“A massive rainwater collection system and natural cooling and heat ventilation add to its appeal for green meetings.”
Destinations across the world continue to show their support for the meetings industry with new convention center openings and renovations to existing ones. This roundup highlights six new conference venues that either opened or underwent major renovations in the past year or are scheduled to debut in 2017.
Henry B. González Convention Center
In January, San Antonio debuted a $325 million expansion to the Henry B. González Convention Center, making the center’s total square footage 1.6 million sf. Better infrastructure and wayfinding for attendees in addition to extra space highlight the expansion.
Belfast Waterfront
Belfast, Ireland debuted the 13,123-sf expansion to the Belfast Waterfront conference center in May. Doubling the conference center’s space, the expansion also added the latest technologies. For instance, the center’s 2,223-seat auditorium has new sound and lighting technologies in addition to video distribution capabilities to all parts of the venue.
Monterey Conference Center
Undergoing a $60 million renovation, the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, Calif., will offer more flexible meeting space, advanced technology and an abundance of natural light when it debuts next spring. Meeting planners will like the new 10,000-sf ballroom that will replace the existing auditorium.
Agora Convention Center
Also debuting next spring is the 700,000-sf Agora Convention Center in Bogota, Colombia. The five-story center will be one of the largest in Latin America—boasting everything from no center columns to natural lighting in both the main hall and meeting rooms. A massive rainwater collection system and natural cooling and heat ventilation add to its appeal for green meetings.
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Ohio’s Greater Columbus Convention Center will debut a $125 million renovation and expansion next July. The LEED-certified project will add 37,000 sf of new exhibit space, creating a whopping 373,000 sf of contiguous space for the facility.
Anaheim Convention Center
In fall 2017, the Anaheim Convention Center will get much bigger after debuting an addition of 200,000 sf of flexible space. This fall, attendees will already be able to use the new 1,350-space parking structure included in the project and access the existing convention center through an air-conditioned bridge concourse that will eventually connect the addition to the existing convention center’s second level.
