D eb Archer, president of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), says industry estimates average around $150 per day per delegate in direct expenditures for things like hotel rooms, transportation, food and entertainment. Figures from the GMCVB show the following: In 1994, the GMCVB booked 27 future conventions, meetings, and trade shows for the Madison area with an anticipated economic impact (direct delegate spending) totaling $4.6 million. In 1995, the GMCVB booked 61 future conventions, meetings and trade shows with an anticipated economic impact totaling $14.9 million. In 1996, the GMCVB booked 148 future conventions, meetings and trade shows with an anticipated economic impact totaling $20.9 million. In just the first quarter of 1997, 48 conventions, meetings and trade shows were booked with anticipated economic impact totaling $4.9 million. You could come up with higher figures, of course, if you factored in the turnover of those dollars -- a restaurant enjoying success from conventioneers might expand and put a variety of contractors to work. Still, the direct expenditures alone are impressive. Depending on the type of show, the GMCVB breaks the spending down like this: State and local conventions: $104 per day (average two and a half days) State and local conventions with trade shows: $114 per day (average two and a half days) Regional, national, international conventions: $143 per day (average three days) Regional, national, international conventions with trade shows: $181 per day (average three days) As mentioned, some of the primary benefactors of the conventioneers will be downtown hotels, retailers and restaurants. Business people who travel tend to spend a little more freely while out of town. And they'll be spending it during the week, when downtown business tends to slow down after the work day is done.