Broward County Convention Center

Broward County Convention Center
Map
Address1950 Eisenhower Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
LocationPort Everglades
OpenedSeptember 5, 1991 (1991-09-05)
Construction cost
$48.9 million (1991)
$1.3 billion (2025 estimated)
Enclosed space
 • Total space600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2) (original)
1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) (renovated)
 • Exhibit hall floor200,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) (original)
Website
Venue Website

The Broward County Convention Center or Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center (sometimes Fort Lauderdale Convention Center) is a convention center located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with an adjecent Omni Hotels & Resorts facility. It is located adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway.

The long-term calendar management for the Convention Center has been the responsibility of The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.[1]

History

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In January 1985, thirteen sites were considered for a proposed Broward County Convention Center. One of the leading sites was a 25-acre (1,100,000 sq ft; 100,000 m2) parcel that included a 15-acre (650,000 sq ft; 61,000 m2) trailer park near Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport at U.S. 1 and Northwest 10th Street.[2][3] By February, the Fort Lauderdale Commission had shortened the list to six official candidates, but the Broward County Tourist Development Council's top choice was a 9.3-acre (410,000 sq ft; 38,000 m2) Port Everglades-owned parcel on Southeast 17th Street near the beach, hotels and other local tourist attractions.[4] In April 1985, Touche Ross filed a preliminary report that stated that Broward County's "resort atmosphere, climate and cost of travel" were favorable toward a dedicated Convention Center, but that its low first-class hotel room count would be a limiting factor to the meetings it could attract.[5] Thus, when Touche Ross submitted an evaluation of 16 potential sites in June 1985, no locations were highly-rated, but the trailer park site was the best alternative.[6][7] By 1986, development plans included coordinating accommodations to bring major league baseball, basketball and hockey franchises to South Florida.[8][9] An request for proposal deadline of November 5, 1986 was set.[10] Only 2 of the 5 candidates received support from any of the 20 civic association presidents in January 1987.[11] The final contenders were a site on the beach at East Las Olas Boulevard and Birch Road as well as one at Port Everglades, but homeowners expressed opposition to the former site.[12] The vote to determine the winning plan was set for March 10, 1987 with the Northport plan to develop the port land off the Southeast 17th Street Causeway and Eisenhower Boulevard with a $45 million ($123 million in 2023), 150,000-square-foot convention center plus a $90 million ($241 million in 2023) commercial marketplace the leading contender.[13]

The Broward County Convention Center topped out in July 1990.[14] On Thursday September 5, 1991, the facility had its ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the $48.9 ($109 million in 2023) development.[15] The center was completed months (4 or 11, depending on the source) ahead of schedule and $750,000 ($1.68 million in 2023) under budget.[16][17] At the time, a forthcoming on-site hotel was anticipated.[15] Before it opened, The Broward County Convention Center had over 200 events booked.[18] Its grand opening festivities lasted four days, including a Saturday and Sunday public open house.[16] Broward County Convention Center's first scheduled convention was the September 25–28 Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association assembly of its 3,500 members.[15] It also hosted a Fall Home Show two weekends earlier.[19]

Based on the 2013 USA Today rankings for top convention destinations, Ft. Lauderdale ranked 36th (right behind St. Louis) after having lost its largest annual convention in 2012 due to factors that included "lack of meeting space" and the absence of an adjoining hotel after 20 years of hosting the event. In fact, the convention center deficiencies were estimated to cause Broward County to lose $400 million ($515 million in 2023) in business and 960,000 hotel room nights between 2008 and 2016.[20] At the time, the Broward County Convention Center had 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2), including a 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) exhibit floor.[1] On August 25, 2015, the Broward County Commissioners narrowed the list of potential developers for the renovation of the Convention Center to 5 firms based on financial capacity and capability.[21][22] Plans for the renovation were announced in April 2017.[23]

Controversially, the Broward County Commissioners decided in 2022 to use $140 million ($146 million in 2023) funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the hotel portion of the convention center despite the fact that the hotel construction was unrelated to public health. The loose objectives of the COVID-19 relief stimulus included helping local governments to "recover from financial distress" and "achieve their own strategies for restoring jobs," according to a United States Treasury spokesperson.[24][25] The renovation includes roadwork for a bypass road to serve as an alternate to Southeast 17th Street between the Fort Lauderdale beach and U.S. Route 1.[26]

