The existing Orange Beach Event Center was purchased by the city in 2011. It offers 18,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space for conferences, trade shows and expos and nearly 100 events are hosted there every year.

However, the high demand for space means the center is rented out nearly every weekend, Kennon said.

“It has been a phenomenal success,” Kennon said. “But it's been so much of a success that pretty much every weekend is booked.”

“And a lot of the days that are needed by our community are booked,” he explained. “So, there's a conflict, and it's booked with outside entities utilizing it, which we need because they bring in tax dollars.”

Kennon said the plan is to sell the existing event center to The Wharf to be used as a commercial event center to go along with the hotel.

The new event center would be built with the proceeds from the sell. Kennon said the new event center would likely be in the area of the Performing Arts Center. It would be similar in size to the existing event center and would only be made available to the community.