Tighter government budgets may be a drag on many businesses, but they appear to be boosting business at Liversedge Hall, Quantico’s primary facility for housing Department of Defense employees traveling on government orders.

“We are being looked at a little bit more now,” said Dariton Battle, head of the Bachelor Housing Branch, noting that Quantico has already been a relatively popular conference destination in the capital region.

By the end of March, the facility is expected to have hosted 18 conferences in the first quarter of the year. In all of 2010, just 23 conferences were held there. Last year, that number was up to 54.

According to Marine Corps Order 7300.22A, issued in 2004, “Use of government locations and government facilities are strongly encouraged (when and where available) when determining locations and facilities for conferences.”

Battle said budget cuts appear to be driving planners and their supervisors to take that encouragement more seriously. “Everything is being scrutinized now — everything,” he said. “If Quantico can provide you with what you need, then you’d best use it.”

With a conference room that includes full teleconference capabilities and a classroom with 25 workstations — 21 of which have Navy-Marine Corps Intranet access — Liversedge Hall is often able to meet those needs.

“We can almost be a one-stop shop,” Battle said.

Because the facility supports itself on its own revenue, schedulers give priority to units that require billeting, allowing these customers to reserve rooms and the conference room even a year in advance. Use of the conference room is free, but Battle said, “If billeting is not required and you just want to use the conference room, you only can reserve two weeks out from the day you want to use it.”

With the increase in business, he advised that anyone who wants to make reservations should make them as soon as possible. “One should not wait too long because it’s first-come, first-served,” he said.

During the holiday season, he said, business tends to slow down, and then it picks up again in the moving season, peaking between April and June.

Battle said certain repercussions of budget cuts can temper the increase in traffic at the facility. For example, he said, a number of conferences have been cancelled due to lack of funding, as units decided to teleconference without traveling to a central location. With further federal budget cuts being implemented, he said moving season might be affected.

Nonetheless, the facility is continuing to add to its ability to support conferences and is now pushing to complete the renovation of its former gym into a small conference area with breakout rooms.

“If we can provide and fulfill the requirements, we’re saving the government money,” Battle said.

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com