Midwestern update.

THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES

As a memorable year wraps up in the Midwest, 2005 is shaping up to be equally notable for the region. Several impressive meetings-related facilities are set to debut this year as the Midwest continues its impressive development boom.

Louisville, Kentucky,

The St. Charles Convention Center and adjacent, 300-room Embassy Suites also opens in spring just 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis, which is slated to get a new ballpark and casino in 2006.

The Pier Wisconsin museum and aquarium complex opens in late 2005 on the lakefront adjacent to the newly expanded Milwaukee Art Museum. Minneapolis also receives new arts facilities when the Walker Art Center expansion opens in spring.

Even more substantial projects are on the horizon, with voters approving plans for the $250 million Sprint Center multipurpose arena in Kansas City, Missouri, and work continuing on the $850 million McCormick Place expansion in Chicago. Both projects are slated for completion in 2007.

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ILLINOIS

CHICAGO

Ground broken for McCormick Place West expansion. The $850 million West Building expansion of Chicago's McCormick Place convention center officially got under way in May with ceremonial groundbreaking taking place. The project will add 470,000 square feet of exposition space and 250,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 100,000-square-foot ballroom. Other features of the West Building will be a fine dining restaurant and a rooftop garden with a covered terrace that will accommodate 800 people year-round. The expansion will boost the complex's total exhibit space to 2.6 million square feet and its total meeting space to more than 600,000 square feet by its completion in late 2007. Numerous associations already have booked the new facility for future conventions and trade shows.

New Amalfi Hotel Chicago opens. The 215-room Amalfi Hotel Chicago opened earlier this year in the city's River North district. The boutique hotel caters to business travelers with a focus on personal touches, such as a CD/DVD library, magazines in each guest room, daily cocktail receptions, and breakfast service on each floor. Chicago now offers more than 28,000 hotel rooms in the central business district and more than 90,000 rooms in the metropolitan area.

Swissotel renovates. The elegant Swissotel in downtown Chicago recently renovated its lobby with a completely new design, which includes a double-sided fireplace with accompanying gathering places. The large monumental stair in the center was removed, and an original photomedia bas-relief by noted artist Jan Gilbert entitled "Urban Currents: Chicago Stories" was added to the lobby of the 632-room hotel.

Two new specialty suites also debuted at the Swissotel recently, including an executive suite with an attached room designed for children. The Swissotel offers 32 meeting rooms that can accommodate 500 people, including a 60-seat, tiered theater and a 43rd floor penthouse suite that can host up to 275 people for a reception. A health club and spa are located on the 42nd floor.

PEORIA

Historic hotel transformed into Radisson. The former Jumer's Castle Lodge in Peoria reopened as a Radisson hotel this past September after finishing a $3.5 million renovation. The 168-room property completely upgraded all 168 of its guest rooms by adding two-line telephones with data ports, high-speed Internet access, and all-new hard and soft goods. The hotel's restaurant, lounge, and meeting space were renovated and redesigned as well, and wireless Internet access was added.

ROSEMONT

Rosemont Center expansion opens. The Rosemont Conference Center expansion was completed in August. More than 40,000 square feet of meeting space in 22 new rooms was added, bringing the facility's total meeting space to 92,000 square feet in 50 rooms. Also part of the expansion is a new boardroom and new grand ballroom that holds up to 2,500 people theater style.

The conference center is linked via an enclosed skywalk to the Rosemont Convention Center and its 840,000 square feet of exhibit space. Surrounded by 14 hotels that offer 5,700 guest rooms, the complex is only five minutes from O'Hare International Airport.

INDIANA

INDIANAPOLIS

Omni to renovate, become Hilton. The Omni Hotel on the northeast side of Indianapolis will become a Hilton in the first quarter of 2005 after a $4.6 million renovation. The project will replace most of the furniture, carpet, and other decor and amenities in the 215 guest rooms. The meeting space, restaurant, and lobby also will be renovated. The Hilton brand has been active in recent months in the Indianapolis market. The former Ramada Inn just off Monument Circle was upgraded and transformed into a Hilton Garden Inn late last year, and the former Adam's Mark hotel downtown was rebranded a Hilton and began a $6.5 million renovation this summer. Additionally, a Conrad Hotel (a Hilton property) is being constructed downtown and scheduled to open in 2006.

