Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project | Completed

[mr.x]

The Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre is expanding...

...and the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd., a company wholly owned by the Province of British Columbia, is responsible for building it!!

The expansion is made possible by a funding partnership of the Province of British Columbia , the Government of Canada and Tourism Vancouver. The expansion project will more than triple the Convention Centre's available space and will serve as the international broadcast centre and main press centre for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.


OVERVIEW

Opened on July 4, 1987 , the existing Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (VCEC) got its start as the Canada Pavilion during Expo 86.

Within 10 years, the convention centre was at capacity with an obvious need for additional space, particularly as Vancouver became known as one of North America 's leading meeting and convention destinations.

In fact, in 2003, some $100 million in delegate spending was lost because Vancouver did not have enough meeting space to accommodate groups wishing to hold conventions in the city.

The expansion of the convention centre followed a review by the Convention Centre Task Force, made up of members of the business community. The task force needed to make a thorough business and marketing case for public funding before the Province decided to proceed with the project on the land and water site adjacent to the west side of Canada Place.

The project is managed by Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd., which is wholly owned by the Province of British Columbia . The 1.1 million sq ft project will triple the convention centre's existing capacity and help generate an additional $107 million annually in delegate spending.

The expansion will increase the number of delegate days each year from the current 150,000 to nearly 370,000 within the first five years after opening. On average, a delegate will spend about $350 per day during their visit to Vancouver, with about one-third of convention delegates traveling to other parts of the province as part of their stay.

Built over land and water on some 1,000 piles, the expansion will be completed in late 2008. In 2010, the VCEC will be home of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games media and broadcast centre.

In order to ensure that the expansion and existing facility are fully integrated, a glass-walled connector will link the facilities, providing delegates with exceptional harbour views as well as a seamless transition.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling glass throughout the expansion, the project will also include a six-acre living roof, one of the largest of its kind in the world. This unique ecosystem is one of many environmental innovations included in the expansion.

In 2005, the Province approved an expanded public amenities package that resulted from recommendations during the Project's development approval process. These additional public amenities include more accessible outdoor and plaza space, and added commercial and waterfront developments. The Province also recognized increases in the cost of construction materials such as concrete and steel and it approved an increase in its contribution to $272.5 million from $222.5 million.

The total budget is now $615 million coming from the Government of Canada, $90 million from Tourism Vancouver and some $30 million in commercial revenues from the site itself. Because of its unique downtown waterfront location, the project has tremendous commercial and retail capacity and it is expected that much of the Province's increased contribution can be offset by these additional revenues.

In addition to creating more than 6,000 person years of employment during construction, the project will generate more than 7,000 direct and indirect full-time jobs once it is opened in 2008.

What is the cost of the expansion?
The project is being developed with a projected cost of $615 million. This cost includes an Integration Program which will upgrade and connect the existing facility, Canada Place, with the new facility.

Who is paying for the project?
$495 million of the cost will be shared between the Federal and Provincial governments. The local tourism industry, through Tourism Vancouver, will make a $90 million contribution with revenue generation adding another $30 million, to round of the budget. (2007 edit: the cost of the centre is now about $870-million, with the province picking up the extra tab. These extra costs include materials/labour cost inflation as well as the Liberal cabinet's committee to install a further $70-million worth of artwork and furnishings into the centre.

How big is the expansion?
335,000 square feet of function space will be added to the existing 133,000 square feet, for a combined total of 468,000 square feet of meeting, exhibition, ballroom and plenary theatre space. The overall facility will have a gross area of 1.1 million square feet, including meeting space, support space, parking, and areas for retail and loading.

How will the two facilities be connected?
The site is immediately adjacent to the existing convention centre at Canada Place, so it can be easily integrated using existing and new connectors utilizing available rights-of-way. The site also offers multiple direct linkages to the downtown core via established corridors.

Who owns the land where the convention centre expansion will be built?
The Province purchased the Coal Harbour property from Marathon Developments Inc. in February 2003 for $27.5 million. The purchase, and the creation of the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd to manage the project, were announced in February 2003.

What about the float planes?
The float planes leasing property from VCCEP have been relocated on an interim basis during the construction of the project. A new state-of-the-art marina and float plane base is planned to operate on the north side of the new facility.



















For more information, visit: http://www.vccep.bc.ca