Toronto's Natl. Trade Centre to Grow

By Gary Tufel -- Tradeshow Week, 1/10/2005

A new hotel and 75,000 square foot conference facility are set to be built on city-owned land south of Toronto's Natl. Trade Centre, reported facility officials. According to current plans, the addition will be connected to the center by a pedestrian link. Construction will begin in September, with its opening scheduled for spring 2007.

"Our market has expanded from trade and consumer shows to include corporate events and conventions," said Laura Purdy, the center's director of sales and marketing. "This addition will allow us to serve those markets, as well as to better serve the tradeshow market, which has a growing need for breakout space."

The expansion will give the center additional space for food and beverage events, Purdy said, and allow it to pursue medical meetings and association events it hasn't previously been able to attract.

The yet-to-be-named expansion is designed to encompass two large, divisible ballrooms. One will measure 27,000 sq. ft. and be divisible into seven different meeting rooms. The junior ballroom will span 9,000 sq. ft. and be divisible into five meeting rooms.

The conference center will be managed and booked by O&Y/SMG Canada, which manages the Natl. Trade Centre.