By Jodi Weigand
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Buzz up!
Dottie Miller, owner of Wedding Clickers Bridal Shows in Monroeville, said she is so impressed with the municipality’s new convention center that she’s booked three shows there next year.
Miller, her husband, Bob, and a few company staffers last week introduced their vendors to the Monroeville Convention Center, located inside the old Wickes Furniture building not far from the ExpoMart.
“The lighting is so good,” Miller said. Added her husband, “Compared to the ExpoMart, which was nice, this is awesome.”
The general public will get its first peek at the convention center today, when it opens its doors for the Willi’s Ski Show, which continues through Monday. A grand-opening celebration and ribbon-cutting are scheduled for Sept. 17.
The convention center is owned by Oxford Development, which is renovating the former Radisson Hotel — now Doubletree Pittsburgh — next door. The 190-room hotel opens in December.
Lance Rihn, general manager of the hotel and convention center, said they will be a boon to Monroeville’s economy.
“It’s tremendously helpful for hotels, restaurants and retail,” Rihn said. “It’s a huge boost.”
The 100,000-square-foot, $16.2 million convention center can accommodate up to 5,400 people. The main exhibit hall is 60,000 square feet with a polished concrete floor, high ceilings and plenty of natural lighting. A second, carpeted exhibit area is 42,000 square feet with an adjacent space that can be broken down into four meeting rooms using removable walls.
“I think it is the perfect size for the types of shows it’s intended to attract,” said Chad Amond, president of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The convention center is booked each weekend through the end of the year, Rihn said.
Many of the ExpoMart’s old clients have scheduled shows at the convention center, he said, including the organizers of the Pittsburgh Comicon comic book convention, the Steel City Con toy show, the Allegheny Sport Show and the Pittsburgh Golf Show.
Greg Klein, owner of Willi’s Skis and Snowboards, said he’s thrilled that his company will be the first to host a show at the convention center. He said the natural, warm lighting is a big plus for him because the hue is better for selling yellows and reds, all colors common to winter sports apparel.
The convention center likely will qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification through the U.S. Green Building Council, Rihn said. Environmentally friendly aspects of the building include a white roof that reflects the sun and helps keep the building cool and a heating and cooling system that uses 20 percent less energy than normal.
The building must be in operation for a few months so its energy efficiency can be measured before it’s officially certified, Rihn said. In addition to saving money on utility bills, LEED certification could help attract new business, he said.
“There are a few shows out there that require us to be green,” Rihn said. “Without that, we lose those shows.”
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