Construction for Maine's biggest convention and events center in Maine could start in the next two years at Rock Row in Westbrook.

 

According to the Portland Press Herald, plans for the center were released last week by the developer Waterstone Properties. They are going big. It's a center that would cost $75 million and hold more than 8,200 people. It could be used for corporate events, trade shows, conventions, and (drum roll please) live entertainment! They need funds from a proposed public bond issue to help pay for it.

If it gets built, they could have up to 200 events a year and give Maine a convention center they have long needed and demanded. The plans include an attached hotel and parking garage and if all goes well, they could start building as early as 2023.

Waterstone Properties Group Facebook
Waterstone Properties Group Facebook
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What makes the Rock Row convention center different than say, the Cross Insurance Arena, is that the arena is basically a stadium that can hold trade shows, but since it's not made for that - events like that are few and far between. The new center would have 110,000 square feet of space that can be divided JUST for exhibits, meetings, or performances.

This new convention center is another phase of the $600 million, several years in the making, Rock Row plan. Eventually, it will have apartments, offices, shopping, and restaurants. If a Chik-fil-A can basically stop the world from spinning when it opened, this will be amazing!

 

The center is modeled on the Toyota Music Factory near Dallas. It's even going to have a retractable wall that would open to a lawn seating section. Plus, major bonus - 343 full-time jobs. If those new jobs can be filled!

GoogleMaps
GoogleMaps
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Maine really does need this, because we lose a lot of money and increased tourism dollars because we don't have an adequate convention center. Places like Idexx hold company events in other states because there's just no room here for them.  Maine does need this! It's gonna be pretty spectacular!

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