< Previousmeet Vibrantly Tampa Bay is where dynamic meetings come together nearly effortlessly. With cutting-edge waterfront venues, award-winning menus and an array of accommodations — all with a stress-free vibe. tampameetings.com51 JANUARY 2023 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIES AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION CENTER RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER SAVANNAH CONVENTION CENTER NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER SUMMIT BUILDING AT SEATTLE CONVENTION CENTER AMERICA’S PREMIER CENTERS CONVENTION A ssociation Conventions & Facilities magazine proudly presents the designees of our 2023 America’s Premier Convention Centers. These convention centers go above and beyond to stand out among the many centers around the country. They offer top-notch service and support, as well as promotional assistance, and supplier, facility and venue information to make planning meetings an easy, stress- free undertaking. These industry-leading convention centers earn their way atop planners’ lists nationwide — through expanded and upgraded facilities — and boast enough A/V and other technology to meet the needs of any of today’s face-to-face, virtual or hybrid meeting. Consider these Top Convention Centers for your next meeting, conference or event.In the Heart of the Capital City’s Downtown Business District 500 E. CESAR CHAVEZ ST., AUSTIN, TX 78701 CONTACT: AMY K. HARRIS, CMP, DIRECTOR OF SALES | TEL: 512-404-4200 CONVENTIONSALES@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV | AUSTINCONVENTIONCENTER.COM W ithworld-renownedres- taurantsnearby,12,000+ hotelroomswithina 2-mileradiusofthefacil- ity,andiconicmusicven- uesjustashortwalkaway,thereisnobet- terplacetohostyournexteventthanin Austin,Texas.AsaLEEDGold-certified andaGlobalBioriskAdvisoryCouncil (GBAC)STARaccreditedfacility,the AustinConventionCenter(ACC)sitsin theheartofthecapitalcity’sdowntown businessdistrict.Thisistheperfectplace toserveasyourhomebaseformeetings andeventsintheATX. Spanningsixcityblocks,theACC offers374,000squarefeetofmeetingand exhibitionspace.Therearefivecolumn- freeexhibithalls,totaling247,052square feet,andtwoballroomsthatrangeup to40,510squarefeet.What’smore, thereare54meetingroomsandshow offices,andampleparking,with1,700 spacesintwogarages. Check Our Tech Thereisrobustandcomplimentary Wi-Fithroughoutthefacility.Infact, morethan20,000wirelessdevicescan connectsimultaneously,sothereisno needtogolookingforthefullconnectiv- itysweetspot.Therearevideowallsfor additionalwayfindingandclientmessag- ingtogoalongwitha24/7network-sup- portteamforeventcustomization. The Center of It All TheACChastwoadjacenthotels,the 800-roomHiltonAustinandthe1,048- roomFairmontAustin,connectedby walkways.Acrossthestreet,thenewAus- tinMarriottDowntownopeneditsdoors with600guestrooms. AdditionalnearbyhotelsincludeFour SeasonsHotelAustin,JWMarriottAustin, CourtyardAustinDowntown/Convention Center,ResidenceInnbyMarriottAustin Downtown/ConventionCenter,Hilton GardenInnAustinDowntown/Conven- tionCenter,HamptonInn&SuitesAus- tin-Downtown/ConventionCenter,The Driskill,OmniAustinHotelDowntown, WAustin,HyattPlaceAustinDowntown andTheWestinAustinDowntown. Customer Service TheACChasastunning100%cus- tomer-surveyratingfromattendeessay- ingtheywouldscheduleanotherevent attheACC.Thestafftakesgreatpride initscustomerserviceandmakingsure theattendeereceivesthefullAustin experiencewhileinthecityandinthe building.TheACCisfortunatetoman- age90%ofitsservices,suchashouse- keeping,security,ITandexhibitorser- vices,allprovidedbyin-housetrained staff.Theteampracticesaservice-first cultureandtakesownershipofthe attendeeexperience. TheACC’scateringteamworkswith areavendorstoprocurelocalingredi- entsforcateringmenus.Amongthemost popularitemsarelocalfavorites,suchas street-styletacos,smokedmeatsandTex- Mex.Also,morethan90%ofthemenu itemsareproducedin-house. | AC&F | Austin Convention Center Total square feet of