SAFE Credit Union Sacramento Convention Center Booked Starting This Summer
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It is a Downtown Sacramento sign of hope that the pandemic will pass — maybe even sooner than later.
The newly remodeled Sacramento SAFE Credit Union Convention Center will be complete in April and conventions are already booked starting in July.
Drive downtown and the new sleek and shiny walls and floor-to-ceiling windows are impossible to miss.
"It's pretty stunning actually," Scott Bakeberg said.
"I think it's turning out pretty nice," Chris Williams said.
The newly remodeled SAFE Credit Union Convention Center is eye-catching. And nearly ready to open.
Mike Testa is the CEO of Visit Sacramento and says convention bookings are off the charts, starting this summer.
"You know this is a big deal," Testa said. "The third and fourth quarters of 2021, the building is full, we don't have a ton of room in there if somebody called and said 'hey we want to book something.'"
While the building is booked, the question still remains if California Public Health guidelines allow conventions to resume in July.
Under current rules, Sacramento County would have to drop from a 6% positivity rate and its 'widespread' tier ranking to a 1% positivity rate and a minimal spread tier ranking.
"We're hopeful that we'll be able to hold those meetings, but time will tell," Testa said.
Ernesto Delgado owns the restaurant Mayahuel, located a block from the convention center. A re-opening would have him rejoicing. He is cautiously optimistic.
"I've been fighting to stay alive," Delgado said. "They're booked but people may not come because they're still scared, you know there's still that 'if' factor."
The remodeled convention center nearly complete. It's ready for business and a COVID comeback.
One of the first conventions booked this summer is the Mathematics Association convention. Their convention alone would add up to 3,600 hotel room nights, with an economic impact of about $4 million.