| Founded in 1987 as the Canada Pavilion during Expo | | | | offering almost 500,000 square feet of attractive and |
| 86, the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre | | | | flexible event space. |
| now hosts delegates from across the world at its | | | | The expansion comes as a result of a funding |
| harbour-front location for more than 350 events | | | | partnership with the Province of British Columbia, the |
| annually. Surrounded by mountains, oceans, and parks | | | | Canadian Government, and Tourism Vancouver. The |
| in downtown Vancouver, the award-winning | | | | new centre is expected to be the international |
| Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre promises | | | | broadcast centre and main press centre for the |
| guests a commitment to service and technical | | | | upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter |
| excellence as well as high quality banqueting. | | | | Games. Floor-to-ceiling glass will be prominent |
| The neighborhood offers a wide variety of | | | | throughout the new centre, as well as a six-acre living |
| restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment options and | | | | roof, said to be one of the largest in the world. This is |
| hotels are easily available. The conference center itself | | | | just one example of the many environmental |
| has 1,000 hotel rooms at its disposal. The Five Sails of | | | | innovations that will be included in the expansion |
| the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre are a | | | | project. |
| famous landmark in Vancouver city. The East building | | | | The centre, which is going to be built over land and |
| provides over 150,000 square feet of space spread | | | | water on about 1,000 piles, will be completed in late |
| over two levels, including a lobby and delegate | | | | 2008, increasing the number of delegate days each |
| concourse, exhibition halls, ballroom capacity, and | | | | year from the 150,000 to almost 370,000 in the first |
| meeting rooms. The West Building, which is set to | | | | five years. On average, delegates spend |
| open its doors in 2008, is expected to offer numerous | | | | approximately $350 each day when visiting |
| unique features that make full use of the panoramic | | | | Vancouver, making the expansion a highly profitable |
| waterfront setting with 340,000 square feet of function | | | | venture, particularly in light of the centre's unique |
| space. A harbour-view connector will be used as a | | | | downtown waterfront location, which gives it a vast |
| covered walkway between the two buildings. The | | | | commercial and retail capacity that will offset the |
| combined facility triples the size of the Vancouver | | | | Province's increased financial contribution to the |
| Convention and Exhibition Centre's existing building, | | | | expansion effort. |
