AMERICAS – SMG’s recent Jekyll Island Convention Center win, set to open in the second quarter of 2012, has brought the company’s total venue management portfolio to more than 1,300,600sqm of exhibition space.
The Jekyll Island Convention Center win marks SMG’s fourth consecutive win in the past 12 months. Earlier this year SMG was selected to manage the McCormick Place Complex, North America’s largest convention centre, as well as the Montego Bay Convention Centre, in Jamaica.
In late 2010 the firm was appointed manager of Detroit’s renovated Cobo Center (pictured).
“We are proud of the reputation we have built in this space, and always appreciate the municipal clients who recognise the value of our brand and our leadership team,” said SMG president and CEO Wes Westley. “SMG has the proven experience and systems to deliver on the promise of service excellence we have built over the past 34 years.”
The company claims the diversity of these four appointments is indicative of the company’s portfolio of 68 convention venues. With McCormick Place and the Cobo Center, SMG now manages nine of the 40 largest venues in North America.
Senior VP of strategic business development Gregg Caren claims SMG’s success has much to do with values it shares with the major hotel chains.
“Like the Hyatt roots that launched SMG at the New Orleans Superdome in 1977, we have built a very specialised hospitality-focused business that understands the needs of our municipal owners, destination marketing partners and — most importantly — our national and local event planning clients that have come to trust us,” he said.
The New Orleans Superdome provided a refuge for 35,000 people after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina.
SMG is responsible for the management and marketing of more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums and performing arts venues in nine countries.
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