Oklahoma has been right-to-work since 2001. Who may set up booths is decided by each show's official contractor, so read your show kit.
Exhibitor guide · Oklahoma City, OK · Updated
Oklahoma City Convention Center Exhibitor Guide
Also known as the OKC Convention Center, the MAPS 3 Convention Center and OKCCC
Oklahoma City opened this convention center in January 2021, on Robinson just east of Scissortail Park. Its 200,730 sq ft exhibit hall sits on the ground floor, with ramps that let trucks drive onto the floor. Oklahoma is a right-to-work state, and the center sells power, water and internet itself.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: Scissortail Park and downtown in September 2021; the convention center stands just east of the park on Robinson. “Scissortail park, September 26, 2021, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma” by gurdonark, CC BY 2.0. Source
- 200,730sq ft exhibit hall on the ground floor
- 30 ftexhibit hall ceiling
- 86 ftbetween columns
- 15bays at the east-side loading dock
- 2ramps and 4 roll-up doors for trucks onto the floor
- 605rooms at the Omni hotel next door
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the Oklahoma City Convention Center
A 2026 kit at the center let exhibitors move their own freight from dock to booth if they skipped material handling, and appoint their own installer. How much your staff may build is set by each show's contractor.
Electrical, plumbing, compressed air and internet are ordered from the center's exhibitor services portal, with lower advance prices.
The exhibit hall is listed at 30 ft, with columns 86 ft apart. Your show may set lower booth height limits.
Photos: "Bricktown Oklahoma City Oklahoma" by Brokentaco, CC BY 2.0 Source · "20220424 76 Oklahoma City streetcar @ Ball Park stop" by davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 Source · "Wasn't that amazing?" by Slomoz, CC BY-SA 2.0 Source
Floor plan & exhibit halls
Oklahoma City Convention Center floor plan: one hall, four rooms
The exhibit hall is a single 200,730 sq ft room on the ground floor. Movable walls split it into as many as four halls of about 47,000 to 58,000 sq ft each. The Junior Ballroom is on the third floor and the Painted Sky Ballroom on the fourth, with meeting rooms on every floor. The diagram shows how the floors stack, how the hall divides and what loading access it has.
- Movable wall
- 30 ft exhibit hall ceiling
- Floor boxes for power, data and plumbing
Schematic, not to scale: the center publishes the hall's total size and a 47,000 to 58,000 sq ft range per hall, but not each hall's size, so the walls are drawn at even spacing. Dock, ramp, door and floor-box positions are not drawn where they really sit. Official floor plans are on okcconventioncenter.com; ask for the CAD plan of your hall.
200,730sq ft of continuous ground-level exhibit space · 30 ft ceiling · columns 86 ft apart · floor boxes for power, data and plumbing
4independent halls when divided, each about 47,000 to 58,000 sq ft. The center does not publish a per-hall table; ask for the CAD plan.
29,874sq ft Painted Sky Ballroom, two rooms combined · up to 1,818 for a general session or 1,200 for a banquet · terrace over Scissortail Park
27meeting rooms, nearly 45,000 sq ft in all, from 630 sq ft up to the 9,726 sq ft Junior Ballroom
500,000sq ft in the whole building, with four permanent concession stands in the exhibit hall
Only at the Oklahoma City Convention Center
Oklahoma City Convention Center move-in: a 2021 hall built for drive-in freight
The building that replaced the Cox Convention Center puts its exhibit hall on the ground floor, lets trucks drive onto it and keeps a marshalling area close by. That helps exhibitors with heavy machinery or vehicles on display.
- 2 rampswith truck access onto the exhibit floor, plus 4 roll-up garage doors. Ask your contractor which door your booth is nearest.
- 15 baysin the loading dock on the east side of the building.
- 86 ftbetween columns, under a 30 ft ceiling, so large island booths and machinery fit with few column conflicts.
- Overnightprivate vehicles may park overnight in the loading dock, and a nearby marshalling area takes trailers overnight.
- 2021opened on January 5, at a cost of $288 million, as the largest project of the city's MAPS program.
Sources: OKCCC floor plans page; Exhibitor Magazine (Exhibitor Online); Wikipedia. Ramp and door positions are not published; confirm on your show's floor plan.
Insider tips
Oklahoma City Convention Center exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Order carpet, or plan for concrete
A 2026 show kit warned that the convention center floor is not carpeted and booth packages do not include it. Check your kit and order carpet and padding before the discount date.
Order utilities from the center early
Power, water, air and internet come from the center, and late orders cost more: a 20-amp 120V outlet is $155 in advance but $201 at standard rates. One price list, one deadline.
Drive heavy exhibits onto the floor
Two ramps and four roll-up doors give trucks direct access to the hall, and columns are 86 ft apart. Machinery and vehicle displays can roll in without a forklift relay, if your contