Colorado Convention Center Guide: Halls, Drayage

584,000sq ft of exhibit space on one level
60 minself-install limit for your full-time staff
30 ftclearance to low steel in Halls A–F
350 lbper sq ft floor load
80,000sq ft Bluebird Ballroom on the roof, opened 2023
772spaces in the center's own garage

Quick answers

What exhibitors ask about the Colorado Convention Center

Colorado's labor rule is unusual among the states in this guide: full-time employees of an exhibiting company can install and dismantle their own display if the work takes less than sixty minutes and needs no mechanized tools, a time-based threshold rather than the square-footage rules seen elsewhere. That flexibility sits beside the Colorado Labor Peace Act, a middle ground between right-to-work and union-shop states.

Is the Colorado Convention Center union?Yes, IATSE Local 7.

The center's labor rules give IATSE Local No. 7 decorating, display, drayage, rigging, audiovisual and all show material handling. Your full-time staff keep the 60-minute self-install right.

Can my own staff set up our booth?If it takes under 60 minutes.

Full-time employees of the exhibiting firm may install and dismantle their own display if the work takes less than sixty minutes and uses no mechanized tools. Product placement is always yours.

Can I bring in my own boxes?By hand, yes.

Exhibitors may hand-carry their own materials in and out. Anything that needs a dolly or forklift is handled by IATSE Local 7 through the general service contractor. Do not ship parcels to the building.

What is the ceiling height?30 ft to low steel.

The exhibit halls have 30 ft of clearance to the lowest steel and a 350 lb per sq ft floor. The ballrooms are 30 ft, the rooftop Bluebird Ballroom up to 35 ft.

Labor & union rules

Colorado Convention Center union rules and the Colorado Labor Peace Act

Colorado is neither a right-to-work state nor a plain union-shop state. Under the Colorado Labor Peace Act, a union-security agreement needs a second employee vote, reported as a 75% threshold, before it takes effect. Bills to drop that second vote passed the legislature in 2025 and 2026, and Governor Polis vetoed both, most recently in May 2026; supporters plan to try again in 2027. On the show floor, IATSE Local No. 7 has jurisdiction.

✓Your own team

Install and dismantle your display in under 60 minutes, without mechanized tools
Only full-time employees of the exhibiting firm
Place your own products and literature, always
Hand-carry your own materials in and out
Hire an exhibitor-appointed contractor signed to the IATSE Local 7 agreement

●IATSE Local 7 and exclusives

All decorating, display, drayage and rigging
Production, audiovisual and commercial presentations
All material handling for conventions, trade shows and consumer shows
Smart City Networks: exclusive internet and networks
Sodexo Live!: exclusive food, beverage and booth catering
Electrical, data and telecom: ordered through the center's Exhibitor Services

!Not allowed

Power tools under the 60-minute rule
Using dollies, hand trucks or forklifts yourself
Contract or temporary staff counting as "full-time employees"
Shipping packages straight to the building
Trailers or oversized vehicles in the center garage

Background photo: "2010:07:11 11:52:51" by tracie7779, CC BY-SA 2.0 Source

Floor plan & exhibit halls

Colorado Convention Center floor plan: the exhibit halls A to F

All of the exhibit space is on one level and splits into as many as six halls, A to F, of 90,000 to 106,000 sq ft each, that can run as separate shows. The venue's space page gives 584,000 sq ft; its exhibit-hall page gives 576,700 contiguous sq ft. Columns stand on 90 ft centers and utility pockets on 30 ft centers. Ballrooms, the Bellco Theatre and 63 meeting rooms sit elsewhere in the building.

30 ft clearance or more
Utility pockets, 30 ft centers

Schematic, not to scale: tiles show each hall's size, not where it sits. Hall sizes come from the hall map in an organizer's 2026 exhibitor kit (Hall D is not labelled there); clearance, floor load and spacing from the venue's exhibit-hall page; ballroom figures from its capacities chart. Dock positions are not drawn. Official interactive floor plans are on denverconvention.com.

Recent and upcoming show floor plans

Official floor plans from organizers of shows at the Colorado Convention Center. Every show draws its own layout, aisles and booth numbers, so use these to see how a real show fills Halls A to F, then work from your own show's plan.

