The band struck up the music and the colored lights circled the room as Mayor Jim Schmitt cut the ribbon that officially opened the expanded convention center space in downtown Green Bay. The Wednesday evening gala showed off the new exhibit and meeting space just in time for the center’s events schedule for 2016.
The $24 million expansion has added 34,000 square feet of convention space making Green Bay the fifth largest meeting space destination in the state, fifth to the facilities in Milwaukee, Madison, and the Wisconsin Dells. “This addition puts us into the category where we should be as the state’s third largest city”, said Mayor Schmitt. The additional space allows the city to go after conventions that used to be too large for the city.
After a year and a half of construction, the project added new meeting rooms, a large grand ballroom that can be divided into breakout rooms, and rooms with views of the Fox River. The center is conveniently located between two hotels, the Hyatt and a new Hampton Inn, thus adding to a more efficient meeting experience.
City officials expect the expanded center to provide enough space for the those groups needing more space to hold their group size, thus bringing in new business to the city. “This project contributes to the positive experience people have when they come to Green Bay”, said Jeff Mirkes, Director of Downtown Green Bay, Inc. By coming to Green Bay on business, people see the good things happening and they often bring their families the next visit, he said. Each year the convention meeting business has a $25 million economic impact to Green Bay’s economy bringing over 70,000 visitors to the area.
For more information:
Greg Polacheck
Director of Market Development
[email protected]
Menu
Accessibility