Alario Center Celebrates Five Year Anniversary

March 2004 marks the fifth anniversary that the John A. Alario, Sr. Event Center has been in operation.  After months of construction delays, the facility opened it’s doors on March 20, 1999 with a community reception for retiring West Jefferson Medical Center CEO David Smith.  The following week the Center hosted it's first tradeshow with the Louisiana Bike Expo, March 27 & 28, 1999. 

In the past five years, the Alario Center has hosted high profile events such as the nationally televised US Olympic Weightlifting Trials and the ESPN Mountain Dew College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships.  The Center has gained additional exposure by serving as the NBA New Orleans Hornets practice facility; however, it’s the multi-year events, which have made it a success.

Beginning in its first year of operation, the Alario Center became the site for numerous high school graduations.  The Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild began hosting their annual show at the Center in 1999 and continues to do so with its 6^th annual show scheduled for 2004.  Other events, which have utilized the facility since its first year, include AAU Basketball Tournaments, Covenant Arts and Craft Shows, numerous high school graduations, and various annual dinners and meetings.

The Alario Center staff has done an outstanding job in operating the facility.  Of the nine current employees, three of them have been with the Alario Center since long before the doors opened, including newly appointed General Manager, Gregory Guthrie (hired as Operations Manager in 1998).  “I was excited to be associated with this facility at its conception and that same energy still lives in me today”, said Guthrie. “Our staff takes pride in every aspect of the operations of the Center with client satisfaction being our number one goal.”

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