“We welcome RCMA back with open arms,” remarked Paul Catoe, president and CEO of Tampa Bay & Company, at the opening breakfast session during RCMA's January conference in Tampa, Fla. Catoe praised the association's economic impact on the city when it met there last in 2002 — subsequently resulting in 175,000 room nights for the city. He announced that Tampa Bay & Company had made a $7,000 donation to Make-a-Wish Foundation in RCMA's name as part of its thanks to the association.
As it has for the previous 38 years, RCMA, the world's largest association for religious conference professionals, has shown that its annual conference can deliver a strong economic impact to cities around the country. If you'd like to put your city in contention for hosting the 2015 World Conference & Expo, RCMA would like to hear from you. Here is an outline of the application procedure for hosting this meeting:
Bureaus can obtain detailed information on the procedure for site selection and the specific service and facility requirements for hosting the convention by contacting the RCMA office.
A city wishing to host the RCMA World Conference and Exposition must submit a written invitation from its convention and visitors bureau, together with a detailed commitment to fulfill ALL the RCMA service and facility requirements.
Included with the invitation must be a description of the accommodations and facilities proposed for use by the conference, guaranteed room rates, any program ideas, special inducements, and sponsorships that would make the site particularly attractive to RCMA, plus detailed information on the airlines serving the city.
RCMA's executive director must receive the invitation and accompanying data by November 11, 2011. RCMA's executive director will review each proposal and personally contact each bureau extending an invitation. After detailed discussion concerning the written bid and supporting data, if the bureau meets all the requirements, it may proceed to perfect its proposal.
After final review and acceptance by the executive director, the bureau will send its proposal to the members of the RCMA board of directors two weeks prior to the 2012 World Conference & Exposition (January 10, 2012).
Each bureau extending an official invitation for 2015 will have the opportunity to make a 10-minute oral presentation to the board on Monday evening just prior to the opening of the World Conference & Exposition in 2012.
After the board of directors hears oral presentations and reviews the written invitations and data, it will vote by secret ballot on the proposed site.
The results of the vote will be announced to the bidders by the president of RCMA the following day.
Kansas City, Mo., January 24-27, 2012
Minneapolis, Minn., January 29-February 1, 2013
Sacramento, Calif., February 4-7, 2014