Conference Proposal

Small City ICMA Conference

July 1, 2008

The International City / County Management Association conducts a great conference. The size of the conference requires a major city with expensive hotels and food. Many small municipalities cannot afford to send Managers to the National Conference.

We propose a second, smaller annual conference in a smaller community. Smaller, less affluent communities could afford to send Managers and Assistants. The program could be reduced from the national program. The conference could be held in summer, allowing young managers and assistants to bring their school age children.

Peoria would be an excellent site for the Small City ICMA Conference. Peoria is part of the second largest metro area in Illinois with a population of 360,000. We have a vibrant downtown with a range of hotel accommodations, unique restaurants and a major focus on new urbanism. Peoria is able to offer all of the amenities of a large city without the shock of high prices.

Peoria is centrally located in the US, permitting managers from small communities to drive to the conference. Peoria also has excellent affordable air service. The region includes a wide variety of recreational and educational facilities for children.

Hotel rooms and Convention Center costs are much more affordable in our small city. The average room rate for the ICMA Small City Conference in Peoria would be $90 per night, less than ½ of the cost of large city hotels. Within walking distance of the Peoria Civic Center there are over 800 guest rooms with a citywide capability of 1,200. The City can support an excellent Small City ICMA Conference.

The City and County of Peoria have a full array of city development projects and issues, many within walking distance from the Conference Center. The City has a newly redeveloped vibrant water front, Nine TIF Districts, new urbanist developments, challenging public housing and deteriorating neighborhood communities, and excellent efforts on revitalization. The scale of projects in Peoria and nearby villages would match those of the attendees.

We discussed this possible conference with conference managers from ICMA. They told us this would meet the frequent requests that ICMA do more for small communities. We request your consideration for this conference.

Craig Hullinger City of Peoria 309 494 8639 Craighullinger@gmail.com