ɪt sˈɜːvd æz ðə sˈɪɾiz mˈeɪn kənvˈɛnʃən sˈɛntɚɹ ʌntˈɪl ɐ nˈuː fəsˈɪlᵻɾi ʌvðə sˈeɪm nˈeɪm ˈoʊpənd əkɹˌɑːs ðə stɹˈiːt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn.
It served as the city's main convention center until a new facility of the same name opened across the street in 1989.