CHICAGO — The trend line for trade show facility construction continues to reach a point of equilibrium, although venues considering construction saw a slight rise from 20 in the spring of 2026 to 21 in the fall, according to the soon-to-be-released Trade Show Executive (TSE) Pardon Our Dust report.
“TSE’s Semi-Annual Pardon Our Dust is a progress report on convention center expansions and new builds, providing trade show organizers and industry partners with the key data on the current construction landscape in North America,” said Carri Jensen, Director of Research for TSE. “The October edition spotlights some already sizable venues that are continuing to expand as they anticipate a growing demand for more event space. TSE is tracking 15 convention center construction projects that are underway, with more than half scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. An additional 21 proposed projects are in the planning stages.”
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The relatively static numbers in convention centers undergoing and considering construction reflect both the positive pressure of strong demand for meeting space as well as the negative pressure of rising construction costs, with event venues seeking the balance of growth to compete for larger events while also confronting the financial realities of the current moment.
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s July 2026 Global Exhibition Barometer reports that within the survey results for the U.S., 25% of respondents forecasted an increase of more than 5% in rented space, while 50% forecasted a stable +/- 5% change.
By comparison, UFI’s July 2025 edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer only reflected 21% of survey responses forecasting an increase of more than 5% in rented space.
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Demand for exhibit space is trending upwards, despite an uncertain economic climate, and at the same time, construction costs continue to climb as well. Data released by the U.S. Department of Labor and reported on by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reveals an 8.9% jump in inputs for nonresidential construction from August 2025 to August 2026, which AGC attributes to a combination of conflicts in the Middle East and tariff policy. While a convention center building boom is unlikely without stability in construction costs, venues are nonetheless proceeding with expansions to capitalize on the positive indicators of growth in the trade show industry.
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Looking ahead to upcoming developments, December 2026 will be an eventful month as several trade show venues seek to wrap up construction before 2027 begins. The Caney Pines Convention Center is a new exhibit facility being built in New Caney, Texas, and will feature 55,000 square feet (sf) of prime exhibit space and 20,000 sf of meeting space, as well as 40,000 sf of pre-function space and 11,000 sf of outdoor event space.
In Kennewick, Washington, the Three Rivers Convention Center is growing from 21,600 sf to 81,600 sf of prime exhibit space, while expanding its meeting space to 17,200 sf.
Lastly, in Louisville, the Kentucky Exposition Center is on track to finish construction by the end of the year, adding 280,000 sf of prime exhibit space for a new total of 1,380,000 sf.
Read the full Pardon Our Dust report in the October issue of TSE Magazine.
Subscribe to receive a copy today at https://tsx.magserv.com/cgi-bin/subscribe.
To submit a venue for consideration in TSE’s Pardon Our Dust report, email Carson Stoolmiller at carsons@tradeshowexecutive.com.