Links go to the organizers' floor-plan systems and documents and open outside this site. Checked October 16, 2026; plans change as booths sell.

Colorado Convention Center exhibit halls, hall by hall
Hall	Floor area	Clearance	Floor load	Note
A	105,000 sq ft	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft	General-session area with dimmable lights; clear-span seating for 7,000
B	89,200 sq ft	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft
C	95,000 sq ft	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft
D	Not labelled	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft	Within the venue's 90,000–106,000 sq ft range
E	89,600 sq ft	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft
F	106,000 sq ft	30 ft	350 lbs/sq ft

1 hallabout 100,000 sq ft
2 hallsabout 200,000 sq ft
3 hallsabout 300,000 sq ft
4 to 5 hallsabout 400,000–500,000 sq ft
A to F576,700–584,000 sq ft · one level

Sources: hall sizes from the hall map in the 2026 National ESEA Conference exhibitor kit; clearance, floor load, pockets and columns from the venue's exhibit-hall page; section sizes from Visit Denver's exhibit-level page. Columns carry electrical, water, compressed air, telephone, fiber, audio and natural gas.

80,000sq ft Bluebird Ballroom on the roof, column-free, 19 subdivisions, with 35,000 sq ft of pre-function and a 20,000 sq ft terrace

50,000sq ft Mile High Ballroom, 30 ft ceiling

35,000sq ft Four Seasons Ballroom, 30 ft ceiling

5,000seats in the Bellco Theatre, the indoor amphitheater added in the 2004 expansion

63meeting rooms with 100,000 sq ft on one level, ceilings of 15 to 23 ft

The Colorado State Capitol building in Denver, with its gold-leafed dome — The Colorado State Capitol, a few blocks from the convention center. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain.

Only at the Colorado Convention Center

Colorado Convention Center labor: who sets up my booth under the 60-minute rule

The center's union labor rules give IATSE Local No. 7 the show floor, with one clear exception: your own full-time staff may build and strike your display if the job takes less than sixty minutes and needs no mechanized tools. Use this table with your show kit, which sets the details for your show.

Task	Who does it	What to know
Booth install and dismantle, under 60 minutes, no power tools	Your full-time employees	Contractors, temps and freelancers do not count
Booth install and dismantle, longer or with tools	IATSE Local 7	Through the official general service contractor, or another contractor signed to the Local 7 agreement
Placing products and literature	Your full-time employees	Product display and placement stay outside the labor rules
Hand-carried materials	You	In and out of the building, by hand
Anything on a dolly or forklift	IATSE Local 7	Ordered through the general service contractor
Rigging, decorating, drayage, audiovisual	IATSE Local 7	All material handling for conventions, trade shows and consumer shows
Internet and networks	Smart City Networks (exclusive)	Wired, wireless and private networks
Food and beverage, booth catering	Sodexo Live! (exclusive)	Including sampling and exhibitor booth service

Source: Colorado Convention Center Union Labor Requirements (2024) and Onsite Services & Vendors page. Electrical, data and telecom orders go through the center's Exhibitor Services.

Loading dock & move-in

Colorado Convention Center loading dock and freight countdown for a CCC show

Get directions to Colorado Convention Center →

Dock spaceThe center says dock space is limited and controlled by the show's general service contractor. Book your slot through the contractor, not the building.
Marshaling yardTrucks check in at a yard set by the contractor and are sent to a dock as space opens. For past SIA Snow Shows, GES used the arena parking lot at 5th Street and Wazee Street.
Hand-carryExhibitors may carry their own materials in and out by hand. Anything on a dolly or forklift is IATSE Local 7 work.
No parcels to the buildingThe center asks exhibitors not to ship packages directly to it; follow the shipping instructions in your exhibitor kit.
Garage772 covered spaces, fewer while construction continues, entered from Speer Boulevard; 8 ft 2 in maximum height, 19 ft maximum length, no trailers. Card, text or QR payment only.
Floor350 lb per sq ft, with utility pockets on 30 ft centers and columns on 90 ft centers: plan heavy displays and island booths around them.

