July 1, 2008

Media Contact:

Julie Warren, 812.330.4304 or julie@visitbloomington.com

or Tosha Daugherty, 812.330.4303 or tosha@visitbloomington.com

Bloomington Welcomes the 2008 Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education

The event will bring 1,400 attendees and an estimated economic impact of nearly $1.2 million.

Bloomington –  Bloomington is gearing up to host the 2008 Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education (BCCE), July 9-12. The meeting will be held at various venues on the Indiana University Campus and will bring 1,400 attendees to the Bloomington area. Despite the fact that July is not traditionally a big month for meetings and conventions in the area, the 2008 BCCE conference is a significant event for Bloomington.

According to Catherine Reck, of the IU Department of Chemistry, the event will consist of a mixture of plenary lectures, symposia, workshops, chemical demonstrations, poster sessions, exhibits and tours of chemistry research areas. “We have designed the conference so that there is ample time for participants to network and talk to each other outside of the formal meetings by having two-hour lunch breaks. Participants can look forward to a culturally diverse selection of restaurants, and IU’s campus is an easy stroll to downtown attractions. We anticipate over 1,400 chemical educators to descend upon Bloomington, making this possibly the largest BCCE conference to date. Bloomington is the perfect venue for a conference such as this since it has culturally diverse restaurants, excellent conference facilities, the largest student union in the country and the most welcoming people in the country.”

The Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is pleased to be working with the IU Department of Chemistry and the IU Conferences to host this event. “There are usually so many other programs and events taking place in the height of the summer that it’s sometimes difficult to find meeting and hotel space for groups,” says Julie Warren, Director of Convention Sales and Services for the CVB. “This event, which will bring attendees from all over the country to Bloomington, is a huge conference, using several venues on campus and several area hotels. The free time in their schedule will encourage attendees to explore the community, resulting in a substantial impact for local businesses.”

The Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education is just one of three major groups that will be meeting in Bloomington this month. Each of these events brings visitors to the area and creates an impact on the local economy. The total economic impact of July conventions is estimated at more than $1.2 million. The list below is limited to groups that have worked with the Bloomington CVB in planning their events.

Assoc. of College Unions International           July 9-12           80 attendees         $29,280 impact

2008 Biennial Conference on

    Chemistry Education                                  July 25-Aug. 1   1,400 attendees    $1,195,600 impact

Private Event                                                 July 25-27         150 attendees       $36,600 impact

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