January 2005
Open for Business
EXPO’s annual review of new and expanded facilities
By Heather Kirkwood
This year’s review of convention centers that completed construction between February 2004 and February 2005 may be smaller than in some years past, but it’s a list with something for everyone. In all, more than 2 million square feet of new and expanded space came online in 2004, ranging from well-known and long-awaited projects such as the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, and the Colorado Convention Center, to an influx of hotels and resorts entering the exhibition business such as Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino and the Kalahari Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI. While the average size of projects is smaller than those of years past, the trend toward marrying exhibition space with resort-style entertainment is growing.
In all, this year’s review of new space includes four new projects offering a total of 805,000 square feet of space, and eight expansions offering a total of 1.2 million square feet of space. Last year, eight new facilities opened, featuring 1.25 million square feet of space and 10 expansions that offer 2.45 million square feet of space. Here’s a look at the projects that were completed in 2004 and early 2005.
Heather Kirkwood is Senior Editor for EXPO. She can be reached at 913-344-1376 or e-mail: hkirkwood@ascendmedia.com.
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Web site: www.advantageboston.com
Phone: (617) 954-2000
Contact: James E. Rooney
E-mail: info@advantageboston.com
Cost: $850 million
Completion date: June 2004
Exhibit space: 516,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 160,000 sq. ft. divisible into as many as 84 meeting rooms; 40,000-square-foot ballroom with views of the skyline and harbor
Truck access: 62 loading docks; five elephant bays
In-house services: Aramark food services, Allied Security, Unico Cleaning and technology services provided
Parking: Available in the surrounding area
Location: 415 Summer Street, Boston MA
Hotels: Seaport Hotel located across the street; Westin Headquarters Hotel to be complete in 2006
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and Special Event Center
Web site: www.fantasyspringsresort.com
Phone: (800) 827-2946
Contact: Jennifer Starnes
E-mail: jstarnes@fantasysprings.net
Cost: $200 million
Completion date: December 2004
Exhibit space: Approximately 50,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: Approximately 50,000 sq. ft.
Truck access: Two loading docks with drive-in access
In-house services: Catering, A/V, teleconferencing, concessions, wireless Internet, shipping services, mail house services, free valet
Parking: 3,000 spaces
Location: Indio, CA, 18 miles east of Palm Springs Airport off of Freeway I-10
Hotels: The event center is part of a 250-room resort with on-site entertainment and restaurants
Gaylord Texan
Web site: www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordtexan
Phone: (817) 778-1000
Contact: Robert McPherrin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
E-mail: texasmeetings@gaylordhotels.com
Cost: $480 million
Completion date: April 2004
Exhibit space: 179,040 sq. ft.
Meeting space: Two ballrooms with 50,000 sq. ft. and 32,375 sq. ft. respectively. Up to 70 breakout rooms; 20 additional meeting rooms in the Lone Star Tower, as well as two boardrooms and a 3,300-square-foot ballroom
Truck access: 17-bay covered loading docks
In-house services: A/V, lighting, Internet and networking systems, preferred decorating companies, resort event coordinators and a full-service business center
Parking: Currently 1,700 spaces. Ground will be broken on a new 800-car parking garage in early 2005
Location: The Gaylord Texan is located on 150 acres in Grapevine, TX, six minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Hotels: More than 1,511 guest rooms on site
Moody Gardens Convention Center
Web site: www.moodygardenshotel.com
Phone: (409) 741-8484
Contact: Sales department
E-mail: info@moodygardenshotel.com
Cost: N/A
Completion date: May 2004
Exhibit space: 60,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 40,000 sq. ft.
