Exciting Changes at the Savannah Convention Center
Ah, Savannah! A beautiful city known for its historic charm and vibrant atmosphere. The Savannah Convention Center, an essential hub for events, has been buzzing with activity lately. As many of you have noticed, the north facade of the center is undergoing some major renovations, and you can practically feel the excitement in the air.
Near Completion of the New Expansion
The expansion space at the Savannah Convention Center is showing some impressive signs of nearing completion. Those stunning glass panels are now assembled, and the nameplates are being hoisted above—signs that this project is finally on the home stretch! Originally, these months were meant to be filled with ongoing conventions, but as we all know, construction has taken the spotlight.
Making the Best out of a Challenging Year
Despite the unexpected construction chaos, the center still managed to pull off a remarkable feat last fiscal year. In what can only be described as an incredible achievement, they raked in $15 million in revenue. That’s right! The center has never seen such production levels in its history, making FY2024 a record year despite the challenges that came with delays.
Kelvin Moore, the General Manager of the Savannah Convention Center, noted that you generally wouldn’t see such numbers from other facilities unless they had different revenue streams like parking or significant advertising expenses. So, it’s pretty amazing that they’ve managed to thrive amidst delays and construction disruptions.
Challenges with Delays
Now, of course, the delay didn’t come without its downsides. The center has had to grapple with an estimated $1 million in financial impacts due to those delays. About $640,000 of that is attributed to lost revenues for events that either had to get canceled or were booked elsewhere. However, the good news is that they only lost one client to another city, and they successfully avoided cancellations for 14 other events. This success can largely be credited to a fantastic partnership between the center’s sales team and Visit Savannah.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
The calls for “double duty” have been a common theme throughout this period. Joe Marinelli, the president and CEO of Visit Savannah, has described this experience as a time where not only were they filling the pipeline for future bookings, but they also had to go above and beyond to make sure current customers were satisfied. It’s a tough balancing act, but the team appears to have managed it quite well!
Customer Satisfaction Remains High
Speaking of satisfaction, it’s worth noting that during all this upheaval, customer satisfaction ratings remained in the “excellent” zone. Can you believe that? Overall ratings came in at over 90% in the past year. Moore truly believes that this is one of the center’s biggest successes, and he applauds the entire team for their hard work.
New Leadership in the Midst of Change
There’s also been a committee search for a new general manager after the retirement announcement of Interim General Manager Stephen Hall last year. But fear not, the authority managed to bring in Moore from the famous McCormick Place in Chicago, North America’s largest convention center. Marinelli has jokingly remarked that during one of the board meetings, he leaned over to a board member and said, “I think we hired the right guy!”
Looking Ahead
Moore has already initiated several exciting projects, including plans to enhance marketing rights and expand the food and beverage staff at the center. Marinelli also pointed out that Moore’s presence has brought a balanced approach, keeping everyone unified during this tumultuous time.
As we look forward to the completion of the Savannah Convention Center’s expansion, it’s clear that despite the hurdles faced over the past year, this convention powerhouse has proven its resilience and dedication to delivering excellent service. The future is looking bright for Savannah!