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IOWA

DES MOINES

Hotel to renovate, change flag. The former Quality Suites in West Des Moines is undergoing an approximate $2.7 million renovation that is transforming it into a 97-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott. The project, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2005, will create a hotel with SpringHill's signature amenities, such as separate areas for sleeping, working and eating, and relaxing; a pantry with mini-refrigerator, microwave, and coffee service.

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Iowa Events Center set to open. The new Iowa Events Center is set to open by year's end in downtown Des Moines. The complex will be comprised of three separate but interconnected buildings, including two all-new facilities and the refurbished Veterans Memorial Auditorium, which offers 98,000 square feet of function space and seats up to 11,277 people. The new Wells Fargo Arena will offer seating for up to 17,000 people, while the Hy-Vee Hall will have 14,400 square feet of breakout meeting space as well as a 96,120-square-foot exhibit hall that can be separated. Hy-Vee Hall also will house the Iowa Hall of Pride. All the facilities are connected by an enclosed skywalk system that also links major downtown hotels.

KANSAS

OVERLAND PARK

DoubleTree Hotel to get $8 million upgrade. The DoubleTree Hotel Overland Park-Corporate Woods is in the midst of an $8 million renovation that is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2005. The hotel is receiving a complete renovation to all 339 guest rooms and public spaces, including the creation of a new restaurant and health club. The 9,000-square-foot ballroom is being redesigned with new chandeliers, sconces, and color scheme.

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The Doubletree offers high-speed Internet access in all of its guest rooms and wireless access in the public spaces. The hotel provides easy access to the recently opened Overland Park Convention Center that offers 60,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 25,000-square-foot ballroom, and 15,000 square feet of additional meeting space. An enclosed walkway directly connects the center to the new 412-room Overland Park Sheraton Hotel that offers another 20,000 square feet of meeting space.

WICHITA

Wichita to host bowling convention. Wichita will host the American Bowling Congress 2011 Championship Tournament and Convention, an event that is expected to attract up to 80,000 participants. The massive event is expected to generate up to a $100 million economic impact for the area. This spring, Wichita hosted the Women's International Bowling Congress that included more than 42,500 bowlers and their families.

KENTUCKY

LEXINGTON

Lexington airport among nation's fastest growing. Service and facilities continue to expand at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport, which was named the 5th fastest growing U.S. airport in 2003 by the Airports Council International-North America. Three construction projects currently are under way at Blue Grass, including runway enhancements, an executive lounge, and a rental car return facility.

In June, Delta Connection initiated new nonstop service between Washington's Reagan National Airport and Lexington. On December 1, Delta Connection also began a daily nonstop flight between Orlando, Florida, and Lexington.

Served by five major airlines, Blue Grass Airport experienced an 18.8 percent increase in passenger traffic in 2003.

LOUISVILLE

Two Wyndham Hotels to open. Five adjoining 19th-century buildings in downtown Louisville are being converted into a 90-room Wyndham Hotel and 5,000-square-foot contemporary art museum. Scheduled to open by September 2005, the Wyndham 21C hotel will feature approximately 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Wyndham also will manage a 225-room hotel connected to the Louisville International Airport. The airport Wyndham will open in early 2006 with more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space.

Expo center expansion opens in October. The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville will complete the expansion of its South Wing in October. The expansion will create an additional 237,000 square feet of exhibit, meeting, and public space. The $52 million project will include 57,000 square feet of new meeting and conference space and 558 new parking spaces.

