AlbuquerqueCC

The ACC plays host to an average of 30 major events a year, says Garcia, backfilled with anoth- er 350 local and regional proceedings.“Local and regional events make up the bulk of our business. When you look at our national events, our associ- ation trade shows, and our corporate trade shows, they reflect various industries–science and tech- nology, education,medical–it’s pretty well distribut- ed across all sectors. But association business is our niche.” The first part of the ACC, the west complex,was completed in 1972, near the location of the city’s old Civic Auditorium. It consists of the 2,350-seat Kiva Auditorium,which is used for music concerts, Broadway and other stage shows, as well as special events; three ballrooms; two exhibit halls; and 22 meeting rooms.“In 1992, the east complex came online,”Garcia recounts.“We had two headquarter hotels built–presently called the Hyatt Regency, and the Doubletree by Hilton–and that created demand.The east complex doubled the size of the Convention Center at another 106,000 square feet THE ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION CENTER of exhibit space, a 750-space parking garage, and another 11 meeting rooms.” The largest exhibit hall in the ACC is the Fran Hill Exhibit Hall with a capacity of over 9,000 event goers.The Hill Exhibit Hall has also doubled as a multipurpose sports arena, and is the home of the University of NewMexico Lobos indoor track and field, and Duke City Derby roller derby teams. It is also used for concerts, trade shows, graduation cer- emonies, and other special events. It has a remov- able, indoor track, as well pits and facilities for shot put, pole vault, and high jump events.The ACC has hosted the USA Indoor Track and Field Champion- ships since 2011, and the 2014 NCAAMen’s Division I Indoor Track and Field Championship. “In 2013, the first phase of a $25 million renova- tion took place; a year later, phase two; and then, just recently,we completed phase three,”Garcia adds.“The primary funding for the renovation came when the City of Albuquerque refinanced the debt on the Convention Center. It freed up the money so they could bond against it and put it back in the