Toronto’s Exhibition Place Debuts Immersive VR Tour of Beanfield Centre

August 24, 2023

For decades, on-site tours of meeting and event facilities have played an essential role in helping event planners make well-informed decisions about venue and space selection and logistics. But with event professionals facing increasing time, budget and travel limitations, digital site tours using virtual reality (VR) technology have become an increasingly helpful tool in enabling planners to explore venues from anywhere in the world without having to leave the office. 

Today’s VR tours offer immersive and realistic experiences, allowing planners to navigate through event spaces, view different room setups and understand layouts as if they were physically there. Besides being a cost-effective solution, digital tours save planners time by allowing them to quickly assess multiple venues in a short period of time, thus accelerating the venue selection process. 

As a result, more destinations and event facilities are creating VR tours to meet the growing demand of event clients. Case in point: Toronto’s Exhibition Place, which recently unveiled an immersive VR tour of one of its state-of-the-art meeting and event facilities, Beanfield Centre, at the 2023 Canadian Meetings + Events Expo (CMEE), held Aug. 15-16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 

How it works

Beanfield Centre VR Tour

Meeting and event professionals at CMEE were able to immerse themselves in a “digital twin” of Beanfield Centre’s facilities through branded VR viewers. Beyond being able to virtually explore the space, planners were able to navigate through various room layouts and setups – from banquet to classroom – to better envision how the venue’s versatile spaces can be used for events of all shapes and sizes.

The Beanfield Centre VR tour can be made accessible through a link where meeting planners can experience the tour and peruse room setups through branded VR Viewers. Those interested can reach out to the facility’s sales team at: sales@explace.on.ca. Meanwhile, check out a preview video here.

Why it matters

According to Exhibition Place General Manager Laura Purdy, the facility’s new VR tour caters to the industry’s demand for digital connectivity and reflects Exhibition Place’s dedication to being at the forefront of innovation.

“We’re excited to offer this leading-edge technology [to enhance] the site visit experience for meeting planners,” Purdy said. “Similar to our debut of Wi-Fi 6 at the Beanfield Centre in 2022, this VR Tour responds to the need for enhanced digital connectivity across the meetings and events industry. It has become clear that these advances are resonating within our industry, and we’re excited to be among the first in Canada to offer a VR Tour for a venue on this scale.”  

Back story

Purdy said the Exhibition Place team decided to move forward with a VR tour of Beanfield Centre after researching trends and recognizing the need for enhanced digital connectivity to meet the demand of today’s events, the majority of which rely heavily on technology. The team then tapped and collaborated with Toronto-based agency Narrative Pictures in a process that involved scanning Beanfield’s rooms and furniture to build the digital version of its spaces virtually.

The 160,000-square-foot Beanfield Centre is a LEED Silver conference venue, designed for meetings, conventions and galas. Located in the former Automotive Building, the Art Deco structure is connected to Enercare Centre, offering 1 million square feet of exhibition space. 

What’s next

The Exhibition Place campus is currently exploring the possibility of expanding its VR tour to encompass its additional venues, which include the award-winning LEED Platinum Enercare Centre, Canada’s largest exhibition and convention venue, according to Exhibition Place officials.

The Beanfield Centre VR tour can be made accessible through a link that allows meeting planners can experience the tour and peruse room setups through branded VR Viewers. Those interested can reach out to the facility’s sales team at: sales@explace.on.ca. Meanwhile, check out a preview video here.

Beanfield Centre VR Tour

 

 

 

 

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact