CHICAGO — Trade Show Executive (TSE) utilizes a ranking system to segment venues appearing in the World’s Top Convention Centers directory into size tiers. In this system, Midsized Convention Centers are venues offering between 125,000 square feet (sf) and 349,999 sf of prime exhibit space. These facilities comprise Tier III, while Tier I (Millionaire’s Club) centers feature 1,000,000 sf or more and Tier II (Mega Convention Centers) venues contain 350,000 sf to 999,999 sf of prime exhibit space. The Tier IV (Smaller Convention Centers) category is made up of venues ranging from 50,000 sf to 124,999 sf of prime exhibit space. Ninety-six Midsized Conventions Centers can be found throughout North America, which represents 32.9% of all venues tracked by TSE. Tier III holds 27% of the overall prime exhibit space as well, with 19,205,076 sf.
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In Chula Vista, Calif., the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center is scheduled to open in May 2025. The hotel will offer 1,600 rooms, 140,049 sf of prime exhibit space, 52,302 sf of meeting space and a waterpark. On the other side of the country, the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., is increasing its meeting space by 80,000 sf during the summer of 2025. Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center is also expanding, and the venue is currently closed as extensive construction takes place. It will reopen in January 2026 with 200,000 sf of prime exhibit space, 104,234 sf of meeting space and 97,996 sf of flex space.
The National Western Complex in Denver is in the midst of an expansion, which will raise prime exhibit space to 852,350 sf, meeting space to 24,773 sf and flex space to 20,000 sf. The timeline is still pending, but completion is expected within 2025. In Georgia, the Savannah Convention Center’s construction has encountered delays. The debut date for the enlarged venue is undetermined, however once finished, the development will feature 200,000 sf of prime exhibit space, 114,000 sf of meeting space and 65,000 sf of flex space.
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Several midsized centers have expansion projects in various early planning stages as well. San Antonio’s Alamodome and the Baltimore Convention Center are both discussing options to increase rentable space. The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, Pa., is implementing the results of a feasibility study and raising the amount of flex space available at the complex. The San Diego Convention Center is in the financing stage. The following midsized venues are in the design and site preparation phase: the Austin Convention Center, Tex., the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, the Fort Worth Convention Center, Tex., and the Raleigh Convention Center.
Check out the full Midsized Convention Center report in the January issue of TSE Magazine.
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To submit a venue for consideration in TSE’s World’s Top Convention Centers directory, email Carson Stoolmiller at carsons@tradeshowexecutive.com.
