Tourists May Have Hard Time Finding Visitors Bureau This Week Information Center Makes Its Move During Busy Pre-Bloomsday Week

Lost tourists wandering around Spokane this week could be in for a bit of a wild goose chase.

The Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau is in a state of transition, moving its old Visitor Information Center at 926 W. Sprague to its new site at 202 W. Main.

“We’ll take phone calls, but we’re trying to get stuff out of boxes onto the walls,” said an overwhelmed Martha Lou Wheatley, spokesperson for the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

By moving to a new space, Wheatley said, the visitor center will be able to add restrooms, expand parking and increase visibility.

Though the grand opening of the new center isn’t until May 8, it will open Thursday, partly to assist the hundreds of people who will descend on Spokane this week for the 20th annual Bloomsday road race on Sunday.

Visitors looking for help today or Wednesday should go to the West Sprague location. The new center will be open Thursday through Saturday, but will be closed on Sunday.

The old center occupied 572 square feet, but shared office and storage space with the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The only parking spaces were on-street, with use limited to 15 minutes.

The new center has 10 parking spaces, including two big enough for recreational vehicles. It encompasses 2,500 square feet, although much of that space will be used for offices and storage.

Signs directing visitors to the new center will be visible on Interstate 90 and city streets beginning May 4, said Jenean Hughes, visitor services manager for the CVB.

The center’s phone numbers - 747-3230 and 1-800-248-3230 - will not change.

, DataTimes