< PreviousEveryone Is Talking About Austin W ith world-renowned res- taurants 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 in Austin, Texas. As a LEED® Gold- certified and a Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accredited facility, the Austin Convention Center is located in the heart of the capital city’s downtown business district. This is the perfect place to serve as your home base for meetings and events in ATX. Spanning six city blocks, the Aus- tin Convention Center offers 374,000 sq. feet of meeting and exhibition space. There are five column-free exhibit halls, totaling 247,052 square feet, and two ball- rooms that range up to 40,510 square feet in size. There are 54 meeting rooms and show offices and ample parking in two garages with 1,700 spaces. Check Our Tech There is robust and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the facility. Over 20,000 wireless devices can connect simultane- ously so there is no need to roam, look- ing for the full connectivity sweet spot. There are video walls for additional way- finding and client messaging to go along with a 24/7 network support team for event customization. The Center Of It All Just like the rhythm embedded in its live music culture, the facility has a connection with its community. Hotels connected by walkways include the 800- room Hilton Austin and The Fairmont Austin, North America’s largest Fairmont property with 1,048 rooms. The Austin Marriott Downtown, located adjacent to the Austin Convention Center has 600 guest rooms. Customer Service One Hundred. The facility has a stun- ning 100% customer survey rating from clients saying they would schedule another event at the Austin Convention Center. The staff takes great pride in its customer service and making sure the guest receives the full Austin experience while in the city, in the building, and with convention team members. The Austin Convention Center is fortunate to manage 90% of its services such as housekeeping, security, IT, and exhibitor services, all provided by in-house trained staff. The team practices a service-first culture and takes ownership of the guest experience. The Austin Convention Center Cater- ing team works with area vendors to procure local ingredients for catering menus. Among the most popular items are mouthwatering local favorites like street-style tacos, smoked meats, and Tex- Mex. More than 90% of the menu items are produced in-house. Expansion Update Currently in the design stage, the facility is embarking on a complete build- ing renovation and expansion project to double in size. The project timeline esti- mates for the building closure, demolition, and construction activities are to begin in 2025, with the new larger facility reopen- ing in 2029. | AC&F | Austin Convention Center Total square feet of meeting space: 370,000 sq. ft. including five contiguous exhibit halls Convention Center FYI: The Austin Convention Center has 12,000-plus hotel rooms within a two-mile radius and manages 90% of its services such as housekeeping, security, IT, and exhibitor services, all provided by in-house trained staff. FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2024 40 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2024 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 CommunitySupport For more information: www.austinconventioncenter.com “We’re so pleased to support the Austin Convention Center and the City of Austin as they move forward with the redesign project.” Michele Flores SXSW Chief Logistics Officer “This announcement is an exciting one for the Austin hotel community. Not only will a new and redeveloped convention center bring more meetings and events business to Austin, but create more jobs for our industry and further positively impact the Austin hospitality community at large. This project has long been in the works and we are happy to finally see this come to fruition.” Nenad Praporski General Manager of Fairmont Austin and Chairman of the Austin Hotel Lodging Association “To give the community, visitors, and attendees the true authentic Austin experience, we want the new Austin Convention Center to be an iconic, innovative, and symbolic meeting location.” Trisha Tatro Austin Convention Center Department Director The Austin Convention Center is preparing to make its mark on the ever-changing Austin skyline with a vertical approach to expansion and redevelopment, beginning in April 2025, that will nearly double the amount of rentable space by 2029. Vertical Approach In using a vertical approach to deliver a larger, more efficient facility, the goal of the Austin Convention Center expansion and redevelop- ment