Venue Review: Oregon Convention Center

The Oregon Convention Center, situated across from the new Hyatt Regency Portland

OREGON CONVENTION CENTER R E C E N T R E N O V A T I O N A N D N E W H E A D Q U A R T E R S H O T E L B R I N G M O R E G R O U P B U S I N E S S TO PORTLAND By George Seli I n October, the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) completed a $40 million renovation that upgraded and reimagined the center’s public spaces and ballrooms. The project also included a reconstruction of the exterior plaza on the northeast corner, and improved the accessibility and sustainability of the venue. The overhaul reflects Portland’s rising star in the hospitality industry, according to Craig Stroud, Executive Director of the OCC. “Portland has changed since the OCC was originally built in 1990,” he observes. “As a growing city, and a dynamic place of interest for visitors and meeting attendees from around the globe, the need for a comprehensive venue refresh of Portland’s convention center became apparent several years ago. Official conversations between key Portland travel and tourism leaders and elected officials began in 2013, pointing to the need for a renovated convention center paired with a new convention center hotel. These discussions resulted in the 600-room Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, located directly across the street from OCC, as well as the completion of OCC’s momentous renovation.”

More recently, Hyatt has debuted the 220-room Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland. The Hyatt Centric will help to accommodate overflow from the headquarters hotel, which

has been drawing more group business to Portland. “The number of convention bookings is trending upward with the completion of our renovation and the addition of the Hyatt Regency Portland,” Stroud asserts. “In the first year of the booking window for the new hotel, the Travel Portland and OCC sales teams saw a 43 percent increase in OCC group room nights booked across all Portland hotels over the previous year.”

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF OREGON Convention centers are increasingly seeking to visually express their home cities and states, lending character and uniqueness to the attendee experience. The OCC renovation is a fine example of this trend, featuring a design that evokes Oregon’s natural environment. “The OCC identifies as Oregon’s convention center, so it was vital for us to bring elements of the region and Oregon’s open, welcoming spirit into our space by creating a ‘sense of place’ for our visitors,” Stroud explains. “To integrate creative, Pacific Northwest-themed design aspects throughout our building, OCC drew inspiration from the beauty of Oregon’s natural landscape, implementing unique design touches such as lichen-inspired carpets.” The OCC’s 25,200-sq.-ft. Oregon Ballroom, including its pre-function and lobby spaces, was a focal point of the renovation. Environmentally inspired design elements now grace the ballroom as well. “Our reverse topographical map of the Cascade mountain range, as well as separately hung honeycomb-shaped installation pieces in the Oregon Ballroom, create a stunning and unique effect,” says Stroud. “The ceiling installation in the ballroom was inspired by the

FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS 2020 SPRING view a spectator experiences looking up through a forest canopy.”

COVERT AV EQUIPMENT The OCC’s new design elements not only serve an aesthetic purpose, but they also work in tandem with the center’s AV technology. “We’ve found that attendees and planners want technological flexibility from their meetings (flexible projection capabilities, various lighting formations and colors, etc.), but they don’t want to have to view the equipment itself,” Stroud explains. Accordingly, the facility’s AV, projection and lighting equipment can be hidden behind the ceiling installations. “OCC has also created hidden wall panels, adorned with upholstered wallpaper picturing a forest grove, that are able to open. The unsightly equipment can then be hidden behind the panels until needed, out of sight and out of mind,” he adds.

MAKING STRIDES IN SUSTAINABILITY Apart from the décor and technology elements, the renovation enhanced the building’s sustainability, which was already at a high level. Stroud describes some of the eco-conscious aspects of the project: “We opted to build with environmental materials whenever possible. The renovation also used all low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials, and particular focus was placed on recycling construction waste, including metals, gypsum and 110 tons of carpet.” To conserve more energy, “we installed all LED lighting that is automatically controlled to brighten or dim depending on the amount of natural light in the space at a given time, saving energy.” In addition, “a hallway was created to make it possible for event attendees to forego using OCC’s elevators, stairs or escalators while crossing the building’s first level. This change not only improved OCC’s accessibility, but it also made it so fewer people use the building’s escalators and elevators on a daily basis.”

These new features add to the OCC’s many existing distinctions in the area of sustainability. For example, the facility is • the first convention center to receive the LEED for Existing Buildings certification (awarded in 2004); • LEED Platinum certified since 2014; • the only convention center in the nation that has earned a LEED Platinum certification for Operations and Maintenance; • the only convention center in the country to have reached the highest of four levels of certification as a green venue through APEX/ASTM; and • SalmonSafe certified, which demonstrates dedication to watershed conservation and water use reduction.

OPEN-AIR GATHERINGS Conventioneers deserve a bit of reinvigorating fresh air, and the OCC delivers with an outdoor plaza that has also been upgraded as part of the renovation. Suitable as a function space, the plaza is accented with Pacific Northwest-themed gardens showcasing native plants, water features and outdoor seating.

“It was vital for us to bring elements of the region and Oregon’s open, welcoming spirit into our space by creating a ‘sense of place’ for our visitors.”

— Craig Stroud, Executive Director, Oregon Convention Center

“We’ve received some great feedback on how the plaza connects the OCC both with the adjacent hotel, and with our greater community,” says Stroud. “I’m predicting we will receive even more positive client feedback this summer, as we will be able to use the plaza more as a connecting event area linking the hotel with the OCC.”

A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR PORTLAND MEETINGS Group clients will benefit from the development of Portland’s hospitality infrastructure, beginning with a greatly increased airlift. “Travel and tourism is a $5 billion economic generator for the Portland region, which is why our jurisdictional partner, Port of Portland, has embarked on a $2 billion expansion of the beloved Portland International Airport, which will nearly double the airport’s capacity in the coming years,” Stroud notes.

And the OCC is not finished making upgrades. There are “plans for continued refresh projects scheduled through 2025,” he says. “Our intent is to maintain a unique, modern look and feel in our space, while implementing continuous improvements to further enhance the guest experience.” Given that “2022 and beyond are ahead of pace in terms of OCC event bookings,” a great variety of groups — including many first-time clients — will thrive in an enhanced OCC.