meeting space: 370,000 square feet, including five contiguous exhibit halls that can provide 247,052 square feet of column-free space Convention Center FYI: There are 48,000 hotel rooms in Austin; 12,000+ of them are downtown within a 2-mile radius of the facility FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2023 52 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2023MAKING YOUR VISION OUR MISSION Located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas 150+ nonstop flights to Austin from 95 destinations Austin-Bergstrom International Airport named Top 10 Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler three years in a row SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS. With world-renowned restaurants nearby, 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius of the facility, and iconic music venues just a short walk away, there is no better place to host your next event than the Austin Convention Center. With our cutting edge technology, customized network solutions and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, we are ideal for many events with de- tailed and substantial technology needs. 100% CLIENT SATISFACTION Our service-first culture, with an all in-house staff, takes ownership of the guest’s entire experience. As a result, 100% of our clients would like to return for their next event based on survey results. TECHNOLOGYEight Great Reasons to Meet in Memphis 1. MEMPHIS IS A MUSIC CITY LIKE NO OTHER. IntheHomeofBlues,SoulandRock 'n'Roll,livemusicrockssevennightsa weekonBealeStreet.Legendarymusic attractions—includingtheBluesFoun- dation’sBluesHallofFame,SunStudio, StaxMuseumofAmericanSoulMusic andElvisPresley'sGraceland—double aseventvenues. 2. MEMPHIS' RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER IS ALL NEW. Thevenuerecentlydebutedits$200M modernization:Expecta118,000-sf,col- umn-freeexhibithall—thelargestinthe region—withflexiblespace,naturallight andmightyMississippiRiverviews.A 28,000-sfballroom,18,000-sfsecondary hall/ballroom,2,100-seattheaterand46 breakoutroomsroundoutthe300,000-sf facility,whichhasalreadybeenlaudedfor itscustomerserviceandon-sitesupport. 3. THAT'S NOT ALL THAT'S NEW IN MEMPHIS ... Twothousandnewhotelrooms openedinMemphisbetween2020and 2022,andmorethan6,000additional roomsareindevelopmentthrough2026. MemphisInternationalAirport(MEM) debuteda$245Mupgradeofitsownin February2022,andLibertyPark,a$200M sportsandeventscenterintheheartof thecity,issettoopenbyyear’send. 4. STILL, MEMPHIS IS A VALUE FOR GROUPS. Memphisoffersgroupsarelatively lowcost-per-attendee,thankstoreason- ableairporttransfers,averagedailyrate andfood-and-beveragecosts.Justask LonelyPlanet:Thetravelsiterecently ravedaboutMemphis’affordability. 5. MEMPHIS IS EASY TO GET TO (AND AROUND). Memphis'centrallocationmeansthe cityisashortflight,driveortrainridefrom almostanywhereintheU.S.Infact,Mem- phisisa6-to8-hourdrivefrom85%of thecountry,andMEMservices100flights dailywith30nonstopdestinations.In-mar- ket,groupswillenjoyMemphis’compact, walkabledowntownandvintagetrolleys. 6. MEMPHIS IS A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR PLANNERS. TheMemphisTourismteamworks withplannerseverystepoftheway, whetheryouneedlogisticsassistanceor alocalspeakerinyourvertical.Ifyouhost youreventattheRenasantConvention Center,it'smanagedbyMemphisTour- ism,makingyourjobeveneasier. 7. OF COURSE, MEMPHIS HAS MANY UNIQUE VENUES. Whetheryouoptforanafter-hours tourofElvisPresley'sGracelandora receptiononaglass-bottomdeckatop oneoftheworld'slargestpyramids(Bass ProShopsatthePyramid),only-in-Mem- phisvenuesguaranteememorableevents. 8. MEMPHIS IS ALSO KNOWN FOR DELICIOUS FOOD. World-famousbarbecue,soulfoodand localfavoritesfromcasualtofinedining— allwithinwalkingdistanceoftheRenas- antConventionCenter—helpcreatethat authenticMemphisexperience.