Day −60Design approved. Check whether your booth can go up in under 60 minutes without power tools; order electrical, internet and rigging.
Day −30EAC form and certificate of insurance filed with show management.
Day −14Purple ships to Denver from New York through our carrier network, to the advance warehouse or the show site.
Day −7Advance warehouse deadline. Late freight pays the surcharge.
Day 0Move-in. Hand-carry starts right away; IATSE Local 7 crews handle anything on wheels or forks.
Show +1Move-out. Empties return, the material handling agreement is turned in and freight is routed home.

The calendar

Colorado Convention Center events 2026–2027: trade and consumer shows at the CCC

Medical and academic meetings with big exhibit halls fill November and December; January and February bring dental, outdoor and garden shows, plus the trade-show industry's own event. Confirm dates, halls and contractor with each organizer.

Nov5–9

The Liver Meeting

AASLD hepatology meeting with an exhibit hall in Halls D to F · 2026

Nov21–24

SBL & AAR Annual Meeting

Biblical and religious studies meeting with a large publishers' exhibit hall · 2026

Dec4–8

AES Annual Meeting

American Epilepsy Society meeting with an exhibit hall · 2026

Jan7–10

Denver Sportsmen's Show

Hunting, fishing and outdoor gear · consumer show · 2027

Jan21–23

Rocky Mountain Dental Convention

Dental meeting with an expo hall of dental suppliers · 2027

Feb13–21

Colorado Garden & Home Show

Home, garden and landscaping vendors · consumer show · 2027

Feb14–17

EXHIBITORLIVE

Trade-show and event marketing education with an exhibit hall of suppliers · 2027

Dates from the Colorado Convention Center event calendar, with The Liver Meeting, the SBL Annual Meeting and the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention also confirmed on the organizers' sites. The 2027 ProGreen EXPO for the green industry is listed by the center for January 27, 2027 (other listings say January 26–28). CEDIA Expo ran September 1–4, 2026; the AMPP Annual Conference + Expo is listed for April 11–15, 2027, but sources disagree on the city, so it is not shown. Attendance figures vary by organizer; ask each one for current numbers.

Insider tips

Colorado Convention Center exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do

Labor

Design for the 60-minute rule

A tool-free booth your own full-time staff can put up in under an hour needs no union I&D labor here. Rehearse the build at home and time it.

Freight

Leave the dolly at home

You may hand-carry, but anything on a dolly, hand truck or forklift is IATSE Local 7 work. Pack in boxes one person can carry.

Docks

Book dock time through the contractor

Dock space is limited and the general service contractor controls it. Ask for your slot when you order, and plan for a wait at the marshaling yard.

Parking

Vans under 8 ft 2 in only

The center garage takes vehicles up to 8 ft 2 in high and 19 ft long, no trailers, and pays by card, text or QR only. Box trucks go to the docks.

Halls

Plan islands around the columns

Columns stand on 90 ft centers and utility pockets on 30 ft centers. Ask for your booth's distance to the nearest column and pocket before you finalize a large island.

Crew

Meet at the bear

The Big Blue Bear outside the glass facade is the easiest meeting point for crews and visitors, and staff staying at the Hyatt Regency can cross by sky bridge in bad weather.

Where to stay & getting there

Hotels near Colorado Convention Center: transit and crew logistics

The 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center is linked to the building by a sky bridge, according to hotel booking listings. Several more full-service hotels are within a few blocks, and RTD light rail stops at Theatre District–Convention Center station.

Straight-line positions from OpenStreetMap; walking routes and streets are not drawn.

Nearby hotels, closest first
Map number	Hotel	Rooms	Link to center	Straight-line	Walk (est.)
1	Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Downtown Convention Center1420 Stout Street	403	Not stated	0.14 mi770 ft	≈ 4 min
2	Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center650 15th Street	1,100	Skybridge	0.17 mi880 ft	≈ 4 min
3	Le Méridien and AC Hotel Denver Downtown1475 California Street	—	Not stated	0.18 mi950 ft	≈ 5 min
4	The Curtis Denver, a DoubleTree by Hilton1405 Curtis Street	—	Not stated	0.23 mi1,190 ft	≈ 6 min
5	Hotel Teatro1100 14th Street	—	Not stated	0.27 mi1,420 ft	≈ 7 min
6	Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel1550 Court Place	1,238	Not stated	0.37 mi1,960 ft	≈ 10 min

Distance: straight line from the center's OpenStreetMap map point, so the door you use may be closer or farther. Walk: an estimate, straight-line, at 20 minutes a mile plus 30% for streets; not a measured route. Sky bridge: per hotel booking listings for the Hyatt Regency; "Not stated" means no connection is stated. Rooms: Hensel Phelps (Hyatt Regency), travel listings (Embassy Suites) and a meetings directory (Sheraton); "—" where we found no source.

