The most important conference facilities throughout North America
The larger, the higher, because the saying goes. That is particularly true for assembly planners, who want each sq. foot to form their occasions.
Conference facilities are the go-to selection as a result of they usually have a considerable amount of exhibit area and breakout rooms out there, permitting planners to arrange and orchestrate an expertise for attendees.
Sensible Conferences rounded up the highest conference facilities with probably the most sq. footage to assist planners higher pinpoint what area works finest for them.
1. McCormick Place—Chicago, Illinois
Whole sq. footage: 9 million
On the prime of the heap, McCormick Place in Chicago has 2.6 million sq. ft. of exhibition area, and the complete campus is 9 million sq. ft. of whole area.
There are 4 buildings in whole: the North Constructing, the South Constructing, the West Constructing and Lakeside Heart. All buildings are linked by way of pedestrian sky bridges, underground service corridors and the McCormick Place Busway.
McCormick Place is 13 miles from Halfway and 20 miles from Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) and has many transportation choices, together with downtown Chicago’s Loop, which immediately connects to the Metra Electrical Line and CTA buses and shuttles utilized throughout occasions.
McCormick Place can also be LEED-certified with a 20,000-square-foot rooftop backyard used for catering.
2. Orange County Conference Heart—Orlando, Florida
Whole sq. footage: 7 million
Sunshine and area. Orlando has it; planners need it.
Orange County Conference Heart (OCCC) has 7 million sq. ft. of campus area and a pair of.1 million sq. ft. of exhibit area throughout the West and North/South buildings.
Learn Extra: Notes from the Highway: Orlando
The West Constructing has 1.1 million sq. ft. of contiguous area and the North/South Constructing has 950,282 sq. ft.
OCCC can also be linked by way of pedestrian bridges to close by motels, together with Hilton Orlando, Rosen Centre, Hyatt Regency Orlando and Rosen Plaza Lodge.
OCCC is quarter-hour from Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO), which is handy for attendees who have to rush to their flights.
3. Las Vegas Conference Heart—Las Vegas, Nevada
Whole sq. footage: 4.6 million
Conveniently situated simply off the Vegas Strip, Las Vegas Conference Heart (LVCC) has a complete of 4.6 million sq. ft., together with 2.9 million sq. ft. of exhibition area, which additionally features a theatre capability of two,376, banquet capability of 11,080 and a classroom capability of 1,100.
Las Vegas Conference Heart is present process a $600 million renovation that may proceed via 2025.
Learn Extra: Las Vegas: A Aptitude for the Fabulous
LVCC is inside a brief strolling distance of 150,000 resort rooms—as a result of, let’s be sincere, who doesn’t like a conference heart that’s fast and straightforward to stroll to? Climate allowing.
The conference heart is accessible by way of the Las Vegas Monorail, a 3.9-mile practice system. Trains arrive each 4 to eight minutes and journey between MGM Grand and SAHARA Las Vegas.
The Vegas Loop, the Tesla-powered transportation system, presents handy transportation all through the LVCC campus. Attendees can make the most of the free on-campus rides.
4. Georgia World Congress Heart—Atlanta, Georgia
Whole sq. footage: 3.9 million
Between the interconnected three buildings of A, B and C, Georgia World Congress Heart (GWCC) has greater than 4.1 million sq. ft. of whole area, together with 1.5 million sq. ft. of versatile area, in addition to 98 assembly rooms, two high-end boardrooms and two ballrooms.
GWCC is provided for car drive-on, making load-in/out seamless for occasions with heavy tools and stage units.
For planners seeking to host a TED Speak-style opening ceremony, Sidney Marcus Auditorium can seat 1,740 attendees.
GWCC’s excessive ceilings in lots of the exhibit halls have built-in rigging factors that will profit tech expos, sport activations and different entertainment-based occasions.
The conference heart has versatile assembly room clusters—modular pods—that permit planners to create bigger breakout periods or smaller configurations.
Outside area consists of the 22-acre Centennial Olympic Park, which is ideal for receptions and live shows.
5. Jacob Okay. Javits Conference Heart—New York
Whole sq. footage: 3.3 million
You don’t get nicknamed The Massive Apple for nothing.
Jacob Okay. Javits Conference Heart has 850,000 sq. ft. of exhibition area, 500,000 sq. ft. of steady exhibition area on one stage and 122 assembly rooms. If that isn’t sufficient to show its dimension, the campus spans six metropolis blocks.
Javits Conference Heart can also be LEED-certified with 2,014 photo voltaic panels and a 6.75-acre inexperienced roof.
