Renaissance Center holds official reopening with new tenant

The Joliet Junior College’s recently renovated Renaissance Center held its official reopening on Wednesday night with Premier Events and Banquets.

The college has owned the center since 1980 but decided in March of this year to lease the space to another company. JJC approved a contract for a four-year lease with Premier Events and Banquets, which is a subsidiary of Duke's Catering, in June.

“We recognized that our core business is educating students,” said Rob Galick, Vice President of Administrative Services at JJC. “It's not running a banquet facility.”

Galick added that JJC will continue to own the Renaissance Center and will be able to use it at no cost to the college for events it will hold for students throughout the course of the school year. He said it was the best decision for the college because while it can still use the center, JJC generates rent revenue from Premier Events and Banquets without having to worry about running the facility.

When JJC ran the Renaissance Center, it was also used for both public and private events, but Galick said it was difficult to make money. This is the first time JJC has leased out the space to another company.

Premier Events and Banquets, in hosting weddings and other events at the Renaissance Center, wants to be a part of the downtown Joliet scene. They’ll be coordinating with the city to open its doors whenever there is a big event like a sold-out show at the Rialto Square Theatre. The grand reopening on Wednesday saw a number of local officials and residents come to celebrate and network.

Both JJC and Premier Events and Banquets representatives said they feel the deal provides for a mutually beneficial partnership.

“It's always been a great space, a great building,” said Don Williams, owner of Duke's Catering. “And with the remodel that the college did, it's absolutely gorgeous.”

According to the Renaissance Center’s website, it boasts “a European blend of Spanish and Italian architecture as designed by the renown Chicago architectural firm of D.H. Burnham and Co. The Grand Ballroom can hold about 400 to 500 people.

Anyone interested in booking the Renaissance Center for a wedding, gala, conference, etc., can call Debyjo Ericksen at 815-730-0454 or email her at debyjo@renaissancecenter.net. The Renaissance Center is located at 214 N. Ottawa St.