Service isn’t just a cliché word spoken around Saint Paul RiverCentre. It’s the motivation in everything done to make an event the best it can be, from the first walk-through to the final goodbye.

Whether you are a first-time event planner, an attendee, or someone who’s been coming for years, the staff here is committed to make sure your experience is first-class. Sara Peterson, Lead Event Manager, knows the power that a service-first mindset can bring to clients. “It is our differentiator,” she said. “A lot of reasons why people come back to us is because of our service.”

Saint Paul RiverCentre hosts convention center events that range from large-scale expos to multi-day conferences, to annual holiday parties. But no matter the size or scope of event, what doesn’t change is the standard of service clients receive. “I always try to treat all the clients the same way…to give the same service to everybody,” Peterson said.

That means often staying late into the night or coming in before sunrise to make sure the event has everything it needs to succeed, and more.

While the event venues offered in Saint Paul RiverCentre are unique and multi-faceted, even more important is the service inside the four walls. “A space is powerful, but what’s more powerful than a space is the service we provide,” Peterson said.

As an event manager, Peterson is well aware of what clients need to pull off their event. Along with the necessities of tables and chairs, AV, catering, security, and so much more, the consistency among all those elements is service. And not just the service to clients, but the internal service provided among staff departments. “I can only be the best event manager that I can be with the help of my colleagues,” Peterson said.

For many planners, hosting an event at Saint Paul RiverCentre is like coming back home, where you’re known by name. “The reason why I do what I do is not because I’m passionate about having straightly lined up tables or even the prettiest event space. I do it because I love people, and I love helping people gather,” Peterson said.