Attendees take a break at an ASAE meeting in Columbus. Photo courtesy of Dan Williams

From intimate meeting spaces to large convention-style facilities, Ohio offers a wealth of venues from which to choose. And, thanks to a growing meeting and events industry, key facilities throughout the state have expanded and renovated their facilities to engage and delight visitors.

Explore Cleveland

According to Gordon Taylor III, of Destination Cleveland, Cleveland is an ideal destination for meeting planners because attendees can enjoy world-class attractions and a vibrant city that is easy to navigate, and easy to get to for the majority of the county. Once in town, visitors find a welcoming, come-as-you-are attitude as they experience the passion and authenticity of this lakefront city.

“Cleveland continues to attract signature national events and host them at a level that surpasses planners’ expectations,” Taylor says.

Taylor points out that Cleveland’s renaissance and investments in visitor-related infrastructure offer an exciting downtown that is convenient for visitors to explore. The city engages a variety of travelers, including sports fans with professional venues within walking distance from most downtown hotels, culture mavens with world-class institutions, and music fans with the world’s only Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Visitors can also experience world-class cultural institutions like the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Plus, Destination Cleveland, as well as its partner network, civic organizations, corporations and area non-profits all collaborate and work together to make Cleveland thrive.

“We help meeting organizers build programming, recommend vendors and develop unique experiences by leveraging our vast network to create unforgettable and impactful events,” Taylor says. “Plus, our convention and events services team are absolute experts in all things Cleveland, and they want to help partners create a flawless event. They can assist with venues, vendors and transportation, or help events amp up attendee engagement with customized airport greetings and arranging live performances or food trucks at events.”

Combine all of this with a state-of-the-art convention center and new and renovated hotel properties and you see why Cleveland is a great all-around convention city.

Cleveland’s skyline. © Wil Lindsey

Cleveland: Biggest Attractions

Once visitors step outside the Cleveland Convention Center or a downtown hotel, it’s a short walk to major attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Playhouse Square, the largest performing arts center outside of New York; Cleveland Browns Stadium; Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians; and the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and the AHL Cleveland Monsters.

As Taylor explains, meeting attendees can relax and decompress at multiple entertainment districts that provide ample options for dining and beverages, live music and nightlife. With an expansive line-up of craft breweries and a growing food scene led by James Beard recognized chefs and up-and-coming talent that reflect the diversity of 200 years of migration of 100+ ethnic groups, no traveler to Cleveland leaves hungry or thirsty. Waterfront dining in the redeveloped Flats East Bank, dinner cruises on Lake Erie and neighborhoods filled with ethnic and independent eateries are other possibilities.

Plus, just a 10-minute drive from Downtown, the University Circle neighborhood is the nation’s most concentrated square mile of arts and culture institutions.

“Visitors can explore one of the many museums in the area including the always free Cleveland Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland,” Taylor says. “For a nature-focused experience, the Cleveland Botanical Garden offers an indoor greenhouse as well as outdoor gardens for guests to tour. In the evenings, visitors can attend a performance by the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra.”

Cleveland: What’s New

There are a several new developments and venues gracing Cleveland over the last few years that meeting planners can celebrate.

As part of a $49 million investment, the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland is expanding. The project is expected to enhance the complex through creation of large, flexible meeting rooms, an elevated outdoor terrace, expansion of the junior ballroom and infrastructure improvements, including new escalators, stairs and restrooms. Updates are expected to be complete by summer 2024, in time for the city to host the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition.

The renovated Hotel Indigo Cleveland Downtown puts visitors steps away from the East 4th Street entertainment hub, and sporting and concert events at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Progressive Field. An updated design for the 142-room hotel reflects the history and popular attractions of the neighborhood. The ROOST Apartment Hotel blends the comfort and practicality of an apartment with the amenities and design of a boutique hotel. The hotel spans three floors of The May building, an adaptive restoration of a historic department store designed by architect Daniel Burnham in 1915. The 62 studio, one- or two-bedroom apartments are available for short- and long-term stays, with amenities including a yoga studio, three-story open-air atrium and panoramic rooftop terrace.

Also in the works, a 1960s modernist skyscraper in Downtown Cleveland will host a new W Hotel. According to Taylor, plans for the 210-room hotel include a 15,000-square-foot ballroom and event center, a full-service spa and gym and a restaurant and bar on the 38th floor with panoramic city views.

The event venue BLDG17 CLE offers 15,000 sf of open space with a furnished lounge and kitchenette in a renovated loft space near Downtown Cleveland. Likewise, Truss Cleveland features five elegantly designed spaces including a 6,000 sf main ballroom, a 4,000 sf rooftop terrace and a green room.

“Our team is experts in all things Cleveland and helps partners create a flawless event. We can assist with elements like programming development, arranging unique venues, customized airport greetings, performances or food trucks at events and leveraging partnerships to maximize cost savings,” Taylor says. “One of the most impactful ways we help build attendance is by providing one-on-one support to event organizers and offering materials and resources that are tailored to their specific audience. From customized pre-promote materials to a “Come Early, Stay Late” campaign that encourages event attendees to explore the city based on their interests, our team helps organizers meet and surpass attendance goals.”

Meeting professionals tour the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus. Photo by Peter Ahn / Courtesy of Dan Williams

Experience Columbus 

Columbus is the 14th largest city in the United States and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest.  Ranked one of the Top 10 Domestic Destinations by Travel Channel and one of the Best Cities for Conferences by SmartAsset, Columbus is known for its open attitude, smart style and entrepreneurial spirit.

