BIO 2006 is a trade show that will fill a building the size of three football fields.

And with biosciences seen as a leading economic engine of the future for Lawrence and Kansas, the state is preparing to send about 100 representatives to the show, including about 20 from Lawrence.

“It’s referred to as the Olympics of bioscience,” said Angela Kreps, president of KansasBio, the state’s bioscience trade group. “All of the major players are there.”

Kansas has joined the many states and regions clamoring for a piece of the bioscience industry pie. The convention, April 9-12 in Chicago, is expected to draw more than 18,000 people.

Kreps would not give the cost for going to the convention. The Kansas Bioscience Authority has pledged $100,000, and other contributors are Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc., the Kansas Department of Commerce with a $25,000 donation, and Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. with a $25,000 donation, Kreps said.

The line-up of speakers includes former president Bill Clinton, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

In the past, Kansas representatives have numbered less than a dozen.

The Lawrence delegation includes Mayor Boog Highberger, City Commissioner Sue Hack, Interim City Manager David Corliss and others. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius plans to attend some parts of the convention, spokeswoman Megan Ingman said.

“I think absolutely it’s worth the investment,” Hack said. “We know this a field that carries with it risks, but we also know the opportunity is there.”

Kansas will have an 800-square-feet, two-story exhibition pavilion, donated by Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

The Kansans will focus on promoting four areas: animal health, human life science, biomass and plant science.

“We will also be highlighting the infusion of capital into growing the bioscience industry and our infrastructure,” Kreps said. “The message is there is about $1 billion dollars being spent to infuse growth in the biosciences.”

That’s if you add up several initiatives, Kreps said:

¢ $580 million gathered from taxes paid by bioscience companies, to be shelled out over the next 10 to 15 years for bioscience growth efforts.

¢ $230 million in facilities, some constructed and some planned, such as the $40 million recently opened Multidisciplinary Research Building at Kansas University.

¢ $100 million in private sector spending to enhance facilities and grow the work force.

¢ $250 million in grants awarded to the state’s research universities annually.

Clay Blair, chairman of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, said it may have short-term rewards, but it may take time to see the fruits of such efforts.

“You don’t know probably for many years what the results would be,” he said.