Global Spectrum is proud of its relationship with several properties that were either built recently or that just came under its management; among them are venues in Owensboro, Kentucky; Bangor, Maine; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Owensboro Convention Center
Owensboro, Kentucky
When the new Owensboro Convention Center was being planned, city leaders and the developers asked residents of this western Kentucky city what they wanted in a convention center. The community responded by asking for a multipurpose complex.
What they got was a pure convention facility with 92,000 square feet of meeting space that includes a 45,000-square-foot exhibition hall and 48,000 square feet of additional ballroom and meeting space.
“The exhibition hall can be broken down into three smaller rooms,” said Dean Dennis, general manager of the Owensboro Convention Center. “Two ballrooms upstairs are each 13,000 square feet and can be broken down into five smaller rooms each, 10 all together. We have a nice front lobby with 16,000 square feet that’s good for various programming and events.”
The new convention center is part of the overall renaissance of downtown Owensboro. The Ohio Riverfront has been improved with a new park and theater. Nice restaurants and entertainment are nearby. The International Bluegrass Music Center is being planned for the city, which is considered a birthplace of that musical genre. The hope is to one day be to bluegrass music what Nashville is to country music.
With sparkling new convention space come good hotels. A new 150-room Hampton Inn has opened nearby. A new Holiday Inn with 123 rooms will be opened in early 2015. Each hotel will have meeting rooms of its own.
Cross Insurance Center
Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine’s convention center is another Global Spectrum-managed facility that has come online recently. Known as the Cross Insurance Center, the venue has meeting rooms that can be configured in a wide variety of ways.
“We have 53,000 square feet of meeting space that includes a grand ballroom and 11 meeting rooms, as well as a column-free exhibit hall,” said Tiffany Sun, director of marketing for the Cross Insurance Center. “Our arena converts into that exhibit hall. The seats retract, and we use the floor for exhibits, when needed.”
Meeting and event planners can comfortably place dozens or hundreds of attendees in banquet, classroom or theater-style seating. There is plenty of space for prefunction activities such as receptions and registrations.
In the off-meeting hours, there are fun things to do near the Cross Insurance Center. Right across the street is the Hollywood Casino, Hotel and Raceway. Downtown Bangor is just five minutes away and has lots of restaurants and shopping.
The Cross Insurance Center’s location in northern New England may be appealing to meeting professionals that have not had the pleasure of visiting that region.
“Maine is a beautiful state, and the people really preserve the beauty,” Sun said. “At our building, we’ll offer first-class hospitality and provide a wonderful experience. Our customer service is unparalleled. We’ll work with our local convention and visitors bureau to plan outings for your group in the evenings. We’re also just 45 minutes from Bar Harbor, on the coast, which is a beautiful tourist destination.”
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Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Two cities have recently come under Global Spectrum’s expert management. One is the Atlantic City Convention Center, opened in 1997.
“One of our big things is flexibility,” said Karen Toturo, general manager of the center. “The space is huge with 500,000 square-feet of exhibit space and a whopping 45 meeting rooms. What’s great, though, is how we create a warm and wonderful environment for just 50 people or [how the center] can become a large event space.”
The convention center sits on 31 acres of prime Atlantic City real estate. It is within walking distance of hotels, shopping and restaurants, all right in the middle of an exciting tourism district. “We’re all about the customer and what their needs are, how we can make a package for visitors,” said Toturo.”
Atlantic City is a mecca for gambling, with many casinos going around the clock. Toturo said Atlantic City is ranked in the top 10 in the United States as a golf destination. There are also 13 high-end spas in which to unwind. The world-famous Boardwalk, the Steel Pier with its amusement rides and the beach are all close by and welcoming.
Atlantic City is about a day’s drive from one-third of the nation’s population. For added convenience, there is a train station that connects right inside the convention center.
Crown Complex
Fayetteville, North Carolina
The Crown Complex in Fayetteville has a lot of what meeting planners seek in a venue site.
“Our coliseum will seat 10,000 people, the theater holds 2,400, the arena seats 4,500, and the expo center is 60,000 square-feet of unobstructed space and breaks down into four sections,” said Carolyn Swait, director of conference sales for the Crown Center. “The ballroom has 9,000 square feet and can also be configured into four spaces.”
The coliseum has an ice floor, but it converts into a venue for concerts and other performances. The theater hosts all kinds of shows or can be used by meeting attendees for breakout sessions. The arena can host anything from exhibitions to sports events to rodeos. The exposition center is a multipurpose exhibit and meeting space. The ballroom and hospitality areas can be reserved for special gatherings.
“It is conveniently located right off I-95, and we are the largest facility complex in southeast North Carolina,” said Katie Mikos, the Crown Center’s director of marketing. We’re 10 minutes from downtown.”
History and the military help draw meetings and visitors to the area.
“We are very near Fort Bragg, which is the largest military base by population in the country,” Mikos said. “There are many things to do in the area that relate to the military, like visiting the Airborne and Special Operations Museum or the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum.”
