Page 21 - PCCA-Year-In-Review

POPE FRANCIS AND THE
WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES

In 2014, the Vatican officially announced that Pope Francis will travel to
Philadelphia for the Festival of Families on September 26 and a Papal
Mass on September 27. His visit coincides with the conclusion of the World
Meeting of Families, which is being held at the Pennsylvania Convention
Center from September 22-25. The Papal visit to Philadelphia is the
Pontiff’s first trip to the United States. The theme of the World Meeting of
Families is “Love is our mission: the family fully alive.” With more than 150
nations being represented, the World Meeting of Families 2015 will bring
together individuals and families of many faiths.

QUICK FACTS Did You Know?

• 10,000 to 15,000 attendees are expected to attend the Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Convention
World Meeting of Families at the Center. Center are able to host the World Meeting
of Families because of the successful 2011
• Two million people are expected to attend the papal expansion of the facility. The expansion
events. brought the Center’s footprint to over 2
million square feet. The World Meeting
• The World Meeting of Families and Papal visit will will use the entire facility and without the
generate a combined economic impact of $417.8 expansion, Philadelphia would not have had
million for the Greater the opportunity to host this event. The PCCA’s
Philadelphia region. leadership decision to expand the Center
has given Philadelphia and Pennsylvania the
• There are 65,000 hotel opportunity to welcome Pope Francis for his
rooms available within first visit to the United States. Pennsylvania
a 60-mile radius of will have the eyes of the world upon it.
Philadelphia.

DNC 2016 SELECTS PHILLY TO HOST “In addition to
NATIONAL CONVENTION their commitment
to a seamless and
In February 2015, the Greater Philadelphia region scored a major victory safe convention,
when the Democratic National Committee announced its selection of Philadelphia’s deep
Philadelphia to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention. We are rooted place in
thrilled that both the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Wells Fargo American history
Center will be featured venues for the 2016 convention, which will attract provides a perfect
tens of thousands of visitors from around the country, generate hundreds setting for this
of millions of dollars in regional economic impact, and place our city and special gathering.”
region on a national stage.
- U.S. Congresswoman
Hosting the DNC is a unique opportunity to showcase our region’s Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
history, arts and culture, world-class hotels, restaurants, and citizens. Our Chair, DNC
success was the result of a well-organized city-wide effort from a range
of stakeholders. Our team effort joined the Pennsylvania Convention 21
Center, SMG, the PHLDNC team, the City of Philadelphia, the PHLCVB, Visit
Philadelphia, the Independence Visitors Center, the Greater Philadelphia
Hotel Association, and many others.