(Representatives from Dragon Con and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau gather for the official unveiling of the 2025 Dragon Con street pole banners. Pictured left to right: Rachel Reeves, Senior Director and Co-Chairman, Dragon Con; Charlene Lopez, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, ACVB; William Pate, President and CEO, ACVB; Pat Henry, Co-Founder and President, Dragon Con; Sherry Henry, Vice President, Dragon Con; and Mandy Collier, Senior Director, Dragon Con.)
August highlights include sales realignment in Philadelphia, a $460 million build in Louisville, and pop culture and culinary events from New York to Milwaukee
From Philadelphia’s new convention sales model to Louisville’s multimillion-dollar expansion, August brought notable developments to convention centers across the United States. Venues launched infrastructure projects, hosted high-profile events, and partnered with local organizations on food access and tourism initiatives.
Northeast
Philadelphia Convention Center Adopts Unified Sales Model
The Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia has adopted a new Alliance Sales Model, consolidating all sales operations under the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB). Previously, PHLCVB handled long-term citywide bookings while ASM Global managed in-house sales. Under the new structure, PHLCVB will oversee all sales activity, providing planners with a single point of contact from inquiry to contract. ASM Global will continue managing event operations. Officials say the change aligns with practices in other markets and is designed to improve coordination, accelerate bookings, and strengthen Philadelphia’s competitiveness.
Southeast
Dragon Con Fills Downtown Atlanta as New Banners Highlight Citywide Impact
Dragon Con 2025 took over downtown Atlanta during Labor Day weekend, with new street pole banners unveiled by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau to mark the event’s return. The annual fan convention drew tens of thousands of attendees, generating a major boost for hotels, restaurants, and attractions citywide. Organizers and city officials say the campaign helped highlight Dragon Con’s ongoing role as a cornerstone of Atlanta’s tourism economy.
South
Owensboro Convention Center Earns 12th Prime Site Award
The Owensboro Convention Center has received its 12th Prime Site Award from Facilities & Destinations magazine, recognizing the Kentucky venue as a top choice among national meeting and tradeshow planners. Winners are selected through votes by association and corporate event professionals. Managed by Oak View Group and owned by the City of Owensboro, the facility will be featured in the publication’s 2025 SuperBook edition this fall.
Kentucky Exposition Center Shares Expansion Progress and New Renderings
Kentucky Venues has released updated renderings and a one-year progress report on the $460 million expansion and renovation of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Phase I is a $180 million project that will add a 350,000-square-foot multi-purpose facility, set to open by the end of 2026. The building is designed to support livestock, equine, sports, and tradeshow events. Fairgoers this year experienced early upgrades including a rebuilt Gate Four entrance with expanded traffic lanes, improved pedestrian areas, and digital signage. Phase II will begin after Phase I is complete and add 249,000 square feet of Class A exhibit space, meeting rooms, and upgraded food and beverage facilities.
Midwest
Baird Center to Host GalaxyCon’s Milwaukee Debut in November
The Baird Center will welcome GalaxyCon to Milwaukee for the first time November 7–9. Organized in partnership with Anime Milwaukee, the pop culture convention joins a national slate of 18 GalaxyCon events expected to double last year’s $42 million in total economic impact. Tickets start at $40.
Huntington Place Begins Work on Second Avenue Extension in Downtown Detroit
Huntington Place has launched construction of the Second Avenue Extension, a new road set to connect Congress Street to Atwater Street and provide direct pedestrian and vehicle access from downtown Detroit to the riverfront. Officials marked the milestone with a beam-signing ceremony on August 13. The $9 million project, managed by Plante Moran Realpoint, is expected to open by summer 2026 and support future developments including the new JW Marriott and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
Northeast
Javits Center Turns Rooftop Harvest into 2,000 Donated Meals
On August 12, the Jacobs Javits Convention Center partnered with nonprofit Rethink Food and its in-house culinary team, Cultivated, to prepare and donate 2,000 fresh meals to Alliance for Positive Change. The initiative used 1,500 pounds of produce harvested from Steel Farm, the venue’s one-acre rooftop farm. Meals were distributed across New York City to support food-insecure communities. Now in its second year, the event is part of the JavitsCares program, which rescued nearly 200,000 pounds of food and materials for donation in 2023.
Philadelphia to Host 2025 MICHELIN Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony
The Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) will help spotlight the city’s culinary scene this fall when Philadelphia hosts the 2025 MICHELIN Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony. The event takes place November 18 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and will announce MICHELIN Star and Bib Gourmand recipients across Boston, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. This marks the first time Philadelphia restaurants will be included in the Guide. Officials say the event reinforces the city’s emergence as a destination for global food and hospitality.
