Anita Russell is the Local Branch President of the NAACP and is a born and raised Kansas Citian. She played a key role in bringing the 2010 NAACP Convention and its 10,000 attendees to her hometown. The NAACP Convention has an economic impact of $7.8 million and is one of the five largest conventions in Kansas City next year.

Anita and her local branch members along with the KCCVA Sales Team developed a winning presentation that beat out cities such as Philadelphia and Las Vegas. Below is a short recent interview with Anita on how a team effort led to everyone singing "Goin' to Kansas City."

EXCITING TIMES IN KC: When the NAACP holds its annual convention in Kansas City next year, it will be a NEW experience for many of its attendees. Over the last few years, Downtown KC has gone through a $5 billion transformation.

MS. RUSSELL: "I am a native Kansas Citian.... It feels very good... all the revitalization in our city. The national convention NAACP has not been to Kansas City since 1984 and there have been so many changes since that time. We want to show off our city to our colleagues from around the country. We have met people who were here in 1984, and they all say they really enjoyed it. We say you will not recognize it. It is not the same... the downtown with the Sprint Center and the Power & Light District and all the restaurants."

WHY BOOK KANSAS CITY:  Kansas City's affordable prices and location in the Heart of America help make KC a perfect choice for a meeting.

MS. RUSSELL: "Our city is really easy to sell because we are centrally located, and that is something we shared with them. Affordability was really important. We think this will help our attendance be greater than it has been over the past years."

STATE-OF-THE-ART MEETING SPACE: The Kansas City Convention Center recently underwent a $150 million expansion and technology upgrade.  In addition, a new Grand Ballroom – one of the ten largest convention centers in the country – opened in 2007.

MS. RUSSELL: "Our convention center – Bartle Hall. That is a good sell and especially the Grand Ballroom. I didn’t realize the convention center is larger than a lot of other cities convention centers."

KANSAS CITY – AN EASY SELL: Kansas City was awarded the 2010 NAACP Annual Convention on the merits of a top-notch presentation developed by the CVA and the NAACP's local branch.

MS. RUSSELL: "We beat out Philadelphia and Las Vegas... so that made us feel really good. The CVA did an excellent job on the presentation, and so did city leaders. I think our presentation was really top notch. The board said the presentation was excellent."

SHOWING OFF YOUR CITY: There's definitely a civic pride attached to bringing your national convention to your hometown. The CVA worked closely with the local branch of the NAACP to land their annual convention.

MS. RUSSELL: "It does make me feel good that I will be able to share my city with the people that I usually see at the convention every year. And, they get an opportunity to see Kansas City, not to mention they are all singing “Goin’ to Kansas City.” First, I want them to see the downtown area – the Power & Light district. I want them to see that. Of course, we are known for barbecue so everyone is all ready for the barbecue. We’ll go to jazz. We’ll take them to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum at 18th & Vine."

CONVENTIONS LOWER YOUR TAXES: Each year, millions of people travel to KC for conventions, business meetings and leisure vacations. These travelers leave behind $324 million in state and local taxes. Yes, tourism has a HUGE impact on Kansas City.

MS. RUSSELL: "I think it means a lot... because when people come to a city they have to eat. They’re going to shop, and so that brings a lot of money to a city. Many of us have gone to other cities and spent dollars in other cities, so we want the convention to come to Kansas City and spend some of those dollars here to help boost our economy."

About the NAACP

The NAACP was formed partly in response to the continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and resting place of President Abraham Lincoln. Appalled at the violence that was committed against blacks, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, both the descendants of abolitionists, William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln's birth.