LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (January 5, 2024) - Ongoing projects at Little Rock’s Statehouse Convention Center will ensure visitors both see and feel modern amenities at the 220,000 SF facility. More than half of the nearly $9 million facelift is complete with an expected completion date of summer 2025.
Visitors to the convention center will immediately notice the new interior updates in the Atrium. The center’s primary entrance was completely remodeled from floor to ceiling and now boasts two LED walls. These walls will prove beneficial to guests at the facility to learn what’s going on inside the convention center as well as to gather valuable insights into what’s going on around Little Rock.
Just past the Atrium, new airwalls are being installed in the 18,362 SF Wally Allen Ballroom. These allow the space to be flexibly divided into as many as five separate rooms, accommodating space needs in increments as small as 1,817 SF with privacy and soundproofing. The entire ballroom now features programmable LED accent lighting and overhead lighting that can be controlled by users with basic or advanced interfaces.
By the end of the project, the ballroom and pre-function space will feature new carpet and wallcoverings. Updated furniture has already been installed for many areas in the convention center, and another update includes conversion of payphone banks to comfortable workstations with charging ports for electronic devices.
The most notable changes to Level 1 are the look and feel of meeting rooms and the Gallery Hall outside the Governor’s Halls, the facility’s exhibition hall. Like the rest of the facility, all lighting has been updated to LED. New carpet, freshly painted walls and updated shadowbox décor have brightened the corridor which leads attendees to the 80,167 SF exhibition hall and other meeting areas.
On every floor of the facility, however, guests will notice updated electronic wayfinding and signage. In addition to room names, an alphanumeric designation is being added to each meeting room to make it even easier for guests to navigate the facility. The first phase of bathroom renovations is complete and phase two of three has already begun. These renovations will greatly enhance the aesthetic of the public restrooms.
Network enhancements have also been made throughout the entire facility, providing increased bandwidth and advanced security measures. That translates to faster Internet speeds with a more secure connection in meeting rooms and will soon reach every corner of the facility.
All of these investments in the convention center maintain Little Rock's status as a desirable host city for meetings and conventions, according to Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) President & CEO Gina Gemberling.
“The Statehouse Convention Center is a do-all, be-all facility,” Gemberling said, “and it’s in the heart of our vibrant downtown on the banks of the Arkansas River. The LRCVB operates the convention center along with Robinson Center, Ottenheimer River Market Hall and Pavilions, First Security Amphitheatre and multiple parking structures. As the city’s destination marketing organization, our unique selling proposition is to offer turnkey services for group meetings by offering a single point of contact for site selection details including hotels, meeting space, parking and event services.”
Another benefit the Statehouse Convention Center offers group meetings is the attached 418-room Little Rock Marriott hotel. The hotel also includes 40,000 SF of meeting space and serves as the convention center’s exclusive food and beverage provider. The facility is also proximate to a collection of hotels offering guests everything from historic charm to the latest in modern convenience and luxury.
Originally constructed in 1980 on the sites of the history Grady Manning Hotel and Marion Hotel, the Statehouse Convention Center underwent a 117,000 SF expansion in 1999 to its current size. Today the facility hosts hundreds of events for local, state and national organizations each year, and is the centerpiece for convention recruiting efforts for the LRCVB.
ABOUT THE LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City of Little Rock, charged with marketing and selling the city as a meeting, sports and leisure travel destination. The LRCVB also manages the Statehouse Convention Center, Robinson Center, River Market and multiple parking facilities. For more information, visit www.littlerock.com.