- Destination
- History Of Hawaii
"..The fickle Pele, goddess of volcanoes, produced new lava flows that created and destroyed land..."
- History Of Waikiki
"..Waikiki, the world's most famous beach resort, was literally spit out of the flames and heat of the catalysmic eruption of Diamond Head..."
- History Of Hawaii
- The Center
- Mission Statement
To treat our guests to the finest convention and meetings experience possible in the spirit of Hawaiian hospitality and aloha so they will want to retun to Hawai'i, again and again!
- General
The Hawai'i Convention Center combines the modern requirements of a state-of-the-art meeting facility with the beauty, comfort and culture that are uniquely Hawai'i.
- Space
Over 200,000 square foot exhibition hall with drive-on floor access and 350 pounds per square foot floor load capacity.
- Technology
Fiber optic and Cat 5 cabling infrastructure throughout for high-speed data and voice communications; internet and email access from anywhere in the Center.
- Culture and Arts
The architects of the design/build team - Loschky, Marquardt and Nesholm; and Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo - gave special attention to the idea of relating to the building to its Waikiki environment and Hawaii's history and culture.
- Gallery
Please select from one of our extra features below.
- Mission Statement
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- Event Services
When you host an event at the Hawai'i Convention Center, you will be assigned an experienced and dedicated Event manager who will work closely with you...
- Client Services
We provide a comprehensive resource for statewide information on the products and services of Hawai'i. Consider us 'your staff' on location in Hawai'i...
- Catering
The Center is the exclusive provider of in-house food and beverage services...
- Business Center
Business services for attendees and exhibitors are provided at our Business Center located on the meeting room level...
- Audio Visual
Projection Presentation Technology, Inc. (PPT) is the in-house audio visual supplier for the Center.
- Internet & Data Services
Pacific DirectConnect Inc. (PDC) is the exclusive provider of internet and data services at the Center.
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2009
HONOLULU, HI – A compelling message, clear and cogent: ‘only one destination offers The Hawai‘i Advantage’ is more than a marketing tool. It represents an array of concrete advantages that benefit associations and corporations meeting in Hawai‘i, while strategically positioning the Hawai‘i Convention Center as the world’s most desirable convention and meeting destination.
The advantages are channeled through various facets, each one an instrumental consideration for meeting planners. The premise is that Hawai‘i as a destination expounds on aspects including, but not exclusive to global location, cultural diversity, productivity, destination appeal and added value, industry resources, competitive pricing, value of facility, and customer service in a way that no other destination can. And of course, no other destination offers business with aloha.
Initially based on feedback from the Center’s advisory boards and clients, the message distinguishes the Hawai‘i Convention Center from other venues by touting its attributes, and it sheds light on some of the misperceptions that circulate regarding the business environment in Hawaii. Most importantly however, is that this initiative is rooted in testimonials of past convention organizers and attendees which imparts credence and verity, reiterating the Center’s commitment to the customer.
Each aspect addresses crucial factors that are on the minds of those considering Hawaii as a meetings destination in a tangible and convincing manner. For example,
Ultimately, the Hawai‘i Advantage is about looking at the whole picture when considering the Hawai‘i and the Hawai’i Convention Center, because a successful meeting is not exclusively dependent on progressive meeting facilities or cost-effectiveness. Nor is it solely about a beautiful setting and first-rate customer service. It is about the inclusion of all of these factors, and that is what The Hawai‘i Advantage is.
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – Historically, Hawai‘i has drawn people from all over the world. As a result, Hawai‘i is an accommodating culture, melding the mores of various ethnicities. Inherently, Hawai‘i is a host society where the aloha spirit prevails and guests feel welcome.
Given the geographic location of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, the Center and Hawai‘i are creating an “international brand standard”, serving as the next generation “first tier city” meeting the needs of associations and corporations expanding internationally. Globalization is a cultural change for national organizations and as host, the Hawai‘i Convention Center assures meeting planners that it provides the perfect setting to conduct business with global implications. In fact, US organizations can have peace of mind knowing that – passports are not required, lengthy custom processes for shipments are unnecessary, nor is it necessary to navigate complicated international legal systems to simply contract a venue for the meeting.
In addition to what the Center has to offer an organization expanding globally, below are some examples of advances in industry. Hawai`i is home to leaders in fields such as aquaculture, astronomy, biotechnology, agribusiness, space exploration, oceanography, and genetic research, frequently breaking news on the science front.
Advance in Industry
The University of Hawai`i College of Engineering does research in the civil, environmental, electrical, and mechanical branches of engineering. In particular, research is advancing in fields that benefit from Hawai`i’s unique situation, such as development of building materials suited to climates having extreme temperature differences and methods of ocean and beach cleanup. The university also maintains an active intellectual exchange with scientists throughout the world, especially in Japan, and this often leads to promising joint projects.
