The possibilities were discussed by a panel hosted by theCentral Philadelphia Development Corp. The speakers included JackFerguson, EVP of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau;Thomas Muldoon, president of the Convention and Visitors Bureau;Joseph Coradino, EVP of the Pennsylvania Real Estate InvestmentTrust; Edward Lewis, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Academyof the Fine Arts; and CPCD executive director Paul Levy.

Once the expansion is complete, the convention center will boastthe largest contiguous exhibit space in the northeast, at 541,000sf as well as the largest convention center ballroom on the eastcoast, at 60,000 sf. Total exhibit hall space will be raised fromits current 440,000 sf to 700,000 sf. The $700 million project isscheduled for completion in 2010.

With so many more people coming to the convention center, hotelgrowth in the area is set to boom. "This will stimulate hotelgrowth, because we have to have it," Ferguson tells GlobeSt.com."We see somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,200 to 2,500 new hotelrooms coming to Center City Philadelphia, particularly focused nearthe convention center." According to Ferguson, 533 rooms arecurrently being converted from former office space in the area andare expected to open in 2009, just ahead of the convention center'sreopening. In addition, a 55,000-sf site at the corner of Broad andRace Streets is being considered for an 800- to 900-room hotel.