| AC&F | Renasant Convention Center Connected Total Guest Rooms: 600 total guest rooms connect the Renasant Convention Center and the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel Total Square Feet of Meeting Space: 220,000 sf of meeting space at group hotels citywide, plus 300,000 sf of meeting space at the Renasant Convention Center Convention Center FYI: Memphis Tourism is the managing partner of the modernized Renasant Convention Center, an easy walk to downtown hotels, restaurants, Beale Street and more. CONTACT MALVIN GIPSON Vice President of Sales, Sports & Convention Services Memphis Tourism 47 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: 901-543-5366 malvingipson@memphistravel.com memphistravel.com FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2023 54 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2023 PHOTO BY CREATION STUDIOSFollowing a $200M modernization, Memphis’ Renasant Convention Center is open and ready to host your group for boutique, affordable meetings featuring flexible space, natural light and Mississippi River views . . . all in the legendary home of blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll.Top 10 Host of the Largest Number of Conventions N ewOrleansisanaward- winningcitysteepedincul- ture,culinaryexcellenceand centuries-oldarchitecture, andourmeetingfacilities arenoexception.EventsheldattheNew OrleansErnestN.MorialConvention Center(NOENMCC)areunlikeanyother. Exquisitevenues,unmatchedprofession- alismandhospitalityarejustafewofthe reasonsNewOrleansisapremiermeet- ingsdestination. TheNOENMCCisthesixth-largest andoneofthemosttechnologically advancedconventionfacilitiesinthe country.Withmorethan1.1million squarefeetofprimecontiguousexhibit space,140meetingrooms,twomultipur- poseballroomsanda4,000-seat,divisible performingartstheater,theNOENMCC hasbeentestedbythemostdemanding clientsfromalleventsegments. TheGreatHallboasts60,000column- freesquarefeetwith25,000squarefeet ofpre-functionspace,interiorandexte- riorbalconiesservedbyalargeoutdoor pedestrianplazaandagrandentrance. Theimpressive3million-square-foot NOENMCChasrecentlyembarkedona $557millionimprovementplan,including interiormodernizations,renovationsto140 meetingrooms,restroomsandacomplete makeoverofitsexteriorexperience. TheConventionCenterispartner- ingwithRiverDistrictNeighborhood Investorstodevelop39-acresadjacentto theConventionCenter.Theprojectwill includenewdining,retail,housingand entertainmentoptions,offeringbenefits tobothvisitorsandlocals. Recentimprovementsincludethe installationofdigitalsignsineachmeet- ingroom,wayfindingkiosksthroughout thelobbiesandacompletemakeoverof changingstations. Anew,centrallylocatedTranspor- tationCenterallowsshuttles,taxisand ride-sharingservicestomoreefficiently moveattendeestoandfromthecenter. TheShuttleHubisequippedwithdigital signagetohelpattendeeseasilyidentify theirshuttles. Thenewlinearparktransformed7.5 acresofConventionCenterBoulevard intoalushpedestrianpark,andfeatures interactivewaterelements,liveevent spaces,publicartinstallationsandshaded gatheringplaces. Furtherdemonstratingacommitment tosustainability,upgradesweremadeto thephysicalplant,includingfournew chillers,twonewcoolingtowers,sixboil- ersandanewsystemmonitoringstation. Thecenteralsocompletedoneofthelarg- estenergy-savinginitiativeseverunder- takenbyalargebuildingintheGulfStates region,includinganoverhauloflighting andHVACsystems. TherecentLEEDGoldcertification makestheNOENMCCthelargestLEED- certifiedprojectinLouisiana,andthelarg- estconventioncenterprojectintheU.S. certifiedunderLEEDv4.1Operationsand Maintenance,aswellasthefirstconvention centerintheworldtobeawardedinitial certificationunderLEEDGoldv4.1O+MA. AsaconsistentTop10hostofthe largestnumberofconventionsandtrade showsannually,theNOENMCCteamis expertinhostinggroupsofallsizesand industries. | AC&F| New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Total Square Feet of Meeting Space: 1.5 million square feet Convention Center FYI: The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has achieved its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. CONTACT ELAINE WILLIAMS, CMP, CEM-AP Senior Director of Sales & Event Services New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70130 Phone: 504-582-3023 ewilliams@mccno.com mccno.com FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2023 56 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2023For more information, please visit mccno.com, or call 504-582-3000. Like us on Facebook, at facebook.com/NewOrleansCC and follow us on Twitter at @NewOrleansENMCC.