A feasibility study is underway regarding the expansion of the Branson Convention Center. To provide more information on the Convention Center, its operation, and economic benefit to Branson, we (BG) interviewed Angie Teel (AT), CMP, the Convention Center’s General Manager. The results, in a Q&A format, are below:
BG: What’s your position?
A: I am the general manager for ASM Global at the Branson Convention Center.
BG: Who is ASM Global?
A: We are the largest venue management company in the world. ASM operates over 400 accounts worldwide, from arenas, stadiums and theaters to convention centers.
BG: What’s the relationship between ASM Global and Branson?
AT: The city of Branson hired ASM Global to manage the convention center’s day-to-day operations.
BG: How do you interface with the city in the management and operation of the Convention Center?
AT: I talk to the city every day. I just got back from a meeting with the mayor. I also meet with City Administrator Cathy Stepp once a month, update her on what we’re doing here, and give regular reports to the aldermen at board meetings.
BG: Has the convention center ever made an operating net profit? And if so, when?
A: It’s my understanding that in 2022, there was a net profit.
BG: If the Convention Center does not make a net profit each year, how does it contribute to the local community and economy?
AT: Convention centers were historically not built to make money. They are there to be economic drivers, bringing people to the community who wouldn’t normally come and extend their stay multiple days. They eat in our restaurants, shop in our shops, attend our great shows, go to attractions, and enjoy all the fun things there are to do here.
BG: Can you give me a rough estimate of how many people the Convention Center brings to Branson each year and your basis for saying they “stay here multiple days?’
AT: The Convention Center brings about 100,000 people to Branson every year. The average event lasts two to four days.
BG: What is the largest annual event currently held in the Convention Center?
AT: That depends on a lot of factors, but overall, I’m going to say it’s the Missouri National Archery in the Schools (MoNASP) State Archery Tournament, held in March and hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. This past year, they said about 6,000 athletes from throughout Missouri competed. We estimate an average of about 2.3 people traveling with each athlete. The competition starts on Wednesday and ends on Saturday.
BG: Is the Convention Center currently operating at or near capacity?
AT: We are near capacity. We are hovering at about 58 to 60 percent occupancy. Industry standards for full occupancy are about 65 to 70 percent because you’ve got to leave time to flip between events, maintenance and other things.
BG: Is there currently a study going on about expanding the Convention Center?
AT: Yes. We are actually right in the middle of a feasibility study. Hopefully, we will have results in the next few weeks, and we’ll put it all together in a presentation and present it to the board of aldermen.
Part 2 will be in next week’s edition.
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