Despite the economy's troubles, several Heartland cities— Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Tulsa, OK, among them—are moving forward with their convention center plans. In some cases, however, the forward motion appears to be matching the economy in speed.
For Cleveland, which this year had announced a new, 1-million-sf convention center, "Medical Mart," to be built in conjunction with Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., based in Chicago, the project has stalled in site selection. Plans are still under way, and although the site and specifications for the new center have not yet been determined, committees have been created and a center should be built by 2010 or 2011.
"We've debated building a new convention center for years but have gotten resistance from folks who don't understand the impact of a competitive center on the community," said Dennis Roche, president of Positively Cleveland, the city's convention bureau. "The Medical Mart concept has given the commissioners the hook they need to invest about a half-billion dollars into the new center." Cleveland's current convention center comprises about 375,000 sf of space.
In Tulsa, the city is planning to break ground on a 30,000-sf ballroom addition to its current convention center, the BOK Center, in September. The site is in what is now a lot north of the center; the ballroom will connect to the BOK. Seven new meeting rooms will be added. Renovations on the convention center itself are expected to update the building and add three more meeting rooms. These additions are expected to be completed in 2010.
Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, expansion of the Indiana Convention Center is awaiting completion of the new Lucas Oil Stadium, which is expected next month. Lucas Oil Stadium, which will be part of a new convention center complex, features a retractable roof, 179,000 sf of exhibit space, and 12 meeting rooms. According to Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association spokesperson Chris Gahl, once the stadium is completed, the RCA Dome will be leveled and the Indiana Convention Center will double in size.
The expanded center and new stadium will have a total of 745,300 sf of exhibit space; completion is expected in 2010."We continue to run at high occupancy and haven't had to displace any groups during the expansion process," said Gahl.
The Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association is reeling with the news that Wal-Mart is canceling its national sales managers' meetings that were expected to be held at the Kansas City Convention Center through 2012. Last year, the center debuted its LEED-certified ballroom and new additions to much acclaim. The issue for Wal-Mart, however, is not the center, but the lack of a 1,000-room hotel adjacent to the facility.
In a prepared statement, Mark Henneberger, Wal-Mart's VP for shows and events, said, "If you had a new 1,000-room hotel next to the convention center, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation." At press time, the CVA was advocating construction of a hotel, but the city's mayor, Mark Funkhouser, is leaning toward funding "basic public infrastructure."
Originally published July 21, 2008