From Eric Carpenter’s “Ask Mr. Anaheim” column in the Orange County Register:
Q. A friend recently told me that the Anaheim Convention Center is about to get bigger again. I grew up around here and have always liked the shape of the arena there on Katella, but it seems underused now. Where is there room left for it to grow, and is it worth the cost?
– Jeff Buck, AnaheimA. Your friend told you correctly, Jeff. The Convention Center is about to grow again.
The City Council last month approved the $180 million expansion, which is expected to begin later this year and could be completed by 2016. The 200,000-square-foot glass building will face Katella Avenue, next to the space-inspired dome that you mentioned, which has been there since 1967.
I see your point, Jeff, that the arena may seem like it isn’t used quite as much, especially since it used to be a concert hot spot in the 1960s and ’70s, hosting the likes of Elvis Presley and Led Zeppelin.
Now big-name artists are much more likely to travel east on Katella to book the nearby Honda Center.
But the Convention Center, of course, is now much more than the arena. In fact, it has undergone six previous expansions and is one of the premiere event spaces on the West Coast. City and tourism officials want to ensure it remains that way.
You can read the rest here.
