Expansion could fill convention center gap

The Sharonville Convention Center is bursting with business, and the city’s success is sparking discussion of an expansion.

In the department’s annual report to City Council, Executive Director Jim Downton reviewed a year that brought nearly 400 events, with an estimated attendance of 200,000 and 30,000 hotel-room nights.

Downton also shared with council members the need for more exhibit space.

The convention center exhibit hall has 20,455 square feet of space. This space can be divided for smaller venues, but it’s most often rented for single events, with an occupancy rate of 80 percent on weekends. That’s double the national average of 40 percent for similar-sized centers, Downton said.

Additionally, the exhibit hall’s 60 percent occupancy on weekdays is higher than the national average of 40 percent, he reported.

The Convention Center’s exhibit space was increased by nearly 4,000 square feet when the building was expanded in 2010. In anticipation of a possible need for more space, the exterior wall of that part of the center was constructed using architectural metal panels instead of masonry, so they could be dismantled more easily for an addition.

An expanded exhibit hall would fill a gap in Hamilton County, Downton said. The Sharonville Convention Center’s exhibit hall, at 20,000 square feet, is half the size of the Duke Energy’s smallest exhibit hall, which is about 40,000 square feet.

Downtown explained that events that need space that falls within that gap are booking space outside Hamilton County.

“Due to a lack of square footage in our exhibit hall, the number of identifiable events that need more than the 20,000 square feet of space are substantial and include state association conventions, trade shows, consumer shows, sports and banquet events,” Downton said in his report. “These are events we cannot bid on due to our space limitations and are being lost to venues that are outside of Hamilton County.”

Expanding the exhibit hall would cost between $5 million and $8 million, though Downton said potential funding has not yet been discussed.

A recent construction planning study by CT Consultants found that an expansion on the west side of the building, where the exhibit hall is, would take away 119 parking spaces in the west lot. The construction of a hotel on the convention center property would take away another 87 spaces, however the remaining spaces, along with a lot across Chester Road, would leave 1,089 spots for parking. CT Consultants determined that this number is acceptable under Sharonville zoning regulations.

While Downton has determined that the added space will benefit the convention center, a third-party, independent analysis will be conducted before any steps are taken.

A larger exhibit hall was not part of the 2010 expansion because at the time of the construction, the economy was struggling, and the city decided plan conservatively, with options for future expansion.

“A conservative approach was taken, and rightly so,” Downton said. “We’re here now, four years later and we have great news.