is to transform the southeast corner of downtown Austin into a community-centric destination for attendees and the community. Signature Design Along with providing more rentable space, the Austin Convention Center expansion and redevelopment will provide a signature design, featuring state-of-the-art technologies and an industry-leading facility that is ready to exceed future clients’ needs. The Austin Skyline is About to ChangeCaesars Entertainment Meets the Future With Latest Conference Center L ocated in the heart of The Strip, CAESARS FORUM is the latest addition to the Cae- sars Entertainment family and the next evolution of Las Vegas conference centers. CAESARS FORUM provides endless planning possibilities with over 300,000 sq. ft. of flexible meet- ing space, stunning biophilic design ele- ments, and direct access to more than 8,500 hotel rooms at Harrah's Las Vegas, The LINQ, Flamingo, Paris, and Cromwell hotels. The state-of-the-art conference center's prime location eliminates the need for complicated transportation and is also directly connected to world-class restaurants, legendary entertainment, eclectic shopping centers, and more. CAESARS FORUM has quickly become the ideal location to host meetings and events in Las Vegas. Within its space, CAESARS FORUM is home to the two largest, pillarless ballrooms in the world at 110,000 sq. ft. each. Alongside the pillarless Forum and Summit ballrooms, the conference center features two 40,000 sq. ft. ballrooms and six boardrooms. At maximum capacity, the space is capable of welcoming more than 10,000 attendees comfortably with upwards of 100 breakout rooms. The flex- ible nature of each of its rooms allows for easy accommodation of smaller meetings as well. For outdoor receptions, well- ness breaks, or dinner under the stars, the conference center offers 100,000 sq. ft. of outdoor space in what is known as FORUM PLAZA. Additionally, CAESARS FORUM is all on one level with two load- ing docks for easy setup and tear down. A short walk from CAESARS FORUM, the surrounding properties provide sumptuous comforts with newly reno- vated rooms, celebrity chef restaurants, and acclaimed amenities. Steps away from various Las Vegas landmarks and a stop on the Las Vegas Monorail, Harrah's Las Vegas recently refreshed its guest rooms and suites as well as its lobby area and exteriors. Next door, the ever-elegant Paris Las Vegas has welcomed a series of new restaurants from the likes of Bobby Flay, Lisa Vanderpump, and Martha Stewart. Nearby, the LINQ and Cromwell provide their own flavors of luxury from modern design to boutique sensibilities. Caesars Entertainment became an NFL sponsor in 2019 and proudly hosted the 2022 NFL draft at CAESARS FORUM. The conference center welcomed thou- sands of sports enthusiasts through its doors for the opportunity to be a part of the top prospects' journeys and celebrate their favorite teams. Utilizing the expan- sive outdoor space of the FORUM PLAZA and adjacent LINQ parking lot, the spe- cially created NFL Draft Theater featured more than 2,000 light fixtures,10.8 mil- lion pixels of LED across 5,022 sq. ft. of LED screens, and 350,000 watts of sound amplification power. | AC&F | Caesars Forum Guest Rooms: 8,500 Total square feet of meeting space: 400,000 sq. ft. Convention Center FYI: Located in the heart of The Strip, CAESARS FORUM provides endless planning possibilities with over 300,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and direct access to more than 8,500 hotel rooms. FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2024 42 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2024 3911 KOVAL LANE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 | 1-855-633-8238 | CAESARSFORUM.COMSIMPLIFY SUCCESS caesarsmeansbusiness.com | 855-633-8238Now Open for Business! S ay hello to mile-high meet- ing paradise at the newly expanded Colorado Con- vention Center. The roof- top expansion includes the highly anticipated Bluebird Ballroom— the largest ballroom in Colorado. With 19 different subdivisions, this column- free, 80,000 square-foot space can be arranged in an endless number of con- figurations. Another key feature of the expansion is the 35,000 square-foot pre- function area, featuring floor to ceiling windows to let in natural sunlight and Rocky Mountain views. With carefully designed space to encourage network- ing, this is where the magic between meetings happens. Lastly, the 20,000 square-foot terrace rounds out the expansion. A destination in itself, this outdoor space is perfect for soaking in Denver’s 300 days of sunshine, against a beautiful backdrop of more mountain and city skyline