The University of Hawai‘i’s School of Medicine moved to its present campus in 2005 and takes great pride in its leading-edge facilities. It has built relationships with many medical colleges in Japan and accepts numerous exchange students and researchers from Japan. The college is famous as an institution where research on the PBL (Problem-based Learning) tutorial technique for gathering information based on patient problems is being advanced.
Hawai`i is also well known in medical research because, compared to other regions of the US, it is a unique location for gathering patient data with broad racial diversity. In particular, because of the large number of citizens of Asian descent, Hawai`i is seen as an ideal venue for joint medical research with other Asian nations.
NELHA (the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Authority) is a public institution established to develop energy using sea water. It is a research lab that is famous even in Japan for its “Hawaiian deep-sea water.” While pursuing its research on deep-sea water, the lab rents sea water and land to the commercial enterprises that are its tenants. The primary users at present are aquafarming businesses. Also, the possibility of applying as-yet-unknown life forms inhabiting the oceans to the discovery of new drugs should not be overlooked.
The Imiloa Astronomy Center known for its excellent planetarium, the world’s first to introduce a 3-D projection system. Here one can learn about Hawaiian culture and astronomy at the same time.
The East-West Center, which was established in 1960 as a national research and educational institution, is dedicated to furthering peace and prosperity through research on issues faced in common by the US and the nations of the Asia Pacific region. The center promotes research in a wide variety of fields, including economics, international relations, and environmental issues. In addition it sponsors seminars
where leaders in their specific fields gather for discussions in the well-outfitted meeting rooms in the center.
The University of Hawai`i’s Hilo Campus coordinates the joint research done with these facilities and manages the projects of JUSTSAP (the Japan-US Science, Technology and Space Applications Program) and, jointly with DBEDT, those of PISCES (Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems). These are projects that train researchers and astronauts and test lunar and Mars exploration technologies, using the unique landscape of the island whose arid climate, resulting from the large number of volcanoes, makes it quite similar to the moon. NASA and JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) also use the training grounds.
One of the projects the University of Hawai`i Hilo Campus offers is known as the EDventure, a term synthesizing Education and Adventure. Hilo has developed education-focused programs to match the needs of participants who are a bit different from the person who visits Hawai`i simply as a tourist. Under these programs, one actually experiences Hawai`i’s culture, history, volcanoes, observatories, and ocean while also learning. These programs are designed not only for students of elementary and middle schools, high schools, and colleges; there are even EDventure programs for seniors.
CONTACTS
Cardax Pharmeceuticals
University of Hawai‘i College of Engineering
The University of Hawai‘i’s School of Medicine
NELHA (the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Authority)
The Imiloa Astronomy Center
The East-West Center
University of Hawai‘i’s Hilo Campus
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – A new partnership between the state of Hawai‘i and the U.S. Department of Energy has put the state in the forefront in the field of renewable energy and offers greater exposure for Hawai‘i as a cutting-edge leader in clean energy. This agreement establishes the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), a long-term partnership designed to transform Hawaii’s energy system to one that utilizes renewable energy and energy efficient technologies for a significant portion of its energy needs.
The partnership aims to put Hawai‘i on a path to supply 70 percent of its energy needs using clean energy by 2030, which could reduce 72 percent of the state’s current crude oil consumption. This type of clean energy transformation will continue to help sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, will increase energy efficiency, maximize the use of the state’s vast and abundant renewable resources, and help demonstrate reliable, affordable and clean energy technologies in Hawai‘i.
Alexander Karsner, U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, states, “With an abundance of natural resources and environmental treasures, Hawai‘i is the ideal location to showcase the broad benefits of renewable energy at work on an unprecedented scale.”
“Although this initiative for Hawai’i focuses on modern advances such as wind farms and wave technologies, it is key to note that from ancient times the Hawaiians have always lived to ensure sustainability on their islands. The ahupua‘a system is a
testament to this fact,” notes Joe Davis, SMG general manager of the Hawai‘i
Convention Center. “As our clients begin to focus on bringing environmentally conscious ‘green’ efficiencies to their conventions and meetings, it is fantastic that Hawai‘i is poised to be the ‘model state’ for the development of clean energy.”
This new initiative and the continuing exploration and development of new transformative technologies keeps Hawai‘i’ in the forefront as a global leader poised to play a substantive role not only in the Pacific Rim and Asia but also on a world stage. Hawai‘i is a crossroads in geography, culture and science. It’s the place where people who make a difference meet, exchange ideas, conduct business, and close deals.
