Presented by: Proposed Sports and Event Complex in Coeur d ...

Conventions, Conferences, Exhibitions and Meetings
One of Coeur d’Alene’s strengths as a convention and meeting destination is its status as a
popular resort community. Event planners often prefer to bring events to markets that offer
attractions and activities outside of the event venue, enhancing the experience of event delegates.
While many resort communities have relatively poor access, the Coeur d’Alene market is
serviced by the Spokane International Airport, located 40 miles to the west. In addition, Coeur
d’Alene’s proximity to Interstate Highway 90 provides convenient highway access.
Coeur d’Alene is currently home to two primary flat floor event venues: the Coeur d’Alene
Resort and Conference Center and the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. As noted in the Local
Market Conditions Analysis, the Resort offers approximately 23,700 square feet of conference
and meeting space, including 15,100 square feet of contiguous space, and 338 hotel rooms. The
Resort’s conference and meeting offerings are relatively upscale, featuring carpeted floors,
chandeliers and other such décor. The upscale environment provided by the Resort makes the
facility attractive for small conference, corporate meetings, banquets, wedding receptions and
other such events.
However, several factors limit the types of events the facility can attract. Events requiring more
than 15,100 square feet of contiguous space cannot be accommodated at the Resort. Further, the
facility’s upscale décor is not appropriate for certain events such as car shows that are not
appropriate for a carpeted venue. Finally, the Resort has relatively high rates, which impacts its
ability to host consumer shows and other such events that require the event organizer to limit
expenses in order to achieve profitability.
Coeur d’Alene’s second major flat floor event venue, the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, varies
significantly from the Resort in terms of the type, quality and cost of the event spaces offered.
The Fairgrounds offers six buildings for rent, providing a total of 40,400 square feet. The largest
contiguous space is the 16,500-square foot Jacklin Building, which is only rented from May
through September. The 9,600-square foot Building 1 is the largest contiguous, year-round
space offered at the Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds offer a relatively basic level of amenities and
lower rental costs as compared to the Resort. The Fairgrounds venues host primarily consumer
shows (gun shows, craft shows, holiday shows, etc.).
While the Resort and the Fairgrounds fill two largely distinct event niches, there may be
opportunities for a new facility in Coeur d’Alene to tap into flat floor event demand that is not
being met by either existing facility. This primarily includes events that require more space than
is offered by the Resort or the Fairgrounds.
The proposed facility could potentially host large conventions and conferences featuring
corporations and state and regional associations that are too large to be accommodated by the
Resort. However, these types of events often require significant breakout space in addition to the
main assembly venue. While the proposed facility’s main arena could host large group
functions, several smaller meeting and banquet rooms would likely be required to accommodate
Feasibility Analysis of a New Sports and Event Complex in Coeur d’Alene
Market Demand Analysis
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