views. Getting to Denver has never been easier—with flights to 188 domestic des- tinations and 217 nonstop flights—Den- ver International Airport is a breeze to fly into no matter where your attendees are coming from. Once here, the Colo- rado Convention Center is a center in the center of it all. Located just blocks away are the Denver Center for Per- forming Arts, an impressive variety of restaurants, bars, hotels, and endless options for entertainment. Denver’s dining scene is reaching new heights with 26 restaurants recognized by the MICHELIN Guide, including 3 One Star restaurants, 2 Green Stars, 9 Bib Gourmands, and 12 Recommended restaurants. Looking for even more in The Mile High City? Search no fur- ther. Denver is home to endless outdoor adventure all year round, a thriving arts and culture scene, national-champion sports teams, and endless attractions. In short, it’s the perfect place for your next meeting. | AC&F | Colorado Convention Center Total square feet of meeting space: 100,000 sq. ft. Number of Meeting Rooms: 63 FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2024 44 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2024 1555 CALIFORNIA ST., SUITE 300, DENVER, CO 80202 CONTACT: LEE ANN BENAVIDEZ, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | CHIEF SALES & SERVICES OFFICER TEL: 303-571-9417 | LBENAVIDEZ@VISITDENVER.COM 303-892-1112 | CCCEXPANSION.COM Transformed Venue Makes Memphis the Boutique Meetings Capital of the Southeast T he Renasant Convention Center is celebrating its second full year of hosting events and groups in its fully transformed facility in downtown Memphis. The venue debuted its $200-million moderniza- tion in 2021: A 118,000-square-foot, col- umn-free exhibit hall—the largest in the region—with flexible space, natural light and river views. In fact, the facility fea- tures outdoor terraces and indoor gath- ering spaces overlooking the river, and a glass-walled board room and light-filled lobby that overlook and/or directly con- nect to Memphis’ Main Street. A 28,000-square-foot ballroom, 18,000-square-foot secondary hall/ball- room, 2,100-seat theater and 46 breakout rooms round out the 300,000-square- foot facility, which has already earned several high-profile accolades, including Smart Meetings’ Smart Stars, Exhibitor Magazine’s “Best Customer Service & On-Site Support” and a Metamorphosis Award from Retrofit Magazine. What Planners Are Saying While the physical venue has earned its share of accolades, it’s the testimoni- als of meeting and event planners that speak volumes: "Hosting a live event at the Renasant Convention Center was an outstanding experience. The staff worked tirelessly and were very attentive to my client's needs," said Warren D. Isenhour, President of Isenhour International. It’s a bonus for planners that Renasant Convention Center is managed by Mem- phis Tourism, creating a one-stop shop. Whether a planner is looking for an in- market advocate to help bring their vision to life, connect them with a local speaker in their vertical or bring Memphis music to their event, one team does it all, mak- ing planning easy. A River City on the Rise Between 2020 and 2022, 2,000 new hotel rooms opened in Memphis, and more than 6,000 additional rooms are in various stages of development through 2026. This includes a proposal for 300 additional rooms and significant upgrades to the Sheraton Memphis Downtown, which already connects 600 hotel rooms to Renasant Convention Center. Additionally, Memphis International Airport (MEM) debuted a $245-million upgrade of its own in early 2022, and Liberty Park, a $200-million sports and events center in the heart of the city, is progressing, with the brand-new Mem- phis Sports and Events Center hosting its first events in January 2023. The projects are part of a $17-billion wave of invest- ment currently transforming Memphis. The Memphis Experience In the Home of Blues, Soul and Rock 'n' Roll, live music rocks seven nights a week from Beale Street, while legend- ary music attractions—from The Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame and Sun Studio to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Elvis Presley's Grace- land—welcome all. Bonus: Memphis landmarks and attractions double as off-site meeting ven- ues as authentic as they come, whether you opt for an after-hours tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland or a reception on a glass-bottom deck atop one of the world’s largest pyramids — Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. | AC&F | Renasant Convention Center Connected Total Guest Rooms: 600 Total square feet of meeting space: 300,000 sf Renasant Convention Center Highlights: 118,000-SF column-free Exhibit Hall, 28,000-SF Ballroom, 2,100-seat Theatre and 46 flexible Meeting Rooms. FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2024 46 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2024 255 N. MAIN ST., MEMPHIS, TN 38103 CONTACT: MALVIN GIPSON , VICE PRESIDENT, SALES, SPORTS AND CONVENTION SERVICES, MEMPHIS TOURISM TEL: 901-543-5366 | MALVINGIPSON@MEMPHISTRAVEL.COM RENASANTCONVENTIONCENTER.COMFollowing 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. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE EXHIBITOR MAGAZINE, 2021–2023 BEST CONVENTION CENTER SMART MEETINGS, 2022–2023 BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE & ON-SITE SUPPORT EXHIBITOR MAGAZINE, 2022The Midwest’s Best New Convention Center T he countdown to the opening of Baird Center's $456 million expan- sion is on! What has been talked about for over two decades is com- ing alive in the heart of downtown Milwaukee in May 2024, ushering in a new era of accessibility and innovation. Baird Center is more than doubling its total convention center space to 1.3 million square feet, becoming one of the state’s largest and most flexible conven- tion centers that can accommodate all types of meetings and events simultane- ously. Meeting planners and attendees can expect 300,000 contiguous square feet of exhibition space, 24 new meeting rooms (for a total of 52), a new rooftop ballroom with outdoor terraces and sweeping sky- line views, a solar roof, all-gender bath- rooms, dedicated sensory rooms, 400 indoor parking spaces, six new loading docks (for a total of 22), and so much more. "Meeting planners have recognized Milwaukee as best in class for its facilities and venues as well as its robust leisure opportunities," said Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks. "In 2024, Baird Center is raising the bar even higher with every aspect of the cen- ter growing to meet the unique needs of our meetings and conventions attendees." The expanded campus will offer more staff, more space, and greater accessibility alongside unmatched functionality and style to elevate the experience of guests and planners alike. Do More in Milwaukee The city awaits, and Baird Center places attendees and planners within walking distance of top attractions, din- ing, and nightlife, just minutes from Mil- waukee’s stunning lakefront. Baird Center is a part of the Wisconsin Center District campus that also features the historic Miller High Life Theatre and the UW- Milwaukee Panther Arena. Its enviable location puts the city’s best within reach of every attendee. Mil- waukee is rich in diverse experiences with 191 distinct neighborhoods, 200+ locally owned downtown restaurants, 18 James Beard-recognized chefs and over 15 downtown museums. The Hop streetcar connects visitors to some of Milwaukee's most popular neighborhoods and attrac- tions on its 2-mile route. Beyond down- town, there is much more in store, with 1,400 acres of beachfront, 135+ miles of trails and RiverWalk, and 150 state and county parks to explore. The Future is Bright Word of the Baird Center's expansion has garnered national attention, with the Republican National Committee con- firming Baird Center as one of its host venues for the 2024 presidential nomi- nating convention. With this announcement, Milwaukee becomes the first city to win back-to-back Democratic and Republican national con- ventions since 1972—largely due to the cut- ting-edge innovations at Baird Center, as well as the world-renowned amenities and attractions of Milwaukee as a destination. “We are ready to show the world that Milwaukee is a sensational city with world-class hospitality,” said Brooks. “Everyone that comes here is in for an amazing experience.” | AC&F | Milwaukee’s Baird Center Convention Center FYI: Designed with meeting planner input, the 1.3 million square foot Baird Center expansion is bringing the ultimate experience in versatility, functionality and style to downtown Milwaukee in May 2024. FACTS & FEATURES AMERICA'S PREMIER CONVENTION CENTERS 2024 48 themeetingmagazines.comASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS & FACILITIESJANUARY 2024 VISITMILWAUKEE.ORG/MEETExpect More in 2024 DISCOVER IT ALL AT VISITMILWAUKEE.ORGMEET In Milwaukee, conventions are anything but conventional, and Baird Center will raise the bar even higher when it more than doubles in total space. In May 2024, more staff, more amenities, greater accessibility, unmatched functionality, and signature style will be a reality. Be among the first to host your event in the Midwest’s newest – and most flexible – convention center. Next >