Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center nets award

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The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center has won a 2020 Readers’ Choice award from ConventionSouth, a national multimedia event planning resource.

The award marks the 10th consecutive year the Columbia event venue has won the honor, according to a news release from Experience Columbia SC.

“The value in receiving this prestigious recognition is that it comes from the United States’ top meeting professionals who hold events in the South,” ConventionSouth associate publisher Ashleigh Osborne said in the release. “These planners demand the highest level of customer service and quality facilities, and they have contributed in determining that Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center indeed displays the commitment to professionalism, creativity and service that they require.”

The convention center is one of 380 meeting facilities, hotels and visitor bureaus to receive the 2020 awards, compiled by nominations throughout the year and selected by online voting. More than 8,000 voters, the highest-ever total, participated in this year’s selection process, according to the release.  

“Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is honored and privileged to accept the ConventionSouth’s Reader’s Choice Award for the tenth consecutive year,” Cheryl Swanson, convention center vice president and general manager, said. “This acknowledgement affirms that our dedication and commitment to exceeding customer expectations are noticed and appreciated. The staff has adapted to client needs over the 10 years and has demonstrated a strong resilience in 2020 to continue their pledge to excellence.”

A complete list of award winners, to be featured in the December issue of ConventionSouth magazine, is available online.

Built in 2004, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is a 142,500-square-foot building including a 18,560 square feet of meeting space at 1101 Lincoln St. in the Congaree Vista.  

 Other S.C. facilities winning Readers’ Choice awards were: 

• BMW Performance Center
• Breakers Resort
• Charleston Area CVB
• Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
• Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach-Oceanfront Resort
• Florence Center
• Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort
• Hampton Inn & Suites Oceanfront, Myrtle Beach
• Hilton Head Island Beach & Tennis Resort
• Hilton Head Island Visitor & Convention Bureau
• Hotel Bella Grace
• Myrtle Beach Area CVB
• Myrtle Beach Convention Center
• OneSpartanburg Inc.
• Palmera Inn
• Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
• Spartanburg Marriott
• Tides Folly Beach Oceanfront
• VisitGreenvilleSC

Visitors center launches online store

Visitors to the convention center, the Vista or other Columbia attractions now have an additional option to remember their experience.

The Columbia SC Visitors Center has launched an online store featuring merchandise such as apparel, home goods and face masks.

The center, located at the corner of Gervais and Lincoln streets and operated by Experience Columbia SC, began planning for the online store several months ago, according to a news release.

“With the challenges presented from the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognized a need to provide our customers with Columbia SC merchandise and sought out a safe and clean way to do so,” Jason Outman, Experience Columbia SC executive director, said in the release. “The online store has been months in the making and offers a great variety of products, including items not found in the brick-and-mortar Visitors Center.”

A merchandise giveaway to celebrate the launch begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday and ends at 8 p.m. Thursday on Instagram. Follow @ColumbiaSC for more information.