AUBURN – Spirit and space are bringing a downtown development convention to Auburn this October.

The Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Great Falls Plaza will host the Maine Development Foundation’s fourth annual Maine Downtown Conference.

The theme this year is “Building Value in Maine Downtowns.”

“The fact is, both Lewiston and Auburn have done the greatest things with their downtowns,” said program coordinator Lori Allen. “There is a lot of community spirit there.”

That isn’t the only reason organizers picked Auburn, she said. Bangor hosted the conference last year, Saco hosted it in 2002 and Belfast in 2001.

“In reality, there are not that many places in Maine downtowns that have space to fit 250 to 300 people at a time. Auburn has it.”

The annual convention is designed for business owners, developers, city officials and community leaders. Business and development experts are on hand to discuss the latest trends and issues of downtown development.

This year’s keynote address will feature Kennedy Smith, former director of the National Main Street Center and national downtown revitalization expert.

The schedule includes a half-dozen sessions that will take up topics such as retail promotion, downtown housing, image development and performing arts centers.

Registration brochures will be available at Chamber of Commerce offices, Allen said. A registration page will also be posted on the organization’s Web site, www.mdf.org/downtown.

Preregistration costs $50 per person. Registration the day of the event will be $60.