Anchorage's New Convention Center: we are building it. Will people come?

A world-class convention facility in Alaska's largest city is transforming downtown Anchorage and will soon kick the city's economic engine into high gear. Three months ago, Anchorage broke ground for its 215,000-square-foot expanded Civic & Convention Center on Block 80, between the Atwood and ConocoPhillips buildings. After years of planning, the groundbreaking of Anchorage's expanded Civic & Convention Center was a historic day for the city.

The facility, designed by Rim Architects and LMN, will showcase Anchorage's breathtaking scenery. The architects will make the most of the unique lighting our city has at this northern latitude, while taking advantage of the broad vistas of Anchorage and the Chugach Mountains to complement the expanded facility.

FEATURES

Exterior features include protected vestibule entrances and a roof designed to prevent snow shedding. Architects also have designed upgraded heated sidewalks lined with trees, canopies and lighting. The sidewalks will link the expanded facility to the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center and the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, creating a campus-type feeling for meeting delegates. The $103 million expansion is designed to be the most significant convention facility in the far northern portion of the United States.

Throughout the various levels of the facility, architects have incorporated Alaska's four seasons into the wall finishes and the color of the carpets. One level embraces fall landscapes and the changing colors of the high country, while another takes visitors into the summer landscape. Highly reflective materials and cooler hues will be used as visitors move into the winter landscape.

THE AGREEMENT

The Municipality of Anchorage and the State of Alaska signed an agreement on April 14, 2006, giving the green light to move forward with the construction of Anchorage's expanded Civic & Convention Center. The B-page agreement gives the city Block 80, where the convention center is being built. The state received a half block of adjacent Block 70, just north of the Atwood, as well as $2.3 million. The agreement also calls for nearly 300 state workers currently parking on Block 80 to move to two sites: Block 70 and the JC Penney parking garage.

A bill sent to the legislature in April would allow the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. to pay the city and its convention center developers up to $44 million in bonds to build a parking garage on Seventh Avenue for state employees in the Atwood Building. The garage would contain spaces for 830 cars. The legislation would allow the state to consolidate nearly all of its downtown employee parking into one garage. AHFC could then sell the bonds and use the money to buy the garage from the city.

REVENUES, REVENUES

Breaking ground for the expanded convention facility paves the way for Anchorage to generate millions of dollars in new convention meeting and event business. The city's civic and convention capacity will soon increase by 300 percent, allowing Anchorage to attract groups triple the size it is currently drawing. Both the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center and the expanded facility will provide substantial meeting space for groups up to 5,000. The expanded facility will highlight Anchorage's sophistication as a modern, international meeting destination, while showcasing the city's exotic appeal to visitors from around the world.

Even before construction, the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) launched an aggressive plan with a goal of generating 1,000 new sales leads to fill the expanded complex. By the end of the first quarter in 2006, ACVB successfully generated 250 new leads. The plan also calls for utilizing shared databases and qualifying prospective leads. ACVB's strategy includes collaborating with local representatives of national associations to target specific industries.

ACVB's convention meeting sales and service team will increase activities, such as regional blitzes, sales missions and familiarization tours this year to an even higher level. The blitz calendar for 2006 includes presenting in 10 cities across the country, including Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. ACVB also will continue its highly effective familiarization tours bringing prospective meeting planners to Anchorage for three days to experience popular Alaska activities, view the area and conduct hotel and convention center site visits. Those tours took place in March (Iditarod Fam), May (Spring Fam) and will also occur in September (Fall Fam). ACVB plans to build its sales and service staff as budget allows to meet the mission of selling more exhibit and meeting space.

SMALL GROUPS, TOO

All that hard work is already paying off. Several larger conventions scheduled for this year include the Alaska Federation of Natives (Oct. 23, 2006) with 3,500 delegates and the National Indian Education Association (Oct. 16 to Oct. 22, 2006) with 3,000 delegates. The estimated economic impact of the two conventions combined is nearly $8 million within a span of 12 days.

Organizations that have booked convention space in Anchorage through 2011 include the Western Association of Students Financial Aid (April 25 to April 28, 2009), with 500 delegates and an estimated economic impact (EEI) of $723,305; the Western States Communication Association (March 5 to March 10, 2010), with 600 delegates and an EEI of $693,523; the IEEE International Conference on Robotics (May 4 to May 7, 2010), with 1,100 delegates and an EEI of $1.3 million; and the Aerospace Medical Association (May 7 to May 13, 2011), with 1,600 delegates and an EEI of more than $1.3 million.

DOORS TO OPEN IN 2008

Anchorage's expanded Civic & Convention Center is scheduled to open its doors in fall 2008. The 26,000-square-foot ballroom will have the capacity for 140 trade show booths, 2,000 banquet seats and 2,800 theatre-style seats. The exhibit hall will accommodate 250 trade show booths, 3,500 banquet seating and 5,000 theatre space. The flexible space will expand as needed, providing 11,300 square feet of meeting rooms.

MORE ON BOOKS

The expanded convention facility is one of several exciting changes unfolding in Anchorage. During the next three years, the William A. Egan Center will undergo some much-needed capital improvements. Three million dollars in revenue bonds will pay for upgrades, including improvements to the Explorer Hall roof, renovations to the lower level restrooms and the replacement of the lower level audio system and the existing water lines. These renovations are possible because the city was able to generate nearly $111 million through a bond sale, lower intermediate and long-term interest projections and favorable hotel/motel bed tax collections.

Several other enhancements are planned for the downtown area, including the $100 million expansion project planned for the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, as well as improvements to E Street, creating a pedestrian and shopping-friendly corridor. As part of an Alaska Railroad plan, the trail along Ship Creek and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail will be linked and become a transportation hub established at the Ship Creek Intermodal Transportation Center. All of these improvements are tremendous city assets, which will provide visitors with even greater experiences when shopping, visiting cultural attractions and simply getting around town. These assets are critical in helping ACVB sell conventions.

All conventions that Anchorage attracts are crucial to the success of the expanded civic & convention center facilities, whether large or small. Hosting multiple, smaller groups such as local job fairs, banquets and trade shows are also tremendously valuable to the city. It's equal to adding six months to the convention calendar annually. Once the expanded convention center opens, there will be a greater number of available dates for larger organizations, as well as for smaller, multiple groups.

The expansion project also presents new opportunities for trade shows at the civic level. In the past, boat shows in Anchorage, for example, were often held inside the Northway Mall and outside in the parking lot, even in winter. When the expanded civic and convention center opens, ACVB can better meet the needs of dealers.

"It will take the boat show to an entirely new level," said Buster Hall, president of the Alaska Marine Dealers Association. "We can utilize 50,000 square feet of exhibit space as well as meeting rooms upstairs for seminars, all in one facility. We're also hoping to bring in additional boat dealers throughout the state to be a part of the show. The expanded convention center will enable us to provide a high-quality show that's on par with other major cities in the U.S."

City residents can look forward to many dynamic changes in Anchorage that will definitely instill a sense of civic pride. When the Anchorage Civic & Convention Center opens its doors, it will introduce a whole new level of possibilities to meeting planners, convention delegates and Anchorage residents. All of the major changes under way in the downtown area will help enhance the experiences of visitors while residents and businesses can enjoy an expanding, robust economy filled with exciting possibilities for the future.

Bruce Bustamante is the president and CEO of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau.