Mayor Phil Gordon today took the first swing of the wrecking ball at the Phoenix Convention Center’s original building. Councilman Dave Siebert and Phoenix Convention Center Director Jay Green also were on hand to commemorate the expansion milestone.

Phase Two begins with the demolition of the original Civic Plaza to accommodate the continuation of the new convention center. Demolition of the North Building includes removing Hall C, which bridges over Washington Street. Crews will excavate the North Building, a 10-acre site, 50 feet below street level.

Phase One, the new West Building, is nearly complete. Administrative staff recently moved into the new office floor in preparation of hosting the first convention in mid-July.

The South Building, including 143,000 square feet of meeting space, exhibit halls and the ballroom will remain open and fully operational during Phase Two of the expansion.

The original building served as Arizona’s premier meeting and convention location since 1972. The new Phoenix Convention Center is scheduled for completion in late 2008 and will host its first convention in January 2009. It will feature a 190,000-square-foot exhibition hall; 90,000 square feet of meeting rooms; a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and a second 310,000-square-foot lower lever exhibition hall.

When complete, the client-friendly convention center will feature a total of three exhibition halls, three ballrooms, conference center, public art, wireless Internet service, ergonomic seating, “green build” and urban design, Hummer-sized freight elevators, approximately 900,000 square feet of rentable space and more than 2 million square feet total.

The Phoenix Convention Center expansion will triple the size of the current facility, moving it from the 67th largest convention center in the United States into the top 20, and position Phoenix as a top destination for 80 percent of all conventions.

More than 40 conventions including the National Utility Contractors Association, American Dental Education Association, National Rifle Association and U. S. Green Building Council have been contracted to meet in the new Phoenix Convention Center beginning in 2009.

The voter-approved $600 million expansion is a cooperative effort between the city of Phoenix and the state of Arizona. Phoenix voters approved $300 million in funding for the expansion in 2001; the Arizona State Legislature and Governor Janet Napolitano approved matching funds in 2003.