Galt House to complete $50 million upgrade in fall. The 1,300-room Galt House Hotel and Suites is scheduled to complete its $50 million renovation in fall 2005. The project involves an extensive upgrade and modernization of each guest room and suite and renovation of its 120,000 square feet of meeting space in 52 rooms, which includes ballrooms of 15,000 and 24,300 square feet. The project also created a pedestrian walkway between the property and the Kentucky International Convention Center, which opened last year. New lobby escalators; renovation of all public spaces; and a new, three-story, glass-encased conservatory connecting the east and west wings are part of the project as well. Some aspects of the renovation already are complete. The Galt House has six restaurants and lounges, including the upscale Flagship, a revolving restaurant on the 25th floor.

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Downtown Marriott opens in May. The 617-room Louisville Marriott Downtown will open in May 2005 adjacent to the Kentucky International Convention Center. It will offer 50,000 square feet of meeting space in 30 rooms, including the 22,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom and 11,000-square-foot Kentucky Ballroom.

NEWPORT

Hofbrauhaus expands. The popular Hofbrauhaus in Newport expanded its outdoor beer garden this summer. Included in the expansion were a new outdoor kitchen and bar area, restroom facilities, and additional seating. The outdoor facility now seats 450 people. The Hofbrauhaus Newport is only the second offering worldwide of the original, 400-year-old Hofbrauhaus beer garden in Munich.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

New nonstop flights to Europe added. Two daily nonstop flights to Rome and Amsterdam were added at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport recently. The new Delta Air Lines flights complement other nonstop flights to Europe from Northern Kentucky, including flights to London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Even more overseas flights could be added at the airport when a 2,000-foot extension of its east-west runway is completed by the end of the year. A third north-south runway is also under construction and is set to open by late 2005. The airport offers more than 640 daily departures to 126 cities and is Delta's second-largest hub.

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MICHIGAN

DETROIT

Cobo expansion endorsed. A task force comprised of Detroit-area public officials and business leaders has endorsed a plan to expand the Cobo Center. The plan being considered would expand Cobo from 700,000 to 900,000 square feet at a cost of approximately $500-600 million. No time frame for expansion has been announced.

New Holocaust Memorial Center opens. Michigan's new Holocaust Memorial Center opened recently in Farmington Hills. The facility is a two-story, 51,000-square-foot building that covers 8.5 acres and includes a comprehensive library on the Holocaust and a 400-seat auditorium for lectures. The center previously was located in a smaller building in West Bloomfield.

Sterling Inn expands water park. The Best Western Sterling Inn in Sterling Heights recently completed a $1.2 million, 9,100-square-foot addition to its indoor water park, which opened in 2001. The newly expanded park now encompasses more than 30,000 square feet, including a new arcade. Located 15 miles from downtown Detroit, the 250-room Best Western has a 17-room conference center that features a 15,900-square-foot ballroom.

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GRAND RAPIDS

DeVos Place celebrates one-year anniversary. Grand Rapids' new riverfront convention center, DeVos Place, celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. The $211 million complex features a 75-foot-high, glass-enclosed lobby that links the center to several buildings, including the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel that offers 682 guest rooms and 42 meeting rooms. The center also offers a 160,000-square-foot exposition hall, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, 35,000 square feet of meeting space, a 25,000-square-foot catering kitchen, 12 loading docks, and the latest in technology. The complex also has a new glass-enclosed lobby for the 2,446-seat DeVos Hall that is adjacent to the center. A skywalk system connects the new center to the 12,700-seat Van Andel Arena and several restaurants.

ST. IGNACE

Kewadin building new casino, upgrading others. Work got under way in May on a new Kewadin Casino resort in St. Ignace overlooking Lake Huron's Horseshoe Bay. The $33 million complex will encompass more than 127,000 square feet of space, including a new casino with 800 slot machines, 26 table games, and 20 Keno seats; a buffet/restaurant seating 225; an entertainment lounge; a sports bar; and an 83-room hotel. A spring 2006 opening is expected. The master plan for the new property includes a conference center.

The new casino is part of a capital renovations project that is taking place at five properties Kewadin Casinos operates in northern Michigan. All properties are being remodeled with the Northern Exposure theme. A phased development plan for the Kewadin's flagship casino in Sault Ste. Marie continues to move forward with an anticipated March completion date. The $4 million project included a complete renovation of the East Wing of its 320-room hotel, which includes 39,000 square feet of meeting space. New rock and water features, new gift shop areas, and a coffee shop were added as well. The final phase of the project includes remodeling its Dream Catchers restaurant and the Bawating Art Gallery.

