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Atlapa Convention Centre

Atlapa Convention Centre, Panama City, Panama

Atlapa Convention Centre (Spanish: Centro de Convenciones de Atlapa) is located in Panama City, Panama. The convention centre was opened in June 1980.[1] Run by the Panamanian tourist authority, it contains 19 meeting rooms, some of which are capable of hosting up to 600 people.[2]

Events

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Since 1980, Panama's national craft fair has been held in Atlapa.[3] The centre has also hosted trade fairs, tourism and business expos,[4] concerts by international artists such as Ricky Martin,[5] Yanni and Laura Pausini,[6] and Beauty pageants such as Señorita Panamá.[7] and Miss Universe 1986.[8]

Atlapa has also functioned as a sports venue, hosting international boxing[9] and the 2006 Men's Central American and Caribbean Basketball Championship.[10]

It hosted news conferences by Panama's military dictator Manuel Noriega.[11] Following the disputed 1989 Panamanian election, opposition candidates were blocked from addressing crowds at Atlapa and protestors attempted to disrupt the wedding of Noriega's daughter in the venue.[12]

In September 2004, Martín Torrijos was invested as the 35th President of Panama in Atlapa's Anayansi theatre.[13]

In July 2019, Laurentino Cortizo was invested as the 38th President of Panama in Atlapa's Anayansi theatre.

In March 2018, Atlapa hosted the Harvard World Model United Nations Conference, in collaboration with Universidad Santa Maria De Antigua which hosted over 1,600 students from all around the globe.

Attempted sale and replacement

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In 2008, following concerns that the centre lacked the necessary capacity and infrastructure, the Panamanian government decided to auction off the centre at the end of that year to fund the construction of a replacement convention centre.[14] At this time, the centre was hosting events 360 days a year but still made annual losses of US$1 million.[2] The auction was delayed by the Ministry of Housing.[15] After initially requesting US$150 million,[16] the government reduced the price to US$124.6 million, including the nearby land.[17] When this failed to attract offers, the centre was offered for sale at US$62.3 million, under the terms of a 2006 Panamanian law. This price proved controversial with business groups, who believed the centre should remain state-owned.[18] In April 2015, the government halted the sale. The lack of offers and the investment of US$3.2 million in preparation for the Summit of the Americas were cited as reasons.[19]

Summit of the Americas

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In April 2015, the centre hosted the 7th Summit of the Americas during which President of the United States Barack Obama and President of Cuba Raúl Castro met and shook hands, a move that was described as "historic" by the international press.[20][21]

References

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  1. ^ "Atlapa". Business America. 3 (6). U.S. Department of Commerce: 21. 1980. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Atlapa Would Have Private Operator". centralamericadata.com. 17 September 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Feria de Artesanías espera recibir 30 mil visitantes en Panamá" [The craft fair expects to receive 30,000 visitors in Panama]. La Estrella de Panamá (in Spanish). Panama. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Details of International Tourism Expo 2016". centralamericadata.com. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Cantante Ricky Martin estará en Panamá el lunes 10 de octubre" [Singer Ricky Martin will be in Panama on Monday 10 October]. La Estrella de Panamá (in Spanish). Panama. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Carlos Vives, Yanni y Laura Pausini se presentarán en Panamá" [Carlos Vives, Yanni and Laura Pausini will play in Panama]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Una Miss Panamá preocupada por el turismo y la ecología" [A Miss Panama worried about tourism and the ecology]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. 1 September 2001. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  8. ^ Castrellon, Vianey (12 May 2003). "El miss universo que vivimos" [The Miss Universe that we lived]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  9. ^ Ampudia, Gustavo (12 March 2006). "Cermeño peleará con Arrocha" [Cermeño will fight Arrocha]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  10. ^ Weeks, Reinaldo (22 January 2010). "Panamá en la mira para el Centrobasket" [Panama in line for Centrobasket]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Manuel Antonio Noriega". Chicago Tribune. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2016 – via chicagotribune.com.
  12. ^ Buckley, Kevin (1992). Panama. Simon and Schuster. pp. 92–93. ISBN 0671778765.
  13. ^ "Martín Torrijos toma posesión de la Presidencia de Panamá" [Martín Torrijos takes possession of the Panamanian presidency]. El Día (in Spanish). Canary Islands, Spain. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  14. ^ González Jiménez, Roberto (12 September 2008). "Panamá necesita un centro de convenciones competitivo" [Panama needs a competitive conventions centre]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Panama: Atlapa Convention Center Auction at a Standstill". centralamericadata.com. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Atlapa Sale Price Revision". centralamericadata.com. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  17. ^ "$124.6 million ATLAPA Land Auction". centralamericadata.com. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Gobierno no define futuro de Atlapa" [The government hasn't clarified the future of Atlapa]. La Prensa (in Spanish). Panama. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Sierra: no venderán el Atlapa" [Sierra:we won't sell Atlapa]. critica.com.pa (in Spanish). 15 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  20. ^ "Obama, Castro shake hands at historic summit". The Times of Israel. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  21. ^ "Handshake&after". The Statesman. India. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
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Preceded by Miss Universe venue
1986 		Succeeded by

8°59′23″N 79°30′00″W / 8.989637499456245°N 79.5000187161862°W / 8.989637499456245; -79.5000187161862