Connected · sky bridge

Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center

1,100 rooms in a 38-story tower at 650 15th Street, opened in December 2005 for convention guests.

One block

Embassy Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center

403 suites at 1420 Stout Street.

Walking distance

Downtown Denver hotels

A wide range of price points near the 16th Street Mall, from the Curtis and Hotel Teatro to the 1,238-room Sheraton Denver Downtown.

Light rail

Theatre District–Convention Center station

RTD light rail stops at the center. The free 16th Street Mall shuttle runs through downtown.

30–40 min

Denver International (DEN)

About 30 to 40 minutes from downtown, one of the largest U.S. airports by land area. Hotels near DEN suit fly-in exhibitors on early or late flights.

Crew logistics: Purple coordinates crews and freight for Colorado Convention Center shows and ships and installs from New York.

History

Colorado Convention Center history and the Big Blue Bear

Planned as the Denver County Convention and Expo Center, the building opened in 1990, doubled in 2004, gained its most famous visitor in 2005 and a rooftop ballroom in 2023.

The glass facade of the Colorado Convention Center under its wide roof overhang, with the Big Blue Bear sculpture peering in at left — The glass 14th Street facade, with the Big Blue Bear peering in at left. “Colorado Convention Center” by pelican, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source

The Big Blue Bear sculpture seen in silhouette through the convention center's window grid, with downtown Denver towers behind — Lawrence Argent's bear from inside the lobby, looking out at downtown. “Colorado Convention Center with Lawrence Argent Sculpture” by david_shankbone, CC BY 2.0. Source

Attendees on the lobby stairs and escalators of the Colorado Convention Center under a giant blue drop-shaped balloon during DrupalCon — The lobby stairs during DrupalCon Denver 2012. “Colorado Convention Center” by Pedro Lozano, CC BY 2.0. Source

Black wall sculpture of ranch silhouettes, a figure with a shovel, a bucking horse, silos and houses, on a white wall inside the convention center — Public art on a concourse wall: ranch-and-farm silhouettes. “Art in Colorado Convention Center” by wirawan0, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source

1990The Colorado Convention Center opens on June 23 in downtown Denver.
2004A $340 million expansion, finished in December, roughly doubles the center to about 2.2 million sq ft with more meeting rooms, ballrooms and an indoor amphitheater, today's 5,000-seat Bellco Theatre.
2005Lawrence Argent's "I See What You Mean", a 40-foot, roughly 10,000-pound sculpture everyone calls the Big Blue Bear, goes up in June, peering in through the glass facade. It cost $424,400. The blue was an accident: a mockup came back printed blue by mistake, and Argent liked it enough to keep it.
2005The 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center opens on December 20.
2012The theater, called the Wells Fargo Theatre since 2007, becomes the Bellco Theatre.
2023A $233 million expansion is completed on December 14, adding the 80,000 sq ft Bluebird Ballroom and a 20,000 sq ft terrace on the roof.
2026Governor Polis vetoes a second bill to change the Colorado Labor Peace Act, so the second union-security vote stays in place for now.

Rules of the floor

Colorado Convention Center rules of the floor

The building rules that most often change a Denver booth plan or budget.

Labor

Colorado Labor Peace Act

Union-security clauses need a second employee vote, a middle ground between right-to-work and union-shop states. The 2026 attempt to change that was vetoed.

Drayage

Regional planning rate

Purple's planning estimate is about $160 per hundredweight with a 200 lb minimum. Your kit carries the actual tariff.

Fire code

Denver Fire Department

Covered and multilevel exhibits need plan review; use flame-certified fabrics for anything covered. The center's interactive map shows fire-marshal maximum setups for meeting rooms and ballrooms.

