Visitors GuideThe General Manager with Destination St. John's, Mike Buist, is singing the praises of the St. John's Convention Center. He's speaking out against comments that the facility is a white elephant only open two or three times a month. Buist says the Convention Center has been a catalyst for 600 new jobs and close to 1-million dollars annually in taxes to the city in the hotel sector alone.
Buist points out over the past year the accommodation sector in St. John’s has increased by about 800 rooms, and much of that can be attributed to the construction of the Convention Center, plus it has added about 8.5-million dollars to this province’s gross domestic product.He said this does not take into account the impact convention delegates have on restaurants, taxis, boat tours, and attractions. Buist wonders how many new restaurants would have opened up in the province in the last five years if it wasn’t for the center, which enabled the city to host such high profile events as the Junos and Scott Tournament of Hearts.
Excerpt VOCM Radio News Wednesday, May 11, 2005
