Convention centers, venues, and event suppliers across the United States close out 2025 with record attendance, major capital projects, and new industry recognition. From convention center expansions and hotel renovations to award wins and operational upgrades, the developments reflect continued domestic demand for meetings, conventions, and live events heading into 2026.
WEST
Texas
Palmer Events Center closes December with mix of retail, markets, and association events
The Palmer Events Center in Austin hosted five events across December, spanning trade meetings, markets, and civic ceremonies. The schedule included the Sports Inc. Outdoor Footwear and Apparel Meeting from Dec. 2 to 4, followed by Horror for the Holidays and Markets for Makers on Dec. 6 and 7. The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy held its 2025 swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 13. The month concluded with the 50th season of the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, which ran Dec. 13 to 21 and combined live music with a multi-day holiday art market.
Fort Worth completes Phase I of convention center expansion
Fort Worth completed Phase I of the Fort Worth Convention Center expansion with a ribbon cutting on Dec. 8. The $95 million phase adds 76,794 square feet, anchored by a new southeast entrance with an atrium lobby, food-and-beverage facilities, and four additional loading docks. The center remains operational during construction. City officials said the work improves pedestrian access and supports future development, including a planned convention hotel site. Phase II, estimated at $606 million, is expected to begin in late 2026 and run through early 2030.
Houston Tents and Events earns women-owned business recognition
Houston Tents and Events ranked No. 21 on the Houston Business Journal’s 2025 list of Women-Owned Businesses. The Houston-based event rental and hospitality company also appeared on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list at No. 2,385, posting 178 percent revenue growth over three years. The combined rankings place the company among the region’s faster-growing firms serving large-scale events and temporary infrastructure.
SOUTH
Kentucky
Kentucky Venues rolls out accessible smart vending at Louisville convention campuses
The Kentucky International Convention Center added smart vending units in early December as part of an operational update focused on delegate access during event and off-peak periods. The rollout also includes the Kentucky Exposition Center and is managed by Kentucky Venues. The Envision IQ machines feature multilingual interfaces, accessible touchscreens, and expanded product formats, including Kentucky-made goods developed with Louisville-based Pap’s Jerky. The units also function as digital signage and generate data on foot traffic and purchasing behavior to support event operations.
Georgia
Atlanta tourism bureau releases World Cup welcome video ahead of 2026 matches
The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau released a visitor welcome video in early December as preparations continue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Developed with the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Sports Council, the video features eighteen Atlanta-based figures from sports, entertainment, business, and civic life. Atlanta is scheduled to host eight matches between June 11 and July 19, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Local organizers project more than 225,000 visitors tied to the tournament, with estimated economic impact exceeding $500 million statewide.
Louisiana
New Orleans convention center earns fifth Readers’ Choice Award
The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO) received a 2025 Readers’ Choice Award from ConventionSouth, marking its fifth consecutive year earning the distinction. More than 7,000 meeting professionals participated in the voting process. Separately, Chief Commercial Officer Elaine Williams was named to the 2025 Eventex Powerlist of the 50 Most Influential Venue Professionals. The convention center reports more than $93 billion in cumulative economic impact since opening and continues work on modernization projects, including a planned 1,000-room headquarters hotel.
Florida
Orange County Convention Center breaks ground on $560 million expansion
The Orange County Convention Center marked the groundbreaking of its Grand Concourse Expansion, a $560 million project adding capacity to the North-South Building. Construction begins early in 2026 and is scheduled for completion in 2029. The project delivers 44,000 square feet of new meeting space and a 100,000-square-foot ballroom. Center officials estimate more than 800 construction jobs during buildout. The venue currently hosts nearly 200 events annually and generates about $4.6 billion in economic impact.
Miami Beach Convention Center closes 2025 with record activity and investments
The Miami Beach Convention Center (OCCC) reported a strong 2025, hosting 143 events and welcoming more than 537,000 attendees. Activity spanned medical, technology, sports, arts, and corporate sectors, with large-scale events including AdobeMAX and Art Basel Miami Beach. The venue completed $19 million in capital projects during the fiscal year and offers 1.4 million square feet of event space. The connected 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach is scheduled to open in 2027.
MIDWEST
Illinois
McCormick Place earns global recognition in EXHIBITOR awards
McCormick Place was named among the Top 25 Convention Centers Worldwide in EXHIBITOR magazine’s 2026 Centers of Excellence Awards and received the publication’s top honor for facilities exceeding one million square feet. The awards were presented in December at Expo! Expo! in Houston and are based on exhibitor and organizer feedback. McCormick Place offers more than 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space and generates more than $2 billion in annual economic impact.
NORTHEAST
New York
Albany Capital Center posts record attendance and advances expansion plans
The Albany Capital Center closed 2025 with its highest attendance on record, welcoming more than 114,000 guests, up about eight percent from its previous peak in 2019. The venue also received eight industry awards. Construction is underway on a $54.9 million expansion adding ballrooms, meeting rooms, multiuse space, and an outdoor courtyard, increasing total rentable space to 84,000 square feet.
Javits Center names new brand agency as leadership transition continues
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center appointed Miles Partnership as its brand agency of record in early December, aligning with the arrival of Chief Executive Officer Joyce Leveston. The engagement includes brand strategy and communications support, with Development Counsellors International assisting on meetings-industry outreach. Javits Center hosts more than 150 events annually across its 3.4 million square feet on Manhattan’s West Side.
Image: From left to right: McCormick Place Senior Director of Convention Sales Mark Bickler, Director of Event Management Colleen Skala, and Chief Operating Officer and Interim General Manager Pat Allen pose with the McCormick Place Exhibitor 2026 Centers of Excellence award. (Cr. McCormick Place)
