The opening of the Puerto Rico Convention Center (PRCC) in November 2005 inspired strong commentary by officials.
“The Puerto Rico Convention Center represents a new era in our tourism history,” said Ana María Viscasillas, official sales and marketing agent, president/CEO, Puerto Rico Convention Bureau. “Meeting in Puerto Rico will never be the same.”
As the PRCC celebrates its fifth year of operation, Puerto Rico’s meeting and convention offerings continue to come of age, and stand out among the forefront of world-class meeting destinations.
Able to host up to 10,000 delegates, the PRCC has become a prime meeting facility within the Americas, providing an unparalleled meeting place for conventions, tradeshows, consumer shows, and other events.
Since its opening, the PRCC has welcomed nearly 110,000 delegates, more than one million visitors and has been the site of 20 citywide conventions; including prestigious groups like the National Guard Association of the United States, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, American Association of Retired Persons, the Asociación Latinamericana de Pediatría, and the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Marketplace.
In 2011, the center will host the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry for its 43rd World Chemistry Congress and General Assembly, and the International Federation of Library Associations’ World Library and Information Congress.
“The PRCC has placed our destination firmly on the world stage for meetings and conventions,” stated Viscasillas. “With an economic impact of more than $78million in group expenditures and nearly 200,000 in room night bookings, the Center has proven to be one of Puerto Rico’s best investments for our tourism future.”
The PRCC has received innumerable awards and recognitions ranging from architectural and environmental design to convention services and outstanding food quality.
The 580,000 square foot PRCC is the largest facility of its kind in the Caribbean and the most technologically advanced in the Caribbean and Latin America; featuring a 152,700 square feet of exhibition hall divisible into three individual exposition spaces, as well as a 39,500 square foot grand ballroom. The center also offers 36,400 square feet of meeting space.
The PRCC was developed as a way of broadening the island’s successful tourism industry with increased group and business travel.
Now, when the entire PRCC district is completed, delegates, visitors and members of the community will enjoy an urban center that combines business and entertainment.
“Whether a delegate is attending a conference at the center, a visitor is coming to the district to shop or enjoy a meal, or a member of the community is coming to take a stroll along the fountains of the Paseo, the PRCC district is coming alive with all of its various elements,” said Jaime A. López Diaz, executive director, PRCC. “It will be one of the island’s most exceptional attractions in terms of world-class amenities.”
A key element of the district is the new Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino which serves as the headquarter hotel to the PRCC.
According to Viscasillas, the new Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino and other properties, as well as other services and amenities within the district represent a continued commitment to providing the best possible experience to convention delegates, as well as the island’s ongoing commitment to hotel development as part of Puerto Rico’s long term tourism goals.