Exclusives

Center-exclusive services

Internet goes through Smart City Networks and food through Sodexo Live!. Electrical is ordered through the center's Exhibitor Services; the kit has the current list.

Ballrooms

Ballroom exhibits have their own policy

The center publishes a separate Ballroom and Prefunction Exhibit Policy. If your booth is in the Bluebird, Mile High or Four Seasons Ballroom, ask for it early.

Move-out

Empties and the MHA

EMPTY stickers on crates as you unpack; the material handling agreement before you leave. Purple routes the booth back to storage or on to your next show.

FAQ

Colorado Convention Center FAQ for exhibitors

Can I set up my own booth?

Yes, if full-time employees of your company can do it in under 60 minutes without mechanized tools. Anything that needs a dolly, a forklift or a longer setup goes through IATSE Local No. 7 and the official contractor.

Is the Colorado Convention Center union?

Yes. The center's labor rules give IATSE Local No. 7 decorating, display, drayage, rigging, audiovisual and all material handling for shows, with the 60-minute exception for your full-time staff.

How big is the CCC?

About 584,000 square feet of exhibit space on one level (576,700 contiguous sq ft on the venue's exhibit-hall page), in up to six halls of 90,000 to 106,000 sq ft, within about 2.2 million square feet in all, the 12th largest convention center in the U.S.

How much is drayage?

Purple's planning estimate is about $160 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum. The actual tariff is in your general service contractor's show kit.

What is the ceiling height in the exhibit halls?

30 ft of clearance to low steel, with a floor load of 350 lbs per sq ft. The Mile High and Four Seasons Ballrooms are 30 ft and the rooftop Bluebird Ballroom 30 to 35 ft.

Where are the loading docks?

The center says dock space is limited and controlled by the show's general service contractor, which assigns dock times and runs the marshaling yard. Get your dock slot from the contractor.

What is the Big Blue Bear?

"I See What You Mean," a 40-foot, roughly 10,000-pound sculpture by Lawrence Argent installed in 2005, peering through the convention center's glass facade from the street.

Is Colorado a right-to-work state?

Not exactly. The Colorado Labor Peace Act requires a second employee vote, reported as a 75% threshold, before a union security clause takes effect, a middle ground between right-to-work and union-shop states. Bills to remove it were vetoed in 2025 and 2026.

Which airport should I use?

Denver International (DEN) is about 30 to 40 minutes from downtown.

Is there a connected hotel?

Yes. The 1,100-room Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center is linked to the building by a sky bridge, according to hotel booking listings.

Where do I park at the Colorado Convention Center?

The center's own garage, entered from Speer Boulevard, has 772 covered spaces (fewer during construction), an 8 ft 2 in height limit and no room for trailers. Rates run from $13 for up to 8 hours to $26 for 24 hours.

What is the Bluebird Ballroom?

An 80,000 sq ft column-free ballroom on the roof of the center, opened with the $233 million expansion in December 2023. It divides into 19 spaces and has a 20,000 sq ft outdoor terrace.

Compare venues

Colorado Convention Center vs other major U.S. convention centers

How the Colorado Convention Center stacks up against other major U.S. convention centers. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.

