THE CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS The Memphis Cook Convention Center Expansion Project renovated the existing convention center building and added approximately 290,000 square feet of new space. Included in this expansion is a 35,000 square foot special exhibition hall, which has 35 foot clear ceiling height and provides museum quality climate and lighting controls. A 30,000 square foot ballroom, which can be subdivided into five quadrants, is on the second floor along with four breakout meeting rooms. These rooms and an adjacent outdoor terrace offer views of the Mississippi River to the west. New central kitchen, restrooms, truck dock and mechanical spaces were provided. The south half of the new building houses a multi-purpose performing arts hall, which is the home of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. With its variable acoustics, movable seat wagons on two orchestra pit lifts and adjustable reflectors and shell, the hall accommodates approximately 1800 for symphonic performances. The facility also provides full backstage equipment including a one hundred foot high stage house with line set rigging capabilities, two lighting galleries and appropriate follow spot locations suitable for ballet, opera, musical performances or theatrical productions. In the theatrical configuration, the hall seats just over 2,000.