Egan + Dena'ina: a winning combination: how two new civic and convention centers are bringing vitality and money to downtown Anchorage.

• Author: Komancheck, Wendy
• Position: CONVENTION SPECIAL SECTION

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The Dena'ina and Egan Civic and Convention Centers are "here for the benefit of the entire community of Anchorage and beyond," said Conradus Jager of Alaska SMG Inc. and Denise Kamm, marketing manager of Anchorage Convention Centers. "Local events are going to be key to the success of the new Dena'ina Center, while Egan Center's impressive remodel ensures that it remains a quality venue available to the Anchorage community as well.

"The combination of the two centers, as well as the Savor--Alaska Catering operations--under one umbrella makes it easy to find and contact us, whether it's for efficient business meetings or fun and affordable private functions," they said.

THREE ANCHORAGE ENTITIES BRING THE CONVENTION CENTERS TOGETHER

Kamm and Jager work together at the Egan and Dena'ina Civic and Convention Centers. In a joint e-mail interview, they lent their opinions about the exciting future the convention centers have on tap.

Jager is director of sales and marketing at the Anchorage Convention Centers, where his position is under the parent company of SMG of Alaska Inc., a company that "provides worldwide entertainment and convention venue management."

"SMG is our parent company, providing private management for public facilities, (www.smgworld.com)," Jager said. "SMG of Alaska Inc. is our local SMG company, managing the Anchorage Convention Centers, William A. Egan Civic and Convention Center, and the soon-to-be opened Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center."

The relationship between the Anchorage Convention Centers, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB), and SMG of Alaska works like this: "The Anchorage Convention Centers are owned by the Municipality of Anchorage; ACVB is the contract administrator; and we, SMG of Alaska, do the facility management. ACVB goes after out-of-state and in-state conventions, whereas we focus on local business, trade shows, and the like. We work partly for them, partly with them in a 'joined-at-the-hip' partnership that works well for both organizations and benefits the municipality. I'd call it a 'win-win-win,'" Jager said.

The Kamm and Jager team states that, as of April, there are more than 30 booked events for 2008 at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center: conventions, trade shows, holiday parties, weddings and meetings. Many local clients are returning businesses, while others, in the form of trade shows, national and international conventions are new to the Anchorage...