Convention Center Lands Big Conference for 2013

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Narcotics Anonymous World Services (“NAWS”) today announced its biennial conference would be coming to Philadelphia in 2013. This makes NAWS the first group to sign a contract with the Convention Center subsequent to a big sales push the City advanced during last month's Professional Convention Management Association meeting.

The organization – an association for recovering drug addicts - expects to draw about 30,000 people over the Labor Day weekend, a time when the Convention Center is typically empty. The group is expected to use more than 14,000 hotel room nights (a room night is one room occupied for one night) over four days. Important factors in their decision were the improved management of the Convention Center – under the strong leadership of Councilman Michael Nutter – and the plans for expansion.