Truck access: N/A
In-house services: A/V
Parking: More than 1,000 spaces in a new parking garage
Location: Galveston Island on the Texas Gulf Coast within Moody Gardens, a botanical garden
Hotels: 428 rooms on site
American Bank Center
Web site: www.americanbankcenter.com
Phone: (361) 826-4100
Contact: Keith Godwin, Director of Sales & Services
E-mail: keithg@cctexas.com
Cost: $90 million
Completion date: N/A
Exhibit space: 76,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: New 20,000-square-foot ballroom, seven new meeting rooms on the ground level; 21 meeting rooms in all
Truck access: 7 loading docks
In-house services: Wireless Internet; A/V; ticket sales; CVB support; catering and concessions
Parking: 1,200 spaces and a connecting 3,000 in the neighborhood
Location: Downtown Corpus Christi
Hotels: N/A
Baton Rouge River Center
Web site: www.brcentroplex.com
Phone: (225) 389-3030
Contact: Sales department
E-mail: djohnson@brrivercenter.com
Cost: N/A
Completion date: November 2004
Exhibit space: Newly added 70,000-square-foot exhibit hall combined with existing arena to offer a total of more than 100,000 sq. ft. of space
Meeting space: 150,000 sq. ft., plus 10,000-seat arena
Truck access: Six loading docks
In-house services: Food service, staffing service
Parking: 1,300 spaces in the parking garage and another 2,000 available on the street
Location: 275 S. River Road, Baton Rouge, LA
Hotels: 8,000 rooms available nearby
Colorado Convention Center
Web site: www.denverconvention.com
Phone: (303) 228-8000
Contact: Greg Lowery, Director of Sales
E-mail: glowry@denverconvention.com
Cost: N/A
Completion date: December 2004
Exhibit space: 584,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 100,000 sq. ft. divisible into as many as 62 rooms; a 5,000-seat theater; a 50,000-square-foot and a 35,000-square-foot ballroom
Truck access: Two loading docks with a total of 44 end load bays
In-house services: Fiber, coax and copper Internet infrastructures available; telephone and Internet services available; electrical, air and water provided in house; exclusive catering services; full-service business center; concierge services
Parking: 1,000 spaces in a new parking garage
Location: Downtown Denver
Hotels: 3,500 rooms within walking distance, 1,000 more rooms available December 2005
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Web site: www.rosemont.com
Phone: (847) 692-2220
Contact: Grant Bailey, Assistant Executive Director/Sales and Marketing
E-mail: gbailey@rosemont.com
Cost: $17 million
Completion date: August 2004
Exhibit space: 840,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 92,000 sq. ft. total, including 40,000 sq. ft. of new space
Truck access: 16 loading docks and 4 overhead doors
In-house services: General service contractor, utilities, telephone, Internet, catering
Parking: 5,000 parking space garage
Location: Rosemont, IL, five minutes from O’Hare International Airport
Hotels: 14 hotels available nearby offering more than 5,687 square feet of space
Iowa Events Center
Web site: www.iowaeventscenter.com
Phone: (515) 323-5400
Contact: Michelle Pappaducas
E-mail: mpappad@co.polk.ia.us
Cost: N/A
Completion date: December 2004
Exhibit space: 194,205 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 32,263 sq. ft. divisible into as many as 17 rooms; two arenas — Wells Fargo Arena with seating for 17,000 and Veterans Auditorium with seating for 11,277
Truck access: 10 covered loading bays and two drive-in doors
In-house services: N/A
Parking: 1,300 spaces on site with another 10,000 within walking distance
Location: At the junction of I-80 and I-35, a 10-minute drive from the Des Moines International Airport
Hotels: 1,700 rooms within one mile
The Kalahari Convention Center
Web site: www.kalahariresort.com
Phone: (608) 254-5019
Contact: Group Sales Department
E-mail: grpsales@kalahariresort.com
Cost: N/A
Completion date: May 2004
Exhibit space: 125,000 sq. ft., an expansion from the facility’s original 45,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 42 meeting rooms including 10 theaters; 16 suites; 15 break-out rooms; four boardrooms; five hospitality suites; 38,000 sq. ft. of ballroom space
Truck access: Two loading docks with two loading doors each
In-house services: T-1 high-speed data; wireless networking; state-of-the-art A/V and communications technology; lighting and sound design; child care; professional event planners to help plan special sessions or events
Parking: 2,000 spaces
Location: Along I-90/94 in Wisconsin Dells, WI
Hotels: 738 guest rooms, suites and condos on site
The Lexington Center
Web site: www.lexingtoncenter.com
Phone: (859) 233-4567
Contact: Joe Fields, Director of Sales
E-mail: jfields@lexingtoncenter.com
Cost: $50 million
Completion date: June 2004
Exhibit space: 66,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 40,000 sq. ft., including a new 17,000-square-foot ballroom. A new conference center offers more than 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space
Truck access: 7 recess docks
In-house services: Exhibit booth displays available; contracting services available; registration counters available; florist services; A/V equipment rentals; staging services; electrical services; custom furnishings available
Parking: 2,500 spaces
Location: Downtown Lexington, KY
Hotels: Two full-service hotels on site
The New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center
Web site: www.njexpocenter.com
Phone: (732) 417-1400
Contact: Sales, (732) 661-1202
E-mail: N/A
Cost: N/A
Completion date: N/A
Exhibit space: 136,000 sq. ft.
Meeting space: 14,500 sq. ft. of meeting space that can also be connected to the exhibit floor to form 155,277 sq. ft. of exhibit space
Truck access: 12 truck bays and 2 drive-in entrances
In-house services: Catering; telephone; utilities on the show floor available including electrical and plumbing; security services; valet parking; shuttle bus service; Internet connectivity using ISDN lines
Parking: N/A
Location: 15 minutes south of Newark International Airport
Hotels: N/A
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