If Columbia builds it, they will come. Convention center expansion good for SC’s capital

What if …

What if Walt Disney built Disney World somewhere else? What if Madison Square Garden never opened its doors? What if Philadelphia was still the capital of the United States?

Can you imagine what Orlando, New York City and Washington, D.C., respectively, might be like today? Would some of those famed cities even exist?

Not to be dramatic, all right perhaps it’s slightly dramatic, but what if Columbia misses a similar opportunity by not expanding its convention center?

The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center bills itself as “South Carolina’s only downtown convention center.” A noteworthy distinction to be sure.

It boasts of being centrally located “in the middle of a vibrant urban scene with dynamite eats, world-class attractions, breweries and a never-ending roster of festivals and live music.”

It touts the Cola City’s accommodations, sports, warm weather and even the less sexy “manageable traffic.”

But then there’s the nitty gritty of it.

How much space does it offer? According to the website, the 142,500 square foot facility features a 16,700 square foot ballroom, 18,560 square feet of meeting space, and a 23,700 square foot exhibit hall.

That equals 58,960 square feet of potential exhibit space. How much do the city’s competitors have?

There’s 150,000 square feet in Charleston and 131,000 square feet in Myrtle Beach. Yes, even Augusta and Athens, Georgia, have more exhibit space.

Developer Ben Arnold says he’s ready to invest in Columbia, proposing a suite of construction projects including 675 full-service hotel rooms, 195 apartments, a 1,600-space parking garage,200,000 square feet of new office space, and multiple restaurants.

The anticipated result of that development? About 2,000 permanent jobs and $7 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years.

But the investment is tied to expansion of the city’s convention center exhibit space.

It’s an ambitious proposal and it requires millions of dollars of public and private investment and that means government leaders must act and decide whether the investment - an estimated $70 million - is a step they are willing to take..

“Time is of the essence. I’m not just going to wait around,” Arnold said. “Taking your time is not going to work when the rest of the world is moving forward.”

What does moving forward look like? Columbia and Richland County would need to finance around $70 million to pay for the convention center’s expansion. And like any government project, the question is how to pay for it.

Current proposals include using some combination of tourism development fees and accommodations taxes as well as help from the state government in the form of a budget line item.

For the most part, city officials and tourism leaders seem to agree the expansion is necessary, though City Councilman Daniel Rickenmann, who represents District 4, said now may not be the right time to tackle the expansion.

But, if not now, when?

Certainly the city and its leaders must act on behalf of their constituents. Certainly developers like Arnold have a financial interest.

The question is can this plan serve both?

If the city does the work, conducts the necessary studies and surveys and finds the project will enhance the city’s economic future, then it must go forward.

With each day that passes, the chances future Columbians will find themselves asking what if only increases.