[DetroitMan]

The expansion of the convention center will be another game changer for Savannah. The Trade Center is already the second largest in the state behind Atlanta. With the expansion and planned 300-room Omni Hotel, Savannah will attract bigger shows and increase economic activity on Hutchinson Island. Who knows, one day Savannah's convention center could play with the big boys like Orlando or Vegas.


Savannah Convention Center looks to legislature for bigger future

The Savannah center is the second largest in the state behind Atlanta, and Smith, along with trade center General Manager Sherrie Spinks, said the expansion is all in response to the center’s customers.

In 2018, the center hosted 160 events, including 36 trade shows/conventions; 11 public/consumer shows; 48 meetings; 13 sporting events; 47 banquets/weddings and five miscellaneous events. About 50 of those groups have requested more space, Smith said.

“Two events that have used our exhibit hall this year, we had (Jurassic Quest) last week and the (Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 2019 southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference) moving in right now, both of them want more space,” Spinks said, adding that both groups already have exhibitors that are ready to come when space is available.


“Then there are groups that are already over 100,000 square feet exhibit hall space, so they can’t even consider us. They would love to come to Savannah, but right now we’re too small. We’re getting a lot of those requests already and we just have to say, ‘hopefully in a couple of years.’ ”

https://www.savannahnow.com/business...-bigger-future