The Davis Conference Center will soon be able to host up to 1,800 more conference attendees after the completion of an expansion in early 2008.
Ground was broken on the 40,000-square-foot addition April 11. The new area will feature an 18,000-square-foot exhibit hall that could be expanded to 24,000 square feet. The expansion almost doubles the size of the current 41,000-square-foot center.
Scott Lunt, Davis Conference Center general manager, said the need for the expansion came more quickly than anticipated because of the DCC's rapid success since its opening in 2004.
"In our first year of operation we did over 750 events in this facility," he said. "(We) reached in one year what it normally takes 4-5 years to accomplish."
The feasibility study on the expansion found that it will boost Davis County's economy by an estimated $15 million, making the center's total economic impact $30 million.
Wilf Sommerkorn, director of the Davis County department of community and economic development, said the county is happy with the center's success thus far.
"In the initial feasibility study we did for the conference center, we designed it with the idea we might be able to expand it in future," he said. "The idea was that it would be at least five years, but we are surprised and pleased we are adding an expansion as soon as we are."
The county is financing the expansion with a $9.96 million sales-tax revenue bond issued last year. The bond will be repaid from transient taxes such as hotel room and car rental taxes.
Sommerkorn said the DCC can draw a greater variety of groups with the expansion.
"The exhibit space will allow us to attract ... larger conferences which brings in more people from out of the area and around the state," he said. "Bringing in those kinds of groups will have greater economic impact."
Barbara Riddle, president of the Davis Convention and Visitor's Bureau, said the Davis Conference Center will be a good showcase for businesses considering Davis County as a permanent location. Its location, with easy access from I-15 and the airport and its proximity to restaurants and entertainment, can be a draw for conference attendees. The expanded exhibit space is also a plus.
"We've been limited with the types of groups we can bring in because of the size of our facility," she said. "We were missing the exhibits component. Having that expansion now, ... we can bring in a greater number of people."
The day before the groundbreaking, Davis County commissioners awarded the $7.6 million bid contract to Ascent Construction of Centerville. Once Layton city building permits are signed, construction will take 285 days.
E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com