Sentry Centers Leases Second New York Conference Center

NY Conference Facility Capacity Increases 50% to Capitalize on Trend Toward Outsourced Executive Meetings

NEW YORK--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Sentry Centers, a New York-based provider of conference centers and corporate food services, announced today it has leased 23,400 sq. ft. of dedicated meeting and event space at 810 Seventh Avenue, an SL Green Realty Corp. building. This expansion – a 50% increase in meeting room capacity - makes Sentry the largest provider of dedicated executive conference centers in New York.

“In the past 12 months, 64 percent of the New York-based Fortune 500 have either hosted or booked a meeting at Sentry Centers, representing more than 430 meetings serving more than 21,000 attendees. And we firmly expect to double this pace in 2011, prompting our expansion to the West Side.”

In November 2009, with its 43,000 sq. ft. conference center at 730 Third Avenue, Sentry Centers launched a compelling yet untested concept: even though corporations downsize and shed their large, internal conference facilities, they still need local meeting space. One year later, the business model has been a resounding success.

“Our brand of private, secure, distraction-free meeting spaces and services has been received with enormous enthusiasm by large corporate clients,” said Christopher Kelly, Principal. “In the past 12 months, 64 percent of the New York-based Fortune 500 have either hosted or booked a meeting at Sentry Centers, representing more than 430 meetings serving more than 21,000 attendees. And we firmly expect to double this pace in 2011, prompting our expansion to the West Side.”

Sentry Centers at 810 Seventh is scheduled to open May 2011 after the company completes $1.8 million of technology and architectural improvements to upgrade the space to Sentry’s standards.

“Beyond our new property on Seventh Avenue, we are actively exploring similar opportunities for additional Class A dedicated corporate meeting spaces throughout Manhattan,” added Ryan Simonetti, Principal. “Our strategic plan calls for two more New York meeting centers by the end of 2012, for a total of 150,000 sq. ft., with subsequent expansion into other ‘gateway cities’ soon after.”

Sentry Centers operates executive conference centers and food service amenities under various lease, joint venture and management agreements with in-house expertise in event management, corporate food services, event technology and sales. For more information, visit www.sentrycenters.com.

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