Thousands of people are in Hawai'i for the American Legion 2005 National Convention, which began yesterday and is expected to generate more than $32 million in visitor spending.

The convention, which runs through Thursday, is the Hawai'i Convention Center's second-largest event this year with up to 13,000 attendees. The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans conference in November is expected to draw 17,000 people, and planners have committed to putting the convention center on a five-year rotation through 2020, said Joe Davis, general manager of the center.

The American Legion conference is important to the convention center in terms of raising awareness about Hawai'i as a business destination and securing more events for similar organizations, Davis said.

"It's been 25 years since they were here last," Davis said of the American Legion. "And after talking to the organizers it's clear to all of us that that's way way too infrequent. They're looking at making Hawai'i a much more regular part of their rotation pattern.

Davis said many members also bring their families.

"I talked to one fellow from Minneapolis; he's flying family out here after the conference and is spending a week here on O'ahu," he said. "So I would venture to say that a good 30 to 40-plus percent of those folks are going to be staying here for post convention activity."

The larger events at the convention center next year include the American Bar Association annual meeting with an estimated attendance of 18,000 and the Risk and Insurance Management Society annual conference with at least 10,000 participants.

So far the largest offshore events held at the convention center were the 1999 American Dental Association conference with 30,000 attendees, the 2000 International Association of Lions Clubs meeting with more than 20,000 members, and the 2003 American Association of Orthodontists' convention with more than 17,000 people.

Davis said the American Legion conference caps a strong summer that included several short-term bookings from Japan groups.

"So we're working hard on that particular strategy in terms of being able to fill our schedule and our booking calendar with groups like that," he said, adding that several convention center officials will travel to Japan this month.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.