Governor Announces Reopening Guidelines

September 23, 2020 —Tacoma, Washington – Governor Inslee announced guidelines for convention centers as part of Washington’s Safe Start reopening plan, allowing the Greater Tacoma Convention Center to reopen to business meetings, testing and educational opportunities for up to 200 people or 30% capacity, per meeting room. Public venues have been closed since March due to COVID-19.

Tacoma Venues & Events staff are following the strict guidelines issued and will be implementing the following safety and health protocols in the coming months:
  • Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star Accreditation - GBAC Star Certification is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities.
  • HVAC upgrades to improve air quality BiPolar ionization units will reduce contaminated air particles protecting people from airborne bacteria and viruses.
  • Electrostatic sprayers will thoroughly disinfect between meetings. Electrostatic cleaning is a means of spraying a fine mist of positively charged disinfectant particles that adhere to surfaces and objects.
  • Water fountains will be replaced by single bottle fillers in public lobby areas. All restroom facility fixtures will be touchless.
  • UVC cleaning technology added to escalators.
  • Employee training and healthy workplace protocols including PPE.
  • Frequent cleaning and sanitation during events, and the provision of hand sanitizer.
  • Physical distancing throughout including working with clients on adapted seating arrangements in meeting spaces. Enforcement of physical distancing by staff in common areas such as lobbies, elevators and at entry ways. Staggered event times if there are multiple events in the facility.
  • Food and beverage service modifications.
  • Touch-free (pay through app) parking.
  • Communicate clearly and consistently all policies and practices both in advance and on site with physical signage reminders.
  • A controlled environment where attendees are pre-registered and contact information is retained by event planners.

Working together with the Washington Safe Meeting and Convention Coalition (WSMCC), Tacoma Venues & Events proposed standards to be upheld in convention centers and large hotels across the state in order to host business events. Providing educational and professional development opportunities with the reopening of meeting space creates positive economic impact for employees and the surrounding communities.

The Greater Tacoma Convention Center will soon adjoin the new 4-star, 304 room Marriott Tacoma Downtown hotel scheduled to open this fall.

 

Media contact:
Tammi Bryant
Director of Marketing
Tacoma Venues & Events
tbryant@tacomavenues.org
425.343.2462