Exhibitor guide · Worcester, Massachusetts
DCU Center: the exhibitor's guide
An arena that opened with a Frank Sinatra concert in 1982, a convention wing added 15 years later, and more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space in the heart of New England's second-largest city. What exhibitors need to know in Worcester.
Hero photo: "DCU Center" by mark6mauno, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Source
Why this page exists
The DCU Center's arena opened in September 1982 with a Frank Sinatra concert, and it took another 15 years for the attached convention center to arrive in 1997, adding the exhibit halls, ballrooms and meeting rooms that make the complex a genuine trade-show venue today. Worcester is New England's second-largest city, and the DCU Center is its answer to a Boston-scale convention center: smaller, but with the Arena floor available as overflow exhibit space when a show needs more than the dedicated halls provide. This guide covers the exhibit space, Massachusetts' labor rules, drayage, and hotels downtown.
The building
The exhibit space
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit Hall and Showcase Corner | 52,840 sq ft. | Regional trade shows, consumer expos | Confirm current dock count. |
| Swing Hall | 6,480 sq ft. | Overflow, registration | Adjoins the main exhibit hall. |
| Arena floor | 26,200 sq ft, available as overflow. | Large citywide shows | Confirm current arena-floor availability for your show dates. |
| Grand Ballroom and Junior Ballroom | 12,144 sq ft (3 sections) and 2,924 sq ft. | Galas, general sessions | Added in the 1997 expansion, along with 11 meeting rooms. |
Figures from the DCU Center's published amenities and venue features overview.
The labor map
Who sets up my booth?
Massachusetts' statewide union jurisdiction applies, though Worcester's labor market is smaller than Boston's; confirm current terms with the show's official contractor.
Strict union market; confirm with the contractor
Rules vary by show; Purple confirms current terms before your build.
Exhibitor-appointed contractors
Purple files as your EAC for DCU Center shows.
History
1982 to the 1997 expansion
The arena opens with a Frank Sinatra concert, becoming Worcester's primary large event venue.
A convention center wing opens alongside the arena, adding the Exhibit Hall, Showcase Corner, Swing Hall, two ballrooms and 11 meeting rooms, turning the complex into a genuine trade-show venue.
Free tool
DCU Center drayage estimator
Calculator default set to the published PCB East 2026 crated advance-warehouse rate of $110.00 per cwt (Capital Convention Contractors).
Logistics
Hotels, transit, crew logistics
- Airport: Worcester Regional is about 15 minutes; Logan International is about 50–60 minutes.
- Walking: downtown Worcester hotels are a short walk.
- By car: I-290 and I-190 both reach the campus.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Northeast crews for Worcester installs.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Worcester hotels | Walking distance | Closest options to the DCU Center. |
| Hotels near Worcester Regional | 15-min drive | Fly-in exhibitors using the smaller regional airport. |
Questions
DCU Center FAQ
Is the arena part of the exhibit space?
It can be. The 26,200 sq ft arena floor is available as overflow exhibit space for larger shows, on top of the dedicated 52,840 sq ft Exhibit Hall.
When did the convention center open?
The arena opened in 1982; the attached convention center wing followed in 1997.
Can I set up my own booth?
Confirm with your show's official contractor; Massachusetts' statewide union jurisdiction applies.
How much is drayage?
A published 2026 rate sheet for the DCU Center (PCB East 2026, Capital Convention Contractors) lists $110.00 per hundredweight for crated advance-warehouse freight, $108.00 direct to show and $146.00 for uncrated freight, with a 200-pound minimum; your show's exhibitor kit has the exact tariff.
How big is the Grand Ballroom?
12,144 square feet, divisible into three sections.
How big is the Exhibit Hall?
52,840 square feet including Showcase Corner, within 100,000+ sq ft of total exhibit space.
Exhibiting in Worcester?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a labor briefing, a drayage estimate, and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.