September 13, 2007
For Immediate Release

City initiates Crystal Garden renovation

Victoria, BC — This morning the City of Victoria issued Requests for Proposals (RFP's) for design and construction services associated with the renovation of the Crystal Garden as an expansion of the Victoria Conference Centre (VCC). The bid process closes on October 1 following the final approval for renovations from the Provincial Capital Commission (PCC) and a response on the application for funding through the Municipal Rural Infrastructure grant.

"The City is very pleased to be moving ahead with the project "said Mayor Alan Lowe. "The initial project plan is complete and we look forward to working with the successful proponent on the delivering the project on time and on budget" said Lowe.

The Crystal Garden will provide an additional 25,000 sq. feet and a 40% expansion to the existing VCC. This brings the total to 73,000 sq. ft of conference space at the VCC.

Over the last few years with a decrease in tourism overnight stays, the pressure on the VCC to provide a year-round base of conference business and larger conferences has increased. The current average size of conferences at the VCC in 2006 was 600 delegates. Over the last 5 years the VCC has implemented a sales and marketing strategy to focus on larger conferences and is pursuing conferences upwards of 900 delegates to meet the needs of the local business and hospitality community.

"The expansion of the VCC will allow us to accommodate conferences between 900 and 1500 which will increase the numbers of delegates to Victoria "said Jocelyn Jenkyns, Acting General Manager of the VCC. The Crystal Garden will be a signature banquet and exhibit space which will offer a unique destination experience as a one-of-a-kind venue. "We have already signed 8 citywide conferences worth $14 Million in delegate spending for future years based on the Crystal Garden expansion and many more have expressed interest in revisiting Victoria", said Jenkyns.

The first scheduled events at the Crystal Garden are in June 2008.

Copies of the RFP and renovation plans are available at www.victoria.ca

For more information, contact:
Katie Josephson
Communications
Telephone: (250) 361-0210

Jocelyn Jenkyns
Acting General Manager, VCC
(250) 361-1001