DOWNTOWN: Renovations to the Riverside Convention Center and its outdoor park-like plaza continue.
By Kate Weggeland, Staff Writer
Construction on the Riverside Convention Center and its new outdoor park-like plaza proceeds as the budget for the renovations increases in order to cover the costs.
After already raising the budget to 36 million dollars, the original estimated 25-million-dollar budget for the construction of the Convention Center received an additional increase of 4.6 million dollars over the past year.
The current budget of 40.6 million dollars covers the cost for a complete renovation of the interior and exterior of the center. “The improvements to the Convention Center should allow the city to immediately begin attracting larger and higher-end conventions and meetings,” Ted Weggeland, president of Raincross Hospitality Corporation, said.
Interior improvements will include significant expansion of the center’s largest exhibit hall and foyer, the addition of a third large meeting room, the building of multiple new small conference rooms and the installation of an escalator to take visitors to and from the meeting rooms. The final 4.6 million dollar increase funds improvements to the building’s exterior, which includes the blending of the historic look of downtown Riverside with modern windows in order to filter natural light into the building.
Tax-free bonds are funding the cost of the construction of the center. “The conventions will help increase occupancy at Riverside’s hotels and generate sales, which will help to pay for the construction costs,” Weggeland said. Increasing the city’s transient occupancy tax and sales revenues by two percent will finance the Convention Center, which benefits the city. The final design concept was supported by the city counsel in a hearing held last spring.
The construction of the center is taking place in order to accommodate larger conventions to the city of Riverside, help fill Riverside’s city hotel rooms and generate business at Riverside’s restaurants and retail stores. Debbi Guthrie, Sr. Vice President of Raincross Hospitality Corporation, explained that “the reality of having a newly renovated and expanded convention center in Riverside has generated a great deal of excitement. The new center will reflect the history and warmth of our community.”
Photo by Olivia Childers/The Poly Spotlight