LAYTON -- From the Davis County Clipper's bridal festival to training for Western States Lodging folks, the Davis Conference Center continues to stay busy. The Bridal Fair will run throughout the day Thursday-Saturday, including displays in the giant Meridian Ballroom as well as several other areas.

Also demonstrating the ability of the center to meet varied needs, the Western States training will make use of several venues at the center.

A seniors breakfast is planned for Friday.

Use by Hill Air Force Base has been strong, leading off activity at the facility when it opened last September. Next week Tuesday-Friday, the A-10 Annual Worldwide Conference will take place, making use of much of the center.

Many other groups have booked events, including Northrop Grumman on Thursday for a luncheon meeting, the Weber State University Regional MBA program, and sessions for a dental studio, Living Scriptures, and the Weber/North Davis Association of Realtors.

The Davis Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards/installation luncheon in the ballroom Thursday, Jan. 20, while the Woods Cross High School Prom will be seeking to create memories for its student attendees on Saturday, Jan. 22.

The site is proving popular with wedding parties. A wedding rehearsal dinner is planned, along with a wedding luncheon in the coming weeks.

The center, which is owned by Davis County and paid for through tourism tax money, opened early last September. It is managed and operated by Western States Lodging, which also owns and operates the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn.

Officials with the center and the county's Convention & Visitors Bureau have indicated response to the facility has been stronger than anticipated. Several groups who held meetings or events there were so impressed with service offered as well as facilities that they immediately booked it for the following year.

It covers about 40,000 square feet of meeting space, and was designed to accommodate groups from a dozen people to more than 1,000. It is the first major meeting facility in the county not affiliated with a school or church setting, and also includes the latest technological tools to enhance presentations.

High quality food service was seen as a major need before the center ever opened. County commissioners visited other sites and determined that if food is good, that aspect can be a determining factor for groups to return.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com