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Oregon Convention Center 2008 Annual Report

"The Oregon Convention Center produced record revenues and made major strides in leading the green meeting industry in 2008. In fiscal year 2007-08, OCC generated, through enterprise services, $16,862,000 in revenue with an economic impact of $441,512,000 for the tri-county region. Each year, the Oregon Convention Center supports roughly 4,800 jobs as a result of our conventions and meetings business,confirming year in and year out, the return on investment made by Oregonians twenty years ago..."

» Download the Oregon Convention Center 2008 Annual Report

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"The Oregon Convention Center produced record revenues and made major strides in leading the green meeting industry in 2008. In fiscal year 2007-08, OCC generated, through enterprise services, $16,862,000 in revenue with an economic impact of $441,512,000 for the tri-county region. Each year, the Oregon Convention Center supports roughly 4,800 jobs as a result of our conventions and meetings business,confirming year in and year out, the return on investment made by Oregonians twenty years ago..."

» Download the Oregon Convention Center 2008 Annual Report

» Get the Adobe Reader

Post-event effort delivers over 20,000 pounds of food donations to the Oregon Food Bank

Communication and cooperation between the convention center, show management and a local charity results in a highly successful donation effort and landfill diversion.

The DPI Specialty Food Show recently partnered with the Oregon Food Bank and the Oregon Convention Center to help reduce the amount of food waste bound for the landfill and donate quality food products to organizations feeding the hungry in our community. With the show management initiative and coordination, as well as the assistance of staff from the OFB and the OCC, more than 35 pallets of food -- a total of 20,614 pounds -- was collected and donated to St. Vincent de Paul. Donated food included items such as specialty cheeses, meats, breads, packaged meals, cakes, sauces, and fish.

According to Hilary Eyres of the Oregon Food Bank, food shows of similar size generally generate 8,500 to 10,000 pounds of donations. "I was anticipating a 50-75% increase in donated product, but we more than doubled what we normally average at food shows.”

Pre-event communication between DPI, OFB and OCC helped to coordinate logistics ahead of time. In addition, information was included in vendor packets and at the pre-show vendor meetings. OFB representatives visited vendor booths shortly before the close of the show, encouraging them to bring donated items to pallet stations or to leave items at their booths with “FOOD BANK” signs attached. DPI staff, OFB volunteers and OCC staff also helped to box and gather donated food. Food that was not able to be donated -- displays, samples or opened packages -- was composted.

All agreed that it was the pre-planning and commitment of all three parties that made the collection effort so successful.

"The OCC crew was extremely helpful after the show - collecting compostable items and donations left on booth tables," said Brittin Witzenburg, OCC's Sustainability Coordinator. "It took a well-coordinated effort to capture this much for the Oregon Food Bank, and I appreciated everyone’s participation and enthusiasm."

Oregon Food Bank recovers food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. It then distributes that food to 20 regional food banks across Oregon. Sixteen are independent charitable organizations. OFB directly operates the four regional food banks serving the Portland metro area, Tillamook and southeast Oregon. Those four centers distribute food weekly to more than 340 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other programs helping low-income individuals in Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, Washington, Tillamook, Malheur and Harney counties.

Contact:
Brittin Witzenburg
Sustainability Coordinator
Oregon Convention Center
503.731.7949
BrittinWitzenburg@oregoncc.org

Oregon Convention Center making "mooves" to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Next time you walk down Oregon Convention Center's Ginkoberry Lane you’ll probably notice an attractive bovine grazing across from our Sustainability Wall. Don’t worry - she hasn’t lost her way from the farm. She’s sharing the climate change story with everyone who passes by.

In partnership with NW Natural, the OCC will permanently house the art cow display, highlighting our participation in the Smart Energy program. Starting January 1, 2009 the OCC began offsetting 100% of the carbon emissions from its natural gas use through the Smart Energy program. The program is designed to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These projects include a biodigester at a farm in Boardman, Oregon, that captures methane gas from cow manure and keeps it out of the atmosphere, where it is a 21 times more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. The captured methane will be used on‐site as a renewable energy source. The OCC’s participation in the Smart Energy program helps reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere and supports renewable energy development in our state.

Feel free to pay our new friend a visit and learn a little more about climate change. Just another way OCC is practicing sustainability.

“Fight global warming, one cow pie at a time.”

For more information on Oregon Convention Center's sustainable practices and client options, contact Brittin Witzenburg, Sustainability Coordinator, at 503.731.7949, or by email BrittinWitzenburg@oregoncc.org.