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The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitor & Convention Bureau recently called for suggestions for a conference center location large enough to hold a 30,000- to 40,000-square-foot building, room for a service area and with access to parking.
Ideally, the new center would seat about 1,000 people, officials have said.
All nine of the suggestions submitted -- which range from about threeto 18 acres at sites in downtown Beaufort, Lady's Island, Port Royal and unincorporated Beaufort County -- remain under consideration, said Bob Moquin, executive director of the chamber's Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The meeting Thursday at St. Peter's Catholic Church Parish Hall begins at 4 p.m. It will include opening remarks, an explanation of what officials are looking for in a conference center and presentations on space needs, design concepts and site evaluations, Moquin said.
Those who can't make the 4 p.m. start are encouraged to drop by any time before 7 p.m. for more information or to leave their comments, he added.
It's been more than five years since local officials began studying the feasibility and economic impact of a 25,000- to 50,000-square-foot center that would host events like conferences, Marine Corps reunions, weddings and high school graduations, officials said.
Currently, the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Beaufort offers the area's largest gathering space with a 5,000-square-foot meeting area -- enough to accommodate about 250 people for a sit-down meal, officials have said.
The greater Beaufort area offers about 1,300 rooms between its hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts, Moquin said.
"Based on a competitive analysis of what else is offered, we felt like if we could build a multi-function facility that could accommodate anywhere from 200 to 1,000 people, that would serve the area well," Moquin said.