Venue	Type	Largest space	Ceiling	Labor	Drayage (plan)	Airport
Colorado Convention CenterThis guide	Convention center	584,000 sq ft on one level, Halls A–F	30 ft to low steel	IATSE 7 · 60-min rule	≈ $160/cwt	DEN · 30–40 min
America's Center Convention ComplexSt. Louis	Convention center	574,000 sq ft contiguous, with Dome floor	40 ft	Union · 300 sq ft rule	≈ $150/cwt	STL · 14 mi
Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim	Convention center	221,284 sq ft Hall D	25 ft Hall D · 13 ft 8 in Hall E	Union · check kit	≈ $172/cwt	SNA · 13 mi
Austin Convention CenterAustin	Convention center (closed, rebuilding)	Closed · 620,000 sq ft rentable from 2029	—	Right-to-work · venue closed	≈ $100/cwt	AUS · ~5 mi
Boston Convention & Exhibition CenterBoston	Convention center	516,000 sq ft contiguous (Halls A–C)	35 ft low · up to 100 ft	Union · staff setup OK	≈ $324/cwt	BOS · 3 mi
Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention CenterSalt Lake City	Convention center	515,000 sq ft contiguous, 10 halls	30 ft	Right-to-work	≈ $120/cwt	SLC · ~6 mi
Charlotte Convention CenterCharlotte	Convention center	280,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C	30 ft listed max	Right-to-work	≈ $115/cwt	CLT · 7 mi
Ernest N. Morial Convention CenterNew Orleans	Convention center	127,364 sq ft Hall E · 1.1M sq ft in all	—	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MSY · 25–30 min
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
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention CenterChula Vista	Resort ballrooms	140,049 sq ft California Exhibit Hall	34 ft hall · 27–28 ft ballrooms	Check show kit	≈ $176/cwt	SAN · ~10–12 mi
George R. Brown Convention CenterHouston	Convention center	547,730 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–E	35 ft (Level 1) · 30 ft (Level 3)	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $95/cwt	HOU · ~9 mi
Georgia World Congress CenterAtlanta	Convention center	1M+ sq ft contiguous (Halls B, BC, C)	30 ft to grid	Right-to-work	≈ $150/cwt	ATL · 15–20 min
Hilton AnatoleDallas	Hotel ballrooms	73,000–75,900 sq ft Trinity Exhibit Hall	18 ft hall · 28–29 ft ballrooms	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $100/cwt	DAL · ~4 mi
Hilton New Orleans RiversideNew Orleans	Hotel ballrooms	26,894 sq ft Grand Ballroom	18 ft Grand Ballroom · 12 ft Grand Salon	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $155/cwt	MSY · ~25 min
Hilton OrlandoOrlando	Hotel ballrooms	48,167 sq ft Orlando Ballroom	26 ft Orlando · 24 ft Orange · 18 ft Florida	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · 11 mi
Huntington PlaceDetroit	Convention center	623,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–D	30 ft (A–D) · 18 ft 8 in (E)	Union · 400 sq ft rule	≈ $155/cwt	DTW · 20 mi
Hyatt Regency OrlandoOrlando	Hotel ballrooms	54,638 sq ft Regency Ballroom	31 ft Regency (listed) · 21 ft Plaza	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · 12 mi
Indiana Convention CenterIndianapolis	Convention center	566,600 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–K	35 ft	Union · own staff OK	≈ $135/cwt	IND · ~15 min
Iowa Events CenterDes Moines	Convention center	150,000 sq ft contiguous, EMC Expo Center Halls A–C	35 ft (Halls B–C)	Right-to-work	≈ $100/cwt	DSM · ~10 min
Javits CenterNew York	Convention center	~500,000 sq ft contiguous (Level 3)	Varies by hall · check plan	Union · 250 sq ft rule	≈ $195/cwt	EWR / LGA / JFK · 45–70 min
Kansas City Convention CenterKansas City	Convention center	388,800 sq ft column-free, Bartle Hall A–E	33 ft A–C · 42 ft D–E	IATSE 31 · check kit	≈ $145/cwt	MCI · ~19 mi
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center DallasDallas	Convention center	304,250 sq ft open in Halls A–C (2026)	35 ft (A, B) · 31–37 ft (C)	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $100/cwt	DAL · ~6 mi
Los Angeles Convention CenterLos Angeles	Convention center	346,890 sq ft South Hall G–K	40 ft South · 36 ft West	Union · check kit	≈ $175/cwt	LAX · ~20 mi
Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegoSan Diego	Hotel ballrooms	34,000 sq ft Grand Hall	~14 ft Grand Hall · 18–21 ft ballrooms	Union dock · check kit	≈ $176/cwt	SAN · 3 mi
