The hotel's chart gives booth counts for seven rooms: 157 booths (10 × 10) in the Grand Ballroom, 91 in the Continental, 45 in the Yosemite Room, 36 in Golden Gate and fewer in the Plaza, Imperial and Franciscan rooms.
Exhibitor guide · Union Square, San Francisco, CA · Updated Nov 2026
Hilton San Francisco Union Square Exhibitor Guide
Opened in 1964 as the San Francisco Hilton; often called the Hilton San Francisco
California's largest hotel runs its own expos: up to 157 booths in the Grand Ballroom on a level of its own, 91 more in the Continental Ballroom, and smaller floors in the Yosemite and Imperial rooms. Each January it is home base for Biotech Showcase during J.P. Morgan Healthcare week. Freight never goes to the hotel directly, and San Francisco union rules apply.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: The Hilton's towers and roof sign above neighboring hotels, seen from a nearby hotel room. “San Francisco from Hotel Room” by Stabbur's Master, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
- 29,637sq ft Grand Ballroom, on its own level in Tower 2
- 15710 × 10 booths in the Grand Ballroom, per the hotel chart
- 20 ftContinental Ballroom ceiling in salons 4–6 · 11 ft at the ends
- 1,921rooms in three towers, the most of any hotel in California
- ~0.5 mito Moscone North and South · about 0.4 mi to Moscone West
- Jan 11–13Biotech Showcase 2027 at the hotel, during JPM week
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Recent kits say it plainly: the hotel cannot receive or store exhibit freight. Ship to your decorator's advance warehouse (Freeman's was in South San Francisco for a January 2026 show).
California is not right-to-work, and a 2026 kit here required qualified personnel under the Freeman and hotel contracts. Anything beyond a small, tool-free display needs union labor; your kit has the threshold.
Moscone is a 10- to 15-minute walk. Moscone shows use the Hilton as a block hotel (the 2027 AAD Annual Meeting sells advertising in it), but its own expos run on the hotel's and the show's rules.
Only at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Hilton San Francisco Union Square during J.P. Morgan Healthcare week: Biotech Showcase
Biotech Showcase runs at the Hilton on January 11–13, 2027, during J.P. Morgan Healthcare week. It is a partnering and presentation event for 3,000+ biopharma leaders, so plan meeting rooms and portable displays, not a booth.
Every January the biotech and investor world descends on Union Square for the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, and a ring of side events fills the hotels around it. The Hilton is the home of Biotech Showcase, the biggest of them. It is a partnering and presentation event, not a booth floor, so exhibitors who come for the week plan meeting rooms, suites and portable displays instead of a 20 × 20.
- Jan 11–14, 2027The 45th J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, invitation only. Industry guides place it at the Westin St. Francis, about 0.17 mi from the Hilton.
- Jan 11–13Biotech Showcase at the Hilton, from Demy-Colton and Informa: 3,000+ biopharma leaders, 1,100+ investors and 6,000+ one-to-one meetings booked on partneringONE.
- 0.33 mito the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, where BIO Partnering @JPM Week runs January 11–14, 2027. Many teams walk between the two all week.
- Room blocksBiotech Showcase's block is at the Hilton and is marked limited. Book crew and hospitality rooms first; the whole district fills.
- No freightThe hotel takes no direct exhibit freight. Hand-carry kits, pop-up backwalls and tabletop displays suit a week of meeting rooms.
BIO's partnering event is covered in our San Francisco Marriott Marquis guide. For the convention halls half a mile east, see our Moscone Center guide.
History
Hilton San Francisco Union Square history: three towers and a new owner
The hotel grew in three steps into the largest in California, then spent two years in receivership before a 2025 sale. It stayed open as a Hilton throughout.
What changed at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square in 2025–2026
- Two New York investment firms agreed to buy the Hilton and Parc 55 (Wikipedia).
- Newbond Holdings and Conversant Capital closed the purchase of both hotels for $408 million combined; they stay Hilton hotels (Hospitality Net).
- The new owners announced an extensive capital improvement plan for the two hotels; no scope or timeline was public when we checked (Hospitality Net).
- May 1964The San Francisco Hilton opens on O'Farrell Street with about 1,200 rooms, designed by William B. Tabler; the Beatles stay that summer.
- 1971A 46-story, 493 ft tower is added beside it, still the tallest hotel tower in the city.
- 1985–1988A rebuild adds a third tower joining the first two and gives the hotel a new facade.
- 2011–2017A $130 million renovation, including noise-cancelling windows and doors, makes it the largest hotel on the West Coast.
- 2023–2024Park Hotels & Resorts hands the hotel to its lender and a receiver takes over; a 2024 strike ends with a contract ratified December 24.
- November 2025Newbond Holdings and Conversant Capital buy the Hilton and Parc 55 together for $408 million.
Ballrooms & meeting space
Hilton San Francisco Union Square floor plan: Grand, Continental and Yosemite ballrooms
The hotel stacks its event space on three levels across three linked towers. The Grand Ballroom has a level to itself in Tower 2. One floor down, the Ballroom Level holds the Continental Ballroom, the Yosemite Room, the Imperial Ballroom and the Franciscan Room around shared lounges. The Golden Gate rooms and the Plaza Room are on the Lobby Level. The diagram groups the rooms by level and draws each one wide by floor area.
The Hilton's largest exhibit room is the 29,637 sq ft Grand Ballroom, with 157 booths of 10 × 10 on its own level; the Continental Ballroom adds 19,000 sq ft and 91 booths, and seven rooms in all carry booth counts.
- Ceiling 20 ft or higher
- Rooms grouped by level, width by floor area
Schematic, not to scale: rooms are grouped by level, not drawn where they sit. Sizes, ceilings and booth counts come from the hotel's 2026 floor plans and capacity charts. The dock, door sizes and freight elevator sizes are not published, so they are a card. Get the CAD plan from your show's decorator, and see the official Hilton San Francisco Union Square floor plans and capacity charts (PDF).
Recent and upcoming show floor plans
Official floor plans from organizers of shows at the Hilton. Every show draws its own layout, aisles and booth numbers, so use these to see how a real expo fills the ballrooms, then work from your own show's plan.
