Nevada is right-to-work, but Las Vegas booth, freight, electrical and AV labor runs through union agreements. What your own staff may do is set by your show kit.
Exhibitor guide · Las Vegas, NV · Updated
ARIA Convention Center Exhibitor Guide
No exhibit hall, just ballrooms: ARIA's expos fill the 24 ft Bristlecone and Pinyon rooms on Level 1, while the 2018 wing, built where Cirque's Zarkana theater stood, adds four floors of ballrooms with their own dock. Know which dock, which freight door and what ARIA sells exclusively before you crate.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: “Aria, City Center, Las Vegas, Nevada” by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the ARIA Convention Center
Expos use the Bristlecone (≈ 51,500 sq ft) and Pinyon (≈ 38,300 sq ft) ballrooms, directly opposite each other on Level 1.
In Bristlecone and Pinyon. The Juniper Ballroom on Level 3 is listed at 20 ft. Your show sets the booth height cap, often well below that.
Plus booth cleaning, through ARIA's exhibitor services portal. Encore is ARIA's exclusive AV provider and quotes sign rigging.
Photos: "Aria Resort Las Vegas" by Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, CC BY 2.0 Source · "Pool at Aria Las Vegas" by Calgary Reviews, CC BY 2.0 Source · "las vegas late night craps" by eschipul, CC BY 2.0 Source
On the floor at CES, Las Vegas
Photo: "CES 2007 - Crowds for Asimo" by Sugarmonster, CC BY-SA 2.0 Source
The calendar
ARIA Convention Center trade shows 2026–2027
ARIA books association conferences, finance and tech events with mid-size expos, rather than mega-shows. Attendance figures are planning ranges; confirm each event with its organizer.
CES C Space
Advertising, media and marketing, at ARIA during CES · 2027
MRC Vegas
Merchant Risk Council · payments and fraud prevention · 2027
The Financial Brand Forum
Bank and credit union marketing · 150+ exhibitors · 2027
ACG DealMAX
Middle-market M&A · ~3,500 · 2027
AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE
Accounting and finance · ~4,000 on site · 200+ exhibitors · 2027
Dates are for 2027, as posted by each organizer. See every Strip show on the Las Vegas trade shows calendar.
Only at ARIA
ARIA Convention Center at CityCenter: from Cirque theater to the 2018 expansion
ARIA is CityCenter's only casino, and its convention center grew by taking over the space of a Cirque du Soleil theater. The result is two connected buildings: the original three-level center with the Level 1 expo ballrooms, and a four-story wing with its own dock and freight elevator. Knowing which side your show is on decides how your freight moves.
- 2009ARIA opens with about 300,000 sq ft on three levels. Bristlecone and Pinyon, with the two docks beside Bristlecone, are still the main expo floor.
- 2016Zarkana closes April 30 and construction starts in May on the expansion in its place.
- 200,000 sq ftThe new wing opens February 15, 2018, over four stories, at about $170 million. Mariposa, Primrose and Orovada are its ballrooms.
- Own dockThe expansion has an exclusive loading dock and a freight elevator big enough to take a full-size SUV to the fourth floor, which matters if you plan a vehicle display upstairs.
- Aria ExpressThe CityCenter tram stops at Bellagio and Park MGM, so staff in those hotels can reach ARIA without crossing the Strip.
Floor plan & ballrooms
ARIA Convention Center floor plan: Bristlecone, Pinyon and the expansion ballrooms
The original 2009 center spreads about 300,000 sq ft over three levels; the 2018 expansion added 200,000 sq ft over four stories, linked to it. Tap a ballroom for its size and what it is used for.
Schematic. Widths are proportional to floor area; the ballrooms sit on different levels and wings, so this is not an architectural plan. Published sizes vary slightly between listings; use ARIA's current capacity chart for booth layouts.
Bristlecone Ballroom
- ≈ 51,500 sq ft (listed 51,225–51,561)
- 24 ft ceiling
- 10 sections, about 2,000 to 17,000 sq ft each
The largest room, on Level 1 of the original center. Two loading docks sit next to it, and a vehicle ramp runs to its 18′ × 14′ freight door. The usual expo floor for mid-size shows.
Pinyon Ballroom
- ≈ 38,300 sq ft (some listings 38,070)
- 24 ft ceiling
- 8 sections, 10′ × 14′ freight door
Directly across from Bristlecone, so one program can flow over roughly 89,000 sq ft. AICPA ENGAGE 2026 ran its exhibit hall here.
