A Whole New Infinite Energy Center May Be Coming

DULUTH, GA -- Could the Infinite Energy Center become Gwinnett County's newest hot spot for entertainment, restaurants, clubs and shopping? That's what some officials have in mind.

The Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau has put out a call for developers interested in overhauling the Infinite Energy campus.

It already boasts a 13,000-seat arena, a convention center comprised of 23 meeting rooms, a 50,000-square foot exhibit hall, a 21,600-square foot ballroom, and a 700-seat performing arts center.

But the visitor's bureau envisions a mixed-use development that would give event patrons, as well as visiting conventioneers, reasons to come early and stay late.

“What we’re really aiming to do here is improve the quality of life for all Gwinnett County citizens through this iconic, sustainable state-of-the-art project,” said Preston Williams, CEO of the visitors bureau's Explore Gwinnett and Infinite Energy Center.

“This development will provide an enjoyable destination for convention and meeting attendees and will create walkability and connectivity between event facilities and commercial areas. The expansion will also open up opportunities to bring new business to the area, while simultaneously stimulating job growth.”

In addition to the Infinite Energy Center's current property in Duluth, officials are eyeing four more quadrants -- surrounding the intersection of Sugarloaf Parkway and Satellite Boulevard -- as potentially part of the development.

In addition to what they hope will be significant development by a private business, Gwinnett County officials plan government-funded upgrades to the center as well.

They include 2,650 additional arena seats, a 300-room full service headquarters hotel, doubling the convention center's number of meeting rooms and amount of exhibit space and upgrading the performing arts center's patron amenities.

The visitor's bureau's official request for qualifications to developers sets a deadline of April 8. Once qualified developers have been identified, they will be asked to submit formal proposals for the site.

(Image courtesy Explore Gwinnett)