GLORIETA, N.M. (BP)–A 12- to 15-year plan to revitalize the facilities of LifeWay Glorieta (N.M.) Conference Center was unveiled Sept. 11 to trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Plans include converting existing hotels to a youth conference center, constructing five new hotels for adults, adding a chapel, expanding the dining hall to add additional food options and constructing an exhibit hall.
While the construction and remodeling will take place over several years, Mike Arrington, vice president of LifeWay’s corporate affairs division, emphasized that the process of revitalizing the total ministry of the centers at Glorieta and Ridgecrest, N.C., already has begun.
“Our focus is on providing a place of spiritual retreat and the highest quality of training and counsel from prominent, experienced leaders,” Arrington said. “Our desire is to impact ministers, adult leaders, families, teens and children so that they return to their homes, churches, schools and workplaces to make a life-changing spiritual impact.”
A new national leadership team has been employed, Arrington reported, and increased efforts are being planned to communicate the value of the conference center experience. Also, he said efforts are in process to create the highest quality events and hospitality environment at both centers.
A master plan for Ridgecrest was completed earlier and two buildings are under construction, Arrington reported. The Rutland Chapel, funded by donor gifts, will be completed in December and a new hotel is expected to be completed in August 2002.
He said research among ministers and laypeople about conference center accommodations preferences showed that 30 percent of adults wanted economy housing, 60 percent asked for standard accommodations and about 10 percent preferred upscale hotels.
The first hotel to be constructed at Glorieta will be a standard hotel, Arrington said. New construction will be centered around the lake in the middle of the conference center grounds. When the master plan has been fully implemented, a road for cars will circle the perimeter of the grounds and the center will be for pedestrian traffic only.
“We believe in today’s fast-paced society that the need has never been greater for places of spiritual retreat. Both of our conference centers have a great heritage of service and ministry. We believe the future is even brighter for meeting spiritual needs,” Arrington said.
In a related matter, he said sodded and irrigated recreation fields will be available at Glorieta for summer 2002 and the Chaparral Hotel will be completely refurbished.
He expressed gratitude to Campers on Mission volunteers who this fall will complete a number of construction projects at each center.
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(BP) images posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo titles: SITE PLAN and NEW HOTEL AT GLORIETA.
