Exhibitor guide · Houston, Texas
George R. Brown Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
1.9 million square feet on the east side of downtown, a right-to-work state where your own staff can build a booth of any size, and drayage that still runs through one exclusive contractor. How Houston's flagship convention center actually works for exhibitors.
GRB · 1001 Avenida De Las AmericasHero photo: "George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston TX" by roy.luck, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Source
Why this page exists
The GRB is what a convention center looks like in a right-to-work state: your own full-time staff can build a booth of any size with your own tools, no union card required, no size cap. That is a real difference from Chicago, New York or New Jersey, and it is the first thing exhibitors ask Purple about when a show moves to Houston. It does not mean the floor is unregulated. Material handling from the dock to your booth still runs through one exclusive contractor, and utilities and rigging typically stay with venue-designated providers. Knowing exactly where Texas's looser rules apply and where they don't is the difference between an efficient install and a surprise on the bill.
This guide covers the five exhibit halls and the 2003 expansion, what right-to-work actually means for your booth, drayage that runs below every Northeast and Midwest venue in this guide, a freight countdown, the shows that fill Houston's calendar from the Offshore Technology Conference to art fairs, hotels connected by skywalk, and the history of a center built on land donated by a pipeline company.
The building
The exhibit halls
The GRB sits on two levels on the east side of downtown, expanded in 2003 for Super Bowl XXXVIII and never really slowed down since.
| Hall | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall A | About 130,000 sq ft on Level 1. | Large single-hall shows, portions of citywide events | Combines with adjoining halls for the largest shows; check the current floor plan. |
| Halls B, C and D | About 125,000 to 127,000 sq ft each, Level 1. | Trade and consumer shows of 300 to 600 booths | Column-free; islands and hanging signs routine. |
| Hall E | About 130,000 sq ft, added in the 2003 expansion. | Large citywides, overflow | Newer construction with modern dock access. |
| Halls A3 and B3 | An additional 223,000 sq ft combined, on Level 2. | Secondary exhibit space, association shows | Confirm which level your show is assigned before planning freight routing. |
| Docks | Loading docks serving both levels, separate from the Hilton Americas-Houston's own logistics. | All exhibit freight | The center is not connected to the Houston downtown tunnel system; address freight to the dock directly. |
Hall areas from the GRB's published facility overview; individual figures marked verify are being confirmed with event services.
The labor map
Who sets up my booth? Right-to-work explained
Texas is a right-to-work state, and it shows on the floor. There is no rule requiring union labor for booth assembly at any size, which puts the GRB closer to Orlando or Tampa than to Chicago or the Javits. That does not mean everything is exhibitor-run.
| Task | Who does it | What that means for your booth |
|---|---|---|
| Booth assembly, any size | Your full-time staff, with your own tools | No union-only tool rule, no size cap. This is the headline difference from Northeast and Midwest union cities. |
| Freight to and from the booth | The show's exclusive material handling contractor, billed as drayage | Still mandatory and still the largest line item on most bills, even though booth labor is open. |
| Electrical and rigging | Typically venue-designated providers | Order through the show's electrical and rigging contractor; self-install does not usually extend to power or hanging structures. |
| Hand-carried material | Your staff | Right-to-work states are generally more permissive on hand-carry limits than union cities; confirm the current show kit rule. |
Any size, your own crew
A 40×40 built entirely by your own staff with your own tools is standard practice at the GRB. There is no Javits-style square-footage threshold.
Drayage and utilities
Material handling, electrical and rigging typically run through the show's designated contractors regardless of the state's labor law.
Exhibitor-appointed contractors
Purple still files as your EAC where a show requires it, coordinating with the official contractor even on a self-install floor.
Lower labor, same drayage
The savings from open booth labor are real, but they show up on the install line, not the freight line. Plan drayage the same way you would anywhere else.
History
A gift from Texas Eastern
The GRB exists partly because a pipeline company gave away six city blocks, and partly because a construction magnate spent decades wanting Houston to have a real convention hall.
George R. Brown, with his brother Herman, builds Brown & Root into the world's largest construction and engineering company, then co-founds Texas Eastern Transmission Company. Texas Eastern later donates six of the eleven city blocks needed to build the convention center that would carry Brown's name.
The George R. Brown Convention Center opens on September 26, a 100-foot-high red, white and blue building that replaced the obsolete Albert Thomas Convention Center. It cost $104.9 million and took 30 months and more than 1,200 workers to build. The first convention, the American Society of Travel Agents, opens October 11.
A $165 million expansion breaks ground July 28, 2001, timed partly to prepare Houston for Super Bowl XXXVIII. Over 27 months the center grows from 1.15 million to 1.8 million square feet, with three new exhibit halls roughly doubling exhibition space. The adjacent 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston opens connected by two skywalks.
Super Bowl XXXVIII festivities use the newly expanded center, validating the bet that Houston needed convention space built for the biggest events in the country.
The GRB anchors a downtown that has grown a full skyline around it, connects to METRORail's Convention District station, and holds the distinction of being the first convention center in the world with a permanent Bitcoin ATM.