- Upcoming · May 4–5, 2027ENR FutureTech 2027Ballroom not stated on the planConstruction technology; ExpoFP floor plan from ENR
- Recent · May 4–6, 2026ENR FutureTech 2026Ballroom not stated on the planLast year's sponsor floor at the Hilton; ExpoFP
- Recent · Jan 7–10, 2026AIA & SCS Joint Annual Meeting 2026Grand BallroomArchaeology and classics; prospectus PDF with the booth plan on page 4
Links go to each organizer's files and open outside this site. Checked November 8, 2026; plans change as booths sell.
| Room | Floor area | Size | Ceiling | Booths 10 × 10 | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Ballroom | 29,637 sq ft | 267′6″ × 111′ | 23′2″ (A: 14′9″) | 157 | Grand Ballroom Level, Tower 2 |
| Continental Ballroom | 19,000 sq ft | 84′6″ × 228′5″ | 20 ft (salons 1–3, 7–9: 11 ft) | 91 | Ballroom Level |
| Golden Gate | 14,312 sq ft | 163′6″ × 158′8″ | 10′6″ | 36 | Lobby Level |
| Yosemite Room | 11,685 sq ft | 122′8″ × 94′9″ | 13 ft | 45 | Ballroom Level |
| Imperial Ballroom | 6,642 sq ft | 82′5″ × 81′10″ | 13′6″ | 27 | Ballroom Level |
| Plaza Room | 6,237 sq ft | 77′ × 81′7″ | 10 ft | 31 | Lobby Level |
| Franciscan Room | 5,600 sq ft | 54′8″ × 96′4″ | 10 ft | 20 | Ballroom Level |
The Grand Ballroom splits into A (9,657 sq ft, 14′9″ ceiling, 45 booths) and B (19,980 sq ft, 23′2″, 108 booths). The chart also lists 8 × 10 counts, such as 182 in the Grand Ballroom and 101 in the Continental. The Continental's three middle salons (4–6, about 4,100–4,200 sq ft each) carry the 20 ft ceiling. The hotel's fact sheet describes the Grand Ballroom with "20-foot ceilings" while its chart lists 23′2″, so confirm the clear height for your section. The hotel counts 134,500 sq ft of event space in 73 function rooms. Floor loads, door sizes and freight elevator sizes are not published.
6,200sq ft East Lounge, 260 ft long, beside the Continental Ballroom
8,516sq ft Cityscape on the 46th floor of Tower 1, for receptions
8 ft 3 inceilings in the Union Square (4th) and Nob Hill (6th) meeting rooms: no booths
3 levelsof exhibit-ready rooms: Lobby, Ballroom and Grand Ballroom
Freight & move-in
Hilton San Francisco Union Square loading dock and freight
Get directions to Hilton San Francisco Union Square →
You cannot ship to the hotel: kits here say it cannot receive or store exhibit freight. Send crated freight to your decorator's advance warehouse (Freeman's was in South San Francisco in January 2026) before its deadline.
- No direct shipmentsFreeman's 2026 quick facts for the AIA/SCS meeting state that it cannot accept direct freight at the Hilton, and a GES kit for an earlier expo here says the hotel cannot receive or store exhibitor materials. Anything sent to the hotel picks up extra handling and a hotel receiving charge.
- Warehouse limitsThat Freeman advance warehouse took crated, boxed or skidded freight only: no loose or pad-wrapped pieces, nothing over 5,000 lb in one piece, nothing larger than 108 in high by 93 in wide. Check your own kit's limits.
- Short move-insAIA/SCS 2026 gave exhibitors 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on opening day to install in the Grand Ballroom; AAG 2026 allowed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the day before opening. Plan a booth your crew can stand up in hours.
- A freight elevator to two levelsThe hotel's floor plans mark a freight elevator serving the Ballroom Level and the Grand Ballroom Level. Its size and the dock layout are not published, so ask your decorator before you build long pieces.
- Dock check-in for outboundAt a GES expo in the Grand Ballroom, outbound carriers had to check in at the loading dock by 3 p.m., with every crate packed before any vehicle got access.
- Day −60Find out which room: Grand (157 booths), Continental (91) or Yosemite (45). The ceilings differ.
- Day −45Size every crate to the warehouse limit and the unpublished elevator: ask the decorator for door and car sizes.
- Day −30Order labor, power, AV and any hanging sign through the kit; plan Encore for AV.
- Day −21Purple ships to San Francisco through our carrier network, to the decorator's advance warehouse.
- Day −7The 2026 Freeman warehouse deadline fell a week before move-in; later freight paid an after-deadline charge.
- Day 0Badge up, find your crates at the booth, and finish inside the move-in window.
Labor & rules
Hilton San Francisco Union Square labor rules: what your team can do itself
California is not a right-to-work state, and San Francisco shows run on union labor. The 2026 AIA/SCS kit at the Hilton told exhibitors to follow the city's prevailing labor regulations and to use qualified personnel for installation, dismantling and material handling under the Freeman and hotel contracts. A recent San Francisco checklist written for Moscone required ordered labor for any booth larger than 10 × 10, taller than 10 ft, needing tools or taking two people or more than 30 minutes. Your own show kit is the final word.
Plan on union labor: California is not right-to-work, and the 2026 AIA/SCS kit at the Hilton required qualified personnel for installation, dismantling and material handling. Your own staff is limited to small, tool-free displays.
✓Your own team
- Unpack and place your own product and literature
- Set a tabletop or draped 10 × 10 the kit treats as tool-free
- Bring your own installer as an EAC only on your show's forms and deadlines
●Exclusives and contractors
- The show's decorator: freight, booth labor, carpet and furniture (Freeman for AIA/SCS 2026; GES for an earlier Grand Ballroom expo)
- Encore: audiovisual in the hotel
- Hotel catering: all food and drink, under union rules
- FedEx Office in Tower 2: business center
!Watch for
- Direct freight to the hotel: refused
- Outside food and drink, even samples, without hotel approval
- Non-flammable materials only, per San Francisco fire rules
- Packing before the hall closes: AIA/SCS fined $200
Common exhibitor mistakes at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square
- Shipping straight to the hotel. Freeman could not accept direct freight at the Hilton in 2026, and a GES kit says the hotel cannot receive or store exhibitor materials.
- Sending loose or pad-wrapped pieces. The 2026 Freeman warehouse refused uncrated freight, single pieces over 5,000 lb and anything beyond 108 in high by 93 in wide.
- Designing to 23′2″ in the Grand Ballroom. The hotel's fact sheet says 20-foot ceilings, and Grand Ballroom A is only 14′9″.
- Planning a tall backwall in the Continental's end salons. Only salons 4–6 are 20 ft; salons 1–3 and 7–9 are 11 ft.
- Setting up a 10 × 20 with your own team. The San Francisco checklist calls for ordered labor on any booth larger than 10 × 10 or needing tools.
