HARTFORD, CONN., June 20, 2013 - More than 900 attendees from all over the world will meet in Hartford, Conn. for the 2014 International Right of Way (IRWA) Educational Conference at the Connecticut Convention Center. The four-day convention begins this Sunday, June 22 with a 2 p.m. opening session.

This is the first time the prestigious conference has been held in New England and the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau and the Connecticut Convention Center have been working with IRWA for six years to plan this event. Attendees will come from all over North America, as well as Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, China, South Africa, Thailand and other countries. IRWA members include individuals who buy, sell and manage real estate for right of way projects for the government, utilities and include surveyors, eminent domain attorneys, project managers and related occupations.

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau reports that the IRWA Conference will generate over 2,400 room nights at Downtown Hartford hotels, including the Marriott Hartford Downtown - the conference's host hotel. The estimated economic impact to the region and the state is more than $2 million. Hartford's downtown dash bus circulator will extend its hours over the next week to accommodate conference attendees.

Speakers will include world-renowned top advertising and corporate photographer Steve Uzzell (at Sunday's 2 p.m. opening ceremonies) and Sirius Satellite Radio personality and humorist Jeanne Robertson (at Tuesday's 7:30 a.m. recognition breakfast). Educational seminars and activities on a variety of industry topics are scheduled, as is a members' reception at the Connecticut Science Center. Full information on the 2014 International Right of Way Educational Conference can be found at www.irwaonline.org

The Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) works in partnership with the state's businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and surrounding communities to market all of Connecticut - all convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues - as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conventions. The Connecticut Sports Convention Advisory Board, a division of the CTCSB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. For more information, visit www.ctmeetings.org or call 860-728-6789.

The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford is the state's premier meeting venue and the largest full-service convention facility between New York and Boston. Overlooking the beautiful Connecticut River, it features 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as ample sheltered parking. The award-winning facility is served by more than 6,500 local area hotel rooms. For more information, visit www.ctconventions.com or call 860-249-6000.