By Mary Deifer

Kerry Painter, CVE, general manager and director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, presented expansion plans and renderings to the Wake County Board of Commissioners for the Raleigh Convention Center’s proposed expansion, a project which will double the capacity of the popular venue and further cement its role as an economic driver for downtown. Already, the RCC is the force behind the most hotel room nights booked in the entire county.

“Last year we set an all-time record for the number of hotel room nights booked in downtown Raleigh, thanks to a packed schedule of conventions, shows, and other events,” Painter said. “This is a marker of success but also an indication that we can do even more. The truth is, we turned away business because we simply didn’t have room, not to mention the potential clients who weren’t even able to consider us due to our limited capacity. More space means more dollars spent at all of our surrounding and supporting businesses.”

Painter’s presentation – the first time the plans and renderings have been revealed to the public – is the next step in the process of gaining approval and funding for the project, which includes expanding the RCC and relocating Red Hat Amphitheater (rendering pictured below) to create a two-square-block destination for meetings, events, and entertainment.

Money for the venture is requested from the Interlocal Fund, which collects hospitality taxes for use by the convention center, arena, culture, sports, and arts activities. The Board of Commissioners and the Raleigh City Council manage the Fund; their next vote on how to allocate funds is scheduled by June 20.

“Even with the current hotel inventory we are missing out on opportunities due to having only one ballroom room, not enough meeting rooms, or exhibit space,” said Dennis Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This type of an expansion will give us the ability to layer a number of events simultaneously, which is difficult to do today, and attract larger conventions which we cannot host with the current footprint.

“It’s important we have a vision and a plan to address the current and future needs of the convention center, so this process is critical to our future success. An expansion of this magnitude takes years to plan and execute, so we need to be thinking about this now. “

RCC Expansion by the Numbers

The new Complex will:

Add 500,000 sq ft of meeting space, including some 30 additional breakout rooms
Include 50,000 sq ft and 30,000 sq ft flex halls for hosting large events or for breaking up into smaller areas
Add an additional capacity of 20,000 people (doubling the current RCC capacity)
Cost approx $316 million in construction costs by today’s dollars; adding other costs brings the estimated total project cost to $425 million

In the 2022/23 FY, RCC:

Booked 152 events equating to 332 days (with five months still remaining in the fiscal year)
Expects 329,000 visitors
Filled 88.7% capacity of sellable dates (most of the remaining dates aren’t available due to holidays or facility maintenance blackouts)
70% is the industry standard to be considered a healthy and successful convention center
Contributed to 92,454 hotel room nights booked – an alltime high, despite losing full service hotel rooms due to pandemic considerations
That’s 109% over the 2023 goal set by the City

Mary Deifer is Marketing Manager for the Raleigh Convention Center.

By Gloria Fong

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (“HML”) is celebrating the successful conclusion of the Hong Kong International Jewelry Show and the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show which utilized all exhibition halls, the first time the “full house” sign has gone up since the pandemic. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (“HKCEC”) from March 1-5, 2023, the twin five-day jewelry shows attracted over 2,500 exhibiting companies from 36 countries and regions – with half of them from overseas – and over 60,000 buyers from 130 countries and regions.

Monica Lee-Müller, Managing Director of HML, commented, “There was no better time to be hosting the twin jewelry shows as the opening followed on the heels of the city’s lifting of the mask mandate. The full utilization of exhibition spaces by the twin jewelry shows underscored a strong rebound of Hong Kong’s exhibition and convention sector. Since the reopening of borders with overseas destinations and the Mainland, HML has seen a surge in booking enquiries from both overseas as well as local exhibition and convention organizers.

“HML will continue to proactively promote to global exhibition organizers Hong Kong’s advantages as a strategic city within the Greater Bay Area and its unique strengths in expanding smooth and convenient linkages between China and other international markets. HML has continued to press ahead with our investment plan, upgrading our facilities, and strengthening staff competence. These efforts, coupled with our experience and expertise in supporting world-class events, has laid a solid foundation for us to gear up for the return of international events and welcome visitors back to Hong Kong and the HKCEC. We are confident that Hong Kong will reclaim its leadership status as the Trade Fair Capital of Asia.”

Gloria Fong is Head – Corporate & Marketing Communication for the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

By Swan Li Chew

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (MCEC) Club Melbourne Ambassador Program welcomes two new Ambassadors, Chef Alejandro Saravia and Emma Coath, both innovative thinkers and leaders in food and agriculture.

Chef Alejandro Saravia is on a culinary mission to champion Victoria’s produce, farmers, and growers. Through his celebrated dining concept Farmer’s Daughters, his latest project Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters at Federation Square, and residency in Australia’s most prestigious member’s dining room, the MCC Long Room at the MCG, Saravia is showcasing the quality and diversity of producers from across the state.

Known for introducing Peruvian cuisine to Australia’s food culture, Saravia has cooked in world-class kitchens in Peru, New York, Barcelona, Paris, London, and Sydney. He is an acclaimed chef and restaurateur, an astute businessman, and an entrepreneur who strives to bring ground-breaking ideas to life.

Emma Coath is Managing Director of Rocket Seeder, a company that supports innovators and entrepreneurs to develop solutions to the world’s biggest problems in the food and agriculture sector by giving early-stage startups the best possible chance to develop a sustainable enterprise for global impact.

A strategic thinker and innovative professional with expertise in stakeholder and project management, and international market research and development, Coath connects thought leaders and challenges conventional perspectives.