- Packing early or serving outside food. AIA/SCS 2026 fined early dismantling $200, and union rules bar outside food and drink without hotel approval.
Free tool · plan your San Francisco budget
Hilton San Francisco Union Square drayage estimator and show budget
Pick a booth size and type to get planning numbers for shipping weight, drayage at about $180 per hundredweight, the same San Francisco planning rate as our Moscone guide, and installation and dismantling (I&D) labor. Every number is a Purple planning estimate, not a quote: the hotel publishes no drayage or labor rate, and your decorator's show kit carries the tariff. California is not a right-to-work state. All-venue rates and a glossary are on the drayage rates page.
Plan on about $180 per hundredweight for drayage, Purple's San Francisco planning rate, with a 200 lb minimum. It is a planning figure: the hotel publishes no drayage or labor rate, and your decorator's kit has the tariff.
The fields below fill in from size and type. Change any of them.
Purple planning estimate · not a quote
Drayage + I&D labor, Hilton San Francisco Union Square
$5,450 – $9,040- Shipping weight planning estimate
- 1,800 lbs
- Drayage planning estimate
- $3,240
- I&D labor hours planning estimate
- 16 – 28 hrs
- I&D labor planning estimate
- $2,210 – $5,800
18 cwt at $180 per 100 lbs. Labor at $138–$207 per hour, straight time.
Get a real San Francisco quoteHow these planning numbers work
- Shipping weight: about 6 lbs per sq ft for a rental booth, 9 for custom or hybrid, 12 for fully custom, crated, with graphics and furniture.
- Drayage: $180 per 100 lbs (cwt), Purple's San Francisco planning rate, with a 200 lb minimum. Loose or pad-wrapped freight adds 30%, and the Freeman warehouse used here in 2026 refused uncrated freight outright.
- I&D labor hours: install plus dismantle, 0.06–0.10 person-hours per sq ft for rental, 0.08–0.14 for custom or hybrid, 0.12–0.20 for fully custom.
- Labor rate: $138–$207 per person-hour, straight time, a planning range from published 2026 show labor rates elsewhere. The hotel publishes no rate; San Francisco union rates in your kit apply, and overtime costs more.
- Own staff: only for small, tool-free displays your kit allows (see the labor section). Then I&D labor drops to $0.
- Not included: booth space, the exhibit itself, freight to San Francisco, Encore AV, power and internet orders, rigging, travel and tax.
At the Hilton: move-in windows are often a few hours on opening day, so overtime is the budget risk. Order labor for the first hour of move-in and have crates delivered to the booth before your crew arrives.
The calendar
Hilton San Francisco Union Square events 2026–2027: trade shows and expos
Semiconductors, biotech, construction technology, ceramics, power engineering and social work research all run their own exhibits in the Hilton's ballrooms. Confirm dates, room and decorator with each organizer.
Six organizer-confirmed events run at the Hilton from December 2026 to July 2027, starting with IEEE IEDM on December 12–16, 2026 and Biotech Showcase on January 11–13, 2027.
IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM)
Semiconductor devices · organized by the IEEE Electron Devices Society · sessions and exhibits · 2026
Biotech Showcase
Biotech investors and partnering during JPM week · organized by Demy-Colton and Informa · 3,000+ leaders · 2027
SSWR Annual Conference
Social work research · organized by the Society for Social Work and Research · exhibitor deadline December 1 · 2027
ENR FutureTech
Construction technology · organized by Engineering News-Record · sponsor floor with a published booth map · 2027
ACerS Spring Meeting
Ceramics and glass science · organized by The American Ceramic Society · sponsor tabletops · 2027
IEEE PES General Meeting
Power and energy engineering · organized by the IEEE Power & Energy Society · 2027
Dates and venue from each organizer, checked November 8, 2026: IEDM, Biotech Showcase, SSWR, ENR FutureTech, ACerS and IEEE PES. Recent exhibit halls here include the AIA & SCS Joint Annual Meeting (January 2026, Grand Ballroom) and the AAG Annual Meeting (March 2026, with 20 × 20 and 20 × 30 islands). Moscone shows also use the hotel as a block hotel; see the Moscone Center guide for those.
Getting there and staying
Hotels near the Hilton San Francisco Union Square
The Hilton is its own show hotel, with 1,921 rooms in three linked towers. Parc 55, another Hilton, is across the street, and the Union Square hotels are a few blocks north. Moscone Center and the SoMa hotels are about half a mile east.
Stay at the Hilton itself (1,921 rooms) or at Parc 55, about 0.09 mi away across the street; the Marriott Marquis is about 0.33 mi east. SFO is about 13 miles away, roughly 30 minutes by BART.
| Map number | Hotel | Rooms | Link to the Hilton | Straight-line | Walk (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Tower 146 floors, Cityscape bar and Vista on 45-46 · this hotel | — | Same hotel | On site | — |
| T2 | Tower 2Grand Ballroom level, FedEx Office in the lobby · this hotel | — | Same hotel | On site | — |
| T3 | Tower 3Union Square (4th) and Nob Hill (6th) meeting floors, pool on 16 · this hotel | — | Same hotel | On site | — |
| 1 | Hotel Nikko San Francisco222 Mason St | — | Not stated | 0.06 mi340 ft | ≈ 2 min |
| 2 | Parc 55 San Francisco, a Hilton Hotel55 Cyril Magnin St | 1,024 | Across the street | 0.09 mi490 ft | ≈ 2 min |
| 3 | The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square335 Powell St | — | Not stated | 0.17 mi870 ft | ≈ 4 min |
| 4 | JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square515 Mason St | — | Not stated | 0.18 mi970 ft | ≈ 5 min |
| 5 | Grand Hyatt San Francisco345 Stockton St | — | Not stated | 0.30 mi1,560 ft | ≈ 8 min |
| 6 | San Francisco Marriott Marquis780 Mission St | 1,500 | Not stated | 0.33 mi1,730 ft | ≈ 9 min |
| C | Moscone Center North and SouthReference point, not a hotel · 747 Howard St | — | Reference only | 0.51 mi2,700 ft, to mid-building | ≈ 13 min |
Hotel venue: rows T1 to T3 are the Hilton itself, 1,921 rooms in three linked towers over the ballroom levels (rooms per tower are not published); the numbered rows are other full-service hotels within about 0.35 mile, closest first, and row C is Moscone Center North and South for reference (Moscone West is about 0.39 mile). Distance: straight line from the Hilton map point. Walk: an estimate, straight-line, at 20 minutes a mile plus 30% for streets; not a measured route. Link: "Not stated" means we found no source for a covered or direct link. Rooms: the Hilton fact sheet, Park Hotels & Resorts (Parc 55) and Cvent (Marriott Marquis); "—" where we found no source.