Below are some highlights of specific alternative energy initiatives:
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI — Our First Lady Michelle Obama has said of our new President, “You can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawai‘i. Examining our President’s own thoughts while growing up in Hawai‘i provides some insight into that statement. In an essay for the Punahou Bulletin (Punahou School’s student paper), published in 1999, two decades after his high school graduation, a young Barack Obama wrote: "The opportunity that Hawai‘i offered – to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect – became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear."
The most multicultural state in the union, Hawai‘i is a place where cultural values foster tolerance, compromise and mutual respect. Hawai‘i is a place where diversity defines people rather than divides them.
Reaching and catering to diverse customers and markets through various innovative initiatives and an innate understanding of such markets due to the multiculturalism in Hawai‘i, is of the utmost importance to the entire ‘ohana, or family, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. We understand that there is no better way to honor guests than to welcome them to a place that celebrates its customs, values, and host culture in authentic ways. The quality of the convention or meetings experience is ultimately shaped by our great employees and industry partners who take their role as host very seriously.
Hawai‘i’s multi-cultural population, combined with its location, provides a perfect “common ground” and “comfort zone” for delegates and participants from both sides of the Pacific. We are an accommodating host culture, melding various ethnicities and serving as a crossroads where the Aloha Spirit prevails and guests feel welcome.
The Hawai‘i Convention Center has hosted numerous off-shore programs with both U.S. domestic and international delegates, such as the IEEE technology conferences and International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) to the various medical and dental conventions that bring doctors and their families from all over the world to Hawai‘i. Future global examples include PacifiChem 2010 and the 2010 East West Center Association alumni conference.
Situated between the U.S. mainland and Pacific Rim countries, Hawai‘i offers an ideal spot for international meetings, with the added benefit of providing an array of leisure options for accompanying family and friends…hence our marketing slogan “Where Business & Aloha Meet.”
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924.MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – SMG Hawaii’s “Hawaii Business Ambassadors” program, which began as a savvy networking program designed to forge support in Hawai‘i, has evolved into top level partnerships with influential local constituents; their respective national, regional, and international affiliates; and the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
The Hawaii Business Ambassadors program capitalizes on the resources of the local community to provide even greater support and resources to clients, as well as expand the market potential and increase business for the Hawai‘i Convention Center. A large percentage of international conferences, and even national association conventions, need an invitation from a Hawaii contingent in order to consider Hawaii as a destination, making the local ambassador an instrumental tool in securing business for the Center, and of course, for Hawaii.
There is a wealth of resources for untapped business for the Hawai‘i Convention Center in the local community. The state is home to leaders in fields such as alternative energy, aquaculture, astronomy, biotechnology, agribusiness, space exploration, oceanography, and genetic research all of which frequently provide breaking news on the science front. Many of these leaders, such as those listed below, have served as ambassadors for their organization’s gathering at the Center:
As Hawai‘i continues to lead the way in advancement of science, technology, medicine and communications, it is clear that another advantage that only Hawai‘i can bring to your meeting, is its people.
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI — An important issue highlighted by Hawai‘i’s location is sustainability. In an island environment, it is imperative for businesses to be “green”, a position that the Hawai‘i Convention Center, located in the capitol city of Honolulu, addressed from its inception and the islands embrace.
The design of the Hawai‘i Convention Center is a study in environmental accountability, energy-saving aptitude, and architectural splendor, which undeniably embodies Hawai‘i’s culture and environment. The foyer is crowned with canvas canopies, reminiscent of ocean white caps and the sails of voyaging canoes and its airy, glass-walled lobby is welcoming. This design allows for the Hawaiian tradewinds to circulate throughout while venting off heat.
The building also operates by the LEEDS building standards. Energy-saving systems integrated throughout the Center include a ventilating and air-conditioning system specifically designed for Hawai‘i’s tropical climate, heat exchangers to transmit waste heat from the chiller condenser for humidity control, all fluorescent lamps and ballasts are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. And, not only does the kitchen’s water system prevent the waste of hundreds of gallons of water, perishable and formulated food is donated to Harbor House, a member of the Hawaii Food Bank, for needy children in after-school programs.
Glass, plastic, aluminum, cardboard and paper from all events and administration areas are also recycled. All chemicals purchased by the housekeeping, landscaping, and engineering departments must be ecologically friendly and automatic dispensers for hand sinks, urinals, paper towels, hand soap, and hand sanitizing in all restrooms saves on dispensed water and product.
