Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, along with Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Visit Savannah President Joseph Marinelli welcomed elected officials, economic development and business leaders gathered to join them for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Savannah Convention Center expansion on March 17, 2021.
The groundbreaking marks a milestone in the project’s history that began in 2017 when the Georgia General Assembly allocated the initial funding for the planning and design of the Savannah Convention Center expansion. During construction, the Savannah Convention Center will remain fully operational, continuing its more than 20-year track record as Coastal Georgia’s premier event and convention destination.
“The expansion of the Savannah Convention Center will open up our city to new and larger prospective meetings, conventions and events that have been too big for us in the past,” said Visit Savannah President Joe Marinelli. “Savannah has become one of the top visitor destinations in the country and now will be able to compete for more conventions than ever before. And with Savannah already being in high demand on weekends, the larger building will help us increase occupancy and visitor spending Sunday through Wednesday.”
The convention center expansion is a $271 million project that will double the exhibit hall space to 200,000 square feet, add a 58-foot-wide glass hangar door, construct a 40,000 square-foot ballroom and add 15 additional meeting rooms and a 900-space on-site parking garage. It is scheduled for completion in 2023.
