News Release
Big Alaska Events Book Anchorage’s New Digs: Alaska Trade Shows Book the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – November 26, 2007– It’s official! Four of Alaska’s largest trade shows will call Anchorage’s new Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center home. The 2008 Holiday Food & Gift Show, the Arts & Crafts Emporium, a new, yet-to-be named Christmas Show, and the 2009 Anchors Aweigh Boat Show will all be held in the new trade-show friendly facility.
“The Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center will allow us to triple the size of our event,” says Buster Hall, 2009 Anchors Aweigh Boat Show promoter. “We’re going from 14,000 sq. ft. available at the Northway Mall to 50,000 sq. ft in the Dena’ina. We currently can only squeeze 200 boats into the Mall. Now, with the Dena’ina, we can vastly expand vendor inventory, increase our membership and grow the event exponentially. We can’t wait.”
When it's completed in September 2008, the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center’s 25,332 sq. ft. ballroom will have the capacity for 134 booths, 1,812 banquet seats and 2,867 theatre style seats. The 50,000 sq. ft. Exhibition Hall will accommodate 274 trade show booths, 3,408 banquet seating and 4,998 theatre seats. The flexible space will expand as needed, providing 10,372 sq. ft. of meeting rooms.
The new facility will offer a logistical ease currently not available to event planners in Anchorage. Four loading docks, large capacity freight elevators and an optimum traffic flow pattern surrounding the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center, will provide trade show organizers and vendors superior load-in, load-out and set up capabilities. The new 840-space Linny Pacillo parking structure, slated to open in conjunction with the new facility, will increase parking options for event attendees.
“The size and location of the new Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center is what’s truly exciting for us,” says Bill Webb, owner of Webb's Consulting & Management Services, Inc., promoter of three of the four booked events. “This modern building is designed for shows just like ours. This beautiful facility, with its innovative lighting design and access to easy parking, will offer our vendors and attendees the much needed space they crave. It will also allow us plenty of room to grow and expand our event.”
Webb’s trade shows include the Holiday Food & Gift Show to be held Oct. 31 – Nov. 2, 2008, the Arts & Crafts Emporium scheduled for Nov. 23 – 24, 2008 and the new Christmas Show slated for Dec. 6 – 7, 2008. The Food & Gift Show and the Arts & Craft Emporium are currently held at the Sullivan Arena and the Egan Center, respectively.
Hall’s event, the 2009 Anchors Aweigh Boat Show, will be held in the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center on Feb. 1, 2009.
The Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center is currently 72% complete and is on-time for its scheduled open in September 2008.
The following is an overview of construction at the facility as of Oct. 1, 2007:
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by the lodging association. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund and one-third goes to the Anchorage Civic & Convention Center construction project. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. Explore www.Anchorage.net for more information.
Media Contacts:
Shelly Wozniak
Public Relations Manager
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
swozinak@anchorage.net
(907) 257-2331 direct
(907) 250-5285 cell
(907) 222-3752 fax
Nance Larsen, APR
Vice President, Communications & Marketing Programs
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
pr@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
Explore www.Anchorage.net
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