Mariposa Ballroom
- 23,380 sq ft
- 1,064 sq ft built-in stage
- Opened with the 2018 expansion
The largest expansion ballroom. Identiverse 2024 put main registration outside Mariposa, at the convention center entrance on Level 2.
Primrose Ballroom
- 21,011 sq ft
- 6,720 + 2,936 sq ft open-air verandas
- Receptions up to 2,000
The top floor of the expansion, with views over The Park toward T-Mobile Arena. Better for receptions and sponsor displays than for a crated booth.
Juniper Ballroom
- ≈ 20,000 sq ft (listed 19,871–20,275)
- 20 ft ceiling
- Divides into 2, 3 or 4 sections
On Level 3 of the original center. Typical for general sessions, meals and smaller tabletop expos.
Orovada Ballroom
- 18,241 sq ft
- 1,161 sq ft built-in stage
- Opened with the 2018 expansion
The third expansion ballroom. The expansion has its own loading dock and a large freight elevator serving its upper floors.
500,000sq ft of meeting and convention space in total, after the 2018 expansion
IronwoodBallroom with a theatrical stage in the original center · confirm its current size on ARIA's capacity chart
15expansion meeting rooms, 459 to 5,400 sq ft · plus the Bluethorn, Copperleaf and Starvine rooms in the original center
2,984sq ft Cypress Executive Lounge, with a conference room and three private meeting suites
Loading dock & move-in
ARIA Convention Center loading dock and freight
Get directions to ARIA Convention Center →
- Docks at BristleconeTwo loading docks next to the Bristlecone Ballroom, with a vehicle ramp to its 18′ × 14′ freight door. Pinyon's freight door is 10′ × 14′.
- Expansion dockThe 2018 wing has its own loading dock and a freight elevator big enough to take a full-size SUV up to the fourth floor.
- Truck routeARIA's delivery entrance is off Frank Sinatra Drive at the “Deliveries Only Way” light, behind the Strip. Your contractor assigns the convention dock and marshaling times; confirm in the show kit.
- No early freightDirect shipments go to “ARIA Convention Center, c/o” your general contractor, 3730 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89158. Freight that arrives before the first receiving date may be refused.
- Day −60Design approved against your show's height rules. Hanging sign? Request the Encore rigging quote now.
- Day −30EAC form and insurance certificate filed. Power, internet and AV ordered on ARIA's portal before the advance-price deadline.
- Day −21Purple ships to Las Vegas through our carrier network.
- Day −7Advance warehouse deadline. Hanging signs go to the warehouse, never direct.
- Day 0Trucks check in on their assigned slot; crews start in the ballroom.
- Show +1Move-out. Empties return, MHA turned in.
Labor & union rules
ARIA Convention Center union rules: who can do what
Nevada is a right-to-work state, but Las Vegas show labor works under union agreements with the general contractors. ARIA's own exclusives are confirmed in recent show kits; the do-it-yourself limits vary by show and contractor, so treat the first column as a checklist for your show kit, not a promise.
✓Usually yours (check your show kit)
- Hand-carry what one person can carry, with no carts or dollies; hand-carriers may be kept off the dock
- Plug your equipment into the outlet you ordered, and hang a few small clip-on lights
- Set up and dismantle with your own full-time staff, where your contractor's Las Vegas rules allow it and with company ID
- Supervise your exhibitor-appointed contractor (EAC), who supplies the union crew
●Union labor and ARIA
- Booth erection and freight: mainly Teamsters Local 631, through the general contractor or an EAC
- Programmable lighting, lit truss and AV: stagehands (IATSE Local 720)
- Anything electrical beyond plugging in: electricians
- Electrical, internet, AV, cleaning and food: ordered from ARIA's exhibitor services portal; ARIA is the exclusive caterer
- Encore is ARIA's exclusive AV provider; hanging signs need Encore assembly labor and rigging
!Fire and house rules
- Decorations, drapes and signs must be flame retardant, with a certificate on hand
- No mylar balloons anywhere on property
- No flammable liquids, paints or aerosol cans in the building
- Compressed gas, including LPG, only with fire-safety approval
- Nothing attached to ARIA's ceilings, columns, painted or fabric walls
- Straight-time labor is 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays; plan move-in around overtime
Background photo: "Convention Center 3" by munch96, CC BY-SA 2.0 Source
Free tool
ARIA Convention Center drayage cost estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 at about $185 per hundredweight, in line with other Strip resort venues. ARIA does not publish a rate; the general contractor's show kit carries the actual tariff. Compare venues on the Las Vegas drayage rates page.
