They're calling them the "$48 million guests" at the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.
A total of 23 meeting planners representing 18 groups arrived in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, all representatives of a variety of groups, clubs, churches, associations and societies that just might schedule a future convention here.According to Jeri Cartwright, spokeswoman for the Convention & Visitors Bureau, the 23 guests can expect the red carpet treatment - "a royal, three-day wining and dining" - during their visit.
All 23 will explore the city and its environs and report back to their respective groups whether Salt Lake City would make a suitable meeting site. A "yes" vote by all 23, said Cartwright, could mean a total of 64,000 visitors who would be expected to spend $48 million while in the area.
One of the largest potential conventions represented in the group arriving Wednesday is the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which is considering the Salt Palace for a 1997 convention that would bring 20,000 participants to the city.
Cartwright said all of the entertainment, travel, room and food expenses for the meeting planners is being donated by local businesses who are interested in attracting conventions to the community.
Activities planned for the guests include "Saints & Sinners Night," in which the planners are treated to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice Thursday night and then transported to area nightclubs where Cartwright said, "they will learn that, yes, you can get a drink in Utah."
The visit will also include a day of skiing at Snowbird, where the group will be fitted with skis and boots. Included is a tour of the convention facilities at the resort. According to Cartwright, some of the 23 planners have never before seen snow. Others have seen snow but have never skied. She said the novices will get beginner lessons in the fine art of snowplowing.
Also included in the three-day activities will be tours of the Salt Palace and surrounding hotels, Temple Square, the State Capitol and the overall Salt Lake area.
Here are the groups along with the date of their convention and the number of delegates expected:
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, April 1998, 6,800.
American Association of University Women, June 1997, 2,000.
American Home Economics Association, June 1994, 5,000.
Church of God-Seventh Day, June-July 1993, 1,500.
Distributive Education Clubs of America, April/May 1994, 9,500.
Institute of Navigation, 1993 or '94, 300.
Junior Regional Bowling Tournament, June/
July 1993 700.
National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries, October 1993, 200.
National Court Reporters Association, July 1996, 2,200.
National Genealogical Society, May 1995, 2,000.
Nature Publishing Company, April 1993, 300.
Sweet Adelines, October 1997 and October 2001, 7,000.
Telocator Network of America, October 1998, 3,000.
United States Submarine Veterans World War II, September 1995, 3,000.
USS Brown, September 1994, 175.
U.S. Tenpin Bowling Federation, August 1994 or 1995, 175.
Veterans of Foreign Wars, August 1997, 20,000.
Western Urological Association, September 1995, 500.