“We’re a smart, open and welcoming community with a dynamic convention package that can fit the needs of any group,” says Dan Williams, of Experience Columbus. Located within a one-day drive or one-hour flight from more than half of the U.S. population, Columbus is easily accessible. In fact, the John Glenn International Airport is just eight miles or 10 minutes from downtown.

Columbus has about 30,000 hotel rooms citywide. All properties in the downtown core are easily accessible on foot and the diverse selection of brands includes offerings for all price points and groups of any size.

Mike Webster, former senior vice president, MIC Events, agrees.  “Ideally situated among one of the highest concentration of dealers anywhere in America, the Greater Columbus Convention Center is the perfect size for AIMExpo to take over the whole convention center and to own the town,” Webster says. “The city center location and adjoining hotels will deliver the tight-knit industry experience attendees have also requested. Columbus is a model of urban revitalization and the ‘after-show’ atmosphere with hundreds of restaurants, bars, and markets, all within just a few blocks must be seen and experienced to be appreciated.”

Columbus: Biggest Attractions

A favorite venue of many event planners is the Greater Columbus Convention Center, located in the heart of downtown steps away from the “art and soul” of Columbus, the Short North Arts District, which features boutique shopping, art galleries, dining and nightlife — all of which are walkable from the convention center. North Market, across from the convention center, is a more than 145-year-old vibrant public market made up of Ohio’s best independent merchants, farmers and makers.

Columbus has a rich mix of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods. Attendees can explore the High Five, which is five neighborhoods within a five-mile stretch of High Street, the main thoroughfare of the city.

“Another reason meeting and event planners should consider Columbus is because we provide a destination-wide culture of world-class service,” Williams says. “Our Certified Tourism Ambassadors (CTAs) and Experience Dedicated Destination (EDD) accreditation ensure all groups will experience superior visitor satisfaction in Columbus. We welcome organizations to visit at any time during the planning process. We can assist with coordination of itineraries, appointments and scheduling for your pre-convention visit.”

Other top attractions include the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium and National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the only museum in America that honors veterans from all branches of service.

Columbus is also the home of three professional sports teams — MLS Columbus Crew, NHL Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Clippers — with stadiums just a few blocks of each other in the Arena District.

“Columbus is ideal for groups like ours because it’s so safe and compact with so many things centrally located to the convention center, arena and area hotels that are easy for our attendees to experience,” says Jason Sigala, a director of events who says they chose the city because of its central geographic location to their selling base and the close partnership that Experience Columbus has with the convention center, arena and surrounding hotels, saying it “made it a breeze to plan such a variety of programs at a number of facilities.”

Columbus: What’s New 

Last fall, the Hilton Columbus Downtown, which is attached to the convention center, expanded with a new 28-story building that will house a total of 1,000 rooms and provide 75,000 sf of space for meetings, including a 15,000 sf ballroom, plus a new signature restaurant on High Street, and a rooftop bar with stunning aerial views of Downtown Columbus.

“Meeting and event planners might also be surprised to learn that we have dozens of other unique venues ready to host unforgettable events,” says Williams, including among them a beer museum; Huntington Park, home the Columbus Clippers baseball team and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians; and the Ohio Statehouse.

Experience Columbus has a Destination Experience team who can assist with and facilitate partnerships in housing, offsite venue experiences, exhibitor welcomes, destination specialists to answer attendee questions and more. In addition, the marketing team will build microsites, develop branded signage and amplify and support your public relations and social media plans.

Cincinnati’s Sharonville Convention Center has broken ground on an expansion that will double its expo halls. Courtesy Photo

Explore Cincinnati

Cincinnati continually is investing money into redeveloping the city’s downtown area to attract meetings and events to this hip urban city.

“Cincinnati is accessible and the convention package is in a walkable area, featuring a diverse package of hotel brands,” says Randie Adam, of Visit Cincy. “Downtown’s entertainment districts, which include the Banks on the riverfront and trendy Over-the-Rhine, are connected by our free modern streetcar system, The Cincinnati Bell Connector.”

Cincinnati also offers a compact downtown, which is ideal for meeting attendees who are looking for a “walkable” city. And  last fall, the city’s Duke Energy Convention Center unveiled plans for a $200 million expansion and renovation.

Cincinnati: Biggest Attractions

Cincinnati is a culture hub – from performing to visual arts. As Adam explains, the city’  nationally recognized public mural program adorns city walls and even the halls of the Convention Center.

“We have a brand new downtown since 2020, including the new TQL Stadium and Andrew J. Brady Icon Music Center,” Adam says. What’s more, she adds. Cincinnati’s proximity to Northern Kentucky provides a collision of Midwest and Southern cultures. There’s a mix of north and south, beer and bourbon and more. “The neighborhoods in the Cincy region provide an insight into those unique destinations,” Adam says.

Cincinnati: What’s New

In Cincinnati’s northern suburbs, 15 minutes from downtown, the Sharonville Convention Center has broken ground on an expansion that will double its expo halls. In addition to a newly opened Delta Hotel and local brewery adjacent to the center and hotel, this package is opening a lot of opportunity for groups that prefer the city-side location.

The longstanding Millennium Hotel in downtown Cincinnati was demolished to make way for a new downtown Convention Center District.

Located across from the Sharonville Convention Center, the Delta Marriott is an upscale hotel that offers 14,000 sf of meeting space, a business center and outdoor gathering spaces.

“Ohio has such a wealth of makers, creators and artists. Working with your destination marketing organization, you can harness the culture of your host city through incorporating local music, muralists and more,” Adam says. “We even have a group of poets that will sit down with attendees and create an original piece for them after a short chat.” | AC&F |