The spreading coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in hundreds of canceled conventions, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. There are a few, however, who believe the show must go on and have done just that. With that mind, convention centers have implemented additional cleaning measures to keep attendees safe.
The centers are turning to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to stay abreast of the latest updates and developments regarding COVID-19 as they occur. The centers report they are continually being guided by the prevention and best practices recommendations of these organizations, in conjunction with local public health officials.
Convention centers are making sure they have tissues, soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, disposable hand wipes, no-touch disposal receptacles, and routine cleaning products on hand. They are staying up-to-date with travel alerts and warnings issued by the CDC.
The spreading coronavirus, COVID-19, has resulted in hundreds of canceled conventions, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. There are a few, however, who believe the show must go on and have done just that. With that mind, convention centers have implemented additional cleaning measures to keep attendees safe.
The centers are turning to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to stay abreast of the latest updates and developments as they occur. The centers report they are continually being guided by the prevention and best practices recommendations of these organizations, in conjunction with local public health officials.
Convention centers are making sure they have tissues, soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, disposable hand wipes, no-touch disposal receptacles, and routine cleaning products on hand. They are staying up-to-date with travel alerts and warnings issued by the CDC.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Five people who attended the recent AIPAC conference that was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center have tested positive for COVID-19. These attendees are from Ohio, Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles.
Out of an abundance of caution to its staff, their families, and customers, Events DC will suspend operations and services at the end of business on March 13th until March 31st. Events DC will continue to prioritize the health and safety of its staff, customers, partners, and all related stakeholders. While the Department of Health has characterized the risk for community spread from the AIPAC conference as low, Events DC will remain proactive and vigilant to address this issue.
During the suspension of operations, Events DC will continue its cleaning efforts, and expand upon them by conducting a deep cleaning of its indoor venues (including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Entertainment and Sports Arena, DC Armory, and the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center) and its office locations. Events DC will resume full operations on April 1st.
“We are having daily conversations and communicating with industry partners, including Events DC, the U.S. Travel Association, the Hotel Association of Washington, DC, Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and our 1,000+ members to align on Mayor Bowser’s latest efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” says Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “Yesterday, Events DC decided to close and sanitize the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in an abundance of caution. We continue to support businesses, events, and attractions throughout the region that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and we are ensuring visitors have the latest guidance and information on washington.org.”
Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic City Convention Center is taking precautions such as:
The purchase of extra hand sanitizer dispensers placed in high trafficked areas.
Installation of additional hygiene advisory signage throughout the venue, including all restrooms.
Increased precautionary measures, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched objects.
Many of the surfaces in our restrooms are touch-free using automatically flushing toilets, hands-free faucets, paper towel dispensers, and hand dryers.
Using cleaning products to clean all surface areas, including but not limited to lavatory fixtures, paper towel dispensers, vanity tops, mirrors, and door handles.
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show is being held as planned as is running through March 15. The convention center is following the instructions of the Allegheny County Health Department and is scrubbing all restrooms and dining areas; hand sanitizer stations have been added to areas where food and money are handled; and workers are wearing gloves.
Through public health organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), we are staying abreast of the latest updates and developments as they occur. We will continue to be guided by the prevention and best practices recommendations of these organizations, in conjunction with our local public health officials.
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is also being supported by ASM Global, a venue and event management company that specializes in managing stadiums, convention centers, theaters, and unique venues.
It is also being guided by a checklist created by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). It includes: Establish a process to communicate information to tenants and staff regarding COVID-19. Stay engaged with state and local health departments. Communicate coughing, sneezing, and clean hand etiquette with tenants and staff.
Coordinate with your cleaning companies to ensure all frequently touched surfaces are routinely cleaned, including workstations, countertops, doorknobs/handles, elevator buttons, security card readers, faucets, and escalator handrails.
Charlotte Convention Center
The Charlotte Convention Center is undergoing increased cleaning with special attention to high touch areas like escalator and stair rails and elevator buttons. There are also more sanitizer stations throughout the center.
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