Renovation project

June 24, 2010

The mayor's recent announcement regarding a complete makeover of the Gaillard Auditorium was welcome. This facility has been the venue for thousands of events since it first opened over 40 years ago. It has served the Lowcountry well, and numerous events and festivals now call Charleston home because of this facility.

The Charleston Black Expo has utilized the Gaillard for many of its events over the past 10 years. The Black Expo's mission is to help promote and expand minority-owned businesses, thereby helping to improve the overall local economy. This past March its Business Opportunities Summit and its Awards Gala were at the Gaillard. Visitors traveled to Charleston from all over the Southeast to attend.

Although the current facility has served us well, a renovated facility would undoubtedly make for a more functional space, be more inviting to our many guests and ensure we won't be forced to stop using the facility in the future because of space restraints in the exhibition hall. I strongly encourage the mayor and City Council to move forward with all deliberate speed to give the community a renovated Gaillard that we so desperately need. A first-class city like Charleston deserves a first-class facility.

Darrell Givens

The Charleston Black Expo

Fishburne Street

Charleston