Local tech entrepreneur Al Hildebrandt has revealed ambitious plans for a new conference centre at the site of the New Life Church property along Highway 97.
According to Hildebrandt, the project is meant to address the city’s shortage of large-scale event spaces.
The project, located at what Hildebrandt calls the Main Street Center, stems from Hildebrandt’s purchase of the 2.76-acre site at 2041 Harvey Ave. in 2023.
The ambitious project proposes a 300-room hotel built with mass timber and two levels of conference facilities totalling 75,000 to 80,000 square feet of usable space.
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Hildebrandt said there are the potential 450 stalls for underground parking to support the development, which is designed to host multiple events simultaneously.
Hildebrandt, who is the project owner and developer of Impact UPstream Ventures, emphasized the project’s potential to attract national-level conferences, noting that Kelowna has not added significant conference space since the 1990s.
“We’re missing so many conferences that are going elsewhere. So many conventions, trade shows,” he said during an interview with KelownaNow video host Jim Csek.
He highlighted how the facility could accommodate two 1,500-person events at once.
“In terms of size, this is about two and a half times larger than what you see at the Delta Grand downtown,” Hildebrandt said.
The project was initially intended for condos before market shifts prompted a pivot.
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“I looked for what would be of greater use for the community,” Hildebrandt explained.
“We needed a national level, national scale conference centre, because we are losing that battle across the country.”
He pointed to examples like Penticton’s convention centre, which generates upwards to $100 million in economic activity annually.
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The project team just “got going on” this project in June so it is still in the pre-application phase with the City of Kelowna, the project requires input from the Ministry of Transportation due to its highway location.
Hildebrandt is seeking private sector funding initially and plans to launch an impact feasibility study next month.
He anticipates government support for what he describes as an “infrastructure business opportunity” beneficial to the entire region.
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Hildebrandt also addressed the site’s advantages, including easy access and closer proximity to the airport than hotels and conference centres downtown.
“Getting people in and out of a place is important,” he noted, contrasting it with challenges at other venues like Prospera Place.
If funding is secured by the end of next year, construction could begin, potentially transforming the under-utilized property into an iconic landmark.
“This could be really iconic for the future, a business attractor,” Hildebrandt said.
More details are available at conferencekelowna.ca.
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