The Las Cruces (N.M) Convention Center opened its doors for the first time on December 1, 2010, about 18 months after contractors broke ground.
The 55,000-square-foot convention center has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, a 15,000-square-foot exhibition hall, and a 9,360-square-foot ballroom. "This facility is a state-of-the-art meeting facility ready to serve the professional meetings industry as well as the community," said Ken Mompellier, executive director of the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau, in a press release. "It will be a tremendous asset to advance the economic development of Las Cruces."
The facility will be certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and features low-flow plumbing, energy-efficient lighting, and photovoltaic cells on the roof to convert sun energy to electricity. There are also reserved parking spaces for alternative energy vehicles and rows of bicycle racks to encourage alternative forms of transportation. In addition, some construction materials were made from recycled products and leftover construction materials were recycled.
Las Cruces officials will be hosting a series of grand opening events beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 13 and a public open house on January 15.