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w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m S e p t e m b e r 2 0 15 • I NSIGH T | 31 million from $300 million the previous year. While the Fox Cities and Green Bay compete for larger, statewide groups, the region is also home to several smaller meeting and convention facilities, including the recently revamped Oshkosh Convention Center, as well as scenic settings such as Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan and the Osthoff Lake Resort in Elkhart Lake. e counties that host those facilities have also seen 5 percent increases in direct visitor spending similar to the Green Bay and Fox Cities areas. A feasibility study conducted for the proposed Fox Cities Convention Center affirmed there is plenty of room in the market for both the new facility and an expanded KI Center. "ere is no reason to think that's changed," Seidl says. "We know the business side of visitor spending is picking up." Another piece of the puzzle fell into place when ownership of the Radisson Hotel was resolved with its sale to Florida-based Inner Circle Investments earlier this year. e city is negotiating a management agreement for the convention facilities. "We are anxious to get that concluded," says Pam Seidl, executive director of the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It will help keep us current with our competition, all of whom have made recent upgrades." A new convention facility for the Fox Cities is projected to increase convention business nearly $5.5 million annually. Outagamie County also experienced an increase of more than 5 percent in direct visitor spending in 2014, rising to $315 C O U R T E S Y K I C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R REGISTER TODAY AT 5KGRB.COM AT AUSTIN STRAUBEL AIRPORT 4PM START The KI Center is growing from 80,000 to 145,000 square feet