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CVB Report: Events Center saw 102 events in 2024
look book grant 2024
Officials celebrate a Kansas Department of Commerce $3,468 grant for the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo’s upcoming Look Book with a “big check” presentation on Sept. 18, 2024, at the zoo. Pictured are, from left: Great Bend City Administrator Logan Burns, Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe, Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Christina Hayes, and Zoo Supervisor and Curator Ashley Burdick holding Penelope, a Mississippi kite. - photo by Susan Thacker

Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Director/Community Coordinator Christina Hayes recapped a year of successes in her 2024 Annual Report, released earlier this week at the Great Bend City Council meeting.

There were 1,142 CVB office visitors and 18,513 Events Center visitors in 2024. 

The report lists events from every month, starting with the Beat the Winter Blues and Snowball Drop in January and proceeding through the Trail of Lights and Trolley Rides last December. In between, there were retail events and promotions, festivals, tournaments, and conferences. These were events worked on by Hayes and her staff:

• Amanda Gaddis, visitor services representative

• Sydney Ridgel, customer service representative

• Joseph Trimmer, Events Center/CVB staff

• Kylie McCormick, intern

• Madison Gaddis, intern

“The CVB remains dedicated to promoting Great Bend as a premier destination, drawing visitors through marketing efforts, partnerships and attractions,” the report notes. “The Community Coordinator plays a vital role in fostering local events, ensuring a thriving and vibrant calendar of activities for residents and guests alike. Meanwhile, the Great Bend Events Center continues to serve as a hub for conferences, celebrations and large gatherings, enhancing the city’s ability to host impactful events.”


Grant awarded

In 2024 CVB received the Kansas Tourism Marketing Grant for the Zoo Look Book.


Transient Guest Tax/Events Center

Hotels and other accommodations for guests staying 28 days or less apply as transient guest tax. Great Bend’s transient guest tax rate is 6%; 5% goes for CVB for community marketing purposes and 1% helps fund the Events Center. In 2024, the tax brought in $316,134.78 for CVB and $63,226.97 for the Events Center, for a total of $379,361.75.

In 2024, the Events Center saw 18,513 guests at events, compared to 21,235 in 2023 and 22,055 in 2022. There were 102 events, compared to 126 in 2023 and 168 in 2022. Price increases started in 2023. CVB invited groups, meetings and conventions to return to our space. The report notes that nine conventions were planned in 2024 because CVB bid on them.

In October, Hayes bid for Great Bend to host the first-ever alumni event for the KU School of Public Management. Certified Public Manager (CPM) alumni were invited to attended and refresh their management skills. Great Bend also won the bid for CPM to hold a class here in 2025. “This bid was successful and had well over 115 attend the event in October and a class of 33 for 2025.”


Digital communication

• Facebook - 512,728 organic views; 11,861 followers (An “organic view” is one generated naturally, without any paid promotion or advertising involved.)

• Instagram - 199 followers, 561 posts

• YouTube - 3,028 views, 22 videos

• World Wide Web - 

- GreatBendKS.net - 75,352 users (Top five pages: Jobs, online billpay, ordinances, events, zoning map)

- ExploreGreatBend.com - 6,362

• Email - 9,703 contacts and 20 E-blast campaigns


Materials

• Info bags by request, 1,655

• Visitor Guides, 4,695

• Events Center packets 32

• Meeting facility guides 93

Hospitality mailed & delivered, 6,029 (compared to 5,674 in 2023)


Billboards

There is one billboard on Interstate 70 at the Tescott Exit. There are three billboards in town: at the Events Center, the Zoo and the Sports Complex.