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Downtown Events Corporation Formed To Manage Citywide Events At Old Convention Center Site

WASHINGTON -- The Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) has announced that it has received a contract from the Washington Convention Center Authority (WCCA) to assume responsibility for coordinating and programming events at the former Washington Convention Center site until construction begins in 2008, in response to a request from the District government.

The nearly 10-acre site of the old Convention Center (OCC), located at 900 9th Street NW, has been converted to a parking lot for interim use before redevelopment begins.  For the next two years, the City Center parking lot will be available for event programming such as markets, festivals, events, exhibits, product launches and private functions.
 
The Downtown BID has created the Downtown Events Corporation (DEC), a new non-profit corporation dedicated to enhancing the vitality of Downtown DC through attracting and coordinating major events, to manage and program all aspects of the publicly available areas of the site.  Governed by a volunteer board of directors, the DEC will market and promote the site and will advise both the Washington Convention Center Authority and the District government about programming opportunities.

“Public programming on the Old Convention Center site provides a great opportunity to bring in diverse offerings from surrounding neighborhoods, and the region, to enliven further the outstanding offerings that make our newly revitalized Downtown unique, “ said Richard Bradley, executive director of the Downtown BID and a member of the DEC Board of Directors. 

The BID already has played a significant role in working with both WCCA and the DC government to secure Cirque du Soleil, which is bringing one of their major tented events, Corteo, to Downtown DC. The grand opening will be October 26.

Criteria for renting the location are as follows:
Events Must:
• Benefit the community
• Embrace the diversity of the District of Columbia
• Promote the vitality of Downtown DC
• Be financially viable
• For events anticipating more than 3000 patrons, coordinators must
  present plans to Mayor’s Special  Events Task  Group
• Structures must be erected to have minimal impact on surrounding
  buildings/neighbors (noise)

Rental costs vary. For usage guidelines, rental applications and rental rates, visit www.downtowndc.org/dec, or contact Claire Carlin, DEC Events Manager at 202.661.7564 or Claire@downtowndc.org.