special section Innovative Centers and Unique Venues San Jose
The San Jose Convention Center is becom- ing bigger, better, and smarter for meeting planners with a massive $120-million expan- sion and renovation slated for completion in fall 2013. The expansion will integrate an additional 125,000 square feet of flexible ballroom and meeting space, increasing the convention center’s usable space to 550,000 square feet — with minimal impact to the existing center. Furthering the city of San Jose’s Green
Vision initiative, the San Jose Convention Center aims for LEED Silver certification with the renovation. And because it wouldn’t be Silicon Valley without access to the lat- est technology, the city will upgrade its free downtown Wi-Fi this summer, so residents and visitors can enjoy America’s fastest free outdoor Wi-Fi network. To celebrate the center’s state-of-the-art
Reintroducing the San Jose Convention Center
transformation, Team San Jose is offering free convention-center rental for groups who book by 2014. Benefits include the use of tables, chairs, linens, water services, and microphones; free move-in and move-out days; housing registration for groups using three or more hotels; $10 parking; and dis- counted food-and-beverage. Not only is the San Jose Convention
Center undergoing an unprecedented reno- vation, downtown San Jose is getting its own makeover. The historic San Jose Civic, home to A-list concerts and events, recently underwent a $15-million floor-to-ceiling reno- vation — including enhanced sound and light- ing, new seating, renovated meeting space and restrooms, expanded concessions, and a new elevator. Several hotels in the area have recently undergone or are planning renovations — including the Hilton San Jose,
the Fairmont San Jose, and the San Jose Marriott — while hotel rebrands include the Hyatt Place San Jose/Downtown (formerly a Crowne Plaza), The Sainte Claire (formerly Larkspur Landing), and the Holiday Inn San Jose Airport (formerly a Wyndham). Mineta San Jose International Airport
(SJC) recently completed its own $1.3-billion modernization that has made it one of the greenest, most convenient airports for trav- elers. SJC also has announced new routes to and from San Jose, including Hawaiian Air- lines’ service to Maui, Alaska Airlines’ daily nonstop to Reno, and new direct service into Palm Springs.
For more information: Team San Jose — Mark McMinn, Director of Sales; (408) 792-4521 or (800) SAN-JOSE; mmcminn@sanjose.org; sanjose.org
AT A GLANCE
San Jose Convention Center Existing • Exhibit space: 143,000 square feet • Ballroom space: 22,000 square feet • Meeting space: Up to 31 meeting rooms with capacities from 50 to 2,400 attendees theater-style
Growth spurt The San Jose Convention Center’s ongoing renovation and expansion will add 125,000 square feet of flexible ballroom and meeting space to serve the evolving needs of meeting planners. Other additions in the city itself make San Jose an ideal meetings destination in Silicon Valley.