Checking out a new venue rarely involves donning boots, much less a hard hat. But for slogging through construction site mud, Janet Lee Button, Vice President of Marketing for the North American Quarry & Recycling Show, needed both — as well as a good imagination — to envision the facility that would house her next show.

After a year-and-a–half search and several site progress tours, Button’s team chose the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) in College Park Atlanta, knowing they’d be the first big show to use the facility. Despite a few reservations, the leap of faith paid off. “We’ve found the perfect home for our show!” Button says.

Hosting a show in an unproved facility can be a gamble. You’re betting that construction will be finished on time, that the facility’s layout will meet your needs and that its staff will help you satisfy exhibitors and attendees. Here’s how the game played out at nine new or newly expanded facilities.

Georgia International Convention Center
When exhibitors bring huge dump trucks and massive stone-crushing equipment to your show, space — indoors and out — is essential. Tall, wide loading docks, high ceilings, concrete floors and undeveloped land for equipment demonstrations attracted Button to GICC. But the facility had to meet other criteria as well: proximity to restaurants, hotels and the airport, adequate meeting space, ample parking and a knowledgeable and service-oriented staff.

GICC fit the bill perfectly for the Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2003, show, Button says. Spacious loading docks without union labor made move-in and move-out easy. Plentiful parking lots let exhibitors set up right outside the facility doors. Because GICC is near the airport, hotel rates were lower than in downtown Atlanta. The area offered a variety of restaurants, and attendees could travel to downtown attractions in about 15 minutes.
Besides these advantages, GICC offered an extremely helpful, knowledgeable and easy-to-work-with staff, Button says. Contract negotiation went smoothly despite a couple of hitches: First, after construction was well under way, Button’s team realized toll booths, landscaping and curbs would impede moving large equipment. Within four weeks, workers had installed cutaways and solved the problem.

The second issue: surprise fees for the privately owned parking lot. “Some of our exhibitors would’ve appreciated knowing about the fees ahead of time. I chalk it up to our show being one of the first in a new facility,” Button says.

But such minor glitches did nothing to dampen Button’s enthusiasm. “GICC was a phenomenal facility,” she says. “I enjoyed the entire experience, so much so that we booked the facility again for 2006.”

David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Even 4 a.m. isn’t too early for staffers at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh to ensure good service. When construction equipment blocked access to the facility during the Union Industries Show May 2–5, 2003, “they had people out at 4 a.m. moving the equipment,” says Charlie Mercer, President of Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO. “They jumped and took care of it.”

This willing attitude — plus ample pillar-free exhibit space and proximity to hotels — left exhibitors “110 percent satisfied” with the show, Mercer says. There were a few behind-the-scenes problems: Construction wasn’t complete — riveting noise briefly disturbed a breakfast meeting. Traffic led to problems accessing loading docks. And the center doesn’t offer propane or natural gas, so staff members had to run a special gas line for a few exhibitors.

Nevertheless, Mercer was pleased. “We knew when we signed the contract that we’d have to work through a few things. But it all opened on time, and exhibitors were happy,” he says. “I’d highly recommend the facility.”

Orange County Convention Center
Despite a dearth of hotels within walking distance, the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, is the best place in the country to host a show, says Lori Kisner, Vice President of Surf Expo. She cites state-of-the-art facilities, a well-thought-out plan, fantastic food and a customer-focused staff for making the Sept. 12–14, 2003, show a success.

Surf Expo opened six weeks before the newly expanded facility’s grand opening. Not knowing how traffic patterns would work led to a few parking problems, but rerouting quickly fixed a bottleneck. And staff members worked hard to iron out kinks. In fact, one representative talked directly with any exhibitor who complained about the facility. “That made a big impression with exhibitors,” Kisner says. “So many times I’ve had one write to me afterward and say, ‘Can you believe what the center did for me?’”

In addition to OCCC’s service and amenities, famous attractions such as Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World add appeal. “If you’re considering hosting a show there, book early!” Kisner warns. “Everybody likes Orlando.”

Georgia World Congress Center
Mimes — yes, mimes — helped confused attendees find their way to the Screenprinting & Graphic Imaging Association Show, Oct. 15–18, 2003, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. After cab drivers consistently dropped off exhibitors and attendees at the wrong entrance the first day, staffers hired mimes to give directions and liven up the long walk to the facility’s new Hall C.

Such creative problem-solving evidently worked; attendee and exhibitor satisfaction with the show was excellent, says Sylvia S. Hall, Vice President of Conventions and Conferences. “We had no complaints, which is unheard of,” she says.

This time show staff members didn’t have to deal with problems they’d experienced in the past. For example, the center promptly filled all electrical orders — a heavy burden at a show featuring printers, dryers and other electric-powered equipment — so there were no electrical shortages.

In addition, caterers provided complimentary lunches for show staffers, and the convention center crew allowed an early move-in and even renegotiated the contract — removing a ballroom and adding three extra meeting rooms — at no charge. “The staff was wonderful. They were determined that we were going to have a great experience in their facility, and we did,” Hall says.

Minneapolis Convention Center
Few attendees would relish a long walk outdoors in Minneapolis in January. That’s why the skywalks connecting the Minneapolis Convention Center with nearby hotels impressed Arlene Harrison, Market and Meeting Manager for the United Hardware Fall & Christmas Buying Market, which ran Jan. 6–9, 2003. “It was wonderful — you could park your car and never go outside during the four-day show,” she says.

