center. One committee member referenced prior local experience seeking spaces for gatherings and suggested that even a 100–400-person meeting venue could attract events that would increase hotel occupancy and restaurant spending in town.

Others cautioned about risk and seasonality: outdoor-hospitality concepts tend to be seasonal and attract weekend leisure travelers rather than business travel, while larger conference facilities typically require far more rooms (some members referenced 300+ rooms as a threshold for large conventions). The discussion concluded with suggestions to study convention-center market capture, consider phased hotel development tied to potential meeting space, and pursue site-selection options that preserve good highway access and views.