ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — This weekend, the first-ever Empire State Strength & Fitness Expo will be held on Saturday, beginning at 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The expo is one example of the Capital Center’s growth over the last nine years.
From reptile shows, the Heart Ball, dance competitions, and gearing up for the Capital Region Chambers’ annual dinner, business is booming at Albany’s Capital Center.
“So you know the convention center originally was constructed to you know, really bolster that economic impact, bring groups and bring people into the city that had never been here before.
We all kind of were wondering what that was going to look like back in the day,” said Shannon Licygiewicz, General Manager of the Albany Capital Center.
The centrally located convention center celebrates 10 years in 2027.
A way they are ringing in the anniversary is by expanding their offerings.
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“We are doubling our space and physical size. We have about a little shy of 50,000 square feet of rentable space now. This time next year, there will be 84,000 square feet, which will add another ballroom, another multi-use space, five additional meeting rooms, plus an amazing courtyard,” said Monica Kurzejeski, Albany Convention Center Authority Executive Director and CEO.
The 54 million dollar project is expected to put Albany on the map and set an example for other smaller cities.
“It’s really appealing coming to a second-tier city, not only for the cost factor, but also for a little bit more of that mentality when you walk into a building. You know, you’re gonna get a higher level of service that maybe in a little bit more of a fast-paced, higher-volume area, you might not feel as much,” said Licygiewicz
It’s all happening at the same time. Governor Hochul has invested $400 million into developing the Capital City.
“I think it’s really important to know that there are a lot of different things that make a city thrive, and we should all be thinking as we design for our residents, because if residents are happy and residents enjoy the place they live, that will automatically blend into your visitors and visitors become future residents or future employees or the pipeline,” added Kurzejesk
In 2025 alone, they hosted 183 events, and over 115,000 visitors came through the door.
That’s an economic impact of over $17. 8 million.
