OC Convention Center Director Moving On

OCEAN CITY — Ocean City has another department head position open today, as Roland E. Powell Convention Center Director Rick Hamilton has resigned after just two years of being on the job.

Hamilton is reportedly taking a job in Tampa, Fla. as a center director.

After a nationwide search that yielded 72 candidates, Hamilton was hired in November of 2009 to replace Mike Noah.

He came to Ocean City having spent the former 18 years at the helm of the Daytona Beach Ocean Center in Florida.

His prior experience managing the Knoxville, Tenn. Civic Auditorium and Coliseum concurrently with the city’s Convention and Exhibition Center was going to be helpful with Ocean City’s plan to open its own performing arts auditorium in a few years.

Hamilton’s departure means the city is now looking for a convention center director, a city clerk and a city manager, among other vacancies.

Hamilton could not be reached for comment as it’s Veterans Day, and the city is closed for business.

At Tuesday’s Mayor and Council work session, Hamilton’s departure is expected to be addressed.
Reports are Hamilton will be taking over Tampa’s convention center, which will host the Republican National Convention next year.

The Dispatch will have more on this story next week.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.