ITHACA, New York — The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 13.
“After ten years of creative and innovative collaboration amongst community partners, we are excited to celebrate the grand opening of the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center this week,” said Suzanne Smith Jablonski, executive director of the Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation. “We are grateful to the local, state, and Federal officials and agencies who understood our vision for this important tourism economic development project, which is expected to drive nearly $150 million in new direct and induced spending in our community over the next twenty years.”
Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado spoke at the ceremony, other speakers at the event included Tavares, Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo, state Assemblyperson Anna Kelles, state Senator Lea Webb, state Home and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas, Ithaca Area Economic Development President Heather McDaniel and Vecino Group President Rick Manzardo.
“The Conference Center fills a community gap in convening space and will significantly increase midweek tourism to boost our local daytime and nighttime downtown economies providing much needed stability for workers in the hospitality industry. The energy-efficient, all-electric building will also help bring us closer to the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of carbon neutrality by 2050,” added Kelles. “It’s been a long journey to this finish line, and I’m so delighted to be able to celebrate its completion and opening with the whole community.”
The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center anticipates generating more than 2,800 room nights and 6,500 conference attendees annually. The project is expected to attract visitors during shoulder season months and off-peak days of Sunday through Thursday. The conference center is anticipated to generate more than $9 million in new state and local taxes and more than $50 million in economic impact over 20 years.
The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center offers more than 15,000 square feet of versatile event space. The Grand Ballroom features 10,620 square feet and 18-foot ceilings with rigging.
In addition to the economic benefits, the energy-efficient aspects of the conference center meet climate and housing goals in the community. The conference center is the first all-electric venue of its kind in the United States.
Eco-friendly features include energy-efficient lighting, reusable water bottle refill stations and floor-to-ceiling windows allowing for ample natural light.
The center’s sustainability commitment extends to its commercial kitchen and catering menu — at least 35% of the menu options are plant-based — to promote healthier and more sustainable dining choices. The facility further minimizes food waste by repurposing leftover prepared food within the Center’s retail store. For grab-and-go items, single-use plastics have been eliminated and biodegradable packaging and utensils are utilized to minimize environmental harm. Additionally, a composting system handles any remaining food waste, while efficient recycling programs help further reduce the carbon footprint. Even fryer oil doesn’t go to waste as it is repurposed as fuel for sustainable practices.
Funding for the conference center included a $5 million capital grant from Empire State Development and significant financial support from the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County Tourism Program, the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency, four downtown Ithaca hotels (Ithaca Marriott on the Commons, the Canopy Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, and Hotel Ithaca) via the Tompkins Chamber Foundation, and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance.
Those interested in learning more about the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center or booking a meeting or conference in Ithaca should visit meetinithaca.com to learn more.
