More than 11,000 attendees are expected for the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, which kicked off this morning and runs through Friday at the Sacramento Convention Center and Hyatt Regency. But as the domestic wine industry descends on Sacramento for exhibits in the latest wine making technology and panel discussions, the buzz around town was that 2010 would mark Unified's last year in Sacramento. Rumor had it that Unified would move to a more cost-effective venue in San Francisco.
That rumor has turned out to be false. According to a spokesperson for Unified, not only will Unified stay in Sacramento, but they've already booked the Sacramento Convention Center for the next two years.
That's welcome news for downtown restaurateurs and other businesses, which see a significant spike in business during Unified week. According to the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, Unified generates $2.2 million in economic impact for Sacramento through restaurant bookings, hotel rooms and other local business activity. 2,000 hotel rooms are also reserved annually during the Unified convention.
"It's one of the largest groups we host in town," said Mike Testa, spokesman for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It's a win-win from a business and partnering standpoint."
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