NACo Annual on a Budget

Attending #NACoAnn doesn't have to cost you and your county an arm and a leg 

Attending the NACo Annual Conference and Exposition doesn’t have to cost you and your county an arm and a leg. Here are a few tips that will help you save money while gaining knowledge, helping NACo set its federal policy agenda for the coming year and networking with your peers.

Let’s start with registration. The early-bird deadline to register at the lowest rates is June 8.  County members who register prior to June 8 will save up to $135 off the on-site rates.  Register via our online portal www.naco.org/annual and you’ll save another $25.

Of course, booking your airline travel early will save money. Once you are at the John Glenn International Airport (CMH), take the COTA Air Connect bus from the terminal to downtown for just $2.75 each way. The bus departs the terminal on the hour and half hour and is about a 15-minute ride downtown.  Various stops in the city will get you within a block of all the NACo hotels.

Learn More

For the schedule, more information and to register today, visit www.naco.org/annual.

Friendly staff in the airport will be happy to show you the pick-up location, and tickets can be purchased with credit or debit cards at the bus stop just to the right of the taxi station.  Be sure to purchase an individual pass for each person in your group.

If you choose to drive, Franklin County/Columbus is located within 550 miles of half of the nation’s population. Interstates 70 and 71 run through the county and easily connect with Interstates 64, 75 and 77. However, once you arrive you won’t need to take your car out again until it’s time to head home. Most hotels are a quick five-minute walk to the convention center with the furthest being a 15 -minute, 0.7 mile walk.

You could also ride CBUS, the city’s free downtown circulator bus, traveling from the Brewery District, through downtown to Short North every 10 minutes — 15 minutes, seven days a week.

NACo has arranged special rates at nine hotels in the downtown Columbus area. Among these, the Drury Inn & Suites Convention Center ($139/night) and the Red Roof Inn Plus ($149/night) offer the lowest nightly rates. You’ll save even more money at these hotels as they both offer a free breakfast daily and low nightly parking charges ($12/night at the Drury and $10/night at the Red Roof).

Of course, you will want to leave time to explore Franklin County’s amazing food scene featuring top-ranked chefs, a rich farm-to-table movement and one-of-a-kind restaurants at every price point. You won’t have to pay for every meal though. On Friday night, you won’t be hungry for dinner after attending the exhibit hall opening reception and the conference opening reception.

On Saturday, a lunch will be served in the exhibit hall and on Sunday, breakfast will also be available. For just $15 more you can add a ticket to the Sunday afternoon Achievement Awards luncheon. Monday evening’s conference-wide celebration event will offer a taste of Franklin County hearty enough to be dinner.

We look forward to seeing you in Franklin County for what is shaping up to be a great conference with can’t-miss content. Share additional money-saving ideas with fellow NACo members by tweeting #NACoAnn.