Glenn Carlson, Terry Haws, Wilson, and Opportunities. What
do these names have to do with the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center?
They are all names of the spaces available for your next
event, but what is so special about these names?
Read on to find out…
Glenn Carlson Hall:
The Glenn Carlson Hall is one of the bigger spaces
available at the St. Cloud River's Edge Convention Center. Glenn Carlson was the face of St. Cloud and to say that he was a
busy guy is an understatement. He was the executive director for the St. Cloud
Chamber of Commerce from 1953 until 1986. He was a founder, executive director
and secretary of St. Cloud Opportunities from 1954 until the time of his death
is 1999. He was also the founder, member and secretary of the Minnesota Amateur
Baseball Hall of Fame for 35 years.
Glenn Carlson was involved with the Lions Club, St. Cloud Sports
Inc., Minnesota Princess Kay contest, Stearns County Historical Society, St.
Cloud Economic Development Partnership, St. Cloud Methodist Church, St. Cloud
Little League, and the business manager for the St. Cloud Rox. Glenn was able
to get legislative funding to establish the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to
make Crossroads Shopping Center exist.
He was named one of St. Cloud’s Most Influential People in
1979. The exhibit hall at the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center was
named Glenn Carlson Hall in his honor and the main street of St. Cloud I-94
Business Park was named Glenn Carlson Drive.
Terry Haws Center:
Terry Haws taught and coached at St. James High School from
1948 to 1958, where he started the St. James wrestling program. He then went on
to teach and coach at St. Cloud Cathedral High School from 1958 to 1967. Once
he finished at Cathedral, he went to St. John’s University to teach and coach
for 6 more years.
He had coached wrestling for over 25 years. He also coached
individuals in football, baseball, basketball, golf and track and field. He was
named the National Catholic College Coach of the Year in 1972.
Sports were one of Terry Haw’s passions in life, along with
his wife and his 10 children. Two of which are now the soccer coaches at St.
John’s University. He was also an inspiring youth mentor. Needless to say, he
was a very busy man and remained that way until his untimely death in 1973.
The Terry Haws Center is made up of 3 sections: A, B, and C
and is one of the bigger spaces available for your event.
Wilson Suite:
John L. Wilson, known as the “Father of St. Cloud” filled
the county seat in 1851. He chose St. Cloud as the name of his new town because
he was reading “The Life of Napolean” and observed that in the book; Empress
Josephine spent much of her time at the magnificent palace at St. Cloud, a few
miles out of Paris. This circumstance appealed so strongly to Wilson that he
decided to name the town St. Cloud.
The city with Benton and Sherbune Counties is the only city
in the state that is located in three counties and was all developed at the
same time and eventually merged into one. Wilson controlled Middle Town, where German Catholics primarily
settled the central business district. The other two parts were known as Upper
Town and Lower Town. The city was incorporated as a town in 1856 and a city in
1868.
Wilson Avenue, Wilson Park and many other areas around town
have been named after John L. Wilson. You can find the First American and
Thielman Rooms in the Wilson Suite.
The Opportunities
Suite
Glenn Carlson founded St. Cloud Opportunities in 1955. It
was created to enhance, extend and increase opportunities for employment in the
St. Cloud area.
This organization still exists today. They accomplish their
goals by developing business and industrial parks, the first two parks of which
are now sold out. St. Cloud Opportunities is currently marketing lots in the
Airport Business Park and St. Cloud I-94 Business Park.
You can find the Bell, Alexander, Weidner, Clarke, and
Edelbrock Rooms in the Opportunities Suite.
There are many other spaces available at the St. Cloud
River’s Edge Convention Center, if you are curious about the size and prices of
spaces available click here.
We would love to help you with your event!
