Wilderman Group to Manage LeGrand Center, the new $19-million conference center in Cleveland County

The conference center is the result of collaboration of county government, a public school system and a community college.
 
Feb. 14, 2012 - PRLog -- Kristin D. Kurie, President of The Wilderman Group, announced today that the Charleston, SC-based management group was selected by the Cleveland County, North Carolina Board of Education, County Board of Commissioners and the Cleveland Community College Foundation Board to manage the new LeGrand Center, a $19-million, 40,000 square–foot conference center set within the new 89,000 square foot building in Shelby, NC.

Kurie notes that the technologically advanced Conference Center is slated to open in late summer 2012 and is expected to “represent a significant selling point for Cleveland County”. The LeGrand Center is designed to meet the strict criteria established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This will be one of the largest LEED-certified projects in Cleveland County and will utilize modern, energy-efficient materials, utilize natural lighting and feature cutting-edge conference technology for both the education and conference spaces. Environmental/sustainable features will be implemented throughout the Center. The sustainable design will follow the rigorous standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and innovative design.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Green buildings are safer, healthier, more comfortable, and more durable than conventional structures.

The new conference center will also feature advanced conference technology and audio/visual capabilities to enhance the meeting experience and add efficiencies and convenience to other events such as banquets and social gatherings. The LeGrand Center will part of Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities which helps transform physical communities into connected communities that can help realize sustainable economic growth, enable environmental sustainability, and enhance the quality of life.
The County boasts a comprehensive economic development strategy, known as Focus Cleveland, which has explored six areas of development including economic development, entrepreneurial efforts, government, infrastructure, marketing, and work force.

According to former County Manager David Dear, the facility will be “a magnet for economic growth and development in Cleveland County”. The Wilderman Group has already begun to establish relationships with local community-based organizations for new opportunities for their meetings and events. “This opens up a whole new chance for special local events” said Kurie, “including school proms, weddings, family celebrations, reunions and other occasions.”

The conference center is the result of collaboration of county government, a public school system and a community college. The center will house public and education spaces, necessitating two distinct levels of space programming for three unique partners. The Center will also feature flexible, purpose-designed flexible meeting space expandable to 20,000 square feet and will seat up to 1,000 people banquet style and 1,700 theater style. Integrated conference technology will be incorporated in the multiple breakout spaces with fingertip controls for presentations and communication. Three conference rooms will also include video conference capabilities as well as a private boardroom for economic development negotiations and a comfortable and efficient green room is available for meeting prep for VIPs, media, speakers, presenters, panelists, and other meeting and event hosts.

The Center was designed by Holland and Hamrick Architects of Shelby, NC. They have been providing complete design services for clients in Cleveland and Rutherford Counties and the surrounding region for almost 80 years.

LeGrand Center is conveniently located in Shelby on the campus of Cleveland Community College less than one hour from downtown Charlotte and easily accessible to major airports including Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and Greenville-Spartanburg Airport.

The Center is 45 miles to Charlotte, NC; 66 miles to Greenville/Spartanburg, SC; 80 miles to Ashville, NC; 39 miles to Hickory, NC; and 212 miles to Raleigh, NC.  Shelby-Cleveland County Regional Airport is convenient to the 250-acre Cleveland Industrial Park just five miles from Interstate 85 in Kings Mountain.

The Wilderman Group is based in Charleston, SC and maintains a unique position in the management and operations of LEED-registered, municipally owned conference facilities in the Southeast. According to Ms Kurie, their ability to manage multiple properties has afforded them recognition for their capabilities to offer shared resources such as sales, marketing, operations, purchasing/procurement which allows for greater efficiencies and the retention of dollars to their respective communities.

“This facility is ideal for day meetings, special events, regional conferences and trade shows” says Kurie. The Wilderman Group will continue to establish and maintain local partnerships with select businesses and organizations to help strengthen the economy, grow and sustain jobs, and keep dollars in the community.

THE WILDERMAN GROUP is a woman-owned hospitality management company that specializes in operating meeting and event venues, and civic and community developments throughout the Southeast. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, The Wilderman Group is a full-service management firm with a team of industry experts in all areas of hospitality including, operations, sales and marketing management, food and beverage, environmental programs and an emphasis on supporting local economies and strengthening communities. Their “sleeves-rolled-up” style of management focuses on success – from the owner’s perspective. For details on the capabilities and services offered by The Wilderman Group, visit the website at www.TheWildermanGroup.com or call 843.670.5056.

THE WILDERMAN GROUP is committed to environmental stewardship and is a proud and active member of the US Green Building Council’s South Carolina Chapter, Georgia Chapter, Charlotte Regional Chapter, and the International Association of Conference Centers.
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