PROVIDENCE – As if recent announcements by state officials over the last couple of months outlining the return of large-scale events to Rhode Island wasn’t welcoming enough, Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s April 22 proclamation that businesses again can operate at full capacity starting May 28 brought an even bigger smile to the faces of some event organizers.
As capacities are expected to increase across the state to 100% by Memorial Day weekend, so is the confidence for event organizers in that they both see a return to normalcy on the horizon, as is the sense that they can operate their events safely.
R.I. Convention Center Authority Executive Director Daniel McConaghy told Providence Business News that having the go-ahead to be at 100% by May 28 gives the authority a chance to speak to convention organizers with more confidence in their efforts to bring events back to the Ocean State. He recalled there was one convention coming in September that was concerned about restrictions, but the state’s reopening plans are helping put those concerns at ease.
“What this gives us though is incredible amounts of confidence and more certainty to have communication with those events to give them confidence that in fact we will be open for business in August,” McConaghy said. “[Convention organizers] can rest assured that we will be ready for them.”
One event that the R.I. Convention Center will be ready for later this summer is the JLC Live Residential Construction Show, which will be held Aug. 12-14. Not only is it the 25th time that JLC Live has come to Rhode Island, McConaghy said, it will also mark the convention center’s first event since it closed down to events in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it was turned into a field hospital.
The August event is expected to bring approximately 4,000 to 5,000 people to Rhode Island over three days, about half its normal attendance, McConaghy said. However, JLC Live is slated to generate $1.5 million in direct spending into the Providence economy, something that has been missing since last March.
“That’s exciting,” McConaghy said.
McConaghy said the field hospital’s deconstruction is still on schedule to begin May 24 and be completed by July 1. Most of the main medical equipment has been removed from the convention center and the custom duct work inside the field hospital will be taken out. Some hospital items, such as the mattresses, will be taken by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and placed in storage, McConaghy said.
Additionally, he said the Dunkin’ Donuts Center next door will remain a mass vaccination site through at least the end of June and may go into a “modified or hybrid” vaccination center, including offering walk-up vaccine appointments.
In Newport, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is going to open up more seating and increase its ticket offerings for its annual Hall of Fame Open tennis tournament July 11-18, Tennis Hall of Fame Senior Vice President of Tennis Operations Brewer Rowe told PBN.
Initially, the tournament was slated to max out at a 50% capacity, or 1,500 people. Now, Rowe said the hall of fame believes it can put on a safe event at full capacity.
While the main tennis stadium holds 3,100 people, Rowe said the hall of fame and other tennis courts are sprawled over seven acres, and “very seldom” is every seat occupied in the main stadium.
“More people are spread out among the entire property,” Rowe said. “We have more than one tennis match going on at the same time. But our plan now is to put on a safe, healthy event for both spectators and players and guests alike.”
Along with promoting specific details of upcoming events, event organizers are also performing public outreach to ensure that safety will be at the forefront of their events. Rowe said the Tennis Hall of Fame is doing a grassroots marketing campaign, through social media and emails, to highlight the safety measures being taken so that people can enjoy tennis without worrying about COVID-19.
“We want to showcase them from an operational standpoint, making sure that they feel safe first and foremost prior to coming onto property,” Rowe said.
McConaghy said the authority is also putting out this week messaging and informing the public what they may expect when attending events at both the convention center and the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Regarding safety, Rowe said the hall of fame will have one-way traffic flow on the property during the tournament, with one entrance and one exit to limit congregations, as well as requiring masks being worn. He also said this year’s tournament festivities will not include clinics and a fashion show, and hopes to have those events return next year.
McConaghy said the convention center and Dunkin’ Donuts Center will utilize ASG Global’s Venue Shield program to maintain COVID-19-specific cleanliness and protocols throughout the facilities to keep both the facilities open and patrons comfortable. The program is utilized by various arenas and venues across the country, including the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
There will also be mechanical systems in the convention center that will have proper filtering, such as using MERV 13 filters, he said.
McConaghy also said the authority will work with both the R.I. Department of Business Regulation and the R.I. Department of Health to make sure the two departments are fine with the protocols that will be in place once August rolls around.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