Clients participate, too. “Think Green” messages appear throughout the building to remind conventioneers that keeping meeting room doors closed maintains optimal room temperature and comfort for their attendees, and turning off lights when not in use saves energy. These reminders mirror typical actions taken at home and have been well-received by the Center’s guests.
Winner of 9 consecutive Prime Site Awards – Facilities & Destinations Magazine (1999-2007), the Center’s environmental and facility accolades also include:
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – At the Hawai`i Convention Center is a culture that distinguishes it from any other venue in the world—Ho`okipa, the Hawaiian value of hospitality. Outstanding customer service is expected at any convention center, but it’s a value in Hawai`i that encompasses both the serving and the served.
According to Kelli Gilmore, meetings manager and exhibit coordinator for the American Astrological Society, interactions between Center staff and the delegates were not so much client to vendor as it was family to family.
“At the end of the day, these are people we could break bread with,” Gilmore said. “The Aloha Spirit does exist—it is something that comes from within. We decided that we’re going to bring it back to our offices in Washington, D.C.”
Ho`okipa is not just an emphasis on exemplary customer service. Client satisfaction is the chief goal at the Convention Center, but it can really only be achieved if the staff itself treats each other with respect.
National Association of Counties attendee Bobby Agee, of Chilton County, Ala., said he noticed such interactions. He said he was inspired to capture that attitude and level of respect and bring it home with him once the conference wrapped up.
“I haven’t met anyone since I’ve been here that wasn’t a nice person. They have just a pleasing personality here that it kind of brings out the best in you,” Agee said. “I’ll take this back home with me. I’m going to be a much better person next week for having come here this week. I’m going to be easier to get along with, I’m going to be a better person, just for having experienced the people of Hawai`i.”
That’s the sort of experience the Hawai`i Convention Center wants attendees to take home with them. And it’s the kind of experience that prompts organizations to return. They know there’s a level of service in Hawai`i that will not disappoint, that is conducive to achieving goals and motivating members.
“Weaving ho`okipa into the fabric of your company as the way everyone is treated—customers, employees, suppliers—defines the art of true service,” said Rosa Say, author of “Managing With Aloha,” and an expert on Hawaiian culture. “In old Hawai`i, being called Mea ho`okipa was a compliment of the highest possible caliber. It meant you embodied a nature of absolute unselfishness.”
Recognizing Hawai`i’s geographic and cultural advantages inspired the Convention Center management team to forge a partnership with the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association. As a result, the Na Mea Ho`okipa program, which instills a sense of hospitality from within, was designed to help employees grasp the concept of the Hawaiian sense of place, which is essential to delivering the quintessential visitor experience.
“As both economic engine and ultimate host, it is our fundamental mission to conduct business with aloha so that we deliver a uniquely Hawaiian sense of regard toward each other and our guests,” said Joe Davis, SMG general manager. “As a result, it has become the culture of our organization.”
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – Designed by the Hawai`i-based architecture firm Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WAT&G), the $350 million Hawai`i Convention Center is a study in environmental accountability, energy-saving aptitude, and architectural splendor.
Since its opening in 1998, the Center has been recognized with a variety of awards for its design, which undeniably embraces Hawai`i’s culture and environment. WAT&G’s design is a welcoming structure that embraces the Aloha Spirit, exalts the Hawaiian community, and serves as a conduit through which many business endeavors are borne.
From a distance, the Hawai`i Convention Center is awe inspiring with its airy, glass-walled lobby featuring a 70-foot misting waterfall. The foyer is crowned with canvas canopies, reminiscent of ocean white caps and the sails of voyaging canoes. A grand exterior staircase descends to the Ala Wai Promenade. More than 60 percent of the center is landscaped, including an award-winning, 2.5-acre rooftop garden with flowing ponds and tropical flowers.
Also of note is the Center’s incorporation of original artwork, including creative works by Hawai`i youth and a carefully restored fresco by the late Jean Charlot, an internationally recognized painter who made his home in Hawai`i. Although visibly dramatic with its towering glass walls and multi-level escalators, the Center is
pedestrian friendly and provides spectacular views of its open spaces within and of the distant scenic mountains.
Energy-saving systems integrated throughout the Center include its $10 million ventilating and air-conditioning system specifically designed for Hawai`i’s tropical climate, and heat exchangers to transmit waste heat from the chiller condenser for humidity control. To provide proper ventilation, a building operator can enter the predicted occupancy of a room into the control system when a function is scheduled. The system automatically controls the quantity of outside air which flows into the room and the temperature. Reducing air volume means the fan motors are run at a reduced horsepower, thus saving energy.
