Wilmington Convention Center
North Carolina will soon have an awesome convention center!
The Star News Online gives us this information about the almost-completed Wilmington Convention Center:
For decades, the prospect of a convention center in Wilmington has loomed on the horizon, just out of reach.
Now, after years of planning, it’s within sight. As of October 2009, the convention center and attached parking deck was about 50 percent built, with an anticipated completion date of late August 2010.
The center and 581-space attached parking deck are located on a 9-acre tract on Nutt Street on the banks of the Northeast Cape Fear River in the northern part of downtown Wilmington.
Construction — which began in March 2008 and will cost about $60 million — and operations of the convention center are being paid for mainly by an additional sales tax on hotel and motel stays within the Wilmington city limits. The room-occupancy tax was approved by the state legislature early this decade. Revenues from parking and other center operations will also help pay for the center.
J.M. Thompson Co. is the main contractor. SMG is managing the center, and the Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau is assisting in marketing it to meeting planners and potential conventioneers. Supporters envision the convention center as a way to attract thousands of visitors to the city each year, who will spend money at area businesses and might return later with families or friends. They also say it will create jobs for local residents and spark further economic development downtown. . . .
Details
Where: Located on 9 acres along the Cape Fear River on Nutt Street in downtown Wilmington
Space: About 107,000 square feet, including 48,000 square feet of meeting space; covered outdoor seating with views of the Cape Fear River
Parking: 581-space parking deck
Economic impact: Expected to provide about 1,200 jobs to the economy. Expected to add $600,000 to the city tax base and $900,000 to the county tax base annually.
Timeline: Groundbreaking was in December 2007. Construction began in March 2008. Facility is expected to open in August 2010.
You can watch the new Wilmington Convention Center’s live construction feed!
The Wilmington Convention Center is taking your reservations.
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