Besides skywalks, the facility offered adequate exhibit space on one level, sufficient meeting rooms of various sizes and a knowledgeable, helpful staff. And because the center doesn’t require union labor, the cost to exhibitors was less than in many cities, Harrison says.

However, cost did become an issue when it came to parking and cleaning. “We had to use the center’s cleaning service, and the cost of vacuuming the exhibit hall is very expensive,” Harrison says. “We were able to reduce the cost by having the entire hall vacuumed after set up was complete and only the aisles vacuumed on the remaining nights.”

Despite the $13,000 cleaning bill, Harrison says the pluses — including expanded exhibition space that allows two shows to run simultaneously and the facility’s proximity to restaurants and such attractions as the Mall of America — outweigh the minuses. “I would definitely recommend the Minneapolis Convention Center,” she says. “It is very well maintained, the variety of meeting and exhibition space is good and the staff is great.”

Oregon Convention Center
Paying a little extra for an excellent facility is worth it to Kyle Camberg, Fund Development Specialist for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. And he got his money’s worth when he booked the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR, for the Race for the Cure Health Expo, Sept. 12–13, 2003. “It’s a world-class facility,” he says. “It makes sense to use it for a lot of reasons.”

His reasons included more-than-adequate meeting and registration space; a brand-new ballroom adjacent to the entrance; proximity to restaurants, a mall and a train that leads to a thriving downtown; and “great parking.”

Food was important as well: Exhibitors couldn’t leave to fetch meals during the show, and caterers had to handle a luncheon for 1,100. Camberg rates exhibitor satisfaction as an “A.” “This is the best venue in the state for a show of this type,” he says. “We plan on going back.”

Dallas Convention Center
Truckers want meat, says Randy Schwartzenburg, General Manager of The Great American Trucking Show. Give them barbecue, beef, chicken or pork, and they’re happy. But the cold sandwiches and hot dogs at the Dallas Convention Center left exhibitors and attendees grumbling during the show Sept. 26–28, 2003. “If they’re going to pay $8 for a sandwich, it had better be good,” he says.

The fact that the nearest restaurant was more than a mile from the convention center made catering an important issue for exhibitors, who couldn’t leave their booths for extended meal breaks. But Schwartzenburg says that the caterer has since been working to expand its menu, and he points out that if you have time for a five-minute cab ride, you’ll find plenty of restaurants, nightclubs and shopping.

Other problems exhibitors and attendees faced included expensive parking for cars (big rigs parked free), limited loading access for large trucks and traffic. “Being downtown is both a blessing and a curse — a blessing because there is a lot to do downtown and a curse because of the traffic,” Schwartzenburg says.

Nevertheless, he says exhibitor satisfaction with the show was good, thanks to adequate housing and meeting space, a location convenient to major interstates and a layout that suited the show’s needs. “Everybody loved the new hall — high ceilings, good lighting and no columns,” he says. “Attendees also get a feeling that the space is bigger than it is, so you have the ‘wow’ factor.”

Washington Convention Center
When you’re planning the one of the largest conventions in the history of Washington, DC, you get cooperation from a lot of key players — the convention and tourism office, the police force and the mayor’s office, to name a few. And with good reason: Millions of dollars are at stake. In fact, when the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) held its 2003 annual convention at the new Washington Convention Center June 22–25, 2003, its total economic impact was estimated at $46 million to $48 million, according to Cynthia Beckman, COO, Conventions and Conferences, for BIO.

That kind of money buys a lot of help. Police assisted with security (especially important considering that the roster of high-profile speakers included President Bush), closed roads as necessary and provided escorts for large trailers. The center staff provided weekly progress updates during construction and worked closely with BIO to ensure Beckman was satisfied with all arrangements. Plus, the staff was “knowledgeable, accommodating and committed to a successful convention — we were a great team,” she says.

Besides cooperation from all parties, the facility itself played a major role in the show’s success. The spacious exhibit floor pleased exhibitors, and Beckman says the infrastructure and layout were perfect. He credits the natural light, high ceilings, artwork and attractive décor with providing a stimulating environment. “Attendees and exhibitors both said it was the best show ever!” Beckman raves. “I’d highly recommend the convention center and the region as a destination. Washington, DC, is a great place to do business.”

Reno/Sparks Convention Center
With enough planning, you can host a show in a facility that’s under construction — and your attendees may be none the wiser. That was the case when the National Rifle Association held its Annual Meetings & Exhibits at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center April 26–28, 2002. “Nobody ever questioned why we were in a facility that was under construction,” says Jacqueline K. Mongold, CMP, Assistant NRA Secretary. “The way we routed people in, attendees never had a clue.”

Mongold attributes the post-show survey’s 96 percent approval rating to great signage at the facility’s side entrance, effective noise control, flexible meeting space and, most important, the facility’s hardworking staff. “They took a difficult situation and almost made it a non-issue,” Mongold says.

Mongold learned the facility would be under construction more than a year before the show. In the following months, convention center staff provided updates (construction was usually ahead of schedule) and devised solutions for worst-case scenarios. As it turned out, the worst inconvenience occurred when the water was turned off one morning; it was fixed within three hours, and many attendees and exhibitors never knew about the problem.

Any glitches were overshadowed by the venue’s advantages, including excellent show-management, lodging and food costs, and cooperation with a hotel that provided free parking for attendees who wanted to take a shuttle to the convention center. “The Reno hospitality industry works together to ensure the best experience for visitors,” Mongold says. “Reno is one of the best-kept secrets out there. We’ll be back.”

Dawn Grubb is Owner and President of 24/7 Communications in Westwood, KS. She can be reached at dawn@24-7comms.com.