Anaheim Convention Center
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Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities. The basketball arena, fronting Katella Avenue, was opened in July 1967, while the convention hall behind it opened to business shortly afterward. Since then, the convention hall has undergone three major expansions, and currently encloses over 800,000 square feet (74,000 m2) of floor space.
According to frequent news reports, the largest exposition held at the Convention Center in recent years has been the Winter NAMM Show. This music-equipment convention (trade only, not open to the general public) had 1,560 exhibitors and a record-breaking 88,100 attendees during the 2008 show.[1] The NAMM Show has been running at the Anaheim Center since 1977, except for a 3-year break in 1998-2000 while the Convention Center underwent major renovations. Recent news reports indicate that NAMM's long-term lease with the Anaheim Convention Center authority ends in 2010, and NAMM is applying pressure to the City of Anaheim to further expand and improve the convention center.[2]
The popular Anime Expo was held here in 1996 and from 2003 through 2006[3] and was one of the convention center's biggest public events of the year.
World of Warcraft creators Blizzard Entertainment holds BlizzCon there. In 2005, they used the northern two conference halls, (and the arena for a concert one evening). In 2007 and 2008, it used three conference halls. In 2009, it used four conference halls. While tickets to the 2007 event sold out in 3 days, tickets to the October 2008 event sold out "within minutes,"[4] and tickets to the August 2009 event sold out in "56 seconds". Another large convention held at the Center is the Medical Design and Manufacturing Show, held shortly after Winter NAMM.[5]
The center has also been a sports venue. It was home to the Anaheim Amigos American Basketball Association team. It also served as the venue for men's wrestling for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
During the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, the Los Angeles Clippers were forced to move Game 4 of their NBA playoff series versus the Utah Jazz to the Convention Center.
It hosts the Big West Conference's men's and women's basketball tournaments. It also hosts the 76 Classic tournament.
It was home to the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League. The arena of the Disneyland Convention Center has a capacity of 9,100 people. The Arsenal will no longer play in the convention center after announcing the team will be relocating to Springfield, Massachusetts for the 2009-10 season. In 2009 the Anaheim Convention Center held the D23 Expo.
[edit] Photos
 Anaheim Convention Center. |
 Anaheim Convention Center's arena building. |
[edit] References
- ^ NAMM Unifies Industry at Record-Breaking Show — NAMM, The International Music Products Association
- ^ News: Anaheim Convention Center explores expansion
- ^ "Anime Expo 1996 Information". AnimeCons.com. http://www.animecons.com/events/info.shtml/150. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ^ "BlizzCon Ticket Update #6". World of Warcraft Forums (Blizzard Entertainment). 2004-08-12. http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=8765785084&sid=1. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- ^ MD&M West - Medical Design and Manufacturing
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- Some City of Anaheim history, including the Convention Center
- 1966 photo of the Convention Center under constructionhttp://anaheimvisitorsguide.com/anaheim_convention_center_hotels.html
- Walking distance from the Convention Center to local hotels
Coordinates: 33°48′09″N 117°55′11″W / 33.802455°N 117.919843°W
