The city of Las Cruces, N.M., recently welcomed its first convention center, which opened in December 2010, less than 18 months after ground was broken on the construction project in June 2009. The center measures 55,000 square feet with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space. The facility features a 15,000-square-foot exhibition hall as well as a 9,360-square-foot ballroom. Inside, there are six break-out rooms measuring more than 3,000 square feet in total.
“We have been waiting a long time for this day,” said Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director Ken Mompellier. “This facility is a state-of-the-art meeting facility ready to serve the professional meetings industry as well as the community,” he added. “It will be a tremendous asset to advance the economic development of Las Cruces.”
The center is also currently undergoing a process to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Some of the building’s eco-friendly features include the use of low water usage landscaping and the use of reserved parking spaces for alternative energy vehicles and rows of bicycle racks to encourage alternative forms of transportation. The roof was painted a light color to reflect heat and photovoltaic cells are used to convert sun energy into electricity to further reduce energy costs for the facility. Inside, energy-efficient lighting was used throughout, as well as low-flow plumbing to reduce water consumption.
The City of Las Cruces and the Las Cruces Convention Center will be hosting a series of grand-opening events beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 13 and concluding with a public open house on Jan. 15.
The Details
Las Cruces Convention Centerwww.meetinlascruces.com
