Cincinnati's convention center reopened Wednesday after 18 months of work. The $264 million project dramatically changed the building's façade, upgraded and updated meeting rooms and ballrooms, and put on a new roof.
3CDC's Joe Rudemiller says it's a reimagining.
"The building feels completely different walking through it," he says. "Everything felt a lot more closed off, so I think one of the big changes is just opening up the space, making it feel a little bit more inviting."
The main concourse on the first floor is wider and without as many interruptions. There are more windows throughout the building, letting in more natural light. An escalator in the middle of the concourse was removed.
The lobby inside the main doors also is simpler. Rudemiller says the designs were based on flexibility and simplification.
"It used to be closed off. It was kind of a spaghetti of different escalators. We've opened that up. We've added just one primary escalator, but this entryway is much more open, way more inviting and I think aesthetically appealing."
Outside of the ballrooms and meeting rooms, there are more gathering spaces, tables and nooks, all with electrical outlets.
Along the east wall, doors facing the Elm Street Plaza can open up in good weather. Elm Street was closed between 5th and 6th streets, and turned into a plaza and public park. That opened in November, and is the new home of 3CDC's ice skating rink.
The new façade and the plaza are just part of a planned district. Marriott will operate a new convention center headquarters hotel on what is now a surface parking lot, south of Fifth Street. Rudemiller says the site is being prepared for construction, and a formal groundbreaking is expected in the first quarter of the year.
The 780-space Whex Garage, next to that lot, is part of the project, and will be renovated to complement the hotel. There will be a new skybridge connecting the garage and the convention center.
The "Cincinnati" sign on the west face of the convention center also has been upgraded with LED lights that allow for more than just colored lights. The 10 letters can each have a unique display, with motion graphics, animations or video.
In September, the city announced Duke Energy was giving up the naming rights in exchange for $1.6 million. Rudemiller says they're not ready to announce who will get the naming rights next, but it should be soon.
The first event at the center is Reds Fest, which is normally held in December. The celebration of Cincinnati's Major League Baseball team is Jan. 16 and 17. After that, a travel and boat show and a home and garden show are scheduled.
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