MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif.
The City of Monterey released the schedule and additional details regarding the renovation of the Monterey Conference Center, which indicated the renovation will begin in late November of this year with the first floor of the revitalized center planned to reopen by late summer 2016, and the grand opening of the entire renovated facility in early 2017. The renovation will infuse up to $45 million in physical and technological improvements.
This renovation is in part a response to meeting and conference clients who have either used the facility in the past or wish to bring their business to Monterey County in the future but are seeking an upgraded facility. While under construction, neighboring hotels, the Monterey Marriott and the Portola Hotel & Spa, are open for business and do not anticipate being affected by the remodel.
Once complete, the renovated Conference Center will have the ability to host multiple meetings simultaneously with flexible meeting space and more usable pre-function space. The Silver LEED-certified building will offer advanced technology with a contemporary exterior that evokes the Monterey style. The re-design is led by the firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the largest and most influential architecture firms in the world with award-winning projects including convention and conference centers in Hong Kong, Seoul, Virginia Beach, Chicago and San Francisco's Moscone Center among others.
The Monterey Conference Center is centrally located in the City of Monterey, within steps of the waterfront and serves as a beacon to the downtown. The Conference Center boasts 41,000 square feet of meeting space and is adjacent to the 379-room Portola Hotel and Spa and connected to the 341-room Monterey Marriott. Its location also puts it within walking distance to a diverse list of iconic attractions including the Old Fisherman's Wharf and an array of restaurants and shops. The Center is also convenient to a number of other hotels ranging from the boutique Hotel Pacific to the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa.
