SAN FRANCISCO – The $551 million expansion of Moscone Center was officially opened as the new year began.
San Francisco officials held a ribbon-cutting celebration on Jan. 3 to inaugurate the new space, which will boost the competitiveness of the city as a venue for trade shows of all types, but particularly technology events that draw attendees from nearby Silicon Valley.
The new space will host the returning Winter Fancy Food Show on Jan. 13-15 and is nearly fully booked through the end of spring.
The expansion project gives Moscone noticeably more meeting space for show organizers to work with. The expansion of the Moscone North and South buildings increased meeting space from 68 rooms totaling 151,000 square feet (sf) to 82 rooms with a combined 211,000 sf of space. Prime exhibit space remained virtually unchanged with nearly 505,000 sf.
The separate Moscone Center West was ranked 46th on the on the Trade Show Executive World’s Top Convention Centers (WTCC) rankings with 296,092 sf of prime exhibit space in 2018.
Highlights of the expansion also include a 49,776-sf column-free ballroom, outdoor terraces for receptions, and 107,000-sf of light-filled pre-function lobbies with dramatic views of the city.
The expansion is designed to meet LEED Platinum requirements. It includes recycling and composting program and the ability to reclaim 15 million gallons of water annually for street-cleaning and landscaping purposes. The rooftop solar panels will cover around 20% of Moscone’s electricity demand and help give the center one of the lowest carbon-emission levels per attendee of any North American convention center.
“It is important that San Francisco stay competitive with expanded and upgraded convention facilities,” said Joe D’Alessandro, President and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association. “Now we have a brand new center with state-of-the-art everything.”
Reach Joe D’Alessandro at (415) 974‑6900 or president@sftravel.com
