Convention Centers

[ctman987]

Many cites across the country are building brand new convention centers, expanding on current convention centers or renovating current centers in an effor to attract conventions and convention attendees in hopes of brining income to a particular city. In CT, MA and RI for example there are 6 major convention facilities not to mention smaller meeting facilities and hotels with meeting facilities and so one cannot ask themselves are there two many centers?

Does your city or area have a convention center? Do they want one? Are they building one? Do they need one?

[ctman987]

The 6 major convention facilities in CT, MA, RI

Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT (540,000 total square feet, 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, 40,000 square foot ballroom, 25,000 square feet of meeting space in 16 rooms, 20 bay loading dock, 25,000 square feet of prefunction space, attached hotel, civic center/arena 2 blocks away)

Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI (100,000 square foot exhibition hall, 20,000 square foot ballroom, 23 meeting rooms, 10 bay loading dock, prefunction space, attached hotel, civic center/arena next door)

DCU Center in Worcester, MA (100,310 square feet of exhibition space, 22,636 square feet of meeting space in 11 rooms, 12,144 square foot ballroom, part of civic center/arena complex)

MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA (Nearly 60,000 square feet of exhibition space, 15,000 square foot ballroom, 7,000 square feet of prefunction space, 8,352 square feet of meeting space in 5 rooms, attached arena)

John G. Hynes Veterans Convention Center in Boston, MA (193,000 square feet of exhibtion space, 71,644 square feet of meeting space in 38 rooms, 25,000 square foot ballroom, attached hotels)

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, MA (516,000 square feet of exhibition space, 160,000 square feet of meeting space in 82 rooms, 40,020 square foot ballroom, 130,190 square feet of registration space, 140,415 square feet of prefunction space, 52 bay loading dock, attached hotel)

[TheBostonian]

Many cites across the country are building brand new convention centers, expanding on current convention centers or renovating current centers in an effor to attract conventions and convention attendees in hopes of brining income to a particular city. In CT, MA and RI for example there are 6 major convention facilities not to mention smaller meeting facilities and hotels with meeting facilities and so one cannot ask themselves are there two many centers?

Does your city or area have a convention center? Do they want one? Are they building one? Do they need one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's a thread covering this:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11265

[hood]

Lansing Center in Lansing, MI 71,760 sq. ft. exibition space approx. 200,000 sq. ft. total and a proposed expansion of 250,000+ sq. ft, seeking financing.

[matt99]

We don't really have one in Freehold.

There used to be a place downtown called the American Hotel, which wasn't really a hotel, but more of an oversized banquet room which held many small to medium sized conventions, as well as smaller rooms which acted as banquet halls.

However, due to the owner's retirement and other issues, the American Hotel was closed down in early 2004, and then sadly burnt to the ground about 2-3 months ago.

Currently, plans are underway to build a new restaurant/shopping complex at the site, however that's really the closest we have ever had to a convention center.

[ctman987]

Pictures of the CT Convention Center

Convention Center and attached 22 story 409 room Marriott Hotel

Marriott Hotel

Inside the Convention Center

Skyline with the convention center and hotel in front

There is also the CT Expo Center with 88,000 square feet of exhibtion space and 2 meeting rooms and the Hartford Civic Center with 68,000 square feet exhibition hall.

This is the civic center site (The new construction is 262 apartments in a 36 story tower with retail and office space but around the corner and attached to the new construction is the civic center where the arena and meeting space are being kept)

[NCB]

New Orleans-Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

3.3 Million Square Feet of Exhibition Space

New Orleans just approved the building of phase 4 of the convention center, that will add 1.6 million square feet. After it is completed there will be nearly 5 million square feet of exhibition space available!

Here are some pictures of what the new part of the convention center will look like..

[theSuburbs]

New Novi Expo Center in Novi, Michigan. (Also known as Rock Financial Showplace):

[alon504]

When the expansion to the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans is complete, we will, literally, have, arguably the best convention center in the United States. Not only will we have one of the largest convention centers in the entire world, we will also have a beautiful convention center that has the latest technologies for any convention that wants to come here. Check out this site...be sure to go to the photo gallery and take the virtual tours of the convention center. And this is without the expansion....now, this is a first class, huge convention center in the United States.... http://www.mccno.com/Default.asp

[TheGerbil]

About Pittsburgh's new convention center:

It is the world's first LEED certified ("green") convention center, and also the world's largest "green" building.

313

[MrSmith]

The Minneapolis convention center is right on the South edge of Downtown.

It has four domed exhibit halls and a 3400-seat auditorium that uses 3 large turntables to transform the space into three separate 450 seat lecture theaters and a 2000 seat auditorium.

[rusthebuss]

Vabeach and Hampton both have convention centers. Va beach is around 516,000 square feet and the Hampton Convention Center is around 300,000 square feet.

Virginia Beach

Hampton

[rusthebuss]

Also Richmond, Va. has a large convention center

Richmond