The Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) was established in 1983. It is a department of the City of Waco, Texas, a municipal corporation. The CVB is responsible for marketing Waco and its partner cities in the county as a destination. The CVB also manages the Waco Convention Center and the Waco Visitor Information Center. The CVB has an Advisory Board, appointed by the Waco City Council. Waco has been a destination for visitors and conventioneers since the early days of its founding in 1856. In the beginning, the process of bidding for and hosting conventions was handled by the Waco Chamber of Commerce. In 1971, the Waco Convention Center was built, and as the years passed, the need arose for a staff dedicated to marketing Waco as a destination for conventions and leisure travelers. Today, the Waco CVB is a dynamic group of professionals active in the travel industry.