Fairplex in Pomona recently held a ground breaking ceremony for its new Fairplex Conference Center, a high-tech, 85,000-sq-ft venue suited for trade shows, corporate meetings and regional associations. The architect on the $30-million, year-long construction project is HOK and the contractor is Summit Builders Inc.
Expected to generate nearly 500 jobs during construction and nearly 300 full-time, sustainable jobs during annual day-to-day operations, the new center will have a strong economic impact for the area with additional sales and occupancy tax related benefits for the city, center officials say.
Incorporating the conversion of an existing 33,600-sq-ft exhibit building with the development of a new 50,000-sq-ft structure, the new conference center will enhance the existing Art Deco qualities of Fairplex grounds as well as the surrounding park-like setting. Adopting a code of sustainability, the new center will also be International Association of Conference Centers and LEED certified.
