Conference News Supplements Dedicated Venues Supplement | Page 5

5 Dedicated Venues Working with the city Kathleen Warden, director of conference sales, on how the SEC works with Glasgow to help it understand the value of the industry approach can add huge amounts of value by exercising the link between medical universities, research centres and hospitals. The SEC delivers £400m to the Glasgow economy, and £227m to Scotland and £136m to the UK. With key city representatives close to our business, retaining and building on the success that the SEC delivers remains front and centre in the city’s economic landscape, paving the way for potential future investment and development in the campus. It also ensures that as a city we take a holistic approach to infrastructure development, creating a well-planned and connected city, that supports the delivery of events. he Scottish Event Campus (SEC) works with the city at very senior level. Indeed, the leader of the Council sits on the SEC Board, and so the value of our industry is understood and supported at the highest possible level. Further senior representatives from the city are on our Board, facilitating a close harmony between SEC ambitions and city direction. Not only does the SEC directly benefit from the Scottish government’s good understanding of the events sector, but so, too, does the wider supporting business, academic and research community, and this has been central to creating a city that is highly responsive and adaptive to the changing demands of the industry, which ebb and flow with changes to the global economic and political environment. It’s well known across the industry that the SEC and Glasgow work hand in glove. The relationship is so strong, that it is often referred to as ‘Team Glasgow’. On a daily basis, dozens of calls and emails flow between Glasgow Convention Bureau and the SEC – we understand our common goal, and GCB is aligned with our strategy and shares our vision. It’s important to recognise where business events fit within a ‘city’ infrastructure, Glasgow is a city that completely understands and appreciates events, but this isn’t just at a civic level. What is often more important is that connection and the value that is felt by professional communities. For example, our team www.conference-news.co.uk Above: SEC Meeting Academy Left: The Armadillo (left) and Hydro (right) Below: The Armadillo at night