| PHILADELPHIA (June 23, 2015) - The Pennsylvania Convention Center and facilities manager SMG received a top venue honor earlier this month from The Philadelphia Area Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (PAMPI). PAMPI members selected the Pennsylvania Convention Center/SMG for their first ever "Venue of the Year" award from among 12 facilities in the Philadelphia region. Among the selection criteria were quality of service, food and beverage, atmosphere and overall performance. Lorenz Hassenstein, general manager of the Pennsylvania Convention Center for SMG, accepted the award June 17 during a gala attended by more than 100 members and guests in the newly renovated ballroom of Radisson Blu Warwick. "It is an honor to be recognized by our peers in the meetings industry for the changes that are providing our customers with great meetings," Hassenstein later said. "Meeting Professionals International (MPI) encourages the kind of innovation and best practices that are part of the experience that SMG brings to the Pennsylvania Convention Center." Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the world's largest association for the $102.3 billion meeting and event industry, is committed to positioning meetings and events as a key strategic component of an organization's success. Its local chapter, PAMPI, was founded in 1978 as a membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse needs of meeting professionals through education, connections and leadership development. PAMPI President Anne Madden called the annual gala a time to recognize volunteers, supplier partners and planners for contributions to the chapter's success. In addition to Venue of the Year, other 2014-15 awards included Volunteer of the Year, Planner of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Chapter Leader of the Year, and the President's Award. "Our partners at the Pennsylvania Convention Center have been, and continue to be, strong partners and supporters of PAMPI," Madden said. "The venue and its team, including Sales Manager Linda Jones, played a huge part in the very successful re-launching of our Education Institute, PAMPI's largest educational event. The Convention Center's central location and ideal space and the seamless flow of our program contributed to the event's huge success. We exceeded our attendance expectations." About the Pennsylvania Convention Center The Pennsylvania Convention Center is located in Center City Philadelphia at the heart of the city's many cultural offerings and world-class dining and entertainment scene. Now managed by SMG, the Center is the 14th largest facility in the nation and features the largest exhibit space and ballroom in the Northeastern U.S. The Convention Center will host the World Meeting of Families prior to the Papal Visit in September. For more information, visit www.paconvention.com. About SMG Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 243 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theaters, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 15 million square feet of exhibition space and more than 1.5 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Houston's NRG Park, and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering company SAVOR, currently serving more than 140 accounts worldwide. For more information, visit www.smgworld.com. For news media inquiries, contact: Deirdre C. Hopkins Strategic Communications Manager Pennsylvania Convention Center / SMG 215-418-4754, [email protected] |
