Southern convention centers

[krazeeboi]

Just a thread for pics, stats, and discussions of your city's/region's convention center. Let's see 'em!

[dimebag1980]

The brand new Shreveport Convention Center...

Below are some pics I took of the facility recently, but first, here is the rendering showing the center with the 14-story Hilton hotel which is currently under construction:

My photos, including hotel construction photos:

And the view of the northern edge of the CBD from outside the center:

[TBurban]

Richmond Convention Center

[soverbey]

Memphis Cook Convention Center

[krazeeboi]

I like Shreveport's convention center.

I've been to the Memphis Cook Convention Center; it's an older facility, but it's still nice.

[UrbanCharlotte]

Charlottes Convention Center

(The building in the back)

Don't have any great pics though.

[NCB]

Here is the the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. It is the 2nd busiest convention center in the country, and is currently recieving a 550,000 sq. ft expantion, bringing the total square footage to 1.65 million.

Expansion renderings:

[dimebag1980]

Here is the the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. It is the 2nd busiest convention center in the country, and is currently recieving a 550,000 sq. ft expantion, bringing the total square footage to 1.65 million.

The whole "550,000 sq. ft. expansion" thing impresses the hell out of me. Shreveport's new center is 350,000 sq. ft. TOTAL and the New Orleans center is adding more than 1.5x that amount to an already enormous building. Quite amazing if you ask me... as well as a much-needed project for the city of New Orleans.

I like Shreveport's convention center.

Krazeeboi... I've been meaning to ask you... did you happen to travel to Shreveport for "the game" last year? I saw your photos of Riverfront Park... I assume you took those on a trip here, which I also assume would have been for the I-Bowl? Correct me if I'm wrong. Just curious anyway.

[prahaboheme]

Largest and busiest in the South, Orange County Convention Center (Orlando):

[krazeeboi]

Krazeeboi... I've been meaning to ask you... did you happen to travel to Shreveport for "the game" last year? I saw your photos of Riverfront Park... I assume you took those on a trip here, which I also assume would have been for the I-Bowl? Correct me if I'm wrong. Just curious anyway.

Oh, those weren't my pics; I saw them on another forum. Sorry if I confused you. The park looks cool though.

[dimebag1980]

Oh, those weren't my pics; I saw them on another forum. Sorry if I confused you. The park looks cool though.

Ah, okay! I just assumed you took them... especially since many people from South Carolina came in for the game in December. They were very nice pics anyway, and on the main page at the city of Shreveport website, they have another cool picture of it.

[sleepy]

I like Shreveport's convention center.

I've been to the Memphis Cook Convention Center; it's an older facility, but it's still nice.

In the past year or so, it's been expanded to the tune of about $100 million.

[Aporkalypse]

Atlanta and Orlando were wise not to build their convention centers in the heart of downtown as it has allowed them to expand significantly - these two cities and Chicago are able to compete for the best conventions because of this. They also kept them near the airport which was a prudent move. Many larger cities like Dallas are locked in by surrounding downtown development and cannot do much to expand. New Orleans' convention center is just a small step behind but the renovation should put it back on that tier, though I'm told that lack of hotel rooms is a problem for some large conventions (even though it seems there is a plethora or hotel rooms within easy walking distance).

That Shreveport Convention Center and Hotel is really impressive for a city its size.

Here's Little Rock's CC, much of which is underground, and the Peabody Hotel which is part of the complex.

[GoodNews]

very nice

[dimebag1980]

Atlanta and Orlando were wise not to build their convention centers in the heart of downtown as it has allowed them to expand significantly - these two cities and Chicago are able to compete for the best conventions because of this. They also kept them near the airport which was a prudent move. Many larger cities like Dallas are locked in by surrounding downtown development and cannot do much to expand. New Orleans' convention center is just a small step behind but the renovation should put it back on that tier, though I'm told that lack of hotel rooms is a problem for some large conventions (even though it seems there is a plethora or hotel rooms within easy walking distance).

That Shreveport Convention Center and Hotel is really impressive for a city its size.

Here's Little Rock's CC, much of which is underground, and the Peabody Hotel which is part of the complex.

I've always liked the look of the Peabody. Very nice pics.

[UrbanCharlotte]

The Charlotte CC is in uptown and is expanding. I'm not sure how much, but it's part of the NASCAR HofF deal.

[krazeeboi]

Here are a few of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, the only downtown convention center in SC. It's a smaller convention center (~150,000 sq ft) and was completed in 2003; it has plenty of room for expansion and that will probably occur in the near future.