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Host: For conventions, conferences, tradeshows, and events, there’s no better place to be
than the Raleigh Convention Center. With 500,000 square feet of grand lobbies and contiguous
space, the convention center offers everything from state of the art lighting and sound to
superb catered cuisine.
Steve Schuster: There was a lot of conversation about this wanting to be Raleigh and Wake
County's Convention Center. Not a building that looked like it could belong anywhere.
So the design team spent a lot of time looking at the traditions of the architecture of the
Piedmont of North Carolina and the very deep craft tradition in North Carolina. At the
same time this is a 21st century building in a knowledge-based community, so we wanted
to look forward as well as referring to our deep traditions. One of the goals set by the
elected officials for this project was that they wanted it to demonstrate the city and
county's commitment to sustainability and so early on the decision was made that the
building would become LEED-certified.
Laurie Okun: One of the most unique things about this building is when you walk in the
building just seems so large. It's really just three layers. The bottom layer is 150,000
square foot exhibit hall; and the middle layer is actually where you enter the build, its
street level. It has the breakout space. It’s simply laid out on either side of the main
reception lobby. And then above it sits the 32,000 square foot ball room. The ballroom
itself is reflective of our state. The state of North Carolina has so many things. We've
got the textile industry, days of old, and we have highlighted that with the ceiling
and a lot of the weaves. Then technology, so if you look throughout the build the flavor
of North Carolina is echoed throughout the entire building. There's a lot of pride there.
It's a multi-functional building in so many different ways, so we can have an international
convention going on in what we affectionately call upstairs; which is the ballroom space
and the breakout space. Then we could have a trade show of any sort in downstairs and
everybody peacefully coexists in the building. We do have one exclusive vendor in our building,
and that is our caterer. Centerplate catering has proved to be second to none. We still
believe in the art of hospitality. There's art all around us but the art of hospitality
is something that I don't think a lot of cities can offer. So whether you're looking at the
convention center, whether you're looking at one of the in-house facilities of which
there are many, I would have to encourage everybody to really look at this gem that
is just starting to be unearthed.
Host : For those who would like to experience the technological wonder and architectural
grandeur of Raleigh’s largest gathering place, the convention center staff and the
Greater Raleigh Convention and visitors Bureau are poised to assist in making your event
a success. So come enjoy one of the city’s greatest and most dazzling additions!