SAN FRANCISCO
As San Francisco’s Moscone Center enters the final phase of its renovation, a “new” convention center is emerging in the North and South buildings. SF Travel, the City and County of San Francisco, and the San Francisco Tourism Improvement District (SFTID) are spending a total of $56 million and two years on re-creating the two buildings, with a combined 1.2 million square feet of function space.
“Our very first step was to ask our customers what changes they’d like to see. The point of this whole project was to meet their needs and exceed their expectations,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, the city’s CVB. “Those suggestions were our guideposts every step of the way.”
One of the key changes to Moscone Center will bring San Francisco “inside” the buildings through branding, graphics and colors. Additionally, a $4.5 million wireless system has been installed, providing high speed service to as many as 60,000 devices at one time.
Meeting planners and groups will appreciate other upgrades such as new visitor information kiosks, new carpet, paint, lighting and ceilings; renovations to restrooms; upgraded lobbies and kitchens; and significant infrastructure projects including major upgrades to HVAC systems, elevators and escalators, digital signage, telecom/data cabling systems, and other upgrades to make the building compliant with LEED Gold green building standards.
