By Heather Kirkwood, Senior Editor

Convention centers aren't stagnant buildings. Ascities compete for shows, simply opening a building with an exhibit hall isn't enough. Facilities mustconstantly improve their offerings, and cities must constantly update surrounding hotels andentertainment options. Around the world, buildings are adding space, and cities are scrambling to draw hotels and create unique attractions. Here's a look at convention centers that have opened in the past decade and how they'restaying on top of the game. 

2000

Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, Savannah, GA
When the center opened in February 2000, it offered 97,250 square feet of exhibit space in two halls, as well as a 400-seat auditorium, 12 loading bays, CAT 5 copper cabling, digital and analog Internet access, ISDN lines, T1 and T3 lines, and satellite and wireless communication technology. 
Since its first year of operation, the facility has hosted more than 200 events and booked more than 80,000 hotel room nights in Savannah. 

South Towne Exposition Center, Sandy, UT
This new facility offers 243,000 square feet of exhibit space in five halls. It also features 30 loading docks, five roll-up access doors and 12 ISDN-line capability. Designed for consumer events, it has become the center of the community. In its first year, the South Towne Exposition Center has hosted shows ranging from the Utah Snowmobile Association to the Home Improvement Show. It has more than 300 events booked for coming years. 

1999

Singapore Expo, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
This international facility opened in March 1999 with 645,000 square feet of exhibit space in six connected, 
column-free halls, the size of 50 Olympic-size swimming pools. 
In 2000, Singapore was named one of the top five convention cities in the world by the Belgium-based Union des Association Internationales (UAI). The center hosted more than 210,000 foreign visitors last year. 

Washington State Stadium Exhibition Center, Seattle, WA
This facility, which opened in October 1999, contains 292,415 square feet of exhibit space, and swing space at the middle can serve as either exhibit space or extra parking. It also offers security cameras in exhibit spaces, parking garages and elevators, high-speed Internet access and full
networking capabilities. 
Today, the building hosts events ranging from the International Sportsmen Show to the Christmas in Seattle show. 
It generates half a billion dollars for the region’s economy each year. 

The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, Las Vegas
The Venetian’s 105,600-square-foot exhibit hall, which opened in April 1999, connects to the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The hotel also 
features ballrooms, a permanent registration area, and an on-site marshaling yard with direct access to the show floor.In 2001, the hotel and convention center unveiled the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. The display will change as the partner museums rotate paintings from their home collections, but now it features works by Paul Cezanne, Marc Chagall, Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. 

1998

Northern Kentucky Convention Center, Covington, KY
The entrance of this center, which opened in October 1998, features a grand staircase and an 8,600-square-foot three-story atrium. It also contains 50,000 square feet of exhibit space that could be divided in two.
Today, the center guarantees satisfaction for show managers who use more than 250 hotel rooms for three nights. If they aren’t satisfied, they get a day’s building rent free. 

1997

Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ
The center opened the doors on 486,600 square feet of exhibit space in May 1997. The facility is within a few hours drive of one-third of the American population, and Atlantic City offered more than 10,000 hotel rooms. 
Since its opening, the Atlantic City Convention Center has hosted 231conventions and shows. And today, there are 16,000 hotel rooms nearby. 

Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu
Construction was completed in October 1997, and the grand opening was held in July 1998. The facility, which offers 200,074 square feet of exhibit space, quickly became a 
local landmark with its unique 
modern architecture that reflects Hawaiian design. 
Now, more than 500,000 visitors attend congresses, conferences, forums and trade shows in Honolulu. The center has become a key meeting place for shows wanting to reach out to the Asian market. 

1996

Quebec City Convention Center, Quebec
This building opened in August 1996, offering a 70,000-square-foot exhibit hall and underground 
passages connecting it to two nearby hotels with more than 1,000 rooms. 
Since its opening, the Quebec City Convention Center has hosted more than 566 events attracting more than 1.3 million visitors. The facility has also become an economic powerhouse for the surrounding city, generating 683,472 room nights for local hotels and supporting more than 1,500 local jobs. 

1995

Navy Pier, Chicago
Navy Pier wasn’t new to the Chicago landscape when it opened to shows in July 1995. Built in 1916 as a shipping and recreational facility, it also served as a university, a naval base and a space for exhibitions (in the 1960s). A three-day celebration marked the reopening of this 170,000-square-foot exhibit hall. 
Navy Pier is now Chicago’s most-visited attraction, hosting 8 million guests last year. It’s also home to the Chicago Children’s Museum, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Smith Museum of Stained Glass, an ice skating rink and more. 

