New Bloomington Convention Center: construction updates, website launch and booking outlook

Commission staff and sales leads gave the commission an update on construction, sales and the new convention-center website as the county prepares to open expanded facilities.

Speaker 2, who walked commissioners through the new website mockup, said the site will include planner-facing RFP submission features, floor plans, AV and menu information, exhibitor FAQs, and attendee pages (hotels, parking and directions). "The tentative date to launch is December 17," Speaker 2 said. Staff described three days of training completed with three more scheduled, and said the new site will remain editable for 30 days after launch to make adjustments.

On construction, Speaker 2 reported that steel is standing and framing is visible and that staff expect a short period when the existing building may be shut down to complete tie-in work. "We thought that was gonna be at the end of this month, but they're gonna wait till spring and do that, so after the quilt show," the presenter said, and later noted a memorable schedule marker: "January 8 is the final construction date." The commission discussed staging, wayfinding from the 4th Street garage and a proposed East–West campus layout. Staff said they have compiled an equipment list for the new facility and cited roughly $3,000,000 in potential purchases for trucks, forklifts, staging floors and other operational equipment.

Sales staff presented booking data and market context. Speaker 4 cited market reports showing occupancy up slightly year-over-year through October and ADR higher by about $7, while also noting that short-term rental listings (AirDNA) are active in the market and capture a material share of room nights. Large future bookings were highlighted; the Emergency Nurses Association was listed for a multi-day event with thousands of attendees in a future year, and staff reported that hotels responded to room-block requests to meet projected peak nights.

Commissioners asked how the tourism website and the new convention-center site are being optimized for emerging AI-driven booking/search behavior; Speaker 4 said Simpleview meets monthly with web staff to address AI impacts and that staff will present more on AI at the next meeting.

Staff said next steps include finalizing wayfinding and parking coordination with public works, moving equipment into the new facility in late winter, and continuing to refine reporting metrics (pickup and actual room-night realization) to quantify economic impact. The board asked staff to share the new site link with commissioners for feedback and to return with further detail on AI/search optimization and equipment procurement timelines.

The commission adjourned after public comments and without additional votes on construction matters.