University to host ribbon-cutting Nov. 12 for KU Conference Center
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas will host a ribbon-cutting for the new KU Conference Center at 11 a.m. Nov. 12.
The event will be hosted by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, with featured guests including Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Kansas legislators, city of Lawrence officials and regional business leaders.
Located alongside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the conference center is designed to accommodate large conferences, seminars, trade shows, weddings, gala dinners, holiday parties and social events. The facility is the largest of its kind in the region, offering 55,000 square feet of space, including a 15,000-square-foot main hall, meeting rooms and premium stadium spaces for private events.
All members of the KU and Lawrence communities are invited to attend the event. The program begins at 11 a.m. with brief remarks from featured guests, followed by an open house and facility tours. Attendees are asked to RSVP by Nov. 10.
“After months of planning and construction, we are excited to cut the ribbon on the University of Kansas Conference Center,” Girod said. “This new facility positions us to host all kinds of events that benefit the university and the region by bringing out-of-town visitors to Lawrence and generating economic activity for the community. I offer my sincere appreciation to the state and local officials, business leaders, donors and neighbors who have helped make this project a reality, and I look forward to celebrating with them Nov. 12.”
A new asset for the community
The conference center is managed by Oak View Group, a global leader in event facility management and hospitality, in coordination with KU partners. Oak View Group also serves as the stadium operator and the food and beverage provider for all Kansas Athletics venues. The conference center is now booking reservations for events at the conference center website.
“We are proud to be part of this tremendous new asset for the university and the community,” said Kirk Goodman, Oak View Group general manager. “KU and the city of Lawrence now have some of the best and most flexible event space in the country, which will make it a terrific option for KU events, community gatherings and out-of-town organizations alike.”
The conference center, along with the new west and north portions of the stadium unveiled earlier this year, comprise the first phase of the university’s Gateway District development. The conference center specifically is funded by $85 million in economic development support from the state of Kansas. Construction of the Gateway District’s second phase is slated to begin in the months ahead and will include new student housing, parking, retail, the east grandstands of the stadium and a hotel.
“From the beginning of this project, University of Kansas leaders envisioned the Gateway District as a premier economic driver for not only the university and the Lawrence community, but for the entire region as it spurs tourism and attracts new visitors,” Kelly said. “I applaud KU for continuing to embrace its role as a vibrant economic engine for the state of Kansas, and I look forward to the new conference center and the entire Gateway District benefiting our state for years to come.”