Orange County Convention Center

This 2.9 million-square-foot facility doubled the existing facility making Orlando one of the top convention destinations in the world. Adding over one million GSF of exhibition space, the new facility was, at time of completion, one of only two in the nation capable of handling the largest annual conventions of over 60,000 delegates. Located across busy International Drive from the existing facility, the expansion is connected through a “Gateway Connector”, an elevated pedestrian walkway featuring retail and food service outlets catering to the delegates and offering fare from Orlando’s finest establishments. Exhibition space can be divided into four individual halls. Approximately 3,600 parking spaces located on the site, including 24 foot-wide truck entrances and loading docks. To facilitate the Convention Center’s ability to house large shows and conventions, steel trusses spanning 180-foot column bays in the main exhibit hall will create an open air and column-free environment.

The expansion complements the existing facility with pre-cast and curtain wall skin and allows pedestrian access to all of the hotels, restaurants, and other International Drive area night spots creating a district for conventioneer’s as well as their family and friends.

During the early budgeting stages for the $520M Orange County Convention Center, it was determined that no single electrical or mechanical contractor in the Orlando area had the bonding capacity or manpower to complete all of the electrical and mechanical work on the project. During the design, Clark met with all the major electrical and mechanical subcontractors in the Central Florida area to develop a plan to staff the job with an adequate number of tradesmen. It was decided that the project’s mechanical and electrical systems could be broken down into smaller construction packages, which would address both manpower, bonding issues, and maximized local participation. The plan was implemented and the project was completed on-time and within budget.