Center of attention
Cave City Convention Center’s versatility an asset to area
Story by JOHN CLAYTON
T
he nine expansive caves in Cave City, including famed Mammoth Cave, draw visitors from across the country, but the Cave City Convention Center has become an above-ground destination for tourists and locals alike. The 30-year-old facility has been the home to business and social functions of all types and can host as many as an estimated 1,000 people for concerts and similar events. Cave City Convention Center Director Greg Davis says the center’s adaptability has made it a gem for the region. “Definitely, the versatility we have is important,” Davis says. “We’ve done everything in there from conferences to family reunions and other things that may come along. The thing you have to remember is that every time there’s an event, a lot of those folks come in and stay
8 | January/February 2020
overnight, so it helps everybody — the motels and the restaurants.” The convention center staff keeps track of monthly and yearly economic impact figures from events like annual gun and knife shows, a Bassmaster show for fishing enthusiasts, Christmas shows and gospel singings.
helps,” Davis says. “Our business just draws other businesses, and maybe at some point, if we get a sports complex in the area, then I’m sure we will have another motel, because that’s the only thing we’re lacking right now.”
ECONOMIC ENGINE The staff estimates that the convention center contributed about $190,000 in economic impact to the local economy from January to September of 2018 – significant numbers for a city of around 2,400 and for Barren County with its population of around 44,000. But Davis says there are other advantages the convention center brings that are harder to quantify, including a measure of civic pride. “As we get other things in the area, it
Cave City Convention Center director Greg Davis oversees many events, from weddings to corporate trade shows, each year.
South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
