Oxford Conference Center Bounces Back After Pandemic

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oxford Conference Center was at a standstill since public gatherings were all but eliminated for a year and a half.

However, according to Micah Quinn, director of the Conference Center, revenues generated in 2022 are close to what they were pre-COVID-19.

Quinn presented an annual report for the Conference Center to the Oxford Board of Aldermen during their regular meeting Tuesday night.

Quinn said the center had its last event canceled due to Covid-19 in January.

“Considering we had kind of a rough start at the beginning of the fiscal year, we rebounded really well,” she told the Aldermen. “I’m very proud of where we are.”

The report is for the 2022 fiscal year which runs from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022.

During the fiscal year, 78,365 people walked through the conference doors during 266 events which brought in $950,220 in revenue.

The conference center played host to 112 community events and was the home for 11 conferences that generated $308,890 in revenue.

The Conference Center offers about 11-square feet of column-free banquet space, a 282-seat auditorium with state-of-the-art HD audio equipment, a full catering kitchen, an outdoor terrace and an executive conference room.

The events at the Conference Center garnered $289,723 for local caterers and $213,121 in hotel revenue for local hotels, booking 1,726 rooms.

About 89 percent of the rooms were booked on weeknights.

“We have a lot of events during the weekends with graduation, with the University, with sports,” Quinn said. “But what I really love about the Conference Center is we bring those hotel stays in during the weeknights.”