Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/722202
B M & T ••• May/June 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 22 W A L T E R E . W A S H I N G T O N C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R The Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an extraordinary 2.3 million-sq. ft. conventions and meetings facility, is equipped to handle events of all sizes, from small groups and break-out meetings to events for 500 to 42,000 attendees. One of the most energy-efficient buildings for its size, the Convention Center includes a range of mixed-use exhibit spaces, 198,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space with a total of 77 breakout rooms and a 52,000-sq. ft. ballroom, the largest in the region. Whatever the size of the event, the service of the Convention Center staff is unparalleled. Centerplate/NBSE is the premier catering partner for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. From intimate private meetings to grand events with extensive guest lists, your event will benefit from professional talent, innovative approach, exceptional agility and unparalleled results. Meeting participants and planners alike will be pleased to hear that they can find a plethora of attractions and points of interest nearby, everything from celebrity chefs and world-famous monu- ments, to museums, shopping and more. STATS Total Exhibit Space: 703,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom: 52,000 sq. ft. Number of Meeting Rooms: 77 Telephone: (202) 249-3000 Website: www.dcconvention.com P E N N S Y L V A N I A C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R The Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC) is one of the most distinctive and easily accessible meeting facilities in the world, combining historic preservation, architectural innovation and state-of-the-art technology. Five years in the making, the PCCA recently underwent a $786 million expansion across 20 acres of central Philadelphia real estate, bringing the facility up to a staggering 2.3 million sq. ft. It's the largest single public works project in Pennsylvania history. With over one million sq. ft. of sellable space, the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center features 528,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, seven exhibit halls totaling 679,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 32,000-sq. ft. ballroom and a new 55,400-sq. ft. ballroom — the largest on the East Coast and able to accommodate up to 6,000 delegates at one time, a 34,960-sq. ft. Grand Hall, an additional multi-story, floor-to-ceiling glass entrance on North Broad Street, and 79 total meeting rooms. With the new expansion — the size of two full city blocks — PCC has increased its size by nearly 60 percent, allowing the center to hold up to two major events and multiple smaller meetings at the same time. It's also ranked as one of the top 10 largest convention centers in the country. Additional features include an elevated second-level loading dock which allows tractor-trailers to drive straight off the city streets onto the exhibit floor level., 45 loading docks, certification as an environmentally-friendly LEED building, and 3,936 hotel rooms within a four-minute walk from the Center. From its opening in 1993, the Pennsylvania Convention Center has reinvigorated the surrounding district and the city itself, and has been responsible for the addition of more than 50,000 jobs in the hospitality industry. And so many visitors come through its doors that it accounts for almost 50 percent of all hotel rooms in Center City. Located at the heart of the city, both geographically and culturally, the PCC is within close proximity to famed landmarks, including Independence Hall and America's most historic square mile, Chinatown and the Stunning Friendship Gate, and lovely Rittenhouse Square. And it sits right above the Reading Terminal Market, which offers a vast choice of mouthwatering regional and international food. STATS Total Exhibit Space: 679,000 sq. ft. Largest Hall: 528,000 sq. ft. Number of Meeting Rooms: 82 Telephone: (800) 428-9000 Website: www.paconvention.com Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Resort are all within a short distance of the convention center. STATS Total Exhibit Space: 2,053,820 sq. ft. Largest Hall: 479,190 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom: 62,182 sq. ft Number of Meeting Rooms: 74 Telephone: (800) 345-9845 Website: www.occc.net