Palm Springs Convention Center Expansion Moves into Home Stretch

$34 Million expansion of the Palm Springs Convention Center nears completion. Project is coming in on time and within budget. Set for Mid-October completion date.

Palm Springs, CA (PRWEB) July 13, 2005 -- As the Palm Springs Convention Center expansion moves into its final stages of completion, the vision that is emerging already has locals, visitors, and industry experts talking. The much anticipated contextual and humanistic design for the 145,000-square-foot Convention Center expansion was designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, Ltd., the award-winning architecture, interiors and planning firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Fentress Bradburn, perhaps best known for designing the Denver International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex, prides itself on its ability to unearth and exploit the unique and often dramatic combination of physical, emotional and aesthetic elements that surround and define a site, and use those to create the building design.

In the case of the Palm Springs Convention Center, design inspiration was derived from contrasting Palm Springs local desert environment with its soaring mountain backdrop. The buildings primary image comes from the powerful San Jacinto Mountains to the West, with their undulating ridgelines serving as inspiration for the building's strong roofline. The angular, rocky, windswept edges of the mountains have been artfully interpreted by creating irregularly shaped and canted massive stone pylons on the western facades of the building. A deeply angular and somewhat serpentine roof canopy, inspired by nearby Palm Canyon's rock formations, streams and washes, offers unobstructed views of the Mountains, and completely shades the main entry and lobby.

The project is more visually powerful than wed even hoped," said Jim Dunn, General Manager of the Palm Springs Convention Center. And were equally happy with the tremendous flexibility and efficiency weve gained in the expanded facility. Its really like having a completely new building to work with."

City officials and local residents agree. In a recent beam signing ceremony, Palm Springs Mayor Pro-tem Michael McCulloch, joined other City Council members, local tribal leaders, members of the local hospitality community, and local residents in what can only be described as a community Pep Rally celebrating the Convention Center expansion. Indeed, the project, which took several years to get off the ground, now seems to be garnering a wealth of civic pride. We really believed the residents would embrace the Center once they saw it coming together," noted Clint Charles, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Palm Springs Convention Center. So to see it actually happening is really exciting for all of us who work here. Seems like every day we see more and more folks walking by to check on the progress. Its sort of like people do when theyre building a home -- just dropping by to see how things are coming along. Its genuinely exciting and heartwarming at the same time."

The Palm Springs Convention Center has always been an extraordinary meeting facility," Dunn continued. But now we can say its truly a world class facility." And if the Convention Center itself is spectacular, so is its location in Palm Springs, California - an extraordinary destination for associations and businesses hosting conventions, exhibitions, and trade shows alike. Famous for its year-round warm climate filled with sunny days and cool, starry nights, Palm Springs first achieved international acclaim for the healing powers of its natural springs. But soon thereafter, Hollywood's elite also discovered the glorious climate and the charming village atmosphere of Palm Springs. And now, with the imminent completion of what will be a landmark piece of architecture in a city that is filled with great architecture, smart meeting planners, association executives, and conventioneers, can also discover the magic that is Palm Springs by way of its spectacular newly expanded Convention Center.

Sidebar: The Palm Springs Convention Center experience.