TRAVERSE CITY

Airport completes expansion. A major terminal and facilities expansion at Traverse City's Cherry Capital Airport opened in October. The new, 109,000-square-foot terminal has 45 percent more room than its predecessor, with more boarding gates, new taxiways, larger parking lots, new emergency and maintenance facilities, and a new entrance.

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Park Place Hotel begins five-year renovation. Traverse City's historic Park Place Hotel began a five-year renovation project in November with a top-to-bottom, wall-to-wall refurbishing of the 80 guest rooms in its main tower area. The tower rooms are expected to be completed in time for the hotel's 75th anniversary celebration in summer 2005. The downtown property offers 140 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space.

MINNESOTA

MINNEAPOLIS

New arts facilities under development. Minneapolis is scheduled to receive impressive new facilities for the arts starting with the April opening of the Walker Art Center expansion. The expansion will include a reception area for 450 people that overlooks the famous Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and city skyline. It also will feature a 385-seat theater.

The Guthrie Theater also has broken ground on a three-theater complex on the Mississippi riverfront. The complex, scheduled for completion in summer 2006, will offer a reception area with a cantilevered bridge extending out toward the river.

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Le Meridien Hotel opens. The upscale Le Meridien Hotel opened recently in the Theater District in downtown Minneapolis. The 21-story, 255-room hotel is the first Le Meridien property to feature the company's Art + Tech design that includes guest room amenities such as a 42-inch plasma TV paired with a cutting-edge multimedia system and high-speed Internet access through ISDN lines.

The hotel offers more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom that can accommodate up to 750 people for a reception or 500 for a banquet. It also offers a business center, fitness club, and translation services. The luxury hotel is part of the Block e retail and entertainment complex that is anchored by GameWorks, a Hard Rock Cafe, and a 15-screen cinema. Block e is attached via skyway to the Target Center Arena and the City Center shopping mall.

ST. PAUL

Historic boat club reopens as event facility. The historic Minnesota Boat Club has recently reopened after a renovation that transformed it into a new event complex. Located on Raspberry Island on St. Paul's Mississippi riverfront, the new River Room offers banquet space for up to 150 people and a 360-degree view of the river and the St. Paul skyline.

MISSOURI

BRANSON

New luxury hotel to open in 2007. A new luxury hotel, the Charlevoix at the Chateau Table Rock Lake, will open in early 2007 near Branson. The 18-story hotel will offer 200 two-bedroom suites, a full-service spa, and meeting space. It will be positioned atop a ridge overlooking Table Rock Lake about five miles from the Branson entertainment center and only 1,000 feet from its sister property, the Chateau on the Lake Resort & Conference Center, which offers 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

KANSAS CITY

Harrah's plans $100 million casino expansion. Harrah's North Kansas City casino is undergoing a $100 million expansion that is adding an 11-story, 206-room hotel tower. Each new guest room will encompass 420 square feet. The expansion also will include a new 750-space parking garage, new restaurants, and gambling floor enhancements. Harrah's currently offers 200 hotel guest rooms at the complex.

K.C. Airport completes upgrade. The Kansas City International Airport completed a $258 million project last month that upgraded its three terminal buildings with consolidated preflight holding areas, new ticketing areas, and other passenger convenience considerations. Phase I of the project was completed in summer 2002 when new gates and retail-restaurant operations opened in the updated portion of Terminal B. Other airport projects have addressed various structural, operational, and aesthetic upgrades.

New arena approved. In August, Kansas City voters approved the $250 million Sprint Center. The multipurpose arena will be located only a few blocks from the Kansas City Convention Center that is in the midst of a $135 million expansion and technology upgrade. The Sprint Center, scheduled to open in 2007, will seat up to 20,000 people.

