Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center will add 200,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose space with $190- million expansion.
From intimate meeting spaces to large convention-style facilities, the Anaheim Convention Center offers a wealth of venues from which to choose. And thanks to a growing meeting and events industry, key facility spaces throughout the convention center are being expanded and renovated to engage and delight visitors.
According to Tom Morton, executive director of the Anaheim Convention Center, this seventh expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center allows the vnue to accomplish three goals.
“The new 200,000 square feet of leasable, flex space allows us to grow with our large annual events, provides meeting space capacity to attract meeting intensive conventions and allows us to host concurrent conventions as we will have additional meeting space to complement our existing exhibit space,” Morton said. “We are the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast and this expansion project will move our exhibit space availability to over one million square feet.”
Specifically, the $190-million expansion plan consists of a vertically stacked facility containing 200,000 square feet of multipurpose convention space, 1,350 structurally integrated parking stalls, a new kitchen adjacent to the upper level 100,000-sq.-ft. column-free multipurpose space, loading docks adjacent to the lower level, 100,000-sq.-ft. multipurpose space, prefunction and lobby areas for registration and a climate-controlled pedestrian bridge connecting to the existing Anaheim Convention Center building.
And within the meeting and events industry there is a growing trend of partnering indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces. This trend hasn’t been lost on Michael Lockwood, the designer of the Anaheim expansion from Populous.
“In Anaheim, we are providing 10,000 square feet of outdoor event balcony space, accessible from the prefunction space, upper multipurpose meeting space and the back of house, allowing it to be sold as a fully supported and programmable event space, which will be a tremendous asset,” Lockwood said. In addition, street level prefunction space has been designed to support the existing street level event plaza for outdoor concerts, food and beverage events and community events.
“This blend of indoor and outdoor space is absolutely a trend,” Lockwood said. “It’s also simply better design to address the immediate environment and surroundings with renovations and expansions to create flexibility and unique assets for each convention center.”
As Lockwood further explains, the architectural design of the existing facility drew inspiration from ocean waves and the California coastline.
“The architectural design of the expansion continues this natural inspiration by referencing diffracted ocean waves—rhythmic wave patterns created when rolling ocean waves pass through an opening of rocks or an opening to a bay or harbor,” Lockwood said. This dynamic glass facade culminates in the convention center's new front door at Katella Avenue and the Arena plaza, providing the convention center with another main entrance capable of hosting simultaneous events.
The city of Anaheim, Turner Construction Company and the design firm Populous set out to construct the ‘gold standard’ in flexible convention space.
“This new space will allow us to use the new 200,000 sq. ft. of leasable space seamlessly as either exhibit space, meeting space or ballroom space,” Morton said. “It will incorporate ease of access to utilities and rigging points, 25-foot ceilings, high density WiFi, a variety of breakout meeting configurations, dedicated loading docks, all carpeted space, 1,350 parking spaces and a light-filled grand lobby with direct access to our Arena plaza.
In addition, the expansion will provide an immediate economic stimulus to the region, starting with the groundbreaking, which occurred on April 21. The project will involve local hires at all phases of construction, and will employ 300 trade workers at the peak of construction activity. The expansion of what is already the West Coast’s largest convention center will also help Anaheim retain and attract large exhibitions, encourage further tourism to the region and support local hotels and restaurants.
“This expansion speaks to Anaheim’s commitment as a convention and tourism destination,” Morton said. “This is what we do.”
Interviewed for this story: Tom Morton, (714) 765-8920; Michael Lockwood, (816) 221-1500