Rules of the floor
Rules of the floor
Right-to-work, open booth labor
Full-time staff may build any size booth with their own tools. Drayage, electrical and rigging remain with designated contractors.
Below every Northeast and Midwest venue in this guide
Planning rates run about $95 per hundredweight with a 200 lb minimum and surcharges for uncrated, off-target and special-handling freight.
No tunnel connection
The center and the Hilton Americas are not connected to Houston's downtown tunnel system; freight moves at street level to the dock.
Houston Fire Department
Covered and multilevel exhibits need plan review; flame-certified fabrics for anything covered. Purple prepares the package.
Center-exclusive services
Electrical, rigging, internet, cleaning and catering are exclusive to the GRB or its designated providers; the show kit carries the current list.
Hurricane season and heat
June through November carries hurricane risk on the Gulf Coast; summer heat and humidity affect outdoor load-in. Purple builds margin into Houston shipping schedules either season.
Empties and the MHA
EMPTY stickers on unpack; MHA before leaving. Purple routes the booth back to storage or on to your next show.
Free tool
GRB drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 and 2027; your show's exhibitor kit has the tariff. All-venue comparison and a glossary on the drayage rates page.
Because your own staff can build the booth, Purple often ships a flat-packed structure and flies a small crew to Houston rather than hiring local labor, saving on both drayage and install cost at the same time.
Deadlines
Freight countdown for a GRB show
The calendar
Shows at the GRB, 2026–2027
Houston's biggest energy-industry show runs at NRG Park, not the GRB, but the convention center's own calendar covers a wide industrial and consumer range.
| Show | Next dates | Industry | Attendance | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen Technology Expo North America | February 10–11, 2027 | Clean energy | 6,000 | 10×20 rentals |
| RE+ Texas | March 24–25, 2027 | Renewable energy | 8,000 | Custom exhibits |
| The Franchise Show, Houston | April 3–4, 2027 | Franchising and small business | 5,000 | 10×10 rentals |
| Valve World Americas Expo & Conference | June 23–24, 2027 | Industrial valves and process equipment | 7,000 | Custom exhibits |
| Hydrogen Americas Summit & Exhibition | October 6–7, 2026 | Hydrogen and clean fuels | 4,000 | 10×10 rentals |
| Affordable Art Fair, Houston | October 15–18, 2026 | Art | 15,000 | Custom environments |
| Dream Con | July | Multi-genre pop culture | 10,000 | Booth rentals |
Attendance is the organizer's or trade press figure, rounded. Dates from organizer sites in 2026; confirm before booking. The Offshore Technology Conference, Houston's largest energy show, runs at NRG Park, not the GRB.
Logistics
Hotels, transit, crew logistics
- Airports: Hobby is about 20 minutes and often cheaper for domestic flights; Bush Intercontinental is about 30 to 40 minutes with more international routes.
- By transit: METRORail's Convention District station stops directly at the GRB.
- By car: I-45, I-10 and 59 all reach downtown; parking is extensive but priced by event.
- Freight: the center is not connected to the downtown tunnel system; address freight to the dock, not the hotel.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Gulf Coast crews and regional freight for GRB shows.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Americas-Houston | Connected by skywalk | 1,200 rooms, directly attached to the GRB. |
| Marriott Marquis Houston | 5-min walk | Large blocks a short walk from the center. |
| Downtown Houston hotels | 10-min walk | A wide range of price points near METRORail. |
The city
Houston in pictures
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Right-to-work rules, halls, docks, deadlines.
Related on purpleexhibits.com: Custom trade show booth design · Trade show booth rentals · Request a quote.
Questions
George R. Brown Convention Center FAQ
Can I set up my own booth at the GRB?
Yes, any size, with your own tools, using full-time employees of your company. Texas's right-to-work law means there is no union-only rule for booth assembly, unlike Chicago, New York or New Jersey.
Does right-to-work mean I can skip drayage?
No. Material handling from the dock to the booth still runs through the show's exclusive contractor. Right-to-work affects booth labor, not freight handling.
How much is drayage at the GRB?
Purple's planning estimate is about $95 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum and surcharges for late, off-target, uncrated or special-handling freight. Below every Northeast and Midwest venue in this guide.
How big is the GRB?
1.9 million usable square feet, among the ten largest convention centers in the U.S., with more than 773,000 square feet of exhibit and event space across two levels.
Is the Offshore Technology Conference at the GRB?
No. OTC, Houston's largest energy-industry show, runs at NRG Park, a separate campus. The GRB hosts a different mix of industrial, consumer and art shows.
Which airport should I use?
Hobby is about 20 minutes and often cheaper for domestic routes. Bush Intercontinental is 30 to 40 minutes with more international flights.
Is there a hotel attached to the GRB?
Yes, the 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston connects by two skywalks, though the complex is not connected to Houston's downtown tunnel system.
Where does Purple ship from for GRB shows?
Purple coordinates Gulf Coast crews and regional freight carriers for Houston shows.
What is the Bitcoin ATM story?
The GRB was the first convention center in the world to install a permanent Bitcoin ATM, a small but frequently cited fact about the building.
Exhibiting at the GRB?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a right-to-work 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.