 Somerset, N.J.—In what could be the first sign of an emerging network of New Jersey meeting/event venues, the Garden State Exhibit Center (GSEC) has been acquired by the ownership interest of the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center (NJCEC) in Edison. The new owners, a leading property management company in New Jersey, is expected to soon unveil its official name for this new regional meeting/events venue management firm. Meanwhile, the synergies of having two meeting venues in the same state and in relatively close proximity to each other (they’re about a 15 minute drive apart) are already being felt.
"This opportunity will now enable us to offer an economy of scale with both service and pricing to all current and potential clients looking to host an event in the Northeast," said Joseph Cascio, Managing Director of the NJCEC and now of the GSEC as well.
 According to Cascio managing two nearby facilities, which total in excess of 230,000 square feet of meeting and event space, allows the management team to coordinate all aspects of event and exhibitor service. "While both venues will have individual on-site sales offices, booking will also be coordinated through the Management Arm which will enable the possibility of event incubation and crossover in both facilities," said Cascio.
The centralized location of both venues allows them to draw on populations in New York as well as Philadelphia—in addition to the economically robust Northern New Jersey market. The venues are located approximately 45 minutes south of New York City, 65 minutes north of Philadelphia, and about 15 minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport and accessible to major highways. "These are multi-use venues, catering to consumer and trade events, banquets, conferences, and cultural functions," Cascio added.
The GSEC features approximately 70,000 square feet of exhibit space as well as 50,000 square feet of additional meeting space. There are more than 1,500 hotel rooms within walking distance of the venue, which also is connected to newly renovated, Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, featuring 361 "over-sized" guest rooms, 10 conference rooms,10,080-square-foot grand ballroom, 3,480-square-foot social ballroom and eight executive workshop parlors.
 The NJCEC boasts 150,000 sq. ft., including the Edison Conference Center, a 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Conference Center, with a major ballroom, a junior ballroom, and 3-4 meeting rooms, depending on configuration. "The bread and butter of both venues has been consumer shows, which has been mainly weekend business," Cascio added. "We will be targeting additional trade and association business at both venues but more specifically at GSEC. We have noticed an increase in demand for these midweek events as both trade and association business grow out of the hotel space. We feel with our ideal locations, in house services and facilities, we have the perfect match."
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