Hints for Convention Center Going

I am headed out the door to the International Festival and wanted to pass along a few hints to those wanting to attend events this weekend.

• There is a Wachovia ATM just inside the main entrance (Salisbury Street) to the Convention Center (turn right)
• Try parking in the base of the Marriott. The easiest approach is to head downtown on Capital Blvd, which magically becomes Dawson St. Proceed onward and notice the shimmer wall on the left (That’s the rear of the convention center). Just after the best shimmer wall view, turn left onto poorly-labeled Lenoir Street (just before the RR overpass). Proceed 1.5 blocks, and turn left into the Parking entrance for the Marriott. (map it)  Get the first space you can find. Just after passing through the deck’s ticketing area, you’ll see the desired convention center/hotel entrance. Once inside, turn left to go to the convention center and right to ascend into the Marriott. Here’s a hint: ride the elevator up to the Marriott. The very urban view is dramatic! The subterranean access straight into the convention center is an enormous benefit on rainy days. (returned – coast is clear. This deck is the way to go)
• Parking is $7 “for the event” – cash up front …or… $3/hr up to $12 – pay as you leave with cash or credit card.
• Food selection is very impressive. I like the Egyptian food most.
• Convention Exhibition hall is probably 60% 63% the size of Atlanta’s World Congress Center room #1 when it is configured for a dental convention that draws 25,000 people, but is much more convenient. Not as much walking and better bathroom placement.
• No signage exists to get you back to the parking deck. Drop popcorn from your car into the convention center. In fact, signage is extremely poor throughout the Convention Center, parking deck, and Marriott.
• Be sure to ascend the lobby escalators to see the 33,000 square foot ballroom. Excellent space!
• The convention center has free WiFi.
• Admission to the International Festival is free.
• Programs are available at the base of the escalator, but they do not really map out where the countries’ booths are.
• Where is that giant Sir Walter that the man carved in North Hills Mall in 1976? It would be a perfect addition to the convention center.

Follow future hints on my Twitter feed. Have any hints? Feel free to add them in the Comments section.

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5 Comments

• new to here Said:
  September 5th, 2008 at 6:38 pm

  Is the convention hall not the ballroom? That’s what I am familiar with in my experience of big meetings/conventions/conferences which have speakers. This space and the design is really impressive and more than I imagined. The space down below is the exhibition hall for commercial booths and car/boat shows etc. Have I misunderstood your post and the purpose of the space?

• Dana Said:
  September 5th, 2008 at 11:47 pm

  Thanks. I’ve clarified what I meant in the post. The Exhibition hall (”the floor”) is in the basement of the facility. It is 150,000 square feet, and is where the shows occur.

  The carpeted Ballroom is on the top floor of the facility. It is 33,000 square feet; about 2/3 the size of a football field and the same size as UNC’s Wollen Gymnasium. It is larger than any ballroom in downtown Atlanta. It is pictured here:
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/29175771@N07/2831015736/

• VaNC Said:
  September 6th, 2008 at 11:36 am

  Went to the ribbon cutting and Int. Festival yesterday. AGree that the new center is amazing. Agree signage is still lacking, but I think they are aware of that…the elevators have no signs that tell you what the floors are! Rode the elevator with a lady from the Center who said “yes, we have a punch list!”.

  The ballroom is about the most beautiful room of that size I have seen. Love the ceiling. I think I see a Sayre/Shuster hand in that.

  Dana, where are your eyes? SWR is standing right outside the C Center on the Salisbury side! Ready to be covered in a Hurricanes jersey or whatever, and be an icon for the City.

  Oh, and go to the Turkish booth and get some coffee. You will be set for the day. Who needs Red Bull?

• Dana Said:
  September 7th, 2008 at 1:37 am

  Ha ha. Yes, I saw Sir Walter, but only from the inside. With the underground access from the convention floor right into the Marriott, we never really spent any time outside west of the Marriott’s porte cochere.

  That I didn’t even mention Sir Walter’s new location speaks volumes about how much there really was to do all weekend. Superb events!

• VaNC Said:
  September 7th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

  Sad to say…or great to say, depending on your outlook, but we went downtown three times this weekend. Twice to International Fesitval. One of the crazier things we saw on Saturday afternoon was the “live” version of the SWR statue at the Time Warner Cable booth at the Int. Festival. IT was GREAT! An amazing idea!

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