The groundbreaking for the renovation occurred in May 2019.[27] The expansion to a 350,000 square feet (33,000 m2) exhibition floor and addition of an adjacent hotel was initially expected to be completed by 2021, but was two-years behind schedule by 2018 with the construction phase expected to run from 2020 to 2023.[26] Construction was further delayed during the pandemic.[27] The final phase of the renovation had begun by May 2, 2022 with completion expected by the end of 2025 at a total cost of $1.3 billion.[28] On December 13, 2023, the renovation topped out (officially placed the uppermost steel beam) for the expansion building and adjacent 800-room 29-story Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel.[29]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "A few questions for ... Mark Gatley Regional General Manager of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. January 22, 2014. p. A.11. ProQuest 1491079457. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Hill-Morgan, Valerie (January 24, 1985). "LEASE FOR CONVENTION CENTER SITE OFFERED SOUTH OF AIRPORT: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1.B. ProQuest 389876182. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  3. ^ Hill-Morgan, Valerie (January 26, 1985). "TRAILER OWNERS FIGHT CENTER PLAN: [NEWS/SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1.B. ProQuest 389847036. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Rojas, Helen (February 6, 1985). "LAUDERDALE SUPPORTS SITE FOR NEW CONVENTION CENTER: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 4.B. ProQuest 389942522. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Zamost, Scott A. (April 23, 1985). "REPORT: BREAK, CONVENTIONS IN CONFLICT: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 5.B. ProQuest 389753461. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  6. ^ Zamost, Scott A. (June 14, 1985). "FIRST CONVENTION SITE RANKINGS FALL SHORT: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1.B. ProQuest 389816385. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Zamost, Scott A. (June 22, 1985). "SITE NEAR AIRPORT RANKED BEST FOR A CONVENTION CENTER: [NEWS/SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 5.B. ProQuest 389878470. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Gibson, David (October 22, 1986). "CENTER SITES LISTED CONVENTION COMPLEX GETS GOOD RESPONSE: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1B. ProQuest 389664573. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Pierce, Rick (March 28, 1986). "COUNTY STUDIES CONVENTION CENTER DEAL: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3B. ProQuest 389660016. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "SUNRISE COMPLEX DEBATED: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. October 30, 1986. p. 3B. ProQuest 389618854. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "GROUP ENDORSES CONVENTION SITES: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. January 14, 1987. p. 4B. ProQuest 389589570. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Kelly, Leon (January 18, 1987). "HOMEOWNERS FIGHT BEACH CONVENTION CENTER: [NEWS/SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3. ProQuest 389635369. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  13. ^ Elich, Patricia (February 20, 1987). "PORT OFFICIALS OK LEASE FOR PROPOSED CONVENTION CENTER: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 4B. ProQuest 389544111. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Clark, Chuck (July 13, 1990). "MARCHERS ORDERED OFF CEREMONY SITE: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 7B. ProQuest 389191905. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "CONVENTION CENTER NEEDS A HOTEL, BUT STILL HAS MUCH TO OFFER COUNTY: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. September 4, 1991. p. 6A. ProQuest 388984026. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  16. ^ a b LaMendola, Bob (September 6, 1991). "NEW CENTER DOES SOME BRAGGING FESTIVITIES SHOW OFF $48.9 MILLION PROJECT: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1B. ProQuest 389038498. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Gross, Martha (September 9, 1991). "IT'S SMOOTH SAILING AT CONVENTION CENTER GALA: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 1D. ProQuest 389070553. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  18. ^ Fleischer, Joan (August 19, 1991). "SHOWS LARGE AND SMALL ALREADY BOOKED FOR CENTER THROUGH YEAR 2000.: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 9. ProQuest 389022607. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Forman, Ellen (September 14, 1991). "GETTING RAVE REVIEWS BROWARD'S NEW CONVENTION CENTER WOWS THEM AT FALL HOME SHOW.: [SUN-SENTINEL Edition]". Sun-Sentinel. p. 11C. ProQuest 389055255. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Whittington, Geoff (February 7, 2014). "$50M Ballroom, Facilities Expansion Planned for America's Center". NextStL. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  21. ^ Satchell, Arlene (August 25, 2015). "Five developers considered for Broward convention center expansion". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  22. ^ "Five developers bidding for convention center job". The Real Deal. September 12, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Jakobson, Leo (April 7, 2017). "Plans Unveiled for Fort Lauderdale's Convention Center Expansion". Successfulmeetings.com. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Putney, Michael (March 24, 2022). "Broward uses $140M in COVID funds to build hotel". WPLG. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  25. ^ Slodysko, Brian (March 23, 2022). "Pandemic relief money spent on hotel, ballpark, ski slopes". WPLG. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Broward delays timing of convention center expansion and adjacent hotel project". The Real Deal. September 29, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  27. ^ a b Sanchez, Kristin (June 3, 2021). "Convention Center Construction in Broward Stalls During COVID Pandemic". WTVJ. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  28. ^ "Final Phase of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Convention Center Expansion Project Starts". Hotel News. May 2, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  29. ^ Glatt, Jennifer (December 13, 2023). "Florida Omni, convention center expansion top out". Hotel Management. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
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26°05′55″N 80°07′23″W / 26.0985°N 80.1231°W / 26.0985; -80.1231

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