On site · the venue
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
1,921 rooms, including 151 suites, in three towers, with the Cityscape bar on the 46th floor. Biotech Showcase and many association meetings put their room block here.
~0.1 mi · across the street
Parc 55 San Francisco
A second Hilton with 1,024 rooms. Guests can charge meals at either hotel to their room, per the Hilton's fact sheet.
~0.17 mi · Union Square
The Westin St. Francis
On Union Square itself; industry guides place the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference here each January.
~0.33 mi · east
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Next to Moscone and home of BIO Partnering @JPM Week. See our Marriott Marquis guide.
~0.4–0.5 mi · east
Moscone Center
San Francisco's convention halls. See our Moscone Center guide. Purple ships to the Hilton and coordinates crews and freight for San Francisco installs.
Insider tips
Hilton San Francisco Union Square exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Design to 20 ft in the Grand Ballroom
The chart lists 23′2″, but the hotel's own fact sheet says 20-foot ceilings and Grand Ballroom A is 14′9″. Build to the lower number unless the hotel confirms your section.
In the Continental, aim for salons 4–6
Only the three middle salons have the 20 ft ceiling; salons 1–3 and 7–9 are 11 ft. Ask where your booth falls before you plan a tall backwall.
Crate it, never send it to the hotel
The hotel refuses direct freight, and the 2026 Freeman warehouse refused loose, pad-wrapped freight. Crate everything and ship to the warehouse before its deadline.
Ask for the freight elevator size
Both ballroom levels sit above the lobby, reached by freight elevator, and its car size is not published. Long headers and crates need checking before you build them.
Bring a suite kit, not a booth
Biotech Showcase runs on meetings, not aisles. Pop-up backwalls, tabletop displays and hand-carried graphics turn a meeting room into a branded space.
Use the Ellis Street garage entrance
The garage entrance is at 222 Ellis St, not on O'Farrell. Cvent lists $70 a day; the hotel's fact sheet points visitors to BART instead.
Real costs
What it costs to exhibit at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Recent show prospectuses at the Hilton priced a 10 × 10 from $950 (AIA/SCS 2026) to $3,300 (AAG 2026), and a 20 × 20 island at $12,500; the ballrooms are carpeted. The hotel publishes no drayage, labor or electrical rate.
| Item | Published rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 inline booth space (AAG Annual Meeting 2026) | $3,300, plus $150 per corner; 2 full badges, table, 2 chairs | AAG prospectus (2026) |
| 10 × 10 non-profit booth (AAG 2026) | $1,950, plus $150 per corner | AAG prospectus (2026) |
| 20 × 20 island (AAG 2026) | $12,500 | AAG prospectus (2026) |
| 20 × 30 island (AAG 2026) | $18,000 | AAG prospectus (2026) |
| Extra full-conference badge (AAG 2026) | $399 each, 2 maximum | AAG prospectus (2026) |
| 10 × 10 draped booth, Grand Ballroom (AIA/SCS 2026) | $950 standard, $1,150 premium | AIA/SCS prospectus (2026) |
| Tabletop exhibit (AIA/SCS 2026) | $500 | AIA/SCS prospectus (2026) |
| Group room rate at the Hilton (AIA/SCS 2026 block) | $189 a night | AIA/SCS prospectus (2026) |
| Booth carpet | Included: booths use the existing hotel carpet | Freeman quick facts, AIA/SCS (2026) |
| Dismantling before the official close (AIA/SCS 2026) | $200 fine | AIA/SCS prospectus (2026) |
Not published: the hotel posts no drayage, labor, electrical, internet or rigging rates; those sit behind each show's decorator ordering site. Parking is listed on Cvent at $70 a day and $80 valet, not by the hotel. Rates change every year, so check your show's exhibitor kit before you budget.
Checklist
Hilton San Francisco Union Square exhibitor checklist
Find your room and its real ceiling first, size crates to the warehouse and elevator, order labor and AV before the discount date, ship to the advance warehouse (never the hotel), and book your outbound carrier for move-out.
- 12 weeks out Ask your show which room you are in: the Grand Ballroom (157 booths), the Continental (91) or the Yosemite Room (45). Ceilings differ by room.
- 10 weeks out Confirm the clear height for your spot: design to 20 ft in the Grand Ballroom unless the hotel confirms more, 14′9″ in Grand Ballroom A, and 11 ft in the Continental's end salons.
- 8 weeks out Read the kit's union rules. A booth larger than 10 × 10, taller than 10 ft, or needing tools or two people needs ordered labor on the San Francisco checklist.
- 7 weeks out Ask the decorator for freight elevator and dock sizes, which the hotel does not publish, and keep each crate under the warehouse limits (108 in high, 93 in wide, 5,000 lb in 2026).
- 5 weeks out Order labor, power and furniture before the kit's discount deadline (December 10, 2025 for the January 7, 2026 AIA/SCS move-in) and book AV with Encore.
- 5 weeks out Book rooms in the show's block early; during JPM week in January the whole district fills.
- 4 weeks out Ship crated freight to the advance warehouse, never to the hotel. In 2026 Freeman took freight from December 8 and charged extra after December 31, a week before move-in.
- 2 weeks out Clear any food or drink samples with the hotel: outside food and beverage is not allowed under union rules.
- Travel day Drive to the garage entrance at 222 Ellis St (Cvent lists $70 a day), or take BART from SFO, about 30 minutes.
- Move-in Have labor booked for the first hour: AIA/SCS 2026 allowed only 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on opening day.
- Move-out Do not pack before the hall closes ($200 fine at AIA/SCS 2026), and have your carrier check in by the kit's time (2 p.m. at AIA/SCS 2026); no-shows get re-routed.
Dates and rules from the 2026 Freeman quick facts and the AIA/SCS 2026 prospectus; your show's kit sets its own dates.
Questions
Hilton San Francisco Union Square FAQ for exhibitors
How big is the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square?
29,637 sq ft, 267′6″ by 111′, on its own level in Tower 2. The hotel's chart fits 157 booths of 10 by 10 ft or 182 of 8 by 10, and 3,000 seats theater-style. It divides into Grand Ballroom A (9,657 sq ft) and B (19,980 sq ft).
Does the Hilton San Francisco Union Square have exhibit space?
