The Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center will officially open the doors of its new office at 311 W. Main St. on Oct. 22. The $1 million building is 7,000 square feet total.

Staff Report
Published Oct. 16, 2012

The Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center will officially open the doors of its new office at 311 W. Main St. on Oct. 22.

Staff will begin moving in today.

“When the sun hits the tin roof on the visitors center, I can’t help but say it’s a crowning achievement for our chamber’s growth and progress,” said Randy Halfacre, president and CEO of the chamber and visitors center. “I’m calling it our ‘Tower for Tourism.’”

The 800-square-foot visitors center is larger than the former facility, which stood at 300 square feet.

The $1 million building is 7,000 square feet total.

The new location increases visibility for visitors and newcomers to the town, officials said. The building includes a 1,710-square-foot community room, adjacent catering kitchen, 600-square-foot boardroom and 52-space parking lot. A small room will be used for meetings and brainstorming sessions.

It was designed by Lexington architect Craig Otto and built by Lexington contractor North Lake Construction.

The building represents several years of fundraising and planning. Financial contributions were made by Agape Senior, BlueCross BlueShield, Comporium, Lexington Medical Center, Michelin and Prysmian Cables & Systems. Financing was provided by First Community Bank.

The Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center promotes economic development, public policy, quality of life and workforce development in the greater Lexington community and MidState Chambers Coalition region. The nonprofit organization represents about 950 businesses and more than 30,000 employees.