SPRINGFIELD

Airport gets new flights, plans new facilities. The Springfield-Branson Regional Airport recently got new service from Delta Connection and Northwest Airlines that increased total passenger seats available on daily flights by more than 400. Delta Connection initiated new service between Cincinnati and Springfield, and Northwest added new flights to Minneapolis and Detroit while also offering bigger planes on its daily Memphis flights. A new, $180 million midfield replacement terminal at the airport is in the design phase. Plans are to open the new terminal by 2009.

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ST. CHARLES

Convention center-hotel complex opens in spring. A $71.3 million convention center and hotel complex in St. Charles will open this spring. The St. Charles Convention Center will feature a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 15 meeting rooms, 1,100 surface parking spaces, business center, cyber cafe, and bandwidth wireless Internet access and videoconferencing capabilities.

The new 300-room Embassy Suites Hotel-St. Charles will offer 5,200 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will be adjacent to the convention center. The complex will be located only 15 minutes from the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS

St. Louis gets new ballpark, casino in 2006. St. Louis will get a new ballpark and adjacent entertainment district in 2006, as well as a new downtown casino. The $380 million baseball project will create a baseball-only complex and redevelop a five-block area on the south end of downtown called Ballpark Village, a mixed-use development that will include shops, restaurants, nightclubs, residential housing, and offices. Also opening in 2006 is the $258 million Pinnacle Entertainment casino and adjacent 200-room hotel at the Laclede's Landing entertainment district on the Mississippi River. Pinnacle also will open a $300 million casino and retail complex in South St. Louis County in 2006 or 2007.

St. Louis Hilton opens. St. Louis's first downtown Hilton hotel opened last month. The 195-room Hilton St. Louis Downtown opened in the historic Merchants-Laclede Building that was constructed in 1889. The Hilton at Fourth and Olive streets includes a ground-level restaurant and retail space, 4,000 square feet of meeting space, a business center, and high-speed Internet access. Located just six blocks from the America's Center convention complex, the Hilton incorporates the building's original bank vaults into its lobby as a gift shop and Internet cafe. Overall, more than 2,400 hotel rooms have been added to the St. Louis downtown core in the past four years.

Sheratons expand. Two Sheraton hotels in the popular West Port entertainment district recently expanded. The Sheraton West Port added an 18,000-square-foot, 11-room conference center and renovated its 209 guest rooms. The hotel offers 42,000 square feet of meeting space overall. Its sister property, the 300-room Sheraton West Port Lakeside Chalet, added a 9,000-square-foot ballroom and upgraded its guest rooms.

NEBRASKA

OMAHA

Qwest Center celebrates first anniversary. The Qwest Center Omaha celebrated its first anniversary this fall. The new convention center features a 194,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 62,000 square feet of meeting space--including a 30,000-square-foot ballroom--a 9,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, and a 17,000-seat arena attached to the exposition center.

Directly connected to the Qwest Center by an enclosed skybridge is the Hilton Omaha, which opened in April. The state's largest hotel, the 450-room Hilton Omaha features more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom and 15 meeting rooms. It also is Nebraska's only AAA four-diamond hotel.

NORTH DAKOTA

GRAND FORKS

Greater Grand Forks CVB unveils new Web site. The Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled a redesigned Web site (www.visitgrandforks.com) this summer. The new site offers opportunities for visitors to see the discounts offered by bureau members, photos of local hotel accommodations, and links to various attractions and other bureau members.

Entertainment complex near Alerus Center planned. A $40 million entertainment complex is planned adjacent to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The new complex will include a 192-room hotel, a water park, and a 10-screen cinema. The hotel and entertainment offered at the complex are expected to help secure more meetings and trade show business at the Alerus Center, which features a 22,000-seat arena, a 26,000-square-foot ballroom that divides into five rooms, and 12 meeting rooms.

OHIO

CINCINNATI

Renovations begin on convention center. Work is under way on Cincinnati's Cinergy Center renovation and expansion project with some of the renovations already complete. Scheduled for completion in mid-2006, the $160 million project is adding a new decor to the existing center with all-new ceiling tiles, paint, and carpet. New restrooms also have been added, as have new concessions on Concourse C. Upon completion, the center will have increased flexibility and space, with nearly 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom that can be divided, a junior ballroom of 17,500 square feet, 45,000 square feet of additional meeting space in 37 rooms, and expanded loading dock area.