Yes. The capacity chart gives booth counts for the Grand Ballroom (157), Continental Ballroom (91), Yosemite Room (45), Golden Gate (36), Plaza Room (31), Imperial Ballroom (27) and Franciscan Room (20), counting 10 by 10 booths. In all the hotel has 134,500 sq ft of event space in 73 rooms.
What is the address of the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, and how far is SFO?
333 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. SFO is about 13 miles away; the hotel's fact sheet puts BART at about 30 minutes and $11 one way. Oakland airport is about 20 miles.
Does the Hilton San Francisco Union Square have a loading dock?
Yes, but it is for the decorator's deliveries, not your direct freight. Kits for shows here route all exhibit freight through the decorator's advance warehouse, and outbound carriers check in at the dock. The dock layout, door sizes and freight elevator sizes are not published; get them from your decorator.
Can I ship my exhibit directly to the Hilton?
No. Freeman stated for a 2026 show that it could not accept direct freight at the Hilton, and a GES kit says the hotel cannot receive or store exhibitor materials. Ship to the advance warehouse in your kit.
How much is parking at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square?
About $70 a day for self-parking and $80 for valet, per the hotel's Cvent listing. The garage entrance is at 222 Ellis Street. Rates change, so check with the hotel or your show.
Is labor union at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square?
Yes. California is not right-to-work, and a 2026 kit here required exhibitors to follow San Francisco's prevailing labor regulations and use qualified personnel under the Freeman and hotel contracts. Your show kit lists the rules and rates.
Can I set up my own booth at the Hilton?
Only small, simple displays. A recent San Francisco checklist required ordered labor for booths larger than 10 by 10, taller than 10 ft, needing tools, two people or more than 30 minutes. Unpacking and placing your own product is allowed.
What is the ceiling height in the Hilton San Francisco ballrooms?
Plan on 20 ft in the Grand Ballroom and the middle of the Continental Ballroom. The chart lists 23′2″ in the Grand Ballroom (14′9″ in section A; the hotel's fact sheet says 20 ft), 20 ft in the middle of the Continental Ballroom (11 ft at the ends), 13′6″ in the Imperial, 13 ft in the Yosemite Room and 10 to 10′6″ on the Lobby Level.
What trade shows are at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square in 2026 and 2027?
IEDM (December 12–16, 2026), Biotech Showcase (January 11–13, 2027), the SSWR Annual Conference (January 20–24), ENR FutureTech (May 4–5), the ACerS Spring Meeting (May 23–28) and the IEEE PES General Meeting (July 25–29, 2027).
Is Biotech Showcase at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square?
Yes. Biotech Showcase 2027 runs January 11–13, 2027 at the Hilton, during J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference week, with digital partnering on January 19–20. It is organized by Demy-Colton and Informa.
Hilton San Francisco Union Square or Moscone Center: what is the difference?
Moscone Center is the city's convention center, with more than 790,000 sq ft of exhibit halls, about half a mile east. The Hilton is a hotel whose largest room is 29,637 sq ft, used for association expos of up to about 157 booths, under the hotel's and the show's rules.
How far is the Hilton from Moscone Center?
About 0.5 mile in a straight line to Moscone North and South and about 0.4 mile to Moscone West, roughly a 10- to 15-minute walk through Union Square or along Fourth Street.
How much is drayage at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square?
Plan about $180 per hundredweight, Purple's San Francisco planning rate, with a 200 lb minimum. The hotel publishes no rate; drayage runs through your show's decorator, and the kit has the tariff.
Exhibiting at the Hilton San Francisco?
Grand Ballroom, Continental or a JPM-week suite?
Tell us the show and the room. Within two business days you get a design sized to that ceiling and the freight elevator, crated to the warehouse rules, with a union labor plan and a drayage estimate for San Francisco.
Background photo: "Union Square, San Francisco" by Tony Fischer Photography, CC BY 2.0 Source
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Hilton San Francisco Union Square vs other major U.S. convention centers
How the Hilton San Francisco Union Square stacks up against other big-city halls we have guides for. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton San Francisco Union SquareThis guide | Hotel ballrooms | 29,637 sq ft Grand Ballroom | 23 ft 2 in Grand (fact sheet: 20 ft) · 20 ft Continental | Union · check kit | ≈ $180/cwt | SFO · 13 mi |
| Albany Capital CenterAlbany | Convention center | 22,500 sq ft Multipurpose Room | 25–26 ft | Own staff OK · IATSE rigging | ≈ $85/cwt | ALB · ~20 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 |
| AmericasMart AtlantaAtlanta | Wholesale market | About 7M sq ft in 3 buildings · First Finds booths | 8 ft booth walls in most temp areas | Right-to-work · check manual | ≈ $140/cwt | ATL · 8.6 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 |
| Atlanta Marriott MarquisAtlanta | Hotel ballrooms | 28,281 sq ft International Hall · 162,526 sq ft in all | 30 ft Atrium Ballroom · 18 ft Marquis | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $155/cwt | ATL · MARTA Red/Gold |
| Atlantic City Convention CenterAtlantic City | Convention center | 199,500 sq ft Hall D (500,000 total) | 30 ft clear | Union · own staff to 400 sq ft (check kit) | ≈ $120/cwt | ACY · nearest; PHL bigger |
| 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 |
| Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore | Convention center | 300,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–G | up to 30 ft · varies by hall | Union · carpenters' rules | ≈ $140/cwt | BWI · light rail |
| Beaver Run ResortBreckenridge | Resort ballrooms | 7,200 sq ft Colorado Ballroom · 100 tabletops | 15 ft ballroom · 8–16 ft rooms | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $175/cwt | DEN · ~2 hrs |
| Blue Chip Casino, Hotel and SpaMichigan City | Casino resort ballrooms | 11,000 sq ft Fremont Ballroom · ~45,000 sq ft in all | 13–22 ft (Cvent) | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $125/cwt | SBN · ~45 min |
| Borgata Hotel Casino & SpaAtlantic City | Resort ballrooms | About 30,000 sq ft Event Center, Salons A–D | 30 ft listed | Union · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | ACY · ~12 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 |
