ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -  The “Super Bowl of Conventions” is over…now it’s time for the post game wrap-up.

Local organizers of the annual meeting for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), which ran from Saturday through Tuesday, were patting themselves on the back for what they termed “an extraordinary event”.

“The 2011 ASAE convention was a huge success,” said St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission president Kitty Ratcliffe.  “Thanks in large part to the great collaboration, the strength and partnerships that exist in our region.”

8/10/11-St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission president Kitty Ratcliffe speaks Wednesday at America's Center, talking about the impact of hosting the 4-day annual meeting of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) that wrapped up Monday. (KMOX/Brett Blume)

ASAE president John Graham seemed to concur to a press conference at America’s Center, lavishing praise on the host city.

“Wow! You guys really knocked it out of the park,” Graham said.  “I do meetings for a living and I get to go to a lot of cities and get to experience a lot of hospitality, and you guys did an outstanding job.”

Graham said he and his fellow conventioneers felt genuinely welcomed and wanted in St. Louis.

“And the sincerity of the hospitality…this wasn’t put on,” Graham explained.  “These were people that were sincerely glad we were here, and sincerely nice people.”

He added that St. Louis can expect to get a lot of business, and big bucks, as a result of hosting 5,500 convention goers – 90% of whom are involved in decisions about where to hold future meetings.

As an example, Graham mentioned that the Los Angeles area, which hosted ASAE’s annual meeting last year, has since booked 13 large conventions that have generated 65,000 room-nights and a total investment of $50,000,000.

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