“As Club Melbourne Ambassadors, Emma and Alejandro will join Melbourne’s best and brightest minds to showcase the city’s world-leading expertise,” said Club Melbourne Manager Clare Kellett. “Through their networks, interests, and collaborations, Emma and Alejandro will strive to promote Melbourne and Victoria to the world, boost the economy, and bring thought leadership to the city.”

The Club Melbourne Ambassador program is a cohort of eminent Victorians from diverse disciplines of medicine, science and environment, technology, engineering, business, and education. The program works with MCEC and the Melbourne Convention Bureau to secure significant conferences and events that promote Victoria as a knowledge destination.

Since its inception in 2005, the Club Melbourne Ambassador Program has secured 160 international conferences worth over $1 billion to Victoria’s economy.

Swan Li Chew is Corporate Communications Manager for the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

By Claire Kramer

The United Soccer League Championship’s Indy Eleven and Keystone Group unveiled renderings of plans for the transformational Eleven Park neighborhood development, anchored by a new multipurpose stadium. With an expected capacity of around 20,000 seats, the stadium will serve as the new home for Indy Eleven, situated in the center of a development set to transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis with apartments, office space, retail space, restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.

The stadium, with Populous leading design and Browning Day as architect of record, is anticipated to be completed in 2025 and is designed for fan experience and relation to its site. It will make space for 2,400 supporters in a steep, safe-standing section on the north end of the stadium. On the west, the building will offer a wide array of premium choices, from the field club seating on pitch level surrounding the team benches, up through the mid-line club with suites, party suites, and a terrace club above. On the south, a taproom provides game day club atmosphere for 700 fans with a viewing terrace for nongame day watch parties and events. On the east, seats will be concentrated on the sideline with the widest concourse and best concessions and restroom ratios in the league. The design wraps the exterior of the stadium in a dynamic, color-changing façade that reflects the forward-looking nature of the development.

“A world-class stadium is designed as a true destination, a reflection of its community, and a catalyst for growth in the area. This is our mission with the new stadium for Indy Eleven,” said Phil Kolbo, a principal at Populous. “The stadium will anchor Eleven Park, providing a home for Indy Eleven that creates new and tailored experiences for Indianapolis fans in a venue designed with the innovation and aspirations of a great global soccer venue.”

“The vision of this transformational development into a live, work and play village is becoming reality. Eleven Park will not only change the skyline of Indianapolis, but will add over a thousand jobs, have a huge economic impact, create quality of life benefits, and attract talent and opportunities to our city and state,” said Ersal Ozdemir, Chairman and Founder of Keystone Group & Indy Eleven. “We’ve been investing in downtown for over 20 years and believe it is important now more than ever. Our goal for Eleven Park is to continue the city’s tradition of using sports as a business driver for Indiana by increasing Indianapolis’ profile as a global city and showcasing the world’s most popular sport.”

Claire Kramer is Associate, Public Relations Manager for Populous.

From Washington Commanders Public Relations

The Washington Commanders announced upgrades to the video boards and audio systems at FedExField for the upcoming 2023 NFL Season. These upgrades will benefit Commanders fans across the DMV and beyond, giving them the technology and information they need to immerse themselves in an enhanced, fan-first gameday experience and atmosphere at FedExField. When in attendance at a Commanders game next fall, expect better visibility to game footage and improved audio, statistics, play-by-play engagement, updated graphics, and more.

The Commanders worked with Technology Consultant Anthony James Partners (AJP) to manage the design, procurement, and implementation of new, high-definition LED video displays and a state-of-the-art distributed loudspeaker system for the 2023 NFL Season.

ANC, the technology integration partner selected for the video displays at FedExField, has extensive experience in providing digital signage design, installation, game-day operations, and support services across numerous professional venues. ANC currently has four NFL contracts, ten MLB venues, ten NBA arenas, additional NHL and MLS crossover locations, and over seventy collegiate sports venues over the past decade.

“The upgraded video displays and audio systems are the next steps in modernizing our stadium to create an exciting and immersive gameday experience. The upgraded resolution will immediately improve the in-game experience for our fans by providing crisp views of video content and game information, as well as immersive play-by-play engagement,” said Trista Langdon, SVP of Operations & Guest Experience for the Washington Commanders.

For fans in the seating bowl and suites, the new LED Endzone and Game-in-play displays will showcase the Commanders’ action on the field at a higher resolution providing incredible image quality.

“The Washington Commanders have been such a great team to work with and we appreciate their dedication to giving their fans the best possible experience,” said Michael Rowe, AJP’s CEO. “With the newest technology in audio, plus 8mm LED Displays, you’ll be able to both hear and see a noticeable difference. FedExField will have superior sound and some of the tightest pitch screens in the NFL.”

Harnessing the potential of all these improved displays, the Commanders also will reveal an upgraded graphics package designed in collaboration with ANC Studios’ graphics department, ensuring that the upgraded screens deliver energetic, dynamic visuals alongside real-time stat updates, sponsored content, and more gameday action.

“We are very excited to be working with the Washington Commanders as they modernize the venue to improve the atmosphere for fans,” said Jerry Cifarelli Jr., CEO of ANC. “The immediate impact of the higher quality visuals and streamlined new technologies provide endless opportunities to feature more robust and entertaining in-event content and the flexibility to reconfigure this quality 8mm product when they find their new home. We can’t wait to see them take it to the next level.”

The audio system designed by AJP features a new Fulcrum Acoustic distributed loudspeaker system and full-range loudspeakers powered by the brand new Powersoft Unica series digital, multi-channel, high performance audio power amplifiers. A new Digico digital mix package will be installed, featuring updated source devices, including wireless microphones, streaming audio, Bluetooth, traditional analog program music, and FM radio sources. The awarded audio system vendor will be announced in coming months.