Fox Cities Exhibition Center - Appleton, Wisconsin
Prior to its development, CSL provided a variety of feasibility, planning and advisory services associated with the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in downtown Appleton, Wisconsin.
Initially, in 2008, CSL was selected through a competitive bid process to conduct a feasibility study for a new convention/exhibition center for the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau (FCCVB) and the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. The scope of services included the analysis of local market conditions, competitive and comparable convention centers, regional industry characteristics and trends, market surveys of state and regional organizations, market supportable building program, site analysis, preliminary construction costs, financial operations and economic impacts.
In 2009, the CVB rehired CSL to provide professional services related to the planning, evaluation and transaction assistance concerning a potential public/private partnership agreement for a new convention center development and associated headquarters hotel (existing or new) in the Fox Cities area. Extensive research and analysis was conducted pertaining to comparable public/private partnership hotel/conference center projects throughout the country.
In 2013, CSL was next engaged to provide business planning advisory services, including an updated market analysis associated with the Exhibition Center (and the overall related convention facility product that includes existing conference space provided within the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel). In order to plan and implement a successful development, ownership, management and operational framework for the project based on industry best practices and to best protect the interests of the public sector, CSL provided targeted advisory assistance to the FCCVB and other relevant stakeholders in planning for funding, partner/stakeholder roles and other business planning aspects for the Exhibition Center.