Our guest on this episode of the Insights Podcast is Carrie Cussons, the CEO of Events East, the special purpose government agency partnership between the Province of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Regional Municipality responsible for managing both the Halifax Convention Centre and Scotiabank Centre. There was considerable early criticism about the decision to build the new convention centre. The convention centre opened in December 2017 and, despite operating during a period that included Covid, has proven the critics wrong, attracting 3.3 million attendees at its facilities and generating economic benefits of between $100 and $125 million annually to the economy in Nova Scotia.
The new convention centre is three times larger than the previous facility with 120,000 sq ft of available space. It can accommodate conferences for 3,000 people and multiple events at a time. Before the new convention centre, between 4-5 national and international conferences were attracted to the city. In the coming year, 46 such events are scheduled. This underscores the importance of investment in public infrastructure like convention centres to stimulate economic activity and be a catalyst for development in the downtown core, as has happened in Halifax.
What is Insights with Don Mills and David Campbell- An Acadia Broadcasting Podcast?
This podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, to promote data-driven decision making among policymakers and to encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region. Expect to hear interviews with the top influencers, business leaders and decision-makers across Atlantic Canada to inform, educate and expand the conversations on the key issues facing the region.