FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside Indiana Business): The Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne ended 2018 with record income from room rentals and catering commissions. The Journal Gazette reports that numbers disclosed during the meeting of the Allen County/Fort Wayne Capital Improvement Board reflected that meeting room rental fees for the center brought in more than $1 million and proceeds from catering brought in $633,000.

Both income figures showed increases of about 20 percent over 2017. Expenses for the center were down $231,000 through better management of personnel.

Grand Wayne hosted 52 conventions in 2018, about the same as in previous years, but with a focus on being more interactive.

“It’s all about building relationships over time,” Bart Shaw, Grand Wayne executive director told the Gazette. “Our AV (audiovisual) team is used (more) all the time, and the (downtown) Hilton has done great things from a catering perspective. And when you do those things, and do them right, people will see value in that.”