HOUSTON, Texas – Just in time for the John Hancock All-Star FanFest, July 9-13, the George R. Brown Convention Center now features wireless internet connections throughout the building and more than a dozen widescreens that will offer the latest in baseball news, information and schedules.

Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) will be available throughout FanFest at no charge, which means visitors can access wireless Internet service from anywhere in the building to their laptops. Online news, entertainment, e-mail, search engines, and more are now instantly accessible in the GRBCC. After FanFest, a minimal fee will be required to access the service.

Another technology upgrade to the GRBCC is 40-inch LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors in 17 locations throughout the building. During FanFest, the screens will constantly show All-Star baseball information, footage and schedules. For future events, the screens will be used to provide information to convention and show delegates on daily meeting schedules, breakout sessions, the latest in airline and flight information and local and national news. There will also be optional messages from convention or event sponsors and announcements of special events and entertainment options.

Improvements were also made to two of the GRBCC parking lots including repaving, lighting and fencing. Updated seasonal landscaping around the building supplied the finishing touches.

“The improvements made throughout the facility will add to the success of FanFest,” said GRBCC director Dawn Ullrich. “And for future business, the Wi-Fi and LCD screens will gives us an even greater advantage to be able to offer this technology to meeting planners. The ease of wireless Internet and informational screens throughout the building will truly speak to the needs of today’s convention delegates.”

At 1.85 million gross square feet, the GRBCC now ranks among the 10 largest convention centers in America. The building features 1.2 million square feet of exhibition, meeting and registration space and grew from four exhibit halls to seven and 43 meetings rooms to 117. For more information, please call 1-800-427-4697 or visit www.houstonconventionctr.com.

Contact:

Pete Radowick
713-853-8077
peter.radowick@cityofhouston.net

Anna Hawley
713-853-8287
anna.hawley@cityofhouston.net