The GTA and Golden Horseshoe are the epicentre of Ontario’s economy, with close to 900,000 companies operating in the province as of December, 2011, according to Statistics Canada.

The convention centre sector revolves around supporting business. To do it well, a convention centre must anticipate and have the ease and comfort of home, the technology of the most high-tec office towers, and the food of the finest restaurant.

Marquis Gardens Banquet and Convention Centre have been supporting the business communities from Ancaster to Ajax with this three-pillared approach. Partners Darko Vranich and Paul Cirone have worked together for almost 20 years, pairing Cirone’s expertise in food and beverage consultation with Vranich’s development business. Today, Vranich owns and operates 14 hotels across Ontario, with Cirone supporting him in all his food and beverage operations.  Together they also operate the Ajax Convention Centre, and Marquis Gardens Banquet and Convention Centres in Hamilton, Ancaster and in one of Vranich’s properties, the Waterfront Hotel,  downtown Burlington.
The underlying principle that has brought Marquis Gardens to the forefront of the convention centre sector is absolutely its service, says Cirone. “It is and has always been about service.”

And that hasn’t changed; Marquis Gardens’ stalwart dedication to providing the greatest return on investment in the industry, without compromising value, is what has generated it high repeat customer business base.

“Corporations are busy at best,” says Cirone. “Their dollars on some of their promotional and team building efforts have become much tighter though. You have to work a lot harder, provide improved facilities, as well as staffing and training to facilitate the needs of clients. Having proper corporate events planners makes it much easier for the corporations as well. Their time is of the essence, so having professional and dedicated teams on their side is the key to keeping repeat corporate business. Corporations have to run efficient events, so having staff to help execute events, having digital AV equipment, an providing high speed, dedicated, uninterrupted Internet saves them a lot of time and resources to focus on the primary objective of their event.”

Marquis Gardens Hamilton, the first of the three locations, opened in 1998. With an occupancy of 450 people in a 12,000 square foot space, the conference-built centre can be configured to the specifications of clients for events both large and small, corporate or social. Located on 1050 Rymal Road East, the centre is frequented by the guests from Haldimand-Norfolk to Oakville to Niagara and beyond. It boasts a 4,538 square foot main ballroom,  with a secondary 2000 sq. ft. conference space, that can be separated or connected to the main room.  It can provide theatre style seating for 460 people; dinner dance style seating for 350 people, and dinner only style seating for 450 people.
Marquis Gardens Grande Ancaster has two storeys; a large mezzanine level for hosting groups up to 315 and last year, an additional 14,000 square feet added to the main level of the facility. It consists of a new ballroom, Opal, capable of 225 people seated for dinner, or separated into smaller sections of 100 people each; as well as two additional smaller rooms for 50 to 80 guests with a built in granite buffets for break out lunches. The beautiful grand lobby and entrance way welcome guests from the moment they step through the doors.

Located in in the Waterfront Hotel, on Burlington Lakeshore, Marquis Gardens Burlington is a premiere event venue for the Burlington business community, accommodating social events, corporate functions and meeting rooms for 25 to 200 guests.  Backing on the new Burlington Brant Street pier, the atmosphere at the Marquis Gardens Burlington is second to none.

Marquis Gardens also has world-class catering with an extraordinary menu to suit any event from morning, noon, to night.  Full service catering for all occasions, personal event consultants, digital display, Audio Visual and WiFi, and renovated facilities with outdoor access to each room, are offered to every client and at each location.

Marquis Gardens’ teams leave no detail unaccounted for. “We are not happy until we have overwhelmingly exceeded our clients’ expectations,” says Cirone. “And we believe our clients, many of whom we have a very established working partnership with, appreciate the extra effort, appreciate the quality of food, ambiance, amenities, as well as all the technical support that they require. Our corporate clients feel they have had a successful event and we feel confident we gave them more than what they expected.”
With almost five decades of combined experience, Vranich and Cirone have supported their clients’ strategic growth by providing well-executed corporate events. The Marquis Gardens’ brand has greatly enhanced the banquet facilities provided in Southern Ontario.

http://www.marquisgardens.com/

http://www.thewaterfrontdowntown.com/

http://www.ajaxconventioncentre.ca/