FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2008

KNOXVILLE CONVENTION CENTER WILL HOST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INNOVATION

Impressed by the Knoxville Convention Center’s world-class facilities and Southern charm, EcoQuest International will bring its annual international convention to Knoxville August 19-22, 2009.

EcoQuest International is a global leader in the indoor environmental health industry. EcoQuest’s mission is to enhance the quality of life indoors and to promote the necessities of life: clean air and clean water.

“At a time when innovative technology for clean resources, energy efficiency and environmentally friendly products and solutions is in high demand, it’s very exciting to have the EcoQuest International conference come to Knoxville,” said Mary Bogert, general manager of the Knoxville Convention Center. “This is a premier event for the city of Knoxville, and we are thrilled that attendees and guests will experience our state-of-the-art of facilities and Southern hospitality during their stay.”

The international conference will bring to Knoxville an estimated 3,000 attendees from throughout the United States and 19 different countries. The EcoQuest International convention features world-renowned speakers, award-winning training sessions, hands-on experience with new products, a trade show and celebrity guests.

"We're proud to be coming home to Tennessee," Mike Jackson, CEO of Greeneville, Tenn.-based EcoQuest, told the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation (KTSC). "We've been across the globe with our events. We've brought our folks across the continental USA, Mexico, Australia, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, but there is just something about Tennessee. We love it here."

"We thought it was time to bring one of our international conventions close to home," Mike Letts, president of EcoQuest, told KTSC. "The folks in Knoxville have shown us that they have the facilities and the spirit to bring EcoQuest the kind of experience our dealers have come to love – a great facility in a city with a family atmosphere. Knoxville is the kind of place where you can have a lot of fun, so it's not just a business trip but also a vacation."

Mary Bogert said she appreciates the partnership the convention center has with the KTSC whose combined efforts were key elements in bringing the EcoQuest convention to Knoxville.

The Knoxville Convention Center is located in downtown Knoxville adjacent to the Sunsphere. It boasts an 119,922-square-foot exhibit hall, a 27,300-square-foot divisible ballroom and 18 meeting rooms. For more information, visit http://www.knoxvilleconventioncenter.com.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, performing arts centers, theatres and convention, conference and trade centers. As the recognized industry leader since 1977, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales and marketing and event booking and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through our in house catering company, Savor…catering by SMG, currently servicing 65 accounts worldwide. With facilities across the United States, and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, SMG controls over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide and manages more than ten million feet of exhibition space.

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