Meydenbauer Center
Bellevue, Washington
Tucked along the east side of Lake Washington near Seattle, the Meydenbauer Center is conveniently located 17 miles from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. In 2015, the 54,000-square-foot convention center initiated a $12.5 million renovation, revamping the building’s style, logo and lighting. Today, meeting groups will appreciate the natural wood and artistic lighting that characterize the building and reflect the natural beauty for which the region is known.
With the snow-capped Olympic Mountains looming in the distance, Bellevue is a wonderful hybrid of urban attractions and lush outdoor landscape. Visitors can explore hundreds of bike trails throughout the area or stroll down Main Street to browse fine local products such as Fran’s Chocolates or artisan glassware from Glassybaby.
“It’s a very vibrant kind of place where you can stroll around at any time of day or night,” said Jane Kanton, director of sales at the Meydenbauer Center. “The city planners were smart in developing internal plazas between buildings that feature over 100 pieces of outdoor artwork.”
The city is very compact, measuring about a square mile, which allows groups to thoroughly explore local attractions and easily reach the 4,000 hotel rooms in downtown.
Albany Capital Center
Albany, New York
Albany’s brand-new 82,000-square-foot Albany Capital Center opened in March, joining the Capital Complex’s two existing facilities: the Times Union Center, a sports and entertainment venue, and the Empire State Plaza. Together, these three buildings provide 150,000 square feet of exhibition space, making the Capital Complex the largest meeting venue in upstate New York.
“The flexibility of the 26,000-square-foot space upstairs with dividing air walls really allows an event to grow without being pigeonholed to a specific size,” said Doug McClaine, general manager of the Albany Capital Center.
The Albany Capital Center’s exhibition floor was designed for multipurpose events; it features an open 26-foot-high space and an LED-lit ceiling with the ability to project over 16 million different colors and logos.
“The interactive ceiling allows you to brand your event and engage attendees the minute they walk off the elevator,” said McClaine. He described how the American Red Cross recently hosted an event in the center and projected a giant red cross on the ceiling. Other groups might display an image of a waving flag during the national anthem.
The convention center’s location in the heart of downtown Albany places the New York State Capitol, the New York State Museum, the Palace Theatre and a host of bars and restaurants all within walking distance.
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, Ohio
The Greater Columbus Convention Center is expected this month to complete an expansion project started in 2015 that will add 100,000 square feet. This will bring the space available to a total of 1.8 million square feet.
“Columbus is an incredibly walkable city, and the convention center sits right in the heart of that package,” said Lexi Sweet, public relations coordinator at Experience Columbus. “You never have to get in a car, and at the end of a long day in meetings, a lot of people feel like walking.”
As part of the expansion, the convention center has also accrued 150 new pieces of local art, joining the pre-existing collection featured throughout the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the Hilton Columbus Downtown and three surrounding parking garages. The total collection of 350 pieces is the largest contemporary collection of Franklin County artists in the state, and this aesthetic reflects the neighboring arts district.
“Being in the heart of the arts district really gives attendees a sense of place,” said Sweet.
Levy Restaurants partners with a local upscale company, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, to cater events at the conference center, providing top-grade cuisine that is 85 percent locally sourced. Levy plans on developing the country’s first convention center indoor hydroponic vertical farm, which will produce an average of 100 pounds of fresh herbs and vegetables per week to supplement event dining.
A few of the center’s signature annual events include the Arnold Classic, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous body-building competition, and the American Hort Experience, the largest horticulture show in North America.
