Earlier this year, Exhibitor Media Group, which produces both EXHIBITOR magazine and Find It – Marketplace, the buyer’s guide to trade show products and services, announced the 30 venues that qualified for its second annual Centers of Excellence list, which recognizes North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events. Small, medium, and large convention centers located anywhere in North America were invited to apply, and entrants were evaluated using an objective algorithm weighted to reflect how EXHIBITOR magazine readers value a variety of variables. In addition to being named among the 2021 Centers of Excellence, a number of facilities qualified for special awards in the following categories.
“Being named among our Centers of Excellence is a huge accomplishment,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine. “But to further acknowledge the best of the best, these special awards recognize the exhibitor-friendly venues that consistently exceed expectations and collectively raise the bar with regard to what a convention center is and should be.”
The finalists for each special award are listed below, and the winners will be announced during a ceremony held in conjunction with IAEE’s Expo! Expo!
Best Convention Center (over 1 million square feet of exhibit space)
Anaheim Convention Center
McCormick Place
Orange County Convention Center
Best Convention Center (500,000 – 1 million square feet of exhibit space)
Enercare Centre
Los Angeles Convention Center
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Best Convention Center (100,000 – 500,000 square feet of exhibit space)
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Minneapolis Convention Center
Vancouver Convention Centre
Best Convention Center (under 100,000 square feet of exhibit space)
Edmonton Convention Centre
Greater Tacoma Convention Center
Overland Park Convention Center
Best New or Improved Convention Center
Caesars Forum
Cox Business Convention Center
The Broadmoor Event Center
Best Customer Service & On-Site Support
Cobb Galleria Centre
Mohegan Sun
Overland Park Convention Center
