The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau has booked two events that will bring about 9,000 people to the city this summer and the possibility of similar events for the next five years and beyond.

The annual District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses features educational and spiritual meetings June 20-23 for Spanish-speaking members and July 4-7 for those who speak English. Both will be at JQH Arena on the Missouri State University campus.

CVB president Tracy Kimberlin estimates the attendees will spend about $2.25 million during their stay in the city and generate nearly $84,000 in city sales and hotel taxes, $28,000 in county taxes and $207,000 in state sales tax each year the convention takes place in Springfield.

“We are pleased the Jehovah’s Witnesses selected Springfield for their conventions,” Kimberlin said. “We have been working with these groups for about two years and are delighted to bring these events to fruition.”

Not only will these be among the largest annual conventions in Springfield, they also will fill hotel rooms during the July 4th holiday, a time that traditionally is slow because business travel wanes during the holiday, Kimberlin said.

“Springfield is a city with great convention potential,” said Dan Fundyk, convention manager. “The cooperative spirit with lodging officials and the effort by CVB officials and JQH Arena management certainly gave good reason for Jehovah’s Witnesses to bring conventions here this summer. We see this as a benefit to us and the Springfield community as well. We hope to have conventions here for some years to come.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses conventions take place each year in cities across the nation and around the world, this year featuring over 400 such meetings in just the United States.

To learn more about this and other conventions and events brought to Springfield by the Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 417-881-5300 or 800-678-8767 or visit www.SelectSpringfield.com. The CVB is a nonprofit organization dedicated to boosting the local economy by promoting travel and tourism to Springfield.