The St. Charles Convention Center exceeded its 2011 budget by $318,181, according to Global Spectrum, the company that managers the center.

It was the seventh consecutive year that Global Spectrum surpassed budget expectations at the facility, and the second time the facility operated in the black, with a net profit of $173,858 the highest since the center opened in 2005, according to a news release.

Global Spectrum hosted 311 events at the center in 2011, six more than in 2010; attracted more than 271,000 people, an increase of 20,000; and generated a record high $5.6 million in gross revenue, $600,000 more than the previous year. A feasibility study conducted in 2004 projected 216 events, 217,000 in attendance and a little more than $2 million in revenue.

Global Spectrum said it was able to secure 19,527 room nights in local hotels last year as a result of business at the convention center, resulting in a total estimated economic impact of about $7.1 million. Large conventions in 2011 that contributed to this include Pioneer Network, Veterans Canteen Service, Solution Tree, The World Taxidermy Championships and Midwest Grape and Wine Conference.

A number of facility records were also broken in 2011. The record for highest grossing revenue month was broken twice, once in February with $634,000 and then in November with $713,000. The highest grossing event was set in May with the Veteran's Canteen Service generating more than $204,000 in gross revenues. Global Spectrum set the highest net operating performance for the facility, operating in the black by $173,853.

The Philadelphia-based company manages the center under contract with the city of St. Charles and the St. Charles County Convention and Sports Facilities Authority.