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National museum celebrates grand opening. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August on the Cincinnati riverfront with a gala celebration that included appearances by Oprah Winfrey and others. The 158,000-square-foot, Smithsonian-affiliated museum showcases the Ohio Valley's key role in helping slaves escape across the Ohio River to freedom via the Underground Railroad during the Civil War era. The striking, three-building complex offers several areas for group events, including a theater that seats up to 375 people cinema-style. Several large, open lobbies and decks overlooking the Ohio River also are available for private receptions for up to 300 people.

Downtown hotels get upgrade. The Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Cincinnati is being rebranded and transformed into a 135-room boutique hotel through a $30 million project. To be called the Next Hotel when completed in late 2005, the upscale property will be part of a luxury condominium complex that also will include a restaurant, lounge, valet parking, concierge, exercise facility, and spa.

The former Holiday Inn-Downtown also is receiving a $1.75 million upgrade that will transform it into a Ramada property. The 243-room hotel will receive new soft goods and a redesigned lobby.

CLEVELAND

Airport expands. The Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is in the midst of a $1.6 billion expansion program. Current enhancements include terminal expansion, a parking garage, a rental car center, and a new 9,000-foot runway that was completed in August. Continental Air Lines also recently signed a 10-year lease extension that will keep its hub operations at the airport through 2015. Hopkins International accommodates more than 10 million passengers each year.

COLUMBUS

Downtown building to become Marriott Residence Inn. A development group has announced its intentions to transform the 77-year-old Buckeye Bank Building in downtown Columbus into a 125-room Residence Inn by Marriott. Located one block from the statehouse in Columbus's central business district, the Buckeye Building also will feature an upscale restaurant in the lobby that will showcase the entrance's 40-foot ceiling. Plans are to open the hotel by fall 2005.

Adam's Mark becomes Renaissance. Columbus' second-largest hotel is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding. The 415-room hotel, formerly the Adam's Mark Columbus, is now a Marriott Renaissance Hotel doing business as The Columbus. The hotel is receiving a variety of upgrades to its guest rooms, ballroom, restaurant and lounge, and lobby that should be completed within 12 months.

Unique highway "cap" opens. A unique "cap" over Interstate 670 in Columbus opened this fall to connect the city's downtown convention district with its Short North Arts District. The Cap at Union Station includes 26,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and gallery space, sidewalks, and parking. A steakhouse, coffee house, wine bar, and ice cream parlor are among the tenants for the $7.6 million project.

The Cap is adjacent to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which was expanded in 2001. The center now has 426,000 square feet of exhibit space, two ballrooms, and 61 meeting rooms. The center is adjacent to the booming Arena District.

DAYTON

Airport adds service. Service at the Dayton International Airport continues to expand. This summer Independence Air began eight daily nonstop flights between Dayton and Washington, D.C. Earlier in the year, Northwest initiated daily nonstop service between Dayton and its Memphis hub. This month, Delta Connection carrier Chautauqua Airlines adds two daily nonstop flights to Dayton and Orlando, Florida. AirTran also begins nonstop Dayton-Tampa flights this month and will begin daily nonstop service to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in January. More than 100 daily flights now originate from Dayton International Airport.

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SOUTH DAKOTA

RAPID CITY

Dahl Arts Center expanding. The Dahl Arts Center in the heart of downtown Rapid City is undergoing a major expansion that will be completed in November 2006. Four fine art galleries, a 486-seat theater, meeting rooms, and a fully equipped arts education center are among the additions.

SIOUX FALLS

New hotel opens. The new Clubhouse Hotel and Suites opened this fall in Sioux Falls. The hotel will feature 100 oversized guest rooms, 24-hour business center, wireless Internet access in all public spaces, meeting space for up to 100 people, and more.

