Davis center expands
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]By BRYON SAXTON
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
bsaxton@standard.net
Ribbon-cutting kicks off new $10.5 million Eclipse Expo Hall
LAYTON -- Doubling the size of the Davis Conference Center is projected to bring $32 million a year in economic impact to the Top of Utah.
Local dignitaries on Friday after a 40-minute ribbon-cutting ceremony, swung open the doors to the $10.5 million, 44,300 square-foot expansion
The Northern Utah Recreation Expo, the inaugural event in the new Eclipse Expo Hall, then opened to the public. The exhibits continue through today.
"We knew the first year after we opened the conference center (in 2004) that we had a need to expand the facility because we could not keep up with the demand for meeting and exhibit space," said Davis County Commissioner Louenda Downs, who presided over Friday's unveiling.
"We've looked forward to this for a long time,' Downs told the crowd at the event, which included a buffet for the hundreds of people who attended and a keynote address by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.
Bishop said the conference center was built despite "naysayers" -- the same doubters who claimed the state could not support an NBA franchise in the Utah Jazz or a Class AAA baseball team in the Salt Lake Bees.
"I'm proud of everything we have to offer both residents and visitors in Northern Utah and this expanded center will help us continue to showcase all of that," Bishop said.
Others proud of the center expansion included Layton Mayor Steve Curtis.
Curtis said his city has plans in the works to build a walking trail around the complex.
The architectural firm that designed the expansion project was equally proud.
GSBS PC Architects has designed more than 1.4 million square-feet of conference center space and created some innovative designs for the Davis Conference Center, said Jonathan Bradshaw, principal for the Salt Lake City architectural firm.
Bradshaw said GSBS designed the center with people in mind, specifically creating a unique living room for county meetings, banquets and exhibits.
"It is Davis County's gathering place," he said.
He said they were able to accomplish the project with a high use of recycled materials.
"Green materials like the recycled steel roof trusses and joists in the meeting rooms and exhibit hall used to be scrapped cars," he said.
"I think this is a pretty nice facility," said Layton resident Charles Cope. He attended the ceremony with his girlfriend and then stuck around to stroll through the exhibits.
"I think it has a lot of potential for venues," Cope said.
Vendors were equally impressed with the new exhibit hall.
"This is absolutely a beautiful facility," said Janice Bernstein, staff member of the Pony Express RV Resort in North Salt Lake.
"We think it is going to work."
If you go...
WHAT: Top of Utah Recreation Expo
TIME: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
DATE: Today
PLACE: Eclipse Expo Hall, Davis Conference Center, 1651 N. 700 West, Layton
ADMISSION: Free
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