TOLEDO, Ohio — After spending decades meeting yearly in central Ohio, the Ohio Economic Development Association Summit has made the move to Toledo.
The OEDA is just one of several conferences that have decided to set up at the Glass City Center.
It's a big reason the former SeaGate Centre was renovated and renamed the Glass City Center in 2022 with hopes of attracting more conferences and bringing more money to the area.
OEDA President David Zak said holding the association's annual summit in Toledo gives attendees the chance to see what other parts of Ohio have to offer.
"Ohio as a state is really a powerhouse and that is not centralized in one area," Zak said. "Toledo is booming, it's growing, it's doing great things. The entire northwest Ohio region is doing that."
Lance Woodworth, president and CEO of Destination Toledo, said the Ohio Craft Brew Association and Glass Problems Conference are just a couple of other organizations bringing conferences to the Glass City this year.
"The secret's out," Woodworth said of the Glass City Center. "People know we have a great thing. Event planners are talking about it and their booking business in Toledo which benefits everyone in this area."
Woodworth said the center's $70 million renovation and the multiple hotels close to it are key in attracting the conferences.
"While they're in town, they're spending money and that helps our economy," Woodworth said. "It helps our business owners and workers. It just helps us all."
Thomas Winston, president of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority advocated for OEDA to have its conference in Toledo this year, saying it's a win-win for the association and the city.
"We have a record attendance, over 450 registrants for this particular summit, we have a record in sponsorship, raising over $150,000," Winston, an OEDA board chair, said. "Certainly, the bar has been raised."
A consulting firm is reviewing the center's performance, too, and the results could lead to more improvements and give Toledo an even better shot at hosting more big-time events.