WISCONSIN

MADISON

First phase of arts center opens. The first phase of the $205 million Overture Center for the Arts opened in September. The downtown Madison performing arts complex consists of several new and restored facilities, including the 2,251-seat Overture Hall and the 1,000-seat Capitol Theater. Some of the facilities such as the 350-seat Playhouse will not open until early 2006.

Airport expanding. Madison's Dane County Regional Airport is undergoing a major expansion that will more than double total square footage of the passenger terminal when completed in 2005. In addition to new terminal space, there will be additional baggage claim areas, more ticket counter space, and new shops.

MILWAUKEE

High-speed ferry debuts in Milwaukee. A high-speed ferry that carries passengers and cars across Lake Michigan in just two hours and 20 minutes began service between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan, this summer. The Lake Express carries 250 passengers and 46 cars between its destinations in less than half the time of traditional slow-speed ferries. Lake Express will operate between May 1 and December 31, with three daily round trips in the peak summer months.

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New downtown developments debut next year. A 65,000-square-foot museum and aquarium complex will open in late 2005 on Milwaukee's lakefront. Pier Wisconsin will house both the relocated Discovery World Museum and a freshwater education center with more than 22,000 square feet of aquariums, interactive experiences, and laboratories highlighting marine life. Pier Wisconsin will be situated between the Henry W. Maier Festival Park and the Milwaukee Art Museum, which recently opened a $100 million expansion. Pier Wisconsin will feature a 360-degree, glassed-in reception area that also will house two high-definition digital theaters.

Also opening in 2005 will be the Milwaukee Public Market. The $11.3 million project will be located in the historic Third Ward District and provide downtown visitors with a place to buy a wide variety of locally produced goods.

WISCONSIN DELLS

Kalahari Resort completes expansion. The Kalahari Resort and Convention Center completed an expansion this summer that more than doubled the size of its convention center. The project added 80,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, bringing total square feet to 125,000. The expanded center features a 21,000-square-foot ballroom and 42 total meeting rooms. The African-themed resort also has 378 guest rooms, spa, cinema, shops, restaurants, and the largest indoor water park in the country.

CONTACT INFORMATION

ILLINOIS

Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau

2301 S. Lake Shore Dr.

Chicago, IL 60616

312-567-8500

www.choosechicago.com

Rosemont Convention Bureau

9301 Bryn Mawr Ave.

Rosemont, IL 60018

847-823-2100; fax: 847-696-9700

www.rosemont.com

INDIANA

Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association

One RCA Dome, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN 46225

800-958-INDY; fax: 317-639-4282

www.indy.org

IOWA

Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau

7 N. Sixth St.

Council Bluffs, IA 51503

800-228-6878 or 712-325-1000; fax: 712-322-5698

www.councilbluffsiowa.com

Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau

405 Sixth Ave., Suite 201

Des Moines, IA 50309

515-286-4960; fax: 515-244-9757

KANSAS

Overland Park Convention & Visitors Bureau

9001 W. 110th St., Suite 100

Overland Park, KS 66210

800-262-PARK

www.opcvb.org

Topeka Convention & Visitors Bureau

1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd.

Topeka, KS 66612-1852

800-235-1030; fax: 785-234-8282

tcvb.accesstopeka.com

Greater Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau

100 S. Main St., Suite 100

Wichita, KS 67202

800-288-9424 or 316-265-2800; fax: 316-265-0162

www.visitwitchita.com

KENTUCKY

Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau

301 E. Vine St.

Lexington, KY 40507

800-848-1224; fax: 859-254-4555

www.visitlex.com

Greater Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau

One Riverfront Plaza

401 W. Main St., Suite 2300

Louisville, KY 40202

800-626-5646; fax: 502-584-6697

www.gotolouisville.com

Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau

50 E. River Center Blvd., Suite 100

Covington, KY 41011

800-447-8489 or 859-261-4677; fax: 859-261-5135

www.staynky.com

MICHIGAN

Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau

211 W. Fort St., Suite 1000

Detroit, MI 48226

888-CALL-DTW or 313-202-1800; fax: 313-202-1834

www.visitdetroit.com

Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau

140 Monroe Center, N.W., Suite 300

Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2893

800-678-9859 or 616-459-8287; fax: 616-459-7291

www.visitgrandrapids.org

Kalamazoo County Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Chamber Building

