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18 | I NSIGH T • F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 0 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m • PLACES continued Ready for new opportunities $93 million Brown County Exhibition Center opening in 2021 A year from now, the corner of Oneida Street and Armed Forces Drive in Ashwaubenon will have a completely different look as the new Brown County Exhibition Center opens. e $93 million center will bring a whole new dimension to the Green Bay area's convention and meeting space, says Brad Toll, president and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. While the area has the KI Convention Center and the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, the Resch Center and the Lambeau Field Atrium to host large events, there was no space clearly designed for exhibitions, he says. "We're excited about having 125,000 square feet of flat floor space," Toll says. "It's really a unique space and opens up a whole new market for us. We'll be able to host huge trade shows as well as some sporting events." e second floor of the exhibition center will include six rooms that can be used for planners or for smaller presentations. e space also offers a bar that can be used during receptions. "e building is very flexible. We can divide the expo space," Toll says. "Outside, there will be a deck that overlooks B Y M A R Y B E T H M AT Z E K Lambeau Field that can also be used." e exhibition center will be connected to the Resch Center, so there's a possibility of using both spaces for a single event. PMI will sell the building, and the convention bureau will search for leads. "We already have some events lined up and the interest has been high," Toll says. e new building replaces the old Brown County Arena and Shopko Hall, which both had some structural issues. "ose two spaces weren't designed as big expo spaces," Toll says. e exhibition center, which will open next January, is being funded through the county's room tax. Window to the world Austin Straubel International Airport continues to see growth in passenger traffic and the number of flights. In the past year, the airport welcomed a new carrier, Frontier Airlines, which added seasonal flights to Denver and Orlando, says Airport Director Marty Piette. "It was great being able to add that fourth carrier. It's a big deal to bring in a new carrier. ey do a lot of research to see what the potential support could be," he says. "Now that these flights are here, we need to support them so they continue." Piette says most of the flights to Denver were at or near capacity, and the Orlando flights, which recently started, also seem popular among area residents. "Our goal is to get more people to start their trips here rather than driving to Milwaukee or Chicago," he says. "It's more convenient — no long drives, don't need to worry about getting a hotel or paying a large amount for parking." United Airlines, one of four commercial airlines at Austin Straubel, recently started operating the CRJ-550 aircra at the airport. e airplane seats 50, including a first-class section, and has plenty of storage for carry-on bags. In addition to offering commercial flights, Austin Straubel is home to two fixed base operators — Jet Air and Executive Air — which provide maintenance to private airplanes, airline and general aviation fuel, charter services and pilot training. Piette says a lot of private planes fly in and out of the airport, with home Green Bay Packers games and the Experimental Aircra Association's annual AirVenture each July providing the highest traffic levels. e airport recently completed a ramp expansion project to provide more parking space for planes. "We easily have 200 to 250 extra planes here for every Packers game," says Piette, adding the airport expects more private planes than usual this September when the Ryder Cup comes to Whistling Straits in Sheboygan County. "We have an onsite customs site that our private planes can use. ey can fly in here, use our customs service and then stay here or fly on to their final destination. at makes us attractive to some travelers." Passenger traffic increased 9.9 percent The new $93 million Brown County Exhibition Center will open early in 2021. G R E AT E R G R E E N B AY C O N V E N T I O N A N D V I S I T O R S B U R E A U