January 2006
Open for Business
EXPO’s annual review of new and expanded facilities reveals 20 facilities that opened in 2005 came with abundant amenities for attendees and surprisingly attractive rates for show managers. Plus, 41 facilities are currently under construction.
By Patricia D. Sherman



Ten new facilities opened in 2005, adding more than 2.6 million square feet of space to the market, 1.8 million square feet of that in exhibit space. Another 830,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space was added to existing facilities.

Most of the new facilities have one thing in common: Each is embedded in a large, self-contained development planned to provide attendees with easy transportation options, plenty of new hotels and restaurants, a variety of entertainment and shopping, which has become one of the strongest attendee draws.

Three new facilities — The Hampton Roads Convention Center, Virginia Beach Convention Center and the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, MI, (near Detroit) — are examples of what seems to be an emerging suburban-urban hybrid. Located on Interstate corridors near major population centers and international airports, these centers have the suburban advantages of easy driving access and lots of parking. Yet they’re surrounded by a wide range of urban-style amenities.

Two other new facilities, the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan and the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, are traditionally sited in city centers. But they, too, are anchors of larger developments. The Puerto Rico Convention Center District is a $415-million destination that’s promoted as the largest waterfront development in U.S. history. The 113-acre site includes retail, residential and entertainment. The Connecticut center is in Adriaen’s Landing, a $775-million, 30-acre entertainment and residential complex along Hartford’s riverfront.

Of all the new properties to open in 2005, though, the most anticipated, and certainly the star in terms of transportation planning, is Hong Kong’s huge, technologically lavish AsiaWorld-Expo. It’s integrated into Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world’s busiest with more than 35 million international travelers per year. The Asia World-Expo is within five hours’ flying time of half the world’s population.

Much of the expansion seems to have been show-driven. For example, at the Broadmoor, Allison Scott, Director of Communications, says, “We found some of our long-time clients were outgrowing our show space. That made us examine where we wanted to go.” The result was a 60,000-square-foot exhibit hall, property renovations and more on-site shopping. “Now if groups meet room criteria, we can afford to give them the hall free in off and shoulder seasons,” she says.

The decline in regional high-end dot-com business prompted a new emphasis on the show market at San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center, says Bob Marx, Director of Marketing. “We added a non-carpeted, multi-purpose hall designed for shows that use a lot of space. Four years ago, we wouldn’t have gone for that. Now we want to appeal to shows and events that wouldn’t be a good fit for the convention center. And we can offer some very attractive rates.”

In addition, there are currently 41 facilities under construction. These new and expanded facilities will add nearly 7 million square feet of exhibit and meeting space to the market by 2010.