CALIFORNIA: SAN FRANCISCO.

Excavation and construction of a 300,000-square-foot expansion to the Moscone Convention Center will begin in February 2000; the project is scheduled to be completed in February 2003.

With the addition of Moscone West, overall available space at San Francisco's convention center will increase to 900,000 square feet. Moscone West will be directly across Fourth Street from the Sony Metreon entertainment center and will face the Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens, which is on the roof of the Moscone South facility.

"The innovative design of Moscone West is extremely flexible and can be used in a variety of exhibit and meeting configurations," says John Marks, president of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau. "This will allow us to pursue some very exciting new business, while at the same time satisfying the needs of a growing customer base."

Not far away, the Grand Hyatt San Francisco recently completed a $10 million renovation. Meeting delegates now enjoy new beds, bedspreads, carpeting, curtains, and wall coverings, as well as the addition of the Mezzanine Cafe. At the new fitness center, which is complimentary to hotel guests, members can check their e-mail messages while taking advantage of exercise machines, free weights, and televisions.

The Hyatt's new rooftop restaurant and entertainment lounge, GRANDVIEWS, offers only-in-California views and cuisine. "There's one view in the restaurant that takes my breath away every time I see it," says Jordan Meisner, vice president/managing director--western division, Grand Hyatt San Francisco. "It's when I get off the elevator and see that panoramic view in front of me stretching all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, with Alcatraz and the Pacific Ocean in the middle of it all. It's amazing."