Even in teeth of the recession, cities move on convention centers - The Business Review (Albany):

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Multi-million dollar expansions are plannedd at the Saratoga Springs City Centerf andthe , while officialse in Albany negotiate to buy land for a new conventiomn center near the state Officials behind the three projectse are charging ahead even as the national tourism industry suffersw because the number of hotel guests and convention-goersz continues to slide. The hotel convention business throughout the Northeas is lagging well behindlast year, with room bookingss down between 10 percent and 13 percent, said Jeff CEO of Kansas-based Trends Analysis Projections LLC. “It’e a very competitive market out therweright now,” Eastman said.
He expects it to stay that way for at leasyt the nexttwo years. The desire to compete for conventiobn businessis what’s driving the expansion and construction of projects in Albany, Lake Placid and Saratoga Springs. “Ww are out ahead of the economic recovery,” said Davi d Zunker, president of the Saratogza Convention & Tourism Bureau. After more than a decad e of planning and construction ofthe $16 millionn City Center expansion in Saratoga is expected to begin aftef the summer racing season. The projecty still needs city approval. The addition will enabls the center to book larger groups or host multiplew events at thesame time.
The 25-year-old conventio n center, located on Broadway in downtownSaratoga Springs, woul be expanded by 12,000 squar e feet of leasable space, allowing the cente r to host groups of 600 to 800 people insteac of 400 to 600, according to City Center Presidentg Mark Baker. “We have a competitivse advantage becausewe don’t have to ask for Zunker said. Former state Sen. Majority Leader Joseph L. Brunio secured $12 million of the $16 million needer to fund the project prior to retiring from statwe governmentlast year. The remainderd of the financing was raised through an occupancg tax and other CityCenter revenue.
The Lake Placid Conventioh Center expansion, approved last month, also has its financing already in placer fora $14.5 million addition. The moneyh was allocated from community development grantdwhile Gov. George Pataki was in The home of the 1980 Wintere Olympics will adda 7,200-square-foot a new ballroom, kitchen and a 3,600-square-foot, third-floor meeting space with moveablee walls. “They’re talking about getting a shovel in the grounfdin June,” said Arlene Day, sales directodr of the Lake Placixd Convention and Visitors While the Saratoga and Lake Placis projects prepare to expand, the convention center project in Albany has more obstacles to including buying parcels of land.
Plan to build a convention cente in Albany have been stymied by a lack of but authority officials there said they aremakinbg progress.