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Post by Jari on Dec 23, 2004 1:32:35 GMT -5
Talk about momentum! By 2010 Winnipeg is going to be a different place when all these projects are completed.
Convention Centre eyes expansion While the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are contemplating a new home, the folks at the Winnipeg Convention Center are looking at a major expansion.
City councillor Russ Wyatt confirms that like the Bombers, the Convention Center is looking to do a feasibility study of its own and any expansion would likely include a water park.
Wyatt says when it comes to Convention Centers, size does matter. He says the city loses millions of tourism dollars each year to other North American cities with bigger facilities.
Wyatt says they would need the support of all levels of government because they hope a hotel tax would be implemented to help pay for the expansion.
CJOB's Tamara King reporting...
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Post by Ducky on Dec 23, 2004 19:09:19 GMT -5
Thu, December 23, 2004
Expansion step eyed
Convention Centre plans to study boosting space
By PAUL TURENNE, STAFF REPORTER
The Winnipeg Convention Centre is looking at the possibility of expanding its facility to include more convention space, and maybe even condos and a water park. The convention centre's board is hoping to commission a study next month that will determine the feasibility of expanding the nearly 30-year-old facility to attract more visitors -- and their money -- to the city.
'GOLDEN QUESTION'
"The issue is not whether we're missing out on any shows but what additional business we could attract if we were a larger facility," said Klaus Lahr, general manager of the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
"That's the golden question and that's why we hope to embark on a study to answer that."
Russ Wyatt, a Winnipeg city councillor and a member of the centre's board, said he hopes the board will put out the call for the study some time in January. He said he would like to see it completed in about six months.
The board has not yet selected a firm to conduct the study and isn't sure yet what it will cost, he said.
"Really the first step is the market feasibility study. If it is doable and there's a market for it, then the next step would be to look at how to do this," said Wyatt, noting that the convention centre has set aside money to pay for the study.
At this point the project is still a broad concept, so a price tag, or even a firm idea of what could be built, is a long way off, he said.
The idea of adding condos, a water park, and other amenities in addition to convention space is still a very preliminary one, said Wyatt. The whole idea would be to develop a campus-like feel to the area, he said.
One thing Wyatt has considered though, is how to pay for it.
"A 5% hotel tax could raise $80 million in 15 years. That would go a long way toward financing this," he said.
Jim Baker, president of the Manitoba Hotel Association, said his members would likely oppose a room tax, which Winnipeg hotels do not currently charge.
The current convention centre hosts 30 to 40 conventions and 40 to 50 trade shows annually, attracting about 120,000 visitors to the city and pumping $35 to $40 million into the local economy, said Lahr.
"We're doing very well," he said.
Although the city is successful at attracting small and mid-sized conventions, we miss out on the large conventions (1,200 to 6,000 delegates), a significant chunk of the industry, said Lahr.
The news comes only days after Canad Inns, the Blue Bombers and Red River Exhibition Park announced plans to study the possibility of building a new stadium, water park and hotel on the city's western edge.
"I think they're clearly two separate projects," said Wyatt. "I don't think the two are competing."
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they have talked about this for a long time. they mentioned that the expanded convention centre would have a waterpark, so why build several waterparks, why not build a massive one
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