Convention Center district developments fueling activity
The Puerto Rico Convention Center in Miramar. (Credit: © Mauricio Pascual)
The Puerto Rico Convention Center management team hosted this weekend a business meeting for clients and sponsors to unveil the new plans for the meeting facility and the Conventions District Authority in Miramar.
Víctor Suárez, director of the Convention District Authority and the Ports Authority, said the Convention Center has unique and endless possibilities for companies seeking special events. He also said new developments planned for the site would revive the District even more, turning it into “the vibrant part of the city it should be.”
Suárez added that 500 hotel rooms will eventually be part of the district’s offer in as three new hotels are scheduled to open soon: the Hyatt House Hotel, which inaugurates in October, another Hyatt is scheduled to begin construction in August and a Marriott Courtyard that will break ground early next year.
Another asset will be the Puerto Rico Trade Center, an office building with commercial spaces in the heart of the district for companies and professionals who want to be part of the action.
“We are working hard to design, attract and build new projects. Among them an Urban Center in the district with restaurants, discos and places to entertain groups in a corporate environment and family atmosphere,” Suárez said. “We will have a vibrant Convention District — the economic center of business and tourism it was meant to be.”
Meanwhile, PRCC Manager Blarys Segarra said the success of the Convention Center “is not only ours, it belongs to our customers, who have placed their trust in our team to make their events in our facilities and to make our Convention Center part of their plans.”
“We have had 10 years of achievements and we are convinced that we will continue to have success because our commitment to our clients and to Puerto Rico is that we always excel expectations to have satisfied clients who value our service and come back,” Segarra said.
“We are a unique and viable destination for not only conventions, galas and trade shows but an accessible option for other events such as corporate meetings, weddings, presentations and new products launches,” she said.
The project entailed installing 17,764 panels over the parking spaces available at either side of the Convention Center.
During the event, Suárez also commented on the award the Convention Center received last month for its sprawling solar panels project bestowed by Association of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico. The project entailed installing 17,764 panels over the parking spaces available at either side of the Convention Center, and another 2,139 over part of the structure’s roof. The project carried a cost of $30 million, paid for with private funds, and generated 125 jobs over the eight-month construction phase.
“The award validates that we’re on the right track and exposes the effort. It undoubtedly puts a face to our government’s philosophy of reducing our dependency on petroleum and seek viable ways to generate green energy, lower electricity costs, and promote establishing new and clean technology,” Suárez said last month, upon accepting the award.
The Convention Center’s photovoltaic project will generate 5 megawatts of energy a year.
