Colorado Springs Event Center operators eye expansion of their east-side exhibition space
Operators of the 5-year-old Colorado Springs Event Center on the city's east side, home to gun shows, pet expos, food and beverage festivals and other consumer and business events, plan to more than double their 45,000-square-foot facility by next summer.
"A lot of show promoters are maxed out with the size of venue that we have already, and they're wanting more space," said Kevin Hummer, owner and CEO of RJ Promotions in St. Joseph, Mo., an event management company that operates the venue.
Hummer's company launched the Colorado Springs Event Center - originally called the Event Center at Rustic Hills - in 2011 in a former Longs Drugs in the Rustic Hills North shopping center, northeast of Academy and Palmer Park boulevards. Its opening followed the closing of the Phil Long Expo Center the previous year.
Since it was launched, the Event Center has played host to a steady stream of shows and events - helped by the shopping center's 2,000 free parking spaces and a lack of similar facilities in town. A better economy also has helped ratchet up demand for the venue, Hummer said.
But many national shows want 70,000 to 80,000 square feet to accommodate their events, he said. For example, Hummer said he's looking to bring a fly fishing show to his venue, but the event's promoter prefers 80,000 to 100,000 square feet,
To accommodate those kinds of shows, Hummer said his company is looking to add 50,000 to 55,000 square feet by expanding into the adjacent former Albertsons grocery to the south. The expansion would create a venue with as much as 100,000 square feet.
Hummer said he's working with architects, city officials and others to position the Event Center for expansion. Walls would be knocked down to create additional space, while new lights, ramps, heating and cooling systems, ticket windows, conference rooms and storage areas would be among upgrades needed for the project, Hummer said.
He said he doesn't know the cost of the expansion; his goal is to have the larger venue open by July.
A bigger Event Center could have a twofold benefit - injecting life into Central Academy while pumping money into the local economy.
Longs Drugs and Albertsons were part of Rustic Hills North, but the retailers closed several years ago and the once thriving shopping center is almost vacant - except for the Event Center and a handful of small businesses.
The shopping center's demise has contributed to deteriorating conditions along Central and South Academy, which Springs city officials have labeled as a troubled area that needs a revitalization.
Meanwhile, the operators of shows who come to town, along with exhibitors and vendors, all stay in area hotels, eat at restaurants and shop at stores. Attendees, meanwhile, purchase items at Event Center shows, while also eating out and shopping.
"It could be a huge economic impact for the community," Hummer said.
Contact Rich Laden: 636-0228
Twitter: @richladen
Facebook: Rich Laden
Reported by: Gazette.com
"A lot of show promoters are maxed out with the size of venue that we have already, and they're wanting more space," said Kevin Hummer, owner and CEO of RJ Promotions in St. Joseph, Mo., an event management company that operates the venue.
Hummer's company launched the Colorado Springs Event Center - originally called the Event Center at Rustic Hills - in 2011 in a former Longs Drugs in the Rustic Hills North shopping center, northeast of Academy and Palmer Park boulevards. Its opening followed the closing of the Phil Long Expo Center the previous year.
Since it was launched, the Event Center has played host to a steady stream of shows and events - helped by the shopping center's 2,000 free parking spaces and a lack of similar facilities in town. A better economy also has helped ratchet up demand for the venue, Hummer said.
But many national shows want 70,000 to 80,000 square feet to accommodate their events, he said. For example, Hummer said he's looking to bring a fly fishing show to his venue, but the event's promoter prefers 80,000 to 100,000 square feet,
To accommodate those kinds of shows, Hummer said his company is looking to add 50,000 to 55,000 square feet by expanding into the adjacent former Albertsons grocery to the south. The expansion would create a venue with as much as 100,000 square feet.
Hummer said he's working with architects, city officials and others to position the Event Center for expansion. Walls would be knocked down to create additional space, while new lights, ramps, heating and cooling systems, ticket windows, conference rooms and storage areas would be among upgrades needed for the project, Hummer said.
He said he doesn't know the cost of the expansion; his goal is to have the larger venue open by July.
A bigger Event Center could have a twofold benefit - injecting life into Central Academy while pumping money into the local economy.
Longs Drugs and Albertsons were part of Rustic Hills North, but the retailers closed several years ago and the once thriving shopping center is almost vacant - except for the Event Center and a handful of small businesses.
The shopping center's demise has contributed to deteriorating conditions along Central and South Academy, which Springs city officials have labeled as a troubled area that needs a revitalization.
Meanwhile, the operators of shows who come to town, along with exhibitors and vendors, all stay in area hotels, eat at restaurants and shop at stores. Attendees, meanwhile, purchase items at Event Center shows, while also eating out and shopping.
"It could be a huge economic impact for the community," Hummer said.
Contact Rich Laden: 636-0228
Twitter: @richladen
Facebook: Rich Laden
Reported by: Gazette.com
