(05/04) United Methodists ‘break in’ new convention center
United Methodists ‘break in’ new convention center
May 4, 2004 By Melissa Lauber*  | A UMNS photo by John C. Goodwin Delegates and guests of the 2004 General Conference worship in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. |
PITTSBURGH
(UMNS) — Within the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, there are
10,000 chairs, all of which are being used to seat United Methodist
delegates and visitors meeting for the 2004 General Conference.More
than 100 convention center staff people are working daily to meet the
needs of the United Methodists, who are meeting April 27-May 7. Some 480
gallons of water are pumped through 27 pumps in the waterfall feature
that greets the delegates when they enter the center. “It
is big,” said Mark Leahy, general manager of the center. Based on the
amount of space occupied in the new center, the General Conference is
the biggest event to date, he said. The staff has worked furiously to
ensure that the facility, which was brand new last year, meets the
denomination’s needs, he said. The staff of the convention center points out that ensuring the delegates’ comfort is good business. According
to city tourism officials, while the United Methodists meet in
Pittsburgh, they will bring more than $7.3 million in direct spending to
the state and local economy. An additional $254,000 will be paid by
delegates in hotel taxes, $402,000 will go to state sales tax, and
$67,000 will be generated in a tax that benefits area cultural groups. The
United Methodist Church’s two-week meeting is significantly longer than
most groups’ conferences, which last two or three days. “Area merchants
are seeing the Methodists’ name tags and realizing how much they’re
giving to local businesses,” said Debbie Smucker, the center’s director
of sales and marketing. The
$331 million convention center opened in September 2003. It is the
world’s largest certified, environmentally smart “green building.” |  | A UMNS photo by Rasul Welch Spring flowers bloom across the Allegheny River from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. |
Located on the Allegheny River, the facility plays with the themes of water and light, Leahy pointed out. Architect
Rafael Vinoly claims he was inspired by the city’s suspension bridges,
“the Three Sisters that cross the Allegheny River.” His design paid
homage to these structures and the city’s past and future. In the convention center’s promotional material, Vinoly likens the facility to “the city’s living room.” The
center was named after David Lawrence, the mayor of Pittsburgh from
1945 to 1958 and governor of Pennsylvania from 1959 to 1963. The 1.5
million-square-foot structure sits on 7.9 acres, includes 53 meeting
rooms, a 313,400-square-foot exhibit space, and more than 25 pieces of
juried artwork valued at more than $2 million. United
Methodists are not the only big group to use the convention center this
year, although they are the most neat and tidy, Smucker said. Prior to
this conference, the National Rifle Association held its convention
here. This year, 28 conventions are scheduled, with a projected
attendance of 134,600. The
success of the convention center is drawing the attention of community
developers. Plans are under way for the construction of an
African-American cultural center on Liberty Avenue, and Smucker said the
Smithsonian Institution is talking about extending its history center,
which is down the street from the convention center. * Lauber is a correspondent for United Methodist News Service. News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7. ater May 10: (615) 742-5470.
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