“In the Heart of It All” 1101 ARCH ST., PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107 | DISCOVERPHL.COM/MEET W henyouholdameet- ingorconventionatthe PennsylvaniaConven- tionCenter,youarenot justinvestinginabuild- ingorfloorspace,youareinvestingin anexperience.Locatedintheheartof Philadelphia,thecenterisjuststepsaway fromthecity’smajorattractions,restau- rantsandhotels. Rankedoneofthemostwalkable citiesinthenation,Philadelphiaoffers everythingyouwantfromamajormetro- politancitywiththeeaseofnavigatinga smalltown.Withmorethan14,400hotel roomslocatedwithinwalkingdistance ofthePennsylvaniaConventionCenter, therearemorethanenoughreasonsto choosePhiladelphiaasthedestinationfor yournextmeetingorconvention. ThePennsylvaniaConventionCenter offers1millionsquarefeetofsaleable space,includingsevenexhibithalls totaling679,000squarefeet—ofwhich, 528,000squarefeetiscontiguousexhibit space.Inaddition,thecenterboasts morethan82meetingroomsthatcan besetinbanquet,classroomortheater seating,andoneofthelargestballrooms intheNortheast,equivalenttothesize ofafootballfield.Thecenter’slargesize providestheabilitytosimultaneouslyand comfortablyhostmultiplelargetrade showsandconventions. Progressiveworkrulesandstream- linedservicesprovidecustomerswithjust therightamountofflexibilityandinde- pendencetheyneed,resultingingreater costefficienciesandabetteroverallcus- tomerexperience.And,mostrecently,the centeranditstradeshowlaborpartners launchedthenewHospitalityIndustry AdvancementTrust(HIAT)Fund—a jointinitiativebelievedtobetheonlyone ofitskindinthecountry—dedicatedto expandingandbuildinguponexisting trainingprogramsintheareasofsafety, developmentoftechnicalskills,customer serviceandhospitality. ThePennsylvaniaConventionCen- teralsocontinuallyinvestsinfacility upgradesandimprovements,andreceived itsGBACStarreaccreditationin2021and 2022.Plus,thecenter’semployee-led GreenTeamhasimplementedinnovative waystomanagethecenter'scarbonfoot- printwithitsLEEDGold-certifiedexpan- sionandothersustainabilityinitiatives. Fromyourinitialoutreachtotheclos- ingsession,thePhiladelphiaCVB'steam ofdestinationexpertsiswithyouevery stepoftheway,ensuringyoureventisa success!WorkingcloselywiththePenn- sylvaniaConventionCenterteam,our combinedexpertiseinmeetingsandcon- ventions,coupledwithin-depthknowl- edgeofPhiladelphia,makeusyourper- fectpartnerinplanning. Startplanningtodayat DiscoverPHL.com/meet. | AC&F | Pennsylvania Convention Center Exhibit Hall Space: 679,000 square feet Number of Exhibit Halls: 7 Largest Ballroom: 55,408 square feet Meeting Rooms: 82 Total Square Feet of Meeting Space: More than 1 million square feet The recently renovated Marriott Philadelphia Downtown Hotel is attached, and offers more than 1,400 rooms FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2023 58 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2023PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION CENTER THE EAST COAST’S Premier Venue PLENTY OF ROOM Located in the heart of Center City, there are over 14,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Center. CUSTOMIZABLE EXPERIENCES From high-tech capabilities to flexible meeting spaces and innovative sustainable practices, the Center provides a space for successful meetings and events. HISTORY OF SUCCESS The Center welcomed long-term partner, Natural Products Expo East, to Philadelphia for the second year in a row and partnered together to make a difference in the local community. VIEW A 3D TOUR OF THE CENTER AT DISCOVERPHL.COM/MEETNext >