April 25--The conversion of the Phoenix Expo Trade and Event Center to a regional service center for Health Management Associates is likely to translate to increased business for the Fort Smith Convention Center, according to city tourism officials.

At a monthly meeting of the Fort Smith Advertising & Promotion Commission, Tim Seeburg, convention center director, said increased bookings and inquiries have resulted since the change in the venue's operation was announced early this month.

FSM Redevelopment Partners, owners of the Phoenix Expo, said HMA has taken a 10-year lease on 90,000 square feet of the space at the south end of the mall property in the area housing the Expo Center.

HMA, parent company of Sparks Health System in Fort Smith and Summit Medical Center in Van Buren, anticipates taking occupancy of the space in early July, following its investment of about $4 million in equipment and furnishings in the building.

Phoenix Expo Manager Lance Beaty said while efforts would be made to accommodate some scheduled events, continued use of the facility for the long term as a major event venue was unlikely.

Seeburg, Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Claude Legris and other convention center staff have discussed the implications of the lost meeting space.

"There are a variety of potential clients from the Phoenix Expo Center that need to relocate their events to a venue like FSCC, which is large enough to support them and offers the services they require," Seeburg wrote in a monthly activity report delivered at Wednesday's meeting.

He told commission members increased bookings could result in a better-than-budgeted year for the downtown facility.

Jeremy Richey with the center staff said inquiries had come from several organizations that had planned to hold business meetings, social activities and other activities at the Phoenix Expo. He said while the city-owned center can accommodate most of their needs, lack of adequate parking remains a frequent complaint.

The potential good news of increased activity comes at a good time for the convention center. Seeburg's monthly report on the facility showed center revenue for March at $54,285, a total 17 percent below that for March 2012. Year-to-date revenue, $139,640, is down by 20 percent from the first quarter of 2012.

Seeburg said the facility saw fewer events in March, 25 accounting for 45 days, this year. In March 2012 there were 29 events and 59 event days.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, Kelly Gutierrez with the CVB staff reported the facility's website, fortsmith.org, experienced its best month on record, logging 64,645 hits and 91,611 page views. Gutierrez said interest in Fort Smith's designation by True West magazine as a Top True Western Town appeared to have generated some of the additional web traffic. Activity on city Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest accounts also saw increased activity during the month, she reported.

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