There are 1,400 Wi-Fi entry factors across the campus that permit 140,000 customers to attach at one time.
The convention heart is conveniently situated in New York Metropolis’s Hudson Yards, making it simply accessible from LaGuardia Airport (LGA), JFK Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) utilizing a number of types of transportation just like the subway, bus, Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, Lengthy Island Rail Highway and Metro-North Railroad. Attendees may hop on the ferry.
6. New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Conference Heart—New Orleans, Louisiana
Whole sq. footage: 3 million
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Conference Heart has 322,924 sq. ft. of assembly area, 296 assembly rooms and 1.1 million sq. ft. of exhibit area.
Morial Conference Heart presents a full know-how service that’s fiber optic. The tech crew can deal with the cabling, networking tools and additional vital help for easy web connection. The conference heart presents free Wi-Fi in all public areas to visitors.
On-site workers are simply distinguishable in purple coats and might reply all questions. They’re additionally first aid- and CPR/AED-qualified.
7. America’s Heart—St. Louis, Missouri
Whole sq. footage: 2.7 million
St. Louis’s America’s Heart, conveniently situated within the coronary heart of downtown, has accomplished part considered one of a $256 million enlargement, with part two ending in late 2025. The renovation will add 72,000 sq. ft. of exhibit corridor area, double the variety of loading docks, a hybrid assembly broadcast stage and an enhanced air flow and filtration system.
At the moment, America’s Heart presents 502,000 sq. ft. of exhibit area, 80 assembly rooms and 67,000 seats within the Dome at America’s Heart.
There are greater than 7,500 resort rooms inside a mile of America’s Heart.
8. San Diego Conference Heart—San Diego, California
Whole sq. footage: 2.6 million
Waterfronts and sunny days? San Diego Conference Heart has that too. There’s additionally 2.6 million whole sq. ft. of area that features 615,701 sq. ft. of exhibit area and 204,114 sq. ft. of assembly area that holds two 40,000-square-foot ballrooms.
The Sails Pavilion is 90,000 sq. ft. and is situated between the 2 ballrooms. It’s glass-enclosed and supplies superb views of the surface.
In 2025, San Diego Conference Heart achieved LEED Gold Certification for Cities and Communities from the U.S. Inexperienced Constructing Council. Fruits, greens and extra are bought inside a 150-mile radius. The kitchens haven’t any disposals, so any inexperienced waste is composted. There are water refill stations located all through the constructing.
Attendees are granted complimentary Wi-Fi within the foyer, assembly rooms and ballrooms. There’s additionally digital signage for key areas in addition to cellular shows. San Diego Conference Heart is full with AV and manufacturing capabilities.
The conference heart is inside strolling distance of many motels, retailers and eating places, and is 3 miles from San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN).
9. Huntington Place Conference Heart—Detroit, Michigan
Whole sq. footage: 2.6 million
Huntington Place Conference Heart presents planners 723,000 sq. ft. of exhibit area and greater than 200,000 sq. ft. of versatile area. The Wi-Fi system permits for 30,000 customers on the identical time.
There’s a 40,000-square-foot ballroom that’s divisible and glass-enclosed so visitors can get a view of the Detroit River and skyline. The Riverview Ballroom can accommodate theater seating, banquet type or a reception.
Huntington Place has 24,000 sq. ft. of outside area that can be utilized for a wide range of activations.
The conference heart has a state-of-the-art digital signage system and high-speed Wi-Fi.
Additionally price mentioning: Huntington Place Conference Heart gained LEED Gold Certification, making it the biggest LEED-certified constructing in Michigan.
10. Toronto Congress Centre—Toronto, Ontario
Whole sq. footage: 1 million
Toronto Congress Centre options greater than 1 million sq. ft. of exhibit, assembly and conference area. It additionally presents 56 state-of-the-art assembly rooms totaling over 100,000 sq. ft.
There’s additionally a 30,000 square-foot ballroom, the biggest in Canada.
Loading docks are on road stage, permitting for straightforward entry, and embrace 30 heated and lined Ingenious Docks and 12 drive-in doorways for automobiles and vehicles.
Toronto Congress Centre is 5 minutes from Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport (YYZ) and 20 minutes to downtown Toronto.
There are greater than 8,000 resort rooms inside strolling or brief driving distance. For visitors driving in, the on-site parking zone has over 6,000 areas.
Planning a small get-together or a feast? The culinary crew can accommodate from 50 to 10,000 visitors. To not point out, the venue companions with native growers and wine producers to offer visitors the easiest of the area.