Marriott Marquis San Diego MarinaSan Diego	Hotel ballrooms	35,631 sq ft Marriott Grand and Pacific ballrooms	26 ft Grand · 16 ft Pacific	Union · check kit	≈ $176/cwt	SAN · 3 mi
McCormick PlaceChicago	Convention center	840,000 sq ft Hall A (South) · 1.2M+ on one level	Varies by hall · check plan	Union · staff setup any size	≈ $210/cwt	MDW · ~20 min
Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami Beach	Convention center	491,654 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–D	—	Union · IATSE/IBEW · check kit	≈ $170/cwt	MIA · ~12 mi
Minneapolis Convention CenterMinneapolis	Convention center	376,200 sq ft contiguous, Halls B–E	30 ft 6 in to truss · 85 ft domes	Union · open dock	≈ $150/cwt	MSP · ~20 min
Moscone CenterSan Francisco	Convention center	502,440 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–F	37 ft Halls A–C · 28 ft Hall F	Union · check kit	≈ $180/cwt	SFO · 25–40 min
Oklahoma City Convention CenterOklahoma City	Convention center	200,730 sq ft continuous, up to 4 halls	30 ft	Right-to-work	≈ $105/cwt	OKC · ~9–10 mi
Orange County Convention CenterOrlando	Convention center	1,103,538 sq ft West Building	30–40 ft	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · 12 mi
Oregon Convention CenterPortland	Convention center	255,000 sq ft Halls A–E	30 ft	Union · check kit	≈ $150/cwt	PDX · MAX ~30 min
Phoenix Convention CenterPhoenix	Convention center	312,500 sq ft contiguous, lower Halls 1–6	32 ft lower · 35 ft upper	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $140/cwt	PHX · ~3 mi
Reliant CenterHouston	Convention center	706,000+ sq ft on one level, Halls A–E	25–60 ft · avg 30 ft	Right-to-work · check kit	≈ $116/cwt	HOU · ~8 mi
Rosen Centre HotelOrlando	Hotel ballrooms	35,000 sq ft Grand Ballroom	25 ft Grand · 22 ft Executive, Junior	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · 12 min
San Diego Convention CenterSan Diego	Convention center	525,701 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–H	27 ft 4 in A–E · up to 64 ft F–H	Union · check kit	≈ $176/cwt	SAN · 3 mi
San Jose McEnery Convention CenterSan Jose	Convention center	143,000 sq ft Halls 1–3	32 ft	Union · 30 min / 10 ft rule	≈ $160/cwt	SJC · 4 mi
Santa Clara Convention CenterSanta Clara	Convention center	90,014 sq ft Halls A–D	28 ft 6 in	Union · check kit	≈ $160/cwt	SJC · 5–6 mi
Seattle Convention CenterSeattle	Convention center	205,700 sq ft Arch Halls 4A–4F	25 ft Arch · 30 ft Summit	Union · check kit	≈ $165/cwt	SEA · Link ~40 min
Sheraton Grand Chicago RiverwalkChicago	Hotel ballrooms	40,003 sq ft ballroom · 35,000 sq ft Riverwalk hall	22 ft ballroom · 10 ft 6 in hall	Union · pop-ups ≤ 10×10	≈ $225/cwt	MDW · 13 mi
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet CreekOrlando	Resort ballrooms	35,925 sq ft Bonnet Creek Ballroom	20 ft Bonnet Creek · 18 ft Waterside, Floridian	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · 19 mi
Walt Disney World Swan and DolphinLake Buena Vista	Resort ballrooms	110,500 sq ft Atlantic + Pacific halls	30 ft Atlantic · 25′8″ Pacific	Right-to-work	≈ $155/cwt	MCO · ~20 min
Walter E. Washington Convention CenterWashington	Convention center	473,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C	30 ft (A–C) · up to 52 ft (D–E)	Union · check kit	≈ $175/cwt	DCA · ~4 mi

More Colorado guides

Other Colorado and major U.S. convention centers

Hyatt Regency DenverDenver, CO

Gaylord Rockies ResortAurora, CO

National Western ComplexDenver, CO

The BroadmoorColorado Springs, CO

Kansas City Convention CenterKansas City, MO

Salt Palace Convention CenterSalt Lake City, UT

All venue guides →

Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 show season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: Colorado Convention Center website (exhibit hall, event space, capacities chart, Union Labor Requirements, onsite services, parking, exhibitor pages and event calendar), Visit Denver's convention center pages, the 2026 National ESEA Conference exhibitor kit, Wikipedia (Colorado Convention Center; I See What You Mean), TSNN on the 2023 expansion, KUNC and The Sum and Substance on the Labor Peace Act, GES marshaling notices, Hensel Phelps, OpenStreetMap, organizer sites for show dates, and the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

All Colorado venue guides →