Iowa City and Coralville are set to welcome thousands of visitors this summer as two national organizations bring their gatherings to the area, according to Think Iowa City.
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas will hold its national convention in Coralville July 22-26, marking the largest single convention ever hosted in the city. The event will be anchored at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center, with attendees also filling hotel rooms throughout the Iowa River Landing. Approximately 1,000 delegates from across the country are expected to attend.
“This convention is a great opportunity to showcase our destination on a national stage,” said Stacey Houseman, vice president of sales for Think Iowa City in a statement. “Hosting visitors from every corner of the country allows us to share our community’s hospitality and attractions while creating a meaningful economic impact for local businesses.”
The convention is projected to generate approximately $1.7 million in economic impact for the community, with delegates staying in hotels for five nights while dining at local restaurants, shopping at local retailers, and taking part in area tours and experiences.
Think Iowa City has organized several excursions for attendees during breaks in the convention schedule, including tours of downtown Iowa City, an agritourism outing featuring Cedar Ridge, Calyx Creek, and Walker Homestead, and visits to the Amana Colonies and Field of Dreams.
Houseman said landing the convention was the result of a yearslong effort. She first met with representatives from Catholic Daughters of the Americas in 2022, and the organization sent a five-person delegation in May 2023 to tour the area. The group announced in June 2023 that Iowa City/Coralville would host its 2026 convention.
“Convention sales is a long game,” Ms. Houseman said. “That is when Iowa City/Coralville shines. If we can get planners here, we can win them over because they are always pleasantly surprised by our unique hospitality, outstanding facilities, and ease of transportation. Conventions of this size have a lot of lead time and planning.”
The convention coincides with another milestone: the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its opening this August. The hotel, originally a Marriott, was the first anchor of the Iowa River Landing development, which has since grown to include Xtream Arena, GreenState Family Fieldhouse, Von Maur, Trader Joe’s, and the Iowa Health Care Clinic.
Separately, the National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) is hosting two Trial Practice Institutes in Iowa City this summer in partnership with the University of Iowa College of Law. The 10-day programs bring roughly 160 criminal defense attorneys from around the country to each session for hands-on instruction in courtroom advocacy, trial strategy, and litigation skills.
The institutes are based at The Graduate Hotel in downtown Iowa City, with sessions held at the UI Law Building. NCDC held its first 2026 session in June and returns this week for its second summer institute. Additional sessions are scheduled for June and July of 2028.
Each Trial Practice Institute is expected to generate more than $500,000 in economic impact through hotel stays, dining, shopping, transportation and other visitor spending, due to the extended length of participants’ stays.
“NCDC has been an incredible partner to work with,” Ms. Houseman said. “Plus, it has opened up a new partner in the College of Law, that we can work with for additional events in the future.”
Think Iowa City and its sister organization, the Iowa City Area Sports Commission, work year-round with area hotels, venues, the University of Iowa, and community organizations to attract meetings, conventions, and events that generate economic activity, introduce new visitors to the area, and contribute to quality of life for Johnson County residents.
