The Glass City Center is a performing arts and convention center located in downtown Toledo, Ohio. Opened on March 27, 1987, as the SeaGate Convention Centre, the center's exhibit hall measures 74,520 square feet (207 feet by 360 feet) of space and seats up to 5,100 for a banquet, 9,000 for a meeting, and 4,000 in a classroom configuration. It can be divided into three smaller halls, and when used for concerts with a 60 foot by 40 foot stage, can seat 2,000 (in one of the smaller halls), 3,000 (in two of the smaller halls), or 5,900 (in the entire hall) for concerts, stage shows, and other shows, this so that there are no bad seats in the house. Many of those seats used for concerts are in telescopic risers; there are 18 telescopic units at the arena, set up in sections of six; as a result, there are six sections of riser seating and a total of 3,216 in the risers (536 per section). The center also features 17,552 square feet (1,631 m2) of meeting space.
| Glass City Center | |
|---|---|
 The Glass City Center in 2022 after renovations | |
 | |
| Address | 401 Jefferson Avenue |
| Location | Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°38′57″N 83°32′12″W / 41.649276°N 83.536668°W |
| Opened | March 27, 1987 |
| Renovated | 2022 |
Former names | SeaGate Convention Centre (1987-2022) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 74,520 sq ft (6,923 m2) |
| • Ballroom | 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) |
| Website | |
| Glass City Center | |
The facility was the host to the following notable events:
- Gathering of the Juggalos 2001 (July 13–15, 2001)[1]
- Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament (1996-1999, annually)
- Toledo Ice (ABA) (partial 2005–2006 season)[2]
- Glass City Rollers (WFTDA) (current tenant)
- The center was the site of the annual Jehovah's Witnesses beginning in 2005. The group canceled its 2020 meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
The Park Inn by Radisson hotel attached to the center closed permanently in April 2020. In July, Lucas County Commissioners announced the structure would be renovated to house a 216-room Hilton Garden Inn and 93-room Homewood Suites. They also announced the demolition of the adjacent SeaGate Hotel which has been vacant since 2009.[4]
In February 2022, it was announced that the SeaGate Centre would be renamed as the Glass City Center as part of their renovations to the facility. It features a new, 16,000-square-foot ballroom, along with a redesigned exterior and interior of the building.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Send in the Clowns (Toledo braces for juggernaut of 'Juggalos' at 3-day event)". The Blade. Toledo. July 14, 2007.
- ^ "Ice gets new beginning as Knights Team scheduled to play at local schools". The Blade. December 19, 2006.
- ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses cancel downtown Toledo convention for first time in over a decade". WTOL News. July 11, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Jeff (July 14, 2020). "Park Inn set for renovations; Hotel Seagate coming down". WTVG News. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ "SeaGate Centre to be renamed Glass City Center following renovation project". WTOL News. February 16, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
41°38′57″N 83°32′11″W / 41.64917°N 83.53639°W
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