With almost 10,000 square feet and the capacity to hold around 600 people, the Great Room at the Porter County Expo Center is capable of hosting a variety of large events including weddings, business events, and even drag shows.
The room was recently remodeled in 2018 from top to bottom. Totaling about $3.5 million, the room was completely renovated and gutted and softer material was added to the walls. The infrastructure, including water lines, electric, and HVAC units were either updated or replaced. Uplighting was placed around the perimeter of the room, and light-emitting diode (LED) lighting was added to give the room a softer touch.
Technology was also heavily tackled during the renovation. The audio/video (AV) systems were upgraded as well, allowing for many additional plug-ins for laptops and the like. Large televisions were installed to provide better visuals for presentations. Lastly, a wooden cabinet was added along the south wall to cover electric panels and house one of the TV’s.
On the west side of the room, a big overhead garage door was replaced with two huge double doors to allow for more natural lighting. On the north side, a feature wall was installed to be the backdrop for wedding parties or for a place for presenters during corporate events.
Lori Daly, director of the Porter County Expo Center and Fairgrounds, said her favorite addition was a special treat for future wedding couples.
“I think the biggest thing people like that we've added to that space is on the north side. We used to have a store room that had outside accessibility. We have turned that into a bridal suite, so the bride and groom can come right into that bridal suite from the north side of the room. There are couches, chairs, and their own private small restroom with mirrors. It’s just an area for them to hang out until they feel they're ready to come into the reception and get introduced. That's definitely my favorite part of the remodel,” she said.
With its size and upgrades, Daly said this room is ideal for weddings, corporate fundraisers, and fun holiday events.
However, the room can feature more than just these events. Daly said they have hosted an event in the Great Room called Bizzare Bazaar.
“It is definitely unique in that it's a bunch of vendors selling their homemade crafts and the art that they're selling is very unique. Then they end the day with a drag show,” Daly said.
There is also room for various seating styles. Guests can sit at tables for events such as weddings, or guests can also sit in what is called theatre-style seating. In this situation, chairs would simply be lined up in rows to face the stage.
While the Great Room is a staple at the Expo Center, it wasn’t always known as the Great Room
“We went back and forth and back and forth with what to call it. It used to be called the Main Hall, and I just hate the word hall. So, we wanted to keep it in line with the name of other spaces, by enhancing the word room. And somebody actually said, ‘Well, it's such a great room,' so we call it the Great Room. It's nice and easy,” Daly said.
Daly said her all-time favorite event in the Great Room was in 2019 for her daughter’s wedding reception. She loved seeing her staff come together for a special family event, and that hosting the event at the Expo Center was the cherry on top of a perfect day.
“It was great to just see what my staff can do. They really took all the planning that we had done for a year and helped us make it come to life. I have a great staff, and I was honestly able to sit down and enjoy myself. And that includes all of the Expo Center staff,” she said.
While the renovations finished in 2019, the Great Room was forced to close again in early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Now that COVID-19 restrictions are slowly easing up, Daly said she’s excited to showcase the room at full capacity.
“We really haven't had a chance to showcase what this facility can do and what we as a staff can do to help our clients make great events for their guests. So, I'm really looking forward to 2022 because, hopefully, COVID has rescinded enough that we can get back to full capacity doing the events that people love. And we’re very excited about what 2022 looks like,” she said.
Daly said anyone interested in booking the room can call 219-464-0133 or visit the website at http://www.portercountyexpo.com/358/The-Great-Room-In-Expo-West to fill out a request proposal. From there, Daly and her staff will be in contact with information such as pricing, dates, and more.
