Phoenix Convention Center

Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, The Phoenix Convention Center (PCC) first opened in 1972, and has become one of the top 20 convention centers in North America, thanks in part to a $600 million expansion facility between 2006 and 2008.  Currently offering 900,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, approximately half of the redevelopment was financed by the State of Arizona, based on visitor sales tax revenue projections.

A key stipulation of the State’s expansion funding was the implementation of an official economic impact study five years after the expanded Center opened its doors, to estimate whether the annual General Fund tax revenue generated for the State as a result of the expansion outweighs current debt payments that exceed $20 million per year.  If the revenue tied to the expansion of the Convention Center does not exceed the State’s investment, the State could potentially withhold sales-tax distributions to the City of Phoenix, pursuant to ARS 42-5029, until the shortfall is recouped.

The Seidman Research Institute was commissioned by PCC to survey delegates at select conferences and conventions in FY2014, resulting in:

  • A customer segmentation of delegates
  • A reliable and valid contemporary estimate of delegate visitor spending, for potential use in the preparation of the Auditor General’s official economic impact analysis.