Magazine Online    The Authority On African-American Conventions, Incentives, & Leisure Travel
Industry Briefs
GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE/BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER REOPENS

$1.1 Billion Expansion Project Continues Through 2025 With Financing Approved


BCCC Expansion Facing West

The newly expanded Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center has reopened with 800,000 sq. ft. of space, including 350,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space. Work is in progress on the facility's continued expansion, taking the project to a total of 1.2 million sq. ft. by late 2025.

Broward County, Florida leaders held a bond-signing ceremony December 17, securing funding to finalize the highly anticipated new additions including an eastside building with waterfront ballrooms, meetings rooms and kitchen facilities, and a five-acre outdoor waterfront plaza with three restaurants and an amphitheater in a park-like setting.

An 800-room upscale headquarters hotel interconnected with the convention center is also planned for the project, for which details are still being finalized. The total cost for the convention center expansion and new hotel is estimated at $1.1 billion.

Rendering Waterfront Ballroom

"The convention center expansion with a new 65,000 sq. ft. waterfront ballroom, along with our expanded exhibit hall and other new features, makes Greater Fort Lauderdale highly competitive in the national convention landscape," said Stacy Ritter, president & CEO of Visit Lauderdale. "The expansion is key to our continuing evolution as an upscale, cosmopolitan and diverse tourism and meetings destination."

The first event in the new exhibit space was the indoor portion of the 62nd annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and many more events and trade shows are now on the facility's schedule.

Visitors to the convention center portion of the boat show were connected to new product debuts including over 250 boats along with motors and watersports products from exhibitors including notable brands such as Grady-White Boats, Yellowfin, Robalo, Mercury Marine, Nautical Ventures and others. Exhibitors were excited about the completion of the expanded exhibit hall and are looking forward to the continued expansion of the center.

Over 250 Boats at FLIBS 2021

"The facility offered enhanced opportunities for us to display our full line of models and customers were very happy to have this vital display hub back at the show," said Ray Jahn, President of Fish Tale Boats, a leading Grady-White Boats dealer. "We're excited for the completion of the expansion in 2025 and think the benefits for exhibitors and consumers will be world class."

The convention center expansion is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and boost the Greater Fort Lauderdale economy by more than $200 million annually. To learn more about the convention center and meetings in Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit VisitLauderdale.com/meetings .

Advertisement