The Hawaii Convention Center reported Thursday that it got several more convention bookings as a limited time price offer expired this week, for a total of 11 conventions to be held here over the next six years.

SMG Hawaii, which manages the convention center, told last year's Professional Convention Management Association annual meeting in Indianapolis that association delegates who attended this year's meeting in Honolulu would be eligible for a special deal: free rent when booking an event before Jan. 31.

Convention centers charge rent for meetings and then also charge fees for catering, set-up and other services. Free rent does not therefore mean a free meeting, but it does mean a significant discount, and they were scarecely done sweeping the floor from the January PCMA meeting when SMG announced bookings by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Medical Association, the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, the National Pest Management Association, and Sweet Adelines International.

But the bookings have continued since then. On Thursday SMG announced these:

·     2006: Ocean Sports Expo. Anticipated attendance is 1,000, bringing $2.4 million in visitor spending and $203,000 in tax revenue.

• 2008: Emergency Nurses Association. Anticipated attendance is 1,000, bringing $3.1 million in visitor spending and $260,000 in tax revenue.
• 2009: Hawaiian Islands Ministries. Anticipated attendance is 1,500, bringing $2.7 million in visitor spending and $228,000 in tax revenue.
• 2011: American College of Gastroenterology. Anticipated attendance is 5,000, bringing $13.4 million in visitor spending and $1.1 million in tax revenue.

SMG said that two other organizations that are waiting to announce their Hawaii meeting are expected to bring in a combined $43.9 million in spending and $3.6 million in tax revenue.

"We created a buzz," said General Manager Joe Davis. "Planners were not only talking about the facility, but began working on bringing their event to Hawaii. The results of this offer have exceeded our expectations."