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Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 88 V I R G I N I A Virginia Special Advertising Section www.virginia.org VIRGINIA BEACH CONVENTION CENTER Virginia Beach laid the groundwork to become one of the nations most sought after year-round meeting destina- tions when the $202.5 million Virginia Beach Convention Center fully opened in 2007. The facility, now certified green by Virginia Green, boasts more than 500,000 gross sq. ft. of space and includes a 150,000-sq. ft. column-free exhibit hall, 28,929 sq. ft. of meeting space and a 31,029-sq. ft. ballroom. Inside the Convention Center, the exhibit hall – divisi- ble by four – has 40-ft. ceilings along with 10' x 10' grids permanently etched into the floor to facilitate setting up of exhibits. Easy-access to the exhibit halls is provided by 21 loading docks and four street-level ramps. Each of the four hall subdivisions are supported by services including: meeting room suites, concessions, ample and handsomely appointed pre-function and registration spaces, show man- agement offices overlooking the exhibit hall, conveniently located registration, storage rooms and other support areas. An expansive video wall, four 90' x 9' sections, pro- vides both art and information to the pre-function area. The Convention Center provides the latest in wired and wireless communications technologies. The wood-paneled, 31,029-sq. ft. Ballroom utilizes programmable LED light- ing to provide special effects lighting never before used in a ballroom. Ample electrical service is supplied to the ball- room, as well as an overhead grid of rigging points to sup- port the most demanding of special audio or visual requirements. STATS Total exhibit space: 500,000 sq. ft. Largest hall: 150,000 sq. ft. Largest ballroom: 31,029 sq. ft. Number of meeting rooms: 21 Telephone: (754) 385-2000 Website: www.vbfun,com