Provo convention center wouldn't host local events

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 25, 2009 | by Rodger L. Hardy Deseret News

PROVO -- If Utah County builds a convention center in downtown Provo, it likely won't be designed for local shows and events.

Rather, the center -- planned for the central block bordered by Center Street, 300 West, 100 North and 200 West -- would be for large, regional shows that would bring in hundreds of conventioneers and millions of dollars for merchants and city coffers.

"Consumer shows with heavy traffic are not for this facility," said David Greusel of Populous, an architectural firm based in Kansas City, Mo., that specializes convention centers.

A line of minivans loading or unloading would not work with the downtown traffic pattern, architects said.

The structure thus far offers only 50 parking spaces in the basement. Surrounding parking buildings total about 1,200, meaning another 400 would be needed. Architects want to avoid using Center Street parking used by shoppers, but they offered no solution for additional parking.

Provo City Councilwoman Sherry Hall Clark, one of four council members at the Tuesday discussion, said she preferred scattered parking, which could encourage conventioneers into downtown stores.

The architectural team showed off six preliminary designs at the Historic Utah County Courthouse to get feedback from residents. Few showed, except for a smattering of merchants and others with a professional interest in downtown.

The drawings were rough, but Peter Moyes, vice president of MHTN Architects in Salt Lake City, said they would be refined in the next few days.

The two- or three-story building would have a grand ballroom of about 18,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet, exhibit space of similar size and meeting rooms in the final design. But the driving force would be how to get large semitrailers in and out. Total square footage would range from 60,000 square feet to 80,000 square feet.

All of the plans offered an abundance of glass on the north and east sides, taking in views of the Wasatch Front mountains. On two levels, the building would reach 74 feet into the sky, Gruesel said.

Kathryn Allen, community outreach program coordinator and art gallery director of the nearby Covey Center for the Arts, suggested that the design make conventioneers "feel like they want to be there."

"Give it a face," Allen said, suggesting that the plaza offer a place where they could relax from meetings.

E-mail: rodger@desnews.com