| Broward County Convention CenterFort Lauderdale | Convention center | 348,040 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | — | Right-to-work · IATSE 500 AV/rigging | ≈ $165/cwt | FLL · 2 mi |
| Buffalo Convention CenterBuffalo | Convention center | 64,410 sq ft exhibit hall | 35 ft | Union facility · check kit | ≈ $90/cwt | BUF · ~20 min |
| Cajundome Convention CenterLafayette | Convention center | 37,303 sq ft Halls A + B · 40,000 sq ft arena floor | — | Right-to-work | ≈ $130/cwt | LFT · ~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 |
| Central Bank CenterLexington | Convention center + arena | 100,000 sq ft exhibit hall | 30 ft hall · 24.7 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $125/cwt | LEX · ~5 mi |
| Century CenterSouth Bend | Convention center | 25,000 sq ft Convention Hall · 100,000+ sq ft in all | 38 ft Great Hall · hall not published | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | SBN · 3.8 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 |
| CHI Health Center OmahaOmaha | Convention center | 194,300 sq ft, Halls A–C on one level | 30 ft halls · 35 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $105/cwt | OMA · 3.5 mi |
| Cobb Convention Center AtlantaAtlanta | Convention center | 144,000 sq ft, four 36,000 sq ft halls | Not published | Right-to-work · non-union building | ≈ $145/cwt | ATL · ~20 min |
| Colorado Convention CenterDenver | 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 |
| Dallas Market CenterDallas | Wholesale market | 5M+ sq ft · Temps floors in a 15-floor WTC | 8 ft GEM walls in Temps booths | Right-to-work · self-setup OK | ≈ $100/cwt | DAL · 3.4 mi |
| DC ArmoryWashington | Arena / expo hall | 70,000 sq ft column-free floor | — (listings: ~88 ft) | Union · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | DCA · ~15–20 min |
| DCU CenterWorcester | Convention center + arena | 48,640 sq ft Exhibition Hall · 26,200 sq ft arena floor | 30 ft hall · 36 ft Showcase Corner | IATSE Local 96 · check kit | ≈ $110/cwt | ORH · <5 mi |
| Donald E. Stephens Convention CenterRosemont | Convention center | 250,000 sq ft Hall A · 840,000 total | 16–26 ft | Union state · check kit | ≈ $140/cwt | ORD · 2.4 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 |
| Fairmont Scottsdale PrincessScottsdale | Resort ballrooms | 22,500 sq ft Princess Ballroom + 22,394 sq ft Palomino | 18–18.6 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | PHX · ~20 mi |
| First Financial CenterCincinnati | Convention center | 192,356 sq ft Halls A–C, contiguous | 35 ft · 18 ft low zones | Open shop · check kit | ≈ $140/cwt | CVG · ~15–20 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 |
| Fort Worth Convention CenterFort Worth | Convention center | 182,613 sq ft Halls A–F + 45,000 sq ft annex | 25 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $90/cwt | DFW · 25–30 min |
| French Lick ResortFrench Lick | Resort ballrooms | 31,624 sq ft Exhibition Hall | 22 ft Hoosier · 18 ft Windsor | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $125/cwt | SDF · ~90 min |
| Galt House HotelLouisville | Hotel ballrooms | 23,331 sq ft Grand Ballroom | 22 ft ballroom · 11 ft exhibit hall | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $125/cwt | SDF · ~8 mi |
| Gas South Convention CenterDuluth | Convention center | 89,470 sq ft, Exhibit Halls A–D | ~30 ft (Cvent listing) | Right-to-work · non-union | ≈ $140/cwt | ATL · ~45 min |
| Gaylord National Resort & Convention CenterNational Harbor | Resort ballrooms | 178,787 sq ft Prince George's Exhibition Hall | 24 ft hall · 28.5 ft ballrooms | Union · check kit | ≈ $170/cwt | DCA · ~15 min |
| 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 |
| Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention CenterKissimmee | Resort ballrooms | 178,500 sq ft Florida Exhibition Hall | 24 ft hall and ballrooms | Right-to-work | ≈ $160/cwt | MCO · ~20 min |
| Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention CenterAurora | Resort ballrooms | 114,648 sq ft Aurora Exhibit Hall (≈175,000 with the Aurora Ballroom) | 30 ft hall · 36 ft Aurora Ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $155/cwt | DEN · ~10 min |
| Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention CenterGrapevine | Resort ballrooms | 179,520 sq ft Longhorn Exhibition Hall | 24 ft hall · 24 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $100/cwt | DFW · ~6 min |
| 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 International Convention CenterCollege Park | Convention center | 151,200 sq ft, four 37,800 sq ft halls | 32 ft halls and ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $145/cwt | ATL · 1/4 mi, SkyTrain |
| 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 |
| Golden Nugget Lake CharlesLake Charles | Casino resort ballroom | 18,000 sq ft Grand Event Center | 28 ft | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $145/cwt | LCH · ~20 min |
| Grand Wayne Convention CenterFort Wayne | Convention center | 50,000 sq ft Convention Hall · 225,000 sq ft in all | Not published | Right-to-work · non-union crews | ≈ $125/cwt | FWA · ~7 mi |
| Greater Columbus Convention CenterColumbus | Convention center | 373,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–D | 30 ft halls · 33 ft Battelle Grand | Union state · check kit | ≈ $130/cwt | CMH · ~10 min |
| Harrah's Waterfront Conference CenterAtlantic City | Resort ballrooms | 49,447 sq ft Wildwood Ballroom (two stacked ~50,000) | 27.5 ft Wildwood (Cvent) | Union · check kit | ≈ $145/cwt | ACY · ~14 mi |
| Henry B. González Convention CenterSan Antonio | Convention center | about 514,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls 1–4 + Bridge Hall | 35 ft halls · 24 ft Bridge Hall | Right-to-work | ≈ $95/cwt | SAT · ~8 mi |
| High Point MarketHigh Point | Wholesale market | 11.5M+ sq ft at 160+ showroom addresses | — | Right-to-work · check venue | ≈ $95/cwt | GSO · 11 mi |
| 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 Baltimore Inner HarborBaltimore | Hotel ballrooms | 26,712 sq ft Key Ballroom (42,102 sq ft exhibit space) | 21 ft Key · 26 ft Holiday | No right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | BWI · ~9 mi |
| Hilton ChicagoChicago | Hotel ballrooms | 40,140 sq ft Stevens Salon A · 234,000 total | 10–11 ft Stevens · 23–34 ft ballrooms | Union · pop-ups ≤ 10×10 | ≈ $175/cwt | MDW · 12 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 Convention Center of ClevelandCleveland | Convention center | 225,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 25–40 ft | Union · own staff may build | ≈ $145/cwt | CLE · ~20–25 min |