For proper air quality, special gas filters designed for the absorption of diesel and gas vapors were installed for the exhibit halls, entrance lobby, administrative area, food service area and main kitchen. This ensures that any vehicle fumes from the adjacent street would be eliminated from the air inside. Such energy conservation features built into the center resulted in three environmental awards totaling in $279,789 worth of rebates from Hawaiian Electric Company.
Following is a summary of the Center’s features:
Signature Features
Additional Features
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2009
HONOLULU, HI – Hawai`i’s international appeal is apparent in the Hawai`i Convention Center production kitchen, built in anticipation of tantalizing the global palate.
It’s only natural that Hawai`i, the birthplace of Pacific Rim Cuisine, showcase its cultural flexibility when it comes to culinary creativity. At the Convention Center, Chef Douglas Rothenburger and Food and Beverage Director Brian Allen, consult with clients over budget and demographic parameters to design menus accommodating of varied tastes.
An offering of continental breakfast may hug the domestic boundaries of comfort food, but when punctuated with a slice of dragon fruit or pearls of pomegranate, it also provides a safe opportunity to explore the exotic. While some may find lu`au staples such as coconut gelatin, “haupia” or the pounded purple taro tuber, “poi” intimidating, others may be eager to introduce such local favorites to its members from the Midwest, Manhattan or Madrid.
What meeting planners are discovering is that Hawai`i produce and food products lend themselves beautifully to culinary interpretations designed to please both domestic and international delegates.
Kelly Gilmore, meetings manager and exhibitor coordinator for the American Astronomical Society, became a convert at a Convention Center pre-site taste test. Gilmore admits that for years she and her group would nix the idea of an institution’s food for her group meetings.
“I never eat the food at our meetings, whether we are at a convention center or at a hotel meetings facility,” Gilmore said. “But the food I tasted at our pre-site meeting at the Hawai`i Convention Center was the best I ever had.”
Until her Hawai`i taste test, Gilmore confesses that meeting plans always involved scouting potential off-site venues for food. Samplings of food at the Center convinced Gilmore that a hunting expedition would not be necessary.
“When I returned home I told everyone, ‘we’re going to eat at the Hawai`i Convention Center!’ It was the best food I ever sampled.”
Ticket sales for the American Astronomical Society’s opening reception and banquet increased from 200 to 525, with 220 tickets bought on site, “because the food was so good.”
Karen Lechowich, vice president of professional development and meeting services for the American Dietetic Association (ADA), acclaimed the Convention Center’s food and beverage department for more reasons than good taste—attention to detail. One of the ADA’s missions is to advocate for safe, sustainable and nutritious food supplies. The Center’s food and beverage department played a significant role in the success of ADA’s recent conference that included 300 exhibitors from food corporations, government agencies and nonprofits that showcased new food products, professional services and nutrition education materials.
“Our exhibitors, who need a lot of attention because they are selling food products that come out of those kitchens, need them to be tasty and prepared properly,” Lechowich said. “Everyone said they had never worked with a food service department like the one at the Hawai`i Convention Center.”
Lechowich also noted that during a pre-site rehearsal for the opening session, the
food and beverage department removed the fruit service at the exact moment it was to be returned to the kitchen.
“That absolutely amazed me because I had never encountered a food service department that conscientious about food safety,” Lechowich said. “It’s very important to our profession, but to actually see someone take it so seriously is unprecedented. I don’t know of another center that does it that way.”
Special note to media: The Hawai‘i Convention Center (HCC) recognizes the use of Hawaiian diacritical markings (e.g. glottal stop [‘], macron [ä] in place names of Hawai‘i such as Läna‘i). However, HCC respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
For more information about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com.
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition cen¬ters. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. 2010
2009
BUILDING DESIGN
HIGHLIGHTS
TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURES
EXAMPLE OF OUR HIGH-TECH CUSTOMIZED PLAN FOR THE
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, 2001
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Hawai`i Convention Center is marketed and managed by SMG.
Hawai‘i Convention Center Contact:
Teddi Anderson
SMG manages 195 venues, representing over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide, and over 10 million square feet of exhibit space.
For more information, about the Hawai‘i Convention Center, visit www.hawaiiconvention.com or call (808) 943-3500.
For additional information about SMG, visit www.smgworld.com.
Statewide Meetings Contact:
Patrick Dugan
For information about hosting corporate meetings and incentives in Hawaii, visit HVCB’s Web site at MeetHawaii.com or call 1-888-424-2924. |
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Destination | The Center | Services | Sales | Calendar | Planner | Contact Us | Partner Login Hawai`i Convention Center | 1801 Kalakaua Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815 Phone: (808) 943-3500 | Fax: (808) 943-3099 Copyright © 2004 Hawai'i Convention Center Powered by: Digital Mediums |