Why Are Cities Still Spending Big on Convention Centers? NYT | Top Stories Alexander Nazaryan and Christian Monterrosa 11 November 2024 at 18:00 Cities are spending more than ever to land the biggest events, but companies have long pulled back on spending for annual conferences and attendance has dwindled. Companies have pulled back on spending on annual conferences and fewer people have been attending them — a trend that started around the recession in 2008 as some companies went bankrupt while others cut costs.