Estimated drayage
$2,775
Cut this with a lighter booth
Where to stay & getting around
Hotels near the ARIA Convention Center
Upstairs
ARIA Resort & Casino
4,004 rooms, including 568 suites, in the same building as the ballrooms. The default room block.
CityCenter
Vdara Hotel & Spa
1,495 rooms and no casino, a short walk across CityCenter. Good for booth staff.
CityCenter
Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
389 rooms, the former Mandarin Oriental. Quiet option for executives and client meetings.
Free tram
South StripBellagio and Park MGM
The Aria Express tram runs through CityCenter with stops at Bellagio and Park MGM, next to T-Mobile Arena.
Mandalay Bay Convention Center
MGM's big exhibit-hall venue, for when a show outgrows ARIA's ballrooms.
Venue guide →Insider tips
ARIA Convention Center exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Ask which dock serves your room
Bristlecone and Pinyon are fed by the two docks beside Bristlecone; the 2018 ballrooms have their own dock and freight elevator. Put the right one on your carrier's paperwork.
Measure for Pinyon's smaller door
Bristlecone takes freight through an 18′ × 14′ door off a vehicle ramp, but Pinyon's door is 10′ × 14′. Wide crates and pre-built counters bound for Pinyon should be sized to it.
Hanging sign? Warehouse plus Encore
Signs must ship to the advance warehouse, never direct, and need Encore assembly labor and rigging. One recent ARIA expo capped hanging signs at 16 ft, so check your show's limit.
Order power on ARIA's portal
Electrical, internet, AV, cleaning and catering come from ARIA's exhibitor services portal, not the general contractor's order forms. Miss the advance deadline and you pay show-site prices.
Leave the mylar and aerosols at home
ARIA bans mylar balloons, flammable liquids and aerosol cans, and wants flame-retardant certificates on hand for drapes and signs. Pack booth-cleaning supplies that comply.
Don't let freight arrive early
Direct shipments to “ARIA Convention Center, c/o” your contractor can be refused before the first receiving date. Drivers come in off Frank Sinatra Drive behind the Strip; confirm the convention dock in your kit.
The building
From the Boardwalk to CityCenter
CityCenter cost $8.5 billion, the most expensive privately funded construction project in U.S. history. ARIA is its only casino, and its convention center has already grown once, into the space of a Cirque du Soleil theater.
- 2006The Boardwalk hotel closes in January and is imploded four months later. CityCenter construction starts June 25 with the foundation pour for ARIA.
- 2009CityCenter opens December 2, and ARIA follows December 16: 4,004 rooms by Pelli Clarke Pelli, LEED Gold, with about 300,000 sq ft of convention space on three levels.
- 2010Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis opens in ARIA's 1,840-seat theater, followed by Zarkana in 2012.
- 2016Zarkana closes April 30, and work starts in May on a convention expansion in its place.
- 2018The 200,000 sq ft expansion opens February 15, at about $170 million, bringing ARIA to 500,000 sq ft of meeting space.
- 2021MGM buys out Dubai World's CityCenter stake for $2.1 billion, then sells the ARIA and Vdara real estate to Blackstone for $3.89 billion and leases it back. MGM still runs the convention center.
FAQ
ARIA Convention Center FAQ for exhibitors
How big is the ARIA Convention Center?
About 500,000 square feet of meeting and convention space: roughly 300,000 square feet in the original 2009 center and 200,000 square feet in the expansion that opened in February 2018. The largest room is the Bristlecone Ballroom, at about 51,500 square feet.
Does ARIA have an exhibit hall?
Not a traditional one. Expos run in ballrooms, most often the Bristlecone and Pinyon ballrooms, which face each other on Level 1 and together give a program about 89,000 square feet.
Is the ARIA Convention Center union?
Show labor is. Nevada is a right-to-work state, but in Las Vegas booth installation and freight are handled mainly by Teamsters Local 631, AV and lit truss by IATSE Local 720 stagehands, and electrical work by electricians, through the general contractor or an exhibitor-appointed contractor. What your own staff may do depends on your show's rules, so check your show kit.
Can I set up my own booth at ARIA?
Often, with your own full-time employees, but it depends on the show and its general contractor. Hand-carrying is generally limited to what one person can carry without carts or dollies, and anything electrical beyond plugging in goes to the electricians. Confirm the limits in your show kit before you plan a self-setup.
What ceiling height do the ARIA ballrooms have?
24 feet in the Bristlecone and Pinyon ballrooms and 20 feet in the Juniper Ballroom. Your show's booth height limit is usually lower; one recent expo at ARIA capped island booths and hanging signs at 16 feet.
