The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center debuted the Pacific Ballroom at the Long Beach Arena on Nov. 20 with an evening of “reveals” for those in attendance.
The event, titled “The Sky’s the Limit,” included a series of “reveals” intended to showcase the Long Beach Arena ballroom’s versatility. The more than 1,000 guests included professional-meeting and special-event planners from across the country, according to the press release. The Pacific Ballroom is part of a $10-million renovation
The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau has booked seven groups with signed contracts, representing an Estimated Economic Impact (EEI) of $29 million, which includes $494,000 in direct Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) to the city of Long Beach, according to the press release, which also states that 16 tentative groups are interested in booking the Pacific Ballroom for a potential EEI of $33 million and estimated TOT of $2 million.
“The Pacific Ballroom, with its high-tech innovations, is the perfect canvas for any event planner,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. “It’s just another reason why more visitors should come to our dynamic, creative city.”
Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, cited the city’s hosting of TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conferences of previous years as learning experiences.
“TED, the most innovative conference in the world, was in Long Beach for five years, which allowed us to observe how they creatively used our meeting spaces,” Goodling said “With the renovation, we have reimagined the Long Beach Arena, creating a flexible space that will allow other groups to have a similar experience without high cost.”
The recently completed installation creates a “loft-style” ballroom which multiplies the utilization of floor space of the Arena’s floor space. One of the largest-ever “flying” steel truss grid systems is now suspended above the 45,000 square-foot Arena floor. The grid system can be raised or lowered in minutes to provide the appropriate ceiling height for an event. Electronically operated curtain walls drop down to cover the Arena’s upper deck seating, completing the creation of the Pacific Ballroom.
“Our collaboration with the City of Long Beach and SMG (the Center’s management company) allowed us to use our theatrical custom rigging expertise to craft a unique, high-tech environment for staging a wide range of events,” said Mike Murphy, president of JR Clancy, a stage-rigging equipment and installation company. “We are proud to be a part of a project that is the first of its kind in the country.”
Source: LB Convention & Visitors Bureau
