2009 Convention Preview
A change in Washington
By Michelle Brutlag Hosick
Change is in the air for the 2009 NCAA Convention at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington, D.C. While the event has always been where the Association conducts its business and provided a forum for education, the NCAA Convention staff hopes to promote this year’s event as a place where people can connect with others in college sports.
The most obvious change is a shift in dates – from a Friday-Monday schedule to Wednesday-Saturday. The shift was made to accommodate Bowl Championship Series games that were creeping later into January and to avoid the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Association-wide education sessions will be offered on the morning of the first day of the Convention for the first time. The sessions will be presented in two formats: 60-minute panel sessions and 90-minute roundtable discussions. The format will be tailored to fit the content.
The delegates reception and Honors Celebration will be at the Newseum, a new facility dedicated to news history located near the White House and U.S. Capitol. The Honors Celebration will take place in a different and new format during a portion of the evening, with tributes to each honoree. Transportation to and from the Newseum will be provided throughout the evening.
The Gaylord National is a new property, and the sleeping rooms at the facility are closer to the Convention space than at recent hotels.
The second year for the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium will focus on a health theme, with several presentations on health and safety for student-athletes.
The NCAA will work with the Gaylord National to continue its green initiative, begun at the 2008 Convention in Nashville.
The Convention will wrap up just three days before inauguration ceremonies for the next president begin in Washington, D.C.
Photos Courtesy of James P. Blair/Newseum: Gaylord Hotels