| 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 Baltimore Inner HarborBaltimore | Hotel ballrooms | 14,161 sq ft Constellation Ballroom (35,000+ sq ft event space) | 15 ft Constellation | No right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | BWI · ~20–25 min |
| Hyatt Regency ChicagoChicago | Hotel ballrooms | 70,000 sq ft Riverside Exhibit Hall | 12 ft hall · 17–19 ft ballrooms | Union · check kit | ≈ $225/cwt | MDW · 12 mi |
| Hyatt Regency ColumbusColumbus | Convention hotel | 15,800 sq ft Regency Ballroom · 70,000 total | 24 ft ballroom · 8–13.5 ft rooms | Union state · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | CMH · 7 mi |
| Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention CenterDenver | Convention hotel | 30,000 sq ft Centennial Ballroom · 60,600 total | 30 ft Centennial · 22 ft Capitol | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $165/cwt | DEN · 25 mi |
| Hyatt Regency New OrleansNew Orleans | Hotel ballrooms | 48,100 sq ft Elite Hall + 25,379 sq ft Storyville Hall | about 9–24 ft Elite Hall · 20.5 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · union in kits | ≈ $160/cwt | MSY · ~14 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 |
| Hynes Convention CenterBoston | Convention center | 176,480 sq ft (Halls A–D + auditorium) | 14–18 ft plaza · 20–43 ft level 2 | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $190/cwt | BOS · 4.6 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 |
| Irving Convention Center at Las ColinasIrving | Convention center | 48,576 sq ft column-free exhibit hall | 35 ft hall · 24 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $100/cwt | DFW · ~6 mi |
| 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 |
| John S. Knight CenterAkron | Convention center | 28,640 sq ft exhibit halls, 123,000 sq ft building | 35 ft halls · 20 ft ballrooms | No right-to-work · own staff OK | ≈ $130/cwt | CAK · ~20 min |
| Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention CenterRochester | Convention center | 49,275 sq ft Empire Hall | 45 ft (hall halves) | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $85/cwt | ROC · ~15 min |
| JW Marriott IndianapolisIndianapolis | Hotel ballrooms | 40,500 sq ft JW Grand Ballroom | 19–21 ft ballroom · 12 ft Griffin Hall | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $130/cwt | IND · ~15–20 min |
| JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & SpaPhoenix | Resort ballrooms | 33,218 sq ft Grand Canyon Ballroom · ~84,000 in 3 ballrooms | 21–24.6 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $145/cwt | PHX · 22 mi |
| Kalahari Resorts & Conventions SanduskySandusky | Resort ballrooms | 38,232 sq ft Kilimanjaro Ballroom | ≈ 28 ft Kilimanjaro (listing) | No right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | CLE · ≈42 mi |
| 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 |
| Kentucky Exposition CenterLouisville | Expo center | 218,286 sq ft North Wing (421,200 sq ft South Wing A–C) | 27 ft South Wing · 15–28 ft North Wing | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $125/cwt | SDF · adjacent |
| Kentucky International Convention CenterLouisville | Convention center | 204,169 sq ft, Exhibit Halls A–E | 32 ft halls · 30 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · self-setup | ≈ $130/cwt | SDF · 7.6 mi |
| Long Beach Convention CenterLong Beach | Convention center | 224,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 25 ft halls · 30–75 ft Arena | Union · 30-min no-tools rule | ≈ $170/cwt | LGB · ~10–15 min |
| 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 |
| Marriott Marquis Washington, DCWashington | Hotel ballrooms | 30,600 sq ft Marquis Ballroom | 22 ft Marquis Ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $170/cwt | DCA · ~3.7 mi |
| MassMutual CenterSpringfield | Civic center + arena | 40,650 sq ft Exhibition Halls A + B | 27 ft halls · 24 ft ballroom | Union market · check kit | ≈ $160/cwt | BDL · ~12 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 |
| Meadowlands Exposition CenterSecaucus | Expo center | 61,000 sq ft contiguous main hall | 20 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $110/cwt | EWR · ~12 mi |
| Mesa Convention CenterMesa | City convention campus | 19,000 sq ft main exhibit hall | 22 ft hall | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $130/cwt | PHX · ~11 mi |
| Metropolitan PavilionNew York | Loft event venue | 25,000 sq ft Full Pavilion | 12–16 ft | Check fair kit | ≈ $150/cwt | LGA · ~35 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 |
| Nassau Veterans Memorial ColiseumUniondale | Arena + expo hall | 60,000 sq ft Exhibition Hall | 20 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | JFK · ~11 mi |
| National Western ComplexDenver | Fairgrounds | 153,089 sq ft Expo Hall, Livestock Center | 25 ft · 20 ft low point | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | DEN · ~17 mi |
| Navy Pier Festival HallChicago | Exhibition hall on a pier | 170,100 sq ft, Halls A + B | 60 ft centre · 28–30 ft sides | Union state · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | MDW · ~25–35 min |
| New Jersey Convention and Exposition CenterEdison | Expo center | ~135,000 sq ft single-level hall | 24 ft beams · 19 ft ducts | Non-union building · check kit | ≈ $105/cwt | EWR · ~15 min |
| New York Hilton MidtownNew York | Hotel ballrooms | 16,450 sq ft Americas Hall I (plus Hall II) | 15 ft halls · 24 ft Grand Ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $185/cwt | LGA · ~35 min |
| New York Marriott MarquisNew York | Hotel ballrooms | 28,258 sq ft Broadway Ballroom | 23 ft Broadway · 12 ft Westside | Union · check kit | ≈ $185/cwt | LGA · ~40 min by car |
| Northern Kentucky Convention CenterCovington | Convention center | 46,200 sq ft Event Center (Halls I + II) | 29 ft hang points · 25 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $130/cwt | CVG · ~9 mi |
| Ocean CenterDaytona Beach | Convention center | 93,028 sq ft exhibit hall | 32 ft hall · 45 ft arena | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | DAB · ~10 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 |
| Orlando World Center MarriottOrlando | Resort ballrooms | 105,000 sq ft Cypress Ballroom | 31 ft Cypress · 22 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $160/cwt | MCO · ~17 mi |
| Owensboro Convention CenterOwensboro | Convention center | 44,096 sq ft, Exhibit Halls 1–3 | 30 ft halls · 18 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work · non-union building | ≈ $120/cwt | OWB (limited) · SDF/BNA ~2 hr |
