Wilmington Convention Center Celebrates Tenth Anniversary
December 8, 2020
When the Wilmington Convention Center opened in November 2010, it did so with much anticipation and 75 bookings already secured. A decade later, the largest convention center on the North Carolina coast has hosted nearly 650,000 attendees and received numerous awards and accolades. The convention center is now looking ahead to future Convention District development and openings in Wilmington, N.C.
The maritime-themed, LEED Silver certified building offers meeting capabilities from 20 to 2,000 people and a variety of spaces including a 30,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall, 12,000-square-foot ballroom, 15,000 square feet of pre-function space and 6,000 square feet of additional meeting space, along with a 12,000-square-foot waterfront event lawn. Sweeping riverfront views and lots of natural help bring the outdoors in. Its surroundings lead to a positive frame of mind and productivity with access to water, fresh air, and wellness and networking activities offered during breaks.
The building’s architecture and interior design elements are reflective of Wilmington’s shipbuilding past as a port city, including rafters that mimic a ship’s hull and awnings that mimic its sails; nautical-inspired lighting fixtures with elements resembling coral, fish bones and boat propellers; and over 275 photos, postcards, watercolors, artifacts and oils depicting Wilmington’s past on display in the center’s concourse areas.
“With an award-winning riverfront, one of the largest National Register Historic Districts in the country, three nearby island beaches and good weather year-round, people are naturally drawn to Wilmington and Beaches. The opening of the Wilmington Convention Center was a necessity when it came to attracting meetings and conventions,” said Kim Hufham, President and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “Many planners had historically wanted to select the area for their meetings and events because there is plenty for attendees to see and do before or after the event, and the opening of the center was the catalyst for fulfilling attendees’ desire to bring their families along to spend vacation time in the destination that is filled with family-friendly attractions and things to do at our beaches, in our parks and more .”
Milestones for the Wilmington Convention Center over the last 10 years include:
- A total of 649,428 attendees hosted; the largest corporate event hosted was for 1,000 people with attendees from Japan, Canada, England and Australia
- Many groups max out their registration at meetings and events held in Wilmington
- Television shows and movies filmed at the convention center include Good Behavior, One Tree Hill, Revolution, Safe Haven, Scream 5, Secret and Lies and We’re The Millers; the lawn was even used as the filming location for a national Planters® commercial
- The Wilmington Convention Center has been the recipient of 15 culinary awards, including Best of Show – The Copper Kettle in 2013 and 2017, the top honor awarded during the annual Epicurean Evening event.
- There have been and will continue to be upgrades made to the facility based on improvements and preparedness warranted since Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Located riverfront and within the city’s walkable River District, the convention center is the anchor for Wilmington’s Convention District. A transformation of Wilmington’s riverfront is underway. One of the most anticipated projects is North Waterfront Park and Amphitheater. Located near the Wilmington Convention Center, this urban green space will take advantage of Cape Fear River views and be connected by the Riverwalk. The park’s largest feature will be an open-air music venue managed by Live Nation.
Also located in the Convention District along the Cape Fear River, the Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center is under construction and slated to open in 2021. It will join other accommodations and meeting facilities in the Convention District totaling nearly 900 rooms and suites and will enable the convention center to solicit larger groups due to increased room blocks.
As we wait for meetings and events to return, the destination and the convention center are well positioned to fulfill current traveler priorities thanks to enhanced safety and cleaning protocols, an abundance of outdoor activities and open space, and an intimately sized convention center. The Wilmington Convention Center offers socially distanced meeting capabilities for up to 330 people theater style, 385 people banquet style, and 70 8×10 exhibits, plus a variety of breakout spaces for up to 45 people theater style. Outdoor networking spaces include an event lawn, the scenic two-mile Riverwalk, Port City Marina and an event pier. Smaller markets like Wilmington are ideal for fulfilling the demand for groups looking for less crowded destinations.