Where is the ARIA loading dock?
Two loading docks sit next to the Bristlecone Ballroom, with a vehicle ramp to its 18 by 14 foot freight door, and the 2018 expansion has its own dock and a large freight elevator. Deliveries reach the back of the property from Frank Sinatra Drive; your contractor assigns the dock and time slot.
Which services are exclusive to ARIA?
Electrical, internet, AV, booth cleaning and food and beverage are ordered through ARIA's exhibitor services portal, and ARIA is the exclusive caterer. Encore is the exclusive AV provider, and hanging signs need Encore assembly labor and rigging.
How much is drayage at the ARIA Convention Center?
Plan about $185 per hundredweight for crated freight. That is a planning number; the general contractor's show kit carries the actual tariff for your show.
Which hotels are closest?
ARIA itself, with 4,004 rooms above the ballrooms. Vdara and the Waldorf Astoria are elsewhere in CityCenter, and the free Aria Express tram connects to Bellagio and Park MGM.
How far is the airport?
Harry Reid International (LAS) is about 3.3 miles away, usually a short taxi or rideshare ride outside peak traffic.
Exhibiting at ARIA?
Your show, your booth number, one clear quote.
Tell us which ballroom your show is in. We will size crates to the Bristlecone or Pinyon freight door, plan the hanging sign around Encore rigging and the warehouse deadline, and send a design brief and drayage estimate within two business days.
Background photo: "Aria Convention Center" by berenicegg, CC BY 2.0 Source
Compare venues
ARIA Convention Center vs other Nevada venues
How the ARIA Convention Center stacks up against the other Nevada halls we have guides for. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARIA Convention CenterThis guide | Resort ballrooms | ≈ 51,500 sq ft Bristlecone Ballroom | 24 ft | Union · check show kit | ≈ $185/cwt | LAS · 3.3 mi |
| Caesars ForumLas Vegas | Conference center ballrooms | 110,000 sq ft Forum & Summit ballrooms | 30 ft (listed) | Union · venue exclusives | ≈ $195/cwt | LAS · 3 mi |
| Caesars PalaceLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 50,944 sq ft Julius & Octavius ballrooms | ≈ 17–26 ft | Union · check show kit | ≈ $170/cwt | LAS · 4 mi |
| Fontainebleau Las VegasLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 105,264 sq ft Royal Ballroom | 28 ft 10 in | Union · check kit | ≈ $185/cwt | LAS · 4.3 mi |
| Las Vegas Convention CenterLas Vegas | Convention center | 623,058 sq ft Central Hall | 25–42 ft | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $185/cwt | LAS · 3.5 mi |
| Mandalay Bay Convention CenterLas Vegas | Convention center | 900,000+ sq ft contiguous Bayside halls | ≈ 30 ft (check hall) | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $185/cwt | LAS · ~10 min |
| MGM Grand Conference CenterLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 92,000 sq ft Marquee Ballroom | 27 ft | Union · check kit | ≈ $175/cwt | LAS · 3 mi |
| Resorts World Las VegasLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 70,000 sq ft The Complex | 24 ft | Union · check show kit | ≈ $170/cwt | LAS · 4 mi |
| Venetian ExpoLas Vegas | Convention center | 380,000 sq ft Hall G | 13 ft 5 in–32 ft 6 in | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $195/cwt | LAS · 4 mi |
| Westgate Las Vegas Resort & CasinoLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 70,000 sq ft Paradise Event Center | 24 ft 9 in | Union · check show kit | ≈ $175/cwt | LAS · 4 mi |
| Wynn Las Vegas and EncoreLas Vegas | Resort ballrooms | 83,187 sq ft Cristal Ballroom | 28 ft | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $185/cwt | LAS · 5 mi |
More Nevada guides
Other Las Vegas venues
Mandalay Bay Convention CenterSouth Strip
Caesars ForumCenter Strip
Venetian ExpoCenter Strip
Las Vegas Convention CenterOff-Strip
Wynn Las VegasNorth Strip
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: TSNN, Exhibit City News, Meetings Today and BizBash on the ARIA convention center and its 2018 expansion; Cvent and The Vendry venue listings; the Identiverse 2024 exhibitor kit and the CES 2027 ARIA exhibitor guide; the EACA guide to union jurisdictions; Wikipedia (Aria Resort and Casino, CityCenter); AICPA ENGAGE, ACG, Financial Brand Forum, Merchant Risk Council and CES event pages.