| Palm Beach County Convention CenterWest Palm Beach | Convention center | 100,000 sq ft exhibit hall (Halls A–B) | ≈ 29 ft hall | Right-to-work · own tools OK | ≈ $165/cwt | PBI · ~10 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 |
| Prime F. Osborn III Convention CenterJacksonville | Convention center | 78,540 sq ft, Exhibit Halls A + B | 32.5 ft halls · 75 ft Grand Lobby | Right-to-work · IATSE 115 · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | JAX · via I-95 |
| Raising Cane's River CenterBaton Rouge | Convention center | ≈ 70,000 sq ft Exhibition Hall · 100,000+ with arena | — hall · 27 ft ballroom | Right-to-work | ≈ $140/cwt | BTR · ~7 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 |
| Reno-Sparks Convention CenterReno | Convention center | 382,303 sq ft on one level, Halls 1–5 | 34 ft | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $115/cwt | RNO · 2.1 mi |
| Rocky Gap Casino ResortFlintstone | Resort event center | 5,000 sq ft Allegheny Event Center | up to 21 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | BWI / PIT · ~2–2.5 hr |
| Roland E. Powell Convention CenterOcean City | Convention center | 75,400 sq ft Exhibit Halls A–C | 30 ft halls · 35 ft ballroom | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $130/cwt | SBY · ~30 min |
| Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade CenterWashington | Conference center | 9,185 sq ft Atrium Hall (65,000 sq ft in all) | 26 ft Atrium Hall · 80–125 ft Atrium | Union · check kit | ≈ $165/cwt | DCA · ~8 min |
| 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 |
| Rosen Shingle CreekOrlando | Resort ballrooms | 95,000 sq ft Gatlin Ballroom | 31 ft ballrooms | Right-to-work | ≈ $160/cwt | MCO · ~10 min |
| SAFE Credit Union Convention CenterSacramento | Convention center | 159,509 sq ft, Halls A–D | 30 ft halls · 25 ft ballrooms | Union · 30-minute rule | ≈ $160/cwt | SMF · ~15 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 Francisco Marriott MarquisSan Francisco | Hotel ballrooms | 39,621 sq ft Yerba Buena Ballroom | 24.5 ft Yerba Buena 7–9 · 14 ft Golden Gate | Union · check kit | ≈ $180/cwt | SFO · ~13 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 |
| Savannah Convention CenterSavannah | Convention center | 200,000 sq ft, Exhibit Halls A–D | 30 ft C–D · up to 52 ft A–B | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $150/cwt | SAV · under 15 mi |
| Schaumburg Convention CenterSchaumburg | Convention center | 97,200 sq ft column-free hall | 30 ft hall · 22 ft ballroom | Non-union venue · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | ORD · ~13 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 Boston HotelBoston | Hotel ballrooms | 19,938 sq ft Grand Ballroom Complex | 23 ft Grand · 11 ft Back Bay | Union · own staff per kit | ≈ $185/cwt | BOS · 4.7 mi |
| 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 |
| Sheraton New York Times Square HotelNew York | Hotel ballrooms | 14,896–16,576 sq ft Metropolitan Ballroom | 21.9 ft Metropolitan · 11 ft others | Union · check kit | ≈ $185/cwt | LGA · ~35 min |
| Shreveport Convention CenterShreveport | Convention center | 95,000 sq ft exhibit hall, divisible by 3 | 30 ft hall · 25–26 ft ballroom | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | SHV · ~6 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 |
| Talking Stick ResortScottsdale | Resort ballrooms | 24,556–25,000 sq ft Salt River Grand Ballroom | Listed as 24 · confirm | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $140/cwt | PHX · ~14 mi |
| Tampa Convention CenterTampa | Convention center | 200,000 sq ft, West/Central/East Halls | 30 ft halls | Right-to-work | ≈ $155/cwt | TPA · ~8 mi |
| The BroadmoorColorado Springs | Resort ballrooms | 93,500 sq ft Bartolin Hall exhibit floor | 25 ft halls · 35 ft International Center | Union · check kit | ≈ $160/cwt | COS · ~11.5 mi |
| THE MARTChicago | Design center | ~1M sq ft NeoCon (showrooms + 7th floor) | — | Union · in-house crews | ≈ $75/cwt | ORD · ~15 mi |
| The OncenterSyracuse | Convention center | 99,000–100,000 sq ft Pirro Convention Center | — | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $85/cwt | SYR · ~5 mi |
| Tucson Convention CenterTucson | Convention center | 89,760 sq ft Exhibit Halls A–C | 26 ft low steel · 35 ft high | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $135/cwt | TUS · ~10–15 min |
| Turning Stone Resort CasinoVerona | Resort ballrooms | ≈ 30,000 sq ft Event Center · 30,000 sq ft Grand Ballroom | 12–55 ft Event Center | Resort rules · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | SYR · ~35 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 |
| Washington HiltonWashington | Hotel ballrooms | 29,631 sq ft International Ballroom · ~30,000 sq ft Columbia Hall | 30 ft ballroom · ~11 ft Columbia Hall | Union city · check kit | ≈ $165/cwt | DCA · ~6–7 mi |
| Westin Boston Seaport DistrictBoston | Hotel ballrooms | 19,160 sq ft Galleria Exhibit Hall | 14.5 ft Galleria · 24 ft Grand | Union market · check kit | ≈ $185/cwt | BOS · <3 mi |
| Wildwoods Convention CenterWildwood | Convention center + arena | 73,000–75,000 sq ft exhibit hall (East + West) | 30 ft (Cvent) | Self-setup allowed · CBAs | ≈ $115/cwt | ACY · ~35 mi |
| World Market Center Las VegasLas Vegas | Wholesale market | 193,858 sq ft The Expo + 3 showroom towers | — | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | LAS · ~6.3 mi |
Nearby guides
Other San Francisco and Bay Area venues
Moscone CenterSan Francisco · ~0.5 mi
San Francisco Marriott MarquisSan Francisco · ~0.3 mi
Santa Clara Convention CenterSilicon Valley, CA
San Jose McEnery Convention CenterSan Jose, CA
SAFE Credit Union Convention CenterSacramento, CA
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Purple ships to the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and coordinates crews and freight for San Francisco installs; Purple ships and installs from New York. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Sources: the hotel's 2026 floor plans and capacity charts and fact sheet, Cvent, Wikipedia, Hospitality Net and The San Francisco Standard on the 2025 sale, the AIA/SCS 2026 prospectus and Freeman quick facts, a GES exhibitor kit for an expo in the Grand Ballroom, a GES San Francisco union labor checklist, the AAG 2026 prospectus, OpenStreetMap, and organizer sites for IEDM, Biotech Showcase (Informa and Demy-Colton), BIO, J.P. Morgan, SSWR, ENR, The American Ceramic Society and IEEE PES.