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Maritime Center hosts waterfront events
By Wendler, Andrew
Publication: Toledo Business
Journal
Date: Sunday, February 1 2009
In addition to serving as a gateway for passenger
travel on the Great Lakes and as a cornerstone of
activity and development in Toledo's proposed Marina
District, the Toledo Maritime Center is also
equipped to host a range of events for business or
pleasure.
Located in east Toledo on Front Street and adjacent
to the Glass City Municipal Marina, the facility
provides guests and travelers with panoramic views
of downtown Toledo, the Maumee River, and one of
Toledo's newest landmarks, the Veterans Memorial
Glass City Skyway Bridge.
With approximately 14,000 of the building's entire
15,600 square foot interior dedicated to the main
banquet room, crowds of up to 450 people can be
accommodated, and an exterior promenade area
provides even more capacity when necessary. For
smaller events, the space can be configured and
customized into more intimate surroundings.
Gladieux Catering holds an exclusive event
management and catering contract on the facility;
according to Gladieux sales consultant Michelle
Moll, pricing avenges between $600 and $1,200 for a
five-hour rental, dependent on particulars. Pricing
for food, tables, seating, and additional
hospitality items are available from Gladieux on
request.
Moll added that entertainment such as live music,
disc jockeys, and audio-visual presentations are at
the discretion of the client, but Gladieux will
gladly coordinate these types of services.
Although the facility does not offer a full kitchen,
there is a separate, dedicated kitchen area that
Moll describes as "an excellent, on site preparation
and staging area" featuring plenty of counter space,
large sinks, and a layout optimized for handling
events of any nature.
Generally, Gladieux prepares the meals at its
full-service kitchen and utilizes the on site
amenities for final preparation. Moll noted several
past events such as weddings, corporate events, and
fundraisers. "The first event held in the building
was The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Clambake
Picnic in July 2008, which by all accounts was an
absolute homeruns," Moll stated.
Completed in November 2007, the Toledo Maritime
Center is a multi-use facility. A small section of
the building featuring shower and laundry facilities
as well as a marina management office, are designed
to provide services to recreational boaters and
travelers on Great Lakes bound cruise ships. The
adjacent Glass City Marina has 77 slips, and a sales
office with ticket windows is already in place to
serve the cruise and excursion business.
Paul LaMarre, III, manager of maritime affairs for
the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, stated, "Our
vision is to transform this facility into the
capital of the Toledo waterfront. In addition to
serving as the passenger terminal for Erie Island
excursion operators like Jet Express and longer
range Great Lake cruise vessels, we are considering
the possibility of moving the S.S. Willis B. Boyer
Museum Ship to the Maritime Center location and
providing mooring for the working tugboats on the
river.
"Inside, we'd like to develop a gift shop/marina
store and tie it all together with an exhibit that
illustrates the past, present, and future of
Toledo's rich maritime history."
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