Local Business RBC
Convention Centre
Marking another milestone
in the remaking of Winnipeg By Dorothy Dobbie
The new RBC Convention Centre has a definite wow factor from the street.
the latest $180 million addition, the now 832,000 square foot facility is fourth behind Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, but some would argue that the space is better configured and more accessible than its cousins and, at the heart of the coun- try, for the majority of Canadians it is easier and cheaper to reach than may other locations. Tat’s really important for the large organizations that at-
W 16 • Spring 2016
tract a lot of individuals – the SMERF business, says general manager, Klaus Lahr. Te acronym stands for social, military, educational, religious or fraternal – the kinds of gatherings that attract thousands of ordinary people who need large spaces to meet in and for whom transportation costs are a significant factor. Tis makes centrally located Winnipeg the ideal place to meet and now, during the dog days of summer,
hen the Winnipeg Convention Centre was opened in 1975, with 131,000 square feet of space, it was the largest and most state-of- the-art facility of its kind in Canada. With
in July and August when the rest of the community is at the cottage or lounging in their back yards, Winnipeg will be alive with visitors coming to these events during their sum- mer vacations. Tis is good for business for everyone in town: hoteliers,
retailers, restaurateurs and even new attractions such as the Churchill exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Cana- dian Museum for Human Rights. Te addition’s flagship event was the Grey Cup gala, which seated 2,500 in the City View Room, a wonderful space that floats on the third floor over York Avenue. Te room can ac- tually accommodate 3,150 at a sit down event – and still have room for dancing. But Klaus sees a lot more opportunity than that. He points to a number of his largest current customers who have been looking for space to expand, customers such as the Home Show, the Boat Show and the RV Show organizers to men- tion just a few. Te addition will allow them to grow in a
The Hub
All photos courtesy of RBC Convention Centre.
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