Casper Area Convention & Visitors Bureau - (800) 852-1889
For over 25 years, the big, red roof of the Casper Events Center has been a defining landmark at the top of a hill overlooking the city. Though it was designed to host major events and tradeshows, no one at the time could anticipate just how varied those events would eventually become and how the Events Center would bring new meaning to the word "accommodating."
"We host over 200 events and have approximately 300,000 attendees come through our doors each year," says Tiffine Canepa, Marketing Director for the Casper Events Center. "The Events Center provides a venue for entertainment, for trade shows, conferences and conventions. We host sporting events, we bring in the Broadway series, and we have one of the most renowned rodeo events in the United States."
Contributing to this variety of events is the centralized location of the facility. Casper is nearly equidistant between Billings, Rapid City, Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha and Boise, which makes the Events Center an ideal site for regional conventions, trade shows and special events. "Because of our central location, we play a major role, if not the primary role, in major events that come to Wyoming," Canepa says. "We're off major interstates, we're a venue of its own kind and size in Wyoming, and we're a great stop for any tours that are happening."
In years past, the Events Center has been proud host to a wide variety of theatrical and musical acts, ranging from big-name recording artists (the Eagles, Garth Brooks and Elton John, to name a few) to the highly-successful Best of Broadway series. The Events Center has also hosted such events as the first LEGO League State Robotics Competition, fundraisers for the Boys & Girls Club, numerous business expos, the National Indoor Football League Games and the University of Wyoming Cowboy Shootout.
It goes without saying, the Casper Events Center could never host such varied events if it weren't designed with flexibility in mind. The facility, Canepa says, excels at "being adaptable, and being flexible in our configurations; being able to take it from a family show in a theatre configuration and turning it overnight into a dirt event that is attracting people from all over the United States, to a convention or conference for a local business the following day." And the staff helps every event, regardless of what type it is, go off without a hitch. "We have a long-term and devoted staff, and that's what allows us to be so diversified and make so many transitions from one event to the other," Canepa says.
The building allows for any number of configurations and uses, including exhibit halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, theatres, sporting arenas and full concert stages. Each event is staged in the most professional manner, and is often paired with other amenities such as a full-service catering kitchen, alcohol service, concession stands and a friendly, experienced staff ready to make each event a success.
And there is one other factor that contributes to the success of the Events Center - the city of Casper itself. Not only is it Wyoming's shopping, entertainment and media center, it is also an active person's dream. The mountains, rivers and lakes near Casper offer abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation such as skiing, boating, hiking, camping, golfing, hunting and fishing. At the same time, an ice arena, professional baseball and football teams, fine museums, movie theatres, nightclubs and theatres for the performing arts provide for indoor relaxation. Numerous hotels and motels, a large shopping mall, and countless quality dining establishments offer every amenities for visitors to the city, with the Natrona County Airport and Interstate 25 provide convenient access to Casper. "There really is a little bit of something for everyone," Canepa says, " which makes our community very attractive."
As Casper continues to grow, so will the range of services and events that the Events Center hosts. "Right now, we are working on an era where we are more proactive, and actually booking more shows," says Canepa. "When your promoters leave knowing that they can come back and that they've got a community that's going to support them, that's what you're proud of."
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The Casper Events Center hosts over 200 happenings annually - everything from concerts and sporting events to meetings and conventions of all sizes. No matter what type of function they're hosting, the Events Center strives to exceed expectations, ensuring that everything is staged in the most professional manner.
For concerts, theatre, and sports events, the horseshoe-shaped arena offers full or half house seating. The view is totally unobstructed, allowing anywhere from 2,000 plus to over 10,000 awestruck fans to be swept away, no matter what the event.
Trade shows and conferences utilize another variation of the Events Center's capabilities. The exhibit space can accommodate up to a total of 256 booths, sized 6' x 10 to 10' x 10'. Almost all booth spaces include electric service upon request, not to mention exhibitor/decorating services.
For smaller functions, there are five different meeting rooms available (Mormon, Oregon, Bridger, Summit and Conference) which are able to morph into various configurations and sizes. Theatre and Classroom style layouts are available and, contingent upon how many of the rooms are being used at a time, can hold anywhere from 16 people all the way up to 450 people.
The Events Center also provides the special services and equipment needed for the success of any affair. The sound system can accommodate anything from sporting events and concert or theatrical productions to conferences of any size. The latest lighting option packages are available, and standard items such as tables, chairs and message boards upon request. Dressing rooms are provided for all events, with varying amenities. There's also a full-service catering kitchen, ensuring that meals can be supplied for up to 1,000 people, and banquets can be held for up to 2,000.
All of this is brought about by a friendly, experienced and professional staff. Registration personnel, maintenance, medical and security are more of the services offered to help make your event a success. And of course, the Events Center is Handicap Accessible.
Flexibility and versatility are two of the most important components that make the Casper Events Center an ideal place to bring such a variety of education and entertainment opportunities. Not only does the Events Center's state-of-the-art facilities make life easy on those who utilize it, it ensures that the thousands of people who attend functions here every year will have the best experience possible. For more information on the Casper Events Center, call 800-442-2256 or visit their website at www.caspereventscenter.com.
Carrie Underwood - "Carnival Ride Tour" with Special Guest - Josh Turner
May 14th
The World Famous "LIPIZZANER STALLIONS"
May 25th
CAVALRY HOME GAME: CAVS vs. ARIZONA ADRENALINE
May 30th
CAVALRY HOME GAME: CAVS vs. UTAH SAINTS
June 6th
Half-Marathon and Marathon Relay
June 8th
2008 Casper Marathon
June 8th
Motocross Race
July 5th
Motocross Races (HPMA 2-day)
July 12th
Motocross Races (HPMA 2-day)
July 13th
5TH ANNUAL WHITEWATER RODEO
July 26th