Top-Notch Safety Initiations at the Overland Park Convention Center
By Sara Romo, CMP
Nestled in Kansas City’s outer limits, the Overland Park Convention Center is setting the standard for meetings and events in Kansas. According to Exhibitor Magazine, this facility is known as the Best Small Convention Center in North America, and it continues to charge ahead and lead by example amidst a pandemic.
Within the last year, the Overland Park Convention Center was the first convention center in the Midwest to attain the GBAC Star Accreditation. So, what does this mean? The convention center has proved that it has implemented necessary cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention within its facility. Achieving this recognition is not an easy feat, but the Overland Park Convention Center’s staff and determination have ultimately made this goal achievable.
When the General Manager, Brett C. Mitchell, was asked what sets this facility apart from others, he stated, “It is all about our employees. We are in the service business and every interaction is critical to success and our employees drive that success.” Overall, the team at the convention center is highly skilled and enhances meetings and events from upholding thorough cleanliness and safety measures to demonstrating strong industry background. The success is in the numbers, as shown in the chart below.
While group business outings have been significantly reduced over the last several months, the Overland Park Convention Center has welcomed 40+ meetings back to its facility. These meetings include small meetings and conferences, public consumer shows/specials events, dance competitions, and a few banquets. This diversity illustrates how the Overland Park Convention Center is well-equipped for any type or size of event. Their website, www.opconventioncenter.com/event-safety, contains a variety of room set examples to help organizations plan socially distanced meetings at its facility.
To further ensure attendee safety, Johnson County officials evaluated an event that included 4,000 plus attendees over a seven-day period. Their assessment concluded that the Overland Park Convention Center was taking all necessary measures to safely conduct gatherings during the pandemic. Additionally, no COVID-19 cases were traced back to the event. Safety is top of mind while planning events in these times, and this facility is ready to exceed your expectations. Be sure to include the Overland Park Convention Center in your RFP requests as you are planning safe, top-quality meetings and events.
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Sara Romo, CMP is a contributing writer from St. Louis and a meeting and event professional.
