What) The Washington State Convention Center is located next to and over Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle adjacent to Freeway Park. Planning began in 1982, construction began in 1985 and the center opened in 1988. An expansion that doubled the usable space was undertaken from 1999 to 2001. Currently, it has 307,700 square feet (28,590 m2) of total meeting space and averages over 400,000 visitors a year. A $766 million proposed expansion, to be completed by 2014, would double the exhibit space once again. (1)
Where) 800 Convention Place
Why) I
walked through the street level entrance to the convention
center at least 40 times on my way to and from the bridge
playing area. It took me at least 10 trips before I
really even noticed the large statue of an Indian Chief that
stands in one part of a small coffee shop. By my last
trip through the lobby, this Chief was all I was noticing and
thinking about. 
