CVB: new convention center boosted bookings but lack of convention-quality hotels cost city millions

Sally Grant DeVenuti, director of the Hampton Convention & Visitors Bureau, told council the new Hampton Roads Convention Center and recent hotel additions have increased bookings but that the city still needs one or two full-service convention-quality hotels near the center to land higher-paying conventions. "It's a 32 to 1 return on investment," she said, describing the department's stated return on city funding and noting nearly 200,000 visits to the CVB website in the past year.

DeVenuti said in the last 90 days the CVB lost eight group bookings totaling 49,000 room nights because planners require concentrated room blocks and convention-quality hotels within walking distance of the center. She urged continued and increased marketing investment and said the bureau aims to diversify away from federal per diem and toward more convention and sports business. Council members requested a variance analysis showing how changed federal per diem and new nearby hotel inventory affected lodging and admission taxes; staff agreed to return with more detailed breakdowns for the finance committee.

The presentation also previewed a sports-marketing facility proposal championed by Boo Williams and asked council to support preopening marketing; DeVenuti said the CVB would handle marketing if council directed it. Council members stressed the need to preserve net room-night growth while increasing the quality of bookings that generate higher per-delegate spending.