FARMINGTON — Nearly 12,300 hotel rooms were empty in 2005 because the Davis Conference Center didn't have enough exhibit space. Nearly 22,100 people didn't attend conventions in Davis County for the same reason.
So the county's commissioners wanted to study the feasibility of expanding the conference center to accommodate larger conventions and keep people in the county overnight.
The study came back with thumbs up and OK signs all over the place.
"The study confirmed for us what we already knew: that the center is doing great," said Davis County Commissioner Dannie McConkie. "And it could do even more business if it had the room."
Of course, it would take dough to make dough, and one of the next steps is making sure the county can afford to build a 25,000-square-foot exhibition hall onto the existing center.
The expansion would also include 5,000 square feet of breakout space and 300 to 500 additional parking spaces.
The county put up $9 million for the existing conference center, McConkie said, adding that an expansion would likely cost more because of increased building costs.
But, McConkie said, the county is due to receive $500,000 in grant money it had to give back to the state during budget struggles a few years ago.
An expanded conference center would generate about $844,300 annually in new sales and use taxes, hotel occupancy tax and restaurant tax, the study states.
Those taxes would come from $31 million in total economic output for the area, about double the current output.
The county already owns adjoining land to the north of the Davis Conference Center on which it could build.
"If and when the stars align that say we can do it," said Kent Sulser, the county's manager of economic development.
Sulser has seen the conference center from its inception to the current phase.
Not much gets a county commissioner or the economic-development people salivating like the possibility for more money for the county.
"I've got my fingers crossed," McConkie said. "I believe that in the future there is Phase Two."
Phase One of the conference center opened in September 2004 and since that time has hosted more than 900 events, including a home remodeling and decorating show, a seminar for people who want to be defense contractors and the 100th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt used the center in March to discuss avian flu issues with law enforcement, health and other leaders.
The center expansion feasibility study deemed the bookings a success.
"Normally, new convention/conference centers tend to have a substantial 'ramp-up' period," the study states.
Ramp-up periods sometimes last three to five years.
"The facility is already operating near full and . . . events and occupancy levels do not have much more room to grow," the study says.
E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com