Meeting Facilities:
The all-new Ottawa Convention Centre will rise on its existing location in the heart of the city in April 2011.  A sweeping windowed façade will afford panoramic views of Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site, Confederation Park and the National Arts Centre.  Delegates will step outside and be moments away from recreational paths and the ByWard Market shopping and restaurant district – not to mention thousands of downtown hotel rooms.  The facility will be directly linked to the 180-store Rideau Centre and the Westin Ottawa.  The new Centre will set new standards for environmental design and sustainable practices, will serve guests with advanced technology, and will provide a landmark setting for memorable meetings for decades to come.  The bold new convention center design will feature 190,000 square feet of highly flexible meeting space in the heart of downtown Ottawa.  This includes a 56,000 square foot multi-purpose hall that will accommodate up to 6,000 delegates theatre-style, banquets of 4,500, and 300 10’ x 10’ display booths.  The facility will be outfitted with the latest in technology and telecommunications and will be fully accessible.  It will be built to LEED certification standards and adhere to sustainable practices when it opens its doors in April 2011.

Description:
Ottawa, Canada’s Capital city is just an hour’s drive north of the Canada/U.S. border and a short flight from major U.S. cities.  Ottawa offers a unique blend of culture, history and natural beauty all wrapped up in a relaxed urban vibe – a meeting destination that inspires, motivates and unites attendees.  The all-new Ottawa Convention Centre will open in the heart of downtown in April 2011 featuring a bold design and state-of-the-art meeting facilities.

Location/Accessibility:
Just a 15 minutes ride from downtown, Ottawa’s newly renovated and expanded international airport is serviced by Canadian and U.S. carriers and is less than a two-hour flight from major eastern and mid-west centers. The city is also served by excellent ground and rail links.

Accommodations:
The city offers a wide range of brand-name hotels – Westin, Fairmont, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Marriott and others – in addition to independent properties unique to the Capital offering a total of over 10,000 guest rooms.  Most downtown hotels are within close proximity to the Ottawa Convention Centre.

Dining:
5-Diamond dining, a vast selection of international cuisines, relaxed, casual fare – Ottawa offers restaurants and culinary experiences to suit every palate, with a thriving local culinary scene and local chefs making names for themselves at home and abroad.  Dining districts include the courtyards and outdoor cafés of the historic ByWard Market, great Asian dining along Somerset Street West, Italian along Preston Street, and a mix of culinary treats along Elgin Street, Bank Street and surrounding neighborhoods.  As one of Ontario’s designated culinary tourism destinations, the city, its restaurants and its local food producers are all working together to bring locally-grown and prepared foods to tables across the region through an initiative called Savour Ottawa.  Special culinary events with a local flavor are held throughout the year, including the Ottawa Wine and Food Show in autumn, and Taste of Winterlude leading up to the popular February winter festival.

Recreation:
Ottawa features capital sites and attractions; cultural celebrations and experiences; and unspoiled natural surroundings that allow for unique activities to inspire, motivate and unite meeting and convention attendees.  The city’s vibrant downtown and ByWard Market area offer shopping and boutiques by day, and a popular meeting place of restaurants, pubs and clubs by night.

Total # of Rooms:
10,000

Total Sq. Ft. of Meeting Space
190,000


Category: CVB