sept-2017

162 163 dor.Thevisionwas that theConventionCenterneeded tobeapartof it.Wewereundergoinga$600million expansionproject;we tripledthesizeof our convention facilities-about320,000square feet to900,000square feetofmeetingandexhibitionspace.Itwascompleted at theendof2008.And,at thesame time thathappened, a thousand-roomconventionhotel opened; the light rail opened.Sotherewasa lotofdevelopmentoccurring in ourdowntownareaat thesame time.” Today,thePhoenixConventionCenter ranksasoneof the toptenconventioncenter facilities inthecountry.Its 900,000square feetofmeetingandexhibitionspace in- cludesa312,500-sq.-ft.mainexhibithall anda46,000-sq.- ft.ballroom.Thereare99meetingrooms,61 loading docks,andanExecutiveConferenceCenter.It is staffedby 223full-timeemployees. Hostinganaverageof200eventsayear,Chansays the Center’s target clientsareD.C.-based,national associations, religiousgroups,and,becauseof itscloseproximitytoa downtownPhoenixbio-medical campus,scientificand researchorganizations.“We tryto leverage theassets that wehaveandtie themintoour conventionstrategy,”he explains.“We toutour stateandall theamenities; someof theopportunities forpeople tohaveside tripswhenthey come toPhoenix–toexperience things like theGrand Canyon,orplaces likeSedona that are just adriveaway. Bringing itdowntothe‘street level,’oneof the things that we tout isour compactdowntown,whereour threemain conventionhotelsarewithinwalkingdistanceof theCen- ter.Andbecauseof our climate,we’reactuallyverybusy duringthesummer forgroups that are lookingforvalue locations.That’swhysomeof thesocial andreligious groupsarepartof our target audience.” Chanalsotouts theCenter’sphysical layout:“We talk THE PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER about theuniquedesignof ourvenue.Wehavea vertically-stackedfloorplan.It’smorecompact,so peopledon’thave towalkahalfmile togo from onehall totheother.Oneof thebenefitsof that iswecanhavemultipleeventsat thesame time –wecanhavea load-outgoingonat thesame time that there’sanothergroup inthebuilding.” TheCenter’s foodandbeverageofferingsare anotherbigdraw.“Oneof themost important thingsweemphasize is theguest experience, andwedouse foodandbeverageasawayto enhance that experience,”Chanadmits.“Wehave a full tastingkitchen,where thechef isable to unleashall ofhisculinaryexpertiseandmake thediningexperienceakeypartof theconven- tionexperience.Aramarkisour foodandbever- ageprovider,but theyactuallycreatedaboutique brandunder thenameAventuraCatering,sothat isourwayof settingourselvesapart fromwhat youmayfind inanyother conventioncenter.It’sa higher level of amenitiesandserviceat that level. Foodandbeveragehasbeena long-standing program,andwhenwecompletedour expan- sionproject,weneededa foodandbeverage programtomatchournewbuildingandsothat’s whywewentwiththisboutiquebrand.” Likemostof the topconventionvenues today, Chansays thatPhoenixalsorecognizedthe needtoconstantlyupgrade its technological amenities:“Over thepast coupleofyears,we’ve completelyupgradedourdistributedantenna system(DAS).Morepeopleare relyingontheir mobiledevices for connectivitytothe internet,so wehaveaveryrobust4Gnetworkandwhen5G becomes thestandard,we’ll be readytoupgrade, aswell.Thatmobilenetworkhasbeenasignifi- cant investment forourConventionCenter.We’ve