The Knoxville Convention and Exhibition Center will now be known as the World's Fair Exhibition Hall.
The rebranding was announced Wednesday by SMG, the entertainment and venue management company that operates the city-owned facility. The Knoxville Convention and Exhibition Center is located next to the Holiday Inn and the Tennessean Hotel, across the street from the Knoxville Convention Center.
SMG also operates the convention center.
The KCEC has been used as overflow space as bookings at the Knoxville Convention Center have increased, but is in need of improvements, SMG said. Mayor Madeline Rogero and the Knoxville City Council have approved $2.1 million in this year's budget for updates to the building. The improvements include work on the HV/AC unit, the roof and remodeled bathrooms.
The exhibition center was built for the 1982 World's Fair and faces the World's Fair Park Festival Lawn.
The building has three convention halls and a total of 66,396 square feet.
