Puerto Rico Convention Center Hosts Association of General Contractors of America
November 16, 2020
The Puerto Rico Convention Center hosted its first event since achieving GBAC STAR accreditation — the only Caribbean facility to do so — last month. The meeting of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC) on Oct. 17 featured a debate among local governorship candidates as well as the organization’s annual convention. More importantly for tourism officials and event organizers, it served as a testimony to Puerto Rico’s ability to produce a safe and successful gathering.
“We hope that our event will serve as an example for other associations and groups,” says Ali Soami Vargas, executive director of the AGC Chapter of Puerto Rico. Vargas says his organization worked closely with the team at PRCC, and that they were very attentive in ensuring that strict health and safety requirements were met at all stages of the project.
In addition to achieving GBAC STAR accreditation, the Puerto Rico Convention Center has implemented the VenueShield Environmental Hygiene Program developed by its management company ASM Global. The program includes food safety measures, air quality control, surface cleaning, temperature checks, thermal cameras, hand sanitizers, reduced touch points, contactless transactions, daily monitoring systems and distancing guidance via floor labeling to ensure separation between guests.
“Groups traveling to Puerto Rico should know that the island is putting health and safety first,” says Ed Carey, chief sales officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Carey notes that in addition to the measures put in place at the convention center, Puerto Rico is enforcing new protocols developed by Puerto Rico Tourism Company alongside U.S. Travel Association guidelines such as mandatory face coverings in public, reduced capacities to maintain social distancing and high standards of cleanliness.
Carey points out that the island’s near-perfect weather makes it possible to hold gatherings in a variety of open-air spaces and that a number of the indoor venues have virtual capabilities. “Many of our group venues — whether it be a hotel property, our Puerto Rico Convention Center or the soon-to-open El Distrito T-Mobile (which Corporate Event News first reported on here) — can provide hybrid meeting options,” says Carey.
Travelers entering Puerto Rico must fill out a travel declaration form through the Puerto Rico Health Department’s online portal, get a molecular COVID-19 test (nasal or throat swab) no more than 72 hours prior to visiting the island, and show proof of a negative test or they must quarantine. And because it is a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico’s hospitals and pharmacies adhere to the same federally mandated guidelines as those on the mainland — and there is no need for passport, currency exchange or roaming charges for U.S. citizens.
Find more information on holding meetings in Puerto Rico here.
Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.
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