Square feet and more: an update on major meeting places in Indiana.

• Author: Tricker, Jennifer
• Position: MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS - Convention centers

Evansville Auditorium & Convention Centre, Evansville,

Opened in 1999, the $35 million, state-of-the-art, 280,000-square-foot Centre can host up to 4,000 delegates. The Centre offers wide-open spaces and features a dynamic, multi-tiered, 2,571-seat auditorium as well as a 38,000-square-foot, column-free, divisible exhibition hall. A 14,000-square-foot ballroom, divisible into four rooms with three smaller and one larger, offers dimmable house lights, high ceiling, carpeted floors and retractable walls. Twelve full-service meeting rooms can hold anywhere from one to 1,200 depending on set-up. In total, the Centre offers approximately 90,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space.

Wireless Internet access is available throughout the Centre in addition to audio/visual equipment and services. Infrared hearing assistance and full-service catering are also available.

"The Centre in Evansville will have a fully carpeted exhibit hall before the end of the year, making it a great multifunctional hall along with adding value for our customers," says Marylinn Thomlison of The Centre. "The expense of carpeting an exhibit hall has been prohibitive for some prospective customers," she continues, "and they will no longer have that expense to deal with."

715 Locust St.

Evansville, IN 47708

812/435-5770

www.smgevansville.com

Bloomington Convention Center, Bloomington.

Located in the heart of downtown Bloomington, the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center plays an integral part of the downtown renaissance. Housed in a 1923 brick building, which was previously an auto-assembly plant and dealership, the facility provides a balance of history with modern amenities.

This center has 22,000 square feet of functional meeting space, with banquet-style seating for 800. Eleven private, spacious meeting rooms allow for numerous breakout options. "Group attendees have complete access to the entire space," says Talisha Coppock, executive director, "making for a welcoming and productive event."

The center features a climate-controlled walkway to the Courtyard by Marriott, as well as 500 parking spaces, and is within walking distance of 500 locally-owned restaurants, shops and attractions.

Opened in 1991, Bloomington Convention Center hosts hundreds of events each year. It has been thoroughly updated. Internet access is available as well as onsite audio/visual, full-service catering and event coordinators to add a professional touch. The Great Room holds larger gatherings, while the downstairs rooms are appropriate for more specialized groups. "We provide an especially comfortable setting for groups of 300 or less," adds Coppock.

302 S. College Ave.

Bloomington, IN 47403

812/336-3681

www.bloomingtonconvention.com

Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis.

The fairgrounds is noted for being a facility that boasts flexibility and versatility with a choice of more than 15 building and space choices to make the perfect fit, with approximately one million square feet in all. Host of the four largest consumer shows in the state among the roughly 300 events held there annually, the fairgrounds provides professional facility services, including catering for private gatherings.

The most recently renovated building, the Champions Pavilion--which was formerly the draft horse barn--is now a 66,500-square-foot multipurpose year-round exhibit space that can be used for events of up to 4,600 people. The facility was dedicated in February 2004.

Renovated in 2000, the...