Business View Magazine | January 2021

161 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021 SAVANNAH CONVENT ION CENTER Savannah, is also thriving. Hotelier Richard Kessler just opened the new JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District on the west end of River Street, and that’s a fabulous facility. Things are going well in Savannah. People love it here. Once they visit, they realize what a gem this place is.” Also, Tybee Island, often referred to as Savannah’s beach, is enjoying a surge in popularity. According to Spinks, “They’ve posted record occupancy levels. We’re not talking about over last year. We’re talking about since they’ve been recording hotel occupancies.” Spinks emphasizes that the SCC’s ties to the GWCCA remain strong. She shares, “Our relationship with Atlanta is still the same. They actually went through the GBAC STAR certification first, and then they helped us through the accreditation process, which was invaluable.” The GWCAA was one of the first convention centers in the nation to receive that certification, in June 2020. The SCC earned theirs the following month. “We’re operating safely and it’s pretty exciting,” says Spinks. “We want to welcome everybody to be our guest here in Savannah, at the convention center. We’re here to be good hosts and to meet our customers’ needs in some fun ways.”