Visit Pittsburgh Announces Major Accomplishments, Initiatives

Visit Pittsburgh has announced a number of major accomplishments, initiatives and events designed to help planners of travel, including sports travel.

Pittsburgh International Airport Named 2017 Airport of the Year: Air Transport Magazine, part of the Aviation Week Network, named Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) as its 2017 Airport of the Year, joining an impressive list of past winners around the world as the first U.S. airport to win. In selecting Pittsburgh International Airport, ATW cited the rapid ascent in air service gains as well as increased community engagement. In the past two years, PIT has nearly doubled the number of nonstop destinations available to travelers.

Rivers Casino Hotel Planned: A seven-story, 214-room hotel that would overlook the Ohio River is being planned for the property adjacent to the Rivers Casino. Amenities would include a restaurant, bar and spa. According to published reports, an event lawn is planned on the river side of the hotel. Construction is expected to begin this spring and take up to 14 months.

New Arena for Robert Morris University: Robert Morris University plans to announce a new basketball and volleyball arena, slated to open in January 2019 as part of a $50 million, 20-year collaboration between the university and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The new UPMC Event center is expected to seat more than 4,000 people, and will include a practice court, strength and conditioning center, offices and 11,000 square feet of conference and meeting space.

RoomLeopard Launches: Planning a meeting or event in Pittsburgh? RoomLeopard, a new website platform that’s been dubbed the “Airbnb for meeting spaces,” helps identify open and unique venue locations in Pittsburgh. Guests – whether businesses, organizations or individuals – can rent unique spaces for their next event, board meeting, party, conference, art exhibit, family reunion, strategic planning session, company social or training meeting.

Carnegie Science Center Expands: The 25-year-old Carnegie Science Center is undergoing a $21 million expansion that will include a new Science Pavilion that will house 6,000 square feet of STEM Learning Labs. Above the STEM labs, a new 14,000-square-foot Special Exhibitions Gallery will allow the Science Center to bring world-class traveling exhibits to Pittsburgh. The top floor will be a conference and event space to host science programs, conferences and receptions.