by Kerstan Szczepanski, Exhibit City News & Ariane Hiltebrand, Director of Sales & Marketing at MBCC
Miami Beach Convention Center (1901 Convention Center Dr) is located in the heart of Miami Beach.
Re-imagined following a $640 million expansion and renovation from 2015-2020, the expanded MBCC includes a new 60,000 square feet grand ballroom, four junior ballrooms, almost 500,000 square feet of exhibition space, an expanded grand lobby, pre-function areas that are bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms, approximately 800 roof deck parking spaces, almost 2,100 miles of cabling to support all IT communications, $10.2 million worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program, a six-acre (Pride Park) and three-acre (Collins Canal Park) public green spaces that can serve as incremental event space.
The MBCC campus includes two new event spaces: Venu, a space for elegant private events and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s-inspired restaurant with an enticing tapas-style menu and local South Florida rums. The MBCC is proud to have earned Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, and LEED® Silver Certification as part of the venue’s expansion project, which includes many environmentally friendly features.12 miles from the Miami International Airport, the center is accessible from three causeways: I-395 McArthur Causeway, I-195 Julia Tuttle Causeway, and the Venetian Causeway.
The venue opened as the Miami Beach Exhibition Hall in 1958. Known as the largest exhibition center in the South—now it is the largest convention center in south Florida—the center hosted the Miss Universe pageant from 1960-1971, and 1997, as well as the 1968 Republican Convention, the 1972 Republican Convention, and the 1972 Democratic Convention. The historic Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston boxing match was at the center in 1964, and Championship Wrestling from Florida had matches there for decades. With 600,000 visitors annually, the MBCC hosts the Miami International Boat Show, Art Basel, Florida International Medical Expo, and Florida Supercon amongst others.
Finally, never forget the rich cultural history of the whole Miami area. Spanning four city blocks in the heart of Miami Beach, the Center offers easy access to the historic Art Deco District, spectacular beaches, inspiring art and culture, luxurious resorts, delectable fine dining, and shopping on iconic Lincoln Road.
This story originally appeared in the Q3 2024 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 68. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_q3_2024/68.
