Coming Soon: New Entrance to the Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel & Spa
The City of Monterey announced the opening of the Portola Plaza and the completion of Phase 1. The city said the redesign creates a new entrance to the Monterey Conference Center. A new circular driveway covered in colorful stone pavers is scheduled to open in the fall of 2017.
“We installed some beautiful stone pavers, these bronze domes and great balance surrounds the area, really the entry point to the conference center as well as the portola hotel and spa,” said GM of Monterey Conference Center, Doug Phillips.
“The Portola Plaza which is now open to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be a model of beauty and efficiency in the center of our downtown,” said City Manager Mike McCarthy, quoted in a press release issued today.
McCarthy said three new flag poles now stand at the intersection of Del Monte Avenue and Alvarado Street providing a “sense of arrival as you enter the Portola Plaza. The hope is it will become the hub of Monterey.
“We’re all excited. The Monterey Peninsula, no question about it, getting a beautifully remodeled new conference center. It’s going to be an incredible thing, not only for people in our area but for people coming into our community. Certainly the downtown area, Alvarado Street. It really is going to be a beautiful attraction for us,” said Monterey Movie Tours, Doug Lumsden.
Local artist and metal specialist John Dotto built and designed the fountain sculpture that’s part of Phase 2 of the Portola Plaza project.
The City says the Monterey Marriott, Portola Hotel & Spa and the City of Monterey contributed funds for the fountain, expected to be finished by late July.
The Portola Plaza is located at the intersection of Del Monte Avenue and Alvarado Street adjacent to the Monterey Conference Center. The Monterey Conference Center opened in April of 1977 and is currently undergoing a complete renovation.