1994

Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC
This center was finished in late 1994 and opened for business in early 1995 offering a 280,000-square-foot exhibit hall. High-tech features include closed circuit televisions and the ability to send and receive satellite transmissions. 
The facility will soon have an attached Westin hotel, bringing the number of rooms within walking distance to 4,100. The city is building a transit corridor for light rail and is introducing a vintage trolley that will stop at the center and connect the North End and South End entertainment districts. 

1993

Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia
The Pennsylvania Convention Center was opened by Vice President Al Gore and offered 440,000 square feet of exhibit space on two levels. There were 3,600 hotel rooms within walking distance. 
The center has hosted a wide range of events, including PoliticalFest during the 2000 Republican National Convention and the most recent meeting of the American Society of Association Executives. Over the past five years, high-tech features — such as wireless capabilities, high-capacity copper wiring, and video satellite downlinks anywhere in the building — have been added. And exhibitors can now order their utilities online before a show. 

1992

Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX
The environmentally friendly center, constructed completely of materials native to Texas, opened with 125,972 square feet of exhibit space. A solar photovoltaic system provided for up to 5 percent of the building’s energy needs, and it featured a multi-zone air conditioner and an automatic sunshade system for windows. 
An expansion that’s currently underway will add 163,425 square feet of exhibit space, a 43,000-square-foot ballroom and 18 meeting rooms. Visitors can plug and play their way onto the Web from anywhere in the building using 680,000 square feet of CAT 6 wiring. 

Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center, Duluth, GA
Nestled amid 80 acres of woodlands, lakes and landscaped lawns, the Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center opened in 1992 offering 50,000 square feet of exhibit space. The facility, northeast of Atlanta, adjoins the Gwinnett Fine Art Museum. 
In June 2001, the center broke ground on an expansion that will include a 21,600-square-foot ballroom that will open in 2002 and a new arena that will open in 2003. 

1991

Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, Fort 
Lauderdale, FL
The center opened with 150,679 square feet of exhibit space 10 minutes from downtown and five minutes from the airport. The designers took advantage of its location along the Intra-coastal Waterway by installing a glass wall running the length of the building and a three-level glass atrium overlooking the waterway. 
The center is currently undergoing a $34 million, 230,000-square-foot expansion that will include high-tech features, such as videoconferencing, satellite downlink and a cyber café. 

New facilities aren't the only ones changing with the times. Here's the current status of 10 expanded facilities from the past 10 years.
2000
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT — This latest expansion added 113,000 square feet of exhibit space, bringing the total to 365,000 square feet that can be divided into eight halls, as well as a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and 52,000 square feet of meeting space. 
1999
Arlington Convention Center, Arlington, TX — Adding 30,000 square feet of exhibit/banquet space in 1999 brought the center to a total of 48,600 square feet of exhibit space. An in-house caterer is equipped to serve as many as 2,800 people. 
1998
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans — An expansion project designed to add 401,049 square feet of exhibit space to this facility pushed it past 1.1 million square feet of space, as well as a 4,000-seat conference auditorium, two ballrooms and 140 meeting rooms. 
1997
Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center, Biloxi, MS — The center added 51,557 square feet of space and hosted the Big Boys Toy Show in 1997, and today it hosts every kind of event, from Mardi Gras balls to exhibitions. The facility now offers 24-hour security and in-house telecommunications services. 
1996
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL — After the building grew to 367,200 square feet of exhibit space, the Sears Tower, the world’s second tallest building, would fit lengthwise inside. Now, another expansion will bring its exhibit, meeting and public space to more than 7 million square feet.
1995
Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, CA — In 1995, the first phase of a plan to triple its size was completed, adding 89,000 square feet of exhibit space. Today, the center offers 134,000 square feet of exhibit space and is near 12,000 hotel rooms. 
1994
Dallas Convention Center, Dallas — After the 1994 expansion, the facility offered 525,000 square feet of exhibit space, and an expansion currently under way will add 225,000 square feet of exhibit space, bringing the total exhibit area to more than 1 million gross square feet by next summer. 
1993
America’s Center, St. Louis — This expansion brought the facility to 340,000 square feet of exhibit space, and a second expansion was already in the works. Today, the facility offers 502,000 square feet of exhibit space, and the city is undergoing a hotel construction boom. By 2003, there will be 7,100 hotel rooms in downtown St. Louis. 
1992
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas — The 1992 expansion brought the building’s exhibit space to 840,420 square feet, and another expansion currently underway will bring its total square footage to 3.2 million by the end of this year. 
1991
Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, WA — In 1991, the center added 33 meeting rooms and a 14,700-square-foot ballroom, and a recently completed expansion brings its exhibit space to 207,000 square feet. The project is part of a redevelopment effort that includes a 450-room hotel and a 990-car parking garage. 

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