 The Tulsa Convention Center unveiled the centerpiece of its expansion and renovation in January with a Grand Opening celebration of the Tulsa Ballroom. The ribbon cutting and debut of the ballroom—proclaimed the largest ballroom in Oklahoma—capped of the completion of the Center’s renovation.
Construction on the new Tulsa Ballroom and renovation on the facility were completed in November 2009. Both projects were completed on time and on budget. "The addition of the Tulsa Ballroom and the renovation to the Tulsa Convention Center makes us an even more exciting destination," said John Bolton, CFE General Manager, Tulsa Convention Center.
The Tulsa Ballroom features more than 30,000 square feet of elegant appointed space, divisible into two sections (1/3 and 2/3). The new ballroom was the centerpiece of the renovation and expansion of the Tulsa Convention Center, which also included construction of an additional seven meeting rooms—all adjacent to the ballroom—bringing the total up to 35 meeting rooms at the venue, which also includes an enclosed pedestrian skybridge that connecting the Convention Center to its  headquarter hotel, the Doubletree Hotel—Downtown Tulsa, a full-service hotel as well as a 102,600-square-foot Exhibit Hall, 20,000-square-foot Conference Hall, 7,700-square-foot Assembly Hall and an 8,900-seat Tulsa
In addition, the venue features High-speed, wireless internet access available in all areas of the building and is in close proximity to the new 18,000-seat BOK Center. The expanded Tulsa Convention Center and the new arena allows for expanded space for large conventions, exhibitions and co-hosted events. Both the Tulsa Convention Center and the BOK Center are managed by SMG. "The additional space makes the Convention Center a better option for regional and national planners looking for large, flexible meeting and event space in a centralized location," added Bolton, who is also General Manager of the BOK Center.
The Grand Opening of the new Tulsa Ballroom, an invitation only, VIP Reception, featured comments by Dewey Bartlett, Mayor of Tulsa, and John Bolton, General Manager of both the Tusla Convention Center and the BOK Center General Manager. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in the glass-walled, stunning Ballroom Gallery, the entrance way to the space. Four days after the ceremony, on January 16th, a Public Open House was held, which included live musical performances by local musicians Admiral Twin and Earl Clark, building tours, giveaways and $1-specials on all concessions items. More than 4,000 area residents attended the event.
 Of course, several events had long been booked into the new ballroom prior to the Grand Opening gala. The first full ballroom event was an Award Banquet, that took placed during the Hilti Annual Meeting—an event that was also the first to utilized many of the new and newly renovated meeting rooms . Other January events at the Convention Center include Oklahoma Music Educators, the Wide Open Motorcycle Magazine Show, Barbizon Modeling Classes, Green Clean Expo, the Midwest Sportsmen’s Society Show and the Tulsa 66ers NBADL basketball games.
Several local galas have already confirmed ballroom space in 2010 including Youth Services’ "Blank Canvas", Alzheimer’s Association’s "Memory Gala," Tulsa Advertising Federation’s "ADDY Awards" and Oklahomans for Equality’s "Anniversary Gala."
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