Exhibitor guide · Downtown San Antonio, Texas
Henry B. González Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
514,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space on the banks of the River Walk, a $325 million rebuild finished in 2016, and Texas's largest ballroom. Built for HemisFair '68, expanded four times since.
HBGCC · 900 E Market StHero photo: "Henry B. Gonzalez Center" by Investment Realty Co. L.C., CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Source
Why this page exists
The Henry B. González Convention Center is San Antonio's answer to a question every world's fair city eventually asks: what do you do with the site after the fair leaves? HemisFair '68 built the original hall; four expansions and a $325 million rebuild later, it is 514,000 contiguous square feet with 35-foot ceilings, walking distance from the River Walk and the Alamo, and connected to a 1,003-room Grand Hyatt. Right-to-work labor rules apply as they do across Texas.
This guide covers the exhibit halls and the record-setting Stars at Night ballroom, labor under Texas right-to-work law, drayage, a freight countdown, the shows and conventions that use the building, hotels along the River Walk, and the history of a fairground that became a permanent convention campus.
The building
The exhibit halls
The 2016 renovation removed fixed interior structures across the complex, giving the halls a more flexible, modern layout than the 1968 original.
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit Halls 1–4 and Bridge Hall | 514,000 sq ft of contiguous space, 35-foot ceilings, across five connected halls. | Trade shows of 300 to 600 booths, association exhibit halls | Islands, hanging signs and forklifts routine at this ceiling height. |
| "Stars at Night" ballroom | 54,000 sq ft, the largest ballroom in Texas, with 652 LED lights in the ceiling. | General sessions, galas | Carpeted; a strong choice for a keynote or an evening event that wants a dramatic ceiling. |
| 86,500 sq ft multipurpose space | Column-free, flexible for varied event formats. | Overflow exhibits, breakouts | Confirm current configuration against your booth plan. |
| Lila Cockrell Theatre | 2,319-seat performing arts venue, part of the original 1968 construction. | Keynotes, performances | Not exhibit space. |
| 70+ meeting rooms, 2 ballrooms | Across the complex. | Breakouts, association meetings | Hand-carry and tabletop formats. |
The labor map
Labor and rules of the floor
Right-to-work, open booth labor
Full-time staff may build any size booth with their own tools, as at every Texas venue in this guide.
Still exclusive
Material handling runs through the show's designated contractor; plan about $95 per hundredweight.
Center-exclusive services
Electrical, rigging, internet, cleaning and catering are exclusive to the center or its designated providers; the show kit carries the current list.
San Antonio Fire Department
Covered and multilevel exhibits need plan review; flame-certified fabrics for anything covered.
River Walk logistics
The center backs onto the River Walk; deliveries route to the loading docks on the HemisFair side, not the riverside pedestrian areas.
Certificates
Naming the organizer and the City of San Antonio; Purple's is on file.
History
From HemisFair to a 2016 rebuild
San Antonio's convention center began as a world's fair pavilion and has been rebuilt around that original footprint for nearly sixty years.
The original convention center opens as part of HemisFair '68, San Antonio's world's fair, built by a joint venture of Darragh & Lyda of San Antonio and H. A. Lott of Houston. The Lila Cockrell Theatre opens as part of the same construction.
Three separate renovations expand and modernize the facility over the following decades as San Antonio's convention business grows.
The Grand Hyatt San Antonio opens: a 1,003-room convention hotel and condominium tower designed by Arquitectonica, connected directly to the convention center.
A $325 million expansion and renovation, part of a larger $550 million downtown investment, modernizes the building: fixed interior structures come out for flexible use, and the technology throughout is upgraded. The project brings the footprint to 1.7 million square feet with 514,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, plus the 54,000 sq ft Stars at Night ballroom, the largest in Texas.
The center is renamed for the late Congressman Henry B. González and hosts more than 300 events a year, drawing over 750,000 delegates, steps from the River Walk and the Alamo.
Free tool
Henry B. drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026; the show kit has the tariff. All-venue rates and a glossary on the drayage rates page.
Deadlines
Freight countdown for a Henry B. show
The calendar
Shows at the Henry B.
San Antonio's Stock Show and Rodeo runs at the Frost Bank Center, not downtown; the convention center's own calendar covers a broad mix of association and trade events.
| Event type | When | Industry | Typical attendance | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and nursing conferences | Spring, fall | Healthcare | 8,000 | 10×10 rentals |
| South Texas oilfield and energy expos | Periodic | Energy, oilfield services | 6,000 | Custom exhibits |
Attendance figures are Purple's planning ranges; confirm each event with the organizer.
Logistics
Getting there and staying
- Airport: San Antonio International is about 15 to 20 minutes.
- By car: I-35, I-10 and I-37 all reach downtown directly.
- Walkable: the River Walk, La Villita and the Alamo are all within a few minutes on foot.
- Freight: docks on the HemisFair side of the complex, separate from the River Walk pedestrian areas.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Texas crews and regional freight for San Antonio shows.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Hyatt San Antonio | Connected | 1,003 rooms directly attached to the center. |
| River Walk hotels | 5 to 10-min walk | Classic San Antonio views and restaurants. |
| Downtown hotels near the Alamo | 10-min walk | A range of price points near the historic district. |
The city
San Antonio in pictures
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Halls, ballroom, docks, deadlines.
Questions
Henry B. González Convention Center FAQ
How big is the Henry B.?
514,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space with 35-foot ceilings, within a 1.7-million-square-foot total footprint.
Can I set up my own booth?
Yes, any size, with your own tools. Texas's right-to-work law applies here as at every venue in this guide.
What is the Stars at Night ballroom?
A 54,000-square-foot ballroom, the largest in Texas, featuring 652 LED lights built into the ceiling.
Is the San Antonio Stock Show here?
No. The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo runs at the Frost Bank Center, a separate venue. The convention center hosts a different mix of trade and association events.
Is there a hotel attached?
Yes, the 1,003-room Grand Hyatt San Antonio, opened in 2008, connects directly to the center.
How close is the River Walk?
The center backs directly onto it; the Alamo and La Villita are also within a few minutes on foot.
How much is drayage?
Plan about $95 per hundredweight where a contractor handles freight.
Where does Purple ship from?
Purple coordinates Texas crews and regional freight carriers for San Antonio shows.
Exhibiting at the Henry B.?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a design brief, 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.