346 W. Michigan Ave.

Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3737

269-381-2977; fax: 269-343-0430

www.kazoochamber.com

Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau

2650 I-75 Business Spur

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783-3511

800-MI-Sault or 906-632-3366; fax: 906-632-2331

www.saultstemarie.com

Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau

101 W. Grandview Pkwy.

Traverse City, MI 49684-2252

800-940-1120; fax: 231-947-2624

www.mytraversecity.com

MINNESOTA

Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau

7900 International Dr., Suite 990

Bloomington, MN 55425

800-346-4289 or 952-858-8500; fax: 952-858-8854

www.bloomingtonmn.org

Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau

250 Marquette Ave. South, Suite 1300

Minneapolis, MN 55401

800-445-7412 or 612-661-4700; fax: 612-767-8043

www.minneapolismeetings.com

St. Paul Convention & Visitors Bureau

175 Kellogg Blvd., Suite 502

St. Paul, MN 55102

800-627-6101 or 651-265-4900

www.visitsaintpaul.com

MISSOURI

Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City

1100 Main St., Suite 2200

Kansas City, MO 64105

800-767-7700; fax: 816-691-3855

www.visitkc.com

Springfield, Missouri, Convention & Visitors Bureau

3315 E. Battlefield

Springfield, MO 65804-4048

800-678-8767 or 417-881-5300; fax: 417-881-7201

www.meet-me-in-springfield.com

Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau

230 S. Main St.

St. Charles, MO 63301

800-366-2427 or 636-946-7776; fax: 636-949-3217

www.historicstcharles.com

St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

One Metropolitan Sq., Suite 1100

St. Louis, MO 63102

800-325-7962 or 314-992-0649; fax: 314-621-7729

www.explorestlouis.com

NEBRASKA

Greater Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau

1001 Farnam on the Mall, Suite 200

Omaha, NE 68102

866-YES-OMAHA; 402-444-7758

www.visitomaha.com

NORTH DAKOTA

Fargo/Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau

2001 44th St., S.W.

Fargo, ND 58103

800-235-7654 or 701-282-3653; fax: 701-282-4366

www.fargomoorhead.org

Greater Grand Forks Convention & Visitors Bureau

4251 Gateway Dr.

Grand Forks, ND 58203

800-866-4566 or 701-746-0444

www.grandforkscvb.org

OHIO

Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau

300 W. Sixth St.

Cincinnati, OH 45202

800-543-2613 or 513-621-2142; fax: 513-621-5020

www.cincyusa.com

Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland

50 Public Sq., Terminal Tower

Cleveland, OH 44113-2290

216-621-4110; fax: 216-621-5967

www.travelcleveland.com

Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau

1 Chamber Plz., Suite A

Dayton, OH 45402

800-221-8235 or 937-226-8226; fax: 837-226-8294

www.daytoncvb.com

Experience Columbus (formerly Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau)

90 N. High St.

Columbus, OH 43215

800-354-2657 or 614-221-6623; fax: 614-222-5618

www.experiencecolumbus.com

Toledo Convention & Visitors Bureau

401 Jefferson Ave.

Toledo, OH 43604-1067

800-243-4667; fax: 419-255-7731

www.dotoledo.org

SOUTH DAKOTA

Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau

P.O. Box 747

Rapid City, SD 57709

800-487-3223 or 605-343-1744; fax: 605-348-9217

www.rapidcitycvb.com

Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau

Commerce Center

200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 102

Sioux Falls, SD 57101

605-336-1620; fax: 605-336-6499

www.siouxfallscvb.com

WISCONSIN

Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau

615 E. Washington Ave.

Madison, WI 53703

800-373-6376 or 608-255-2537; fax: 608-258-4950

www.visitmadison.com

Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau

101 W. Wisconsin Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53203-2501

800-231-0903 or 414-273-7222; fax: 414-273-9707

www.milwaukee.org

Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau

701 Superior St.

Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

800-223-3557; fax: 608-254-4293

www.wisdells.com