It might seem crazy to many that Ocean City is beginning the process of further expanding the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, but it’s actually sound planning and will address a significant shortcoming at the facility.
At this week’s Mayor and Council meeting, elected officials endorsed moving ahead with the hiring of an architect to begin the process of adding 30,000 square feet to the convention center, which would bring the total number of exhibit space to 80,000. That would make it double the size of what it was when it was erected 46 years ago.
This expansion will address a void for suitable convention space that has been a problem for several years at the center. The most recent expansion in some ways actually made these issues even more obvious. The February boat show is a good example of that as it has been at capacity for several years. The most recent expansion didn’t help this specific event all that much.
This new expansion is expected to level the playing field among Ocean City’s competitors when it comes to booking large events, which have the potential to have the most economic impact on resort area businesses. While the convention calendar is impressive now in Ocean City, the feeling here is this expansion could allow for more events to be held at the same time while also appealing to the larger conventions that need more space than presently is available.
Early critics of the project have already pointed to the fledgling Performing Arts Center as reason to not grow the facility more. The Performing Arts Center is a struggle to book. That’s clear. However, a private-public partnership has been formed between the city and TEAM Productions to try and address that. Time is needed to see if this collaboration can be successful in drawing more concerts and musical events to the arena.
At this point, the performing arts facility is mostly a value-added amenity for existing conventioneers. That’s simply not enough for the investment. It sits empty a majority of the time because it’s not an attractive option for most entertainers, due to its seating capacity, location and other restraints.
That’s not acceptable for a beautiful venue of this scope. The fact is it’s a competitive business for music bookings and the performing arts center is not yet a viable player. It needs a strategic and focused approach and the hope is this partnership can change that.
It’s important to realize this next expansion is focused entirely on conventions and broadening the facility’s appeal in that sector. More exhibit space is needed to do that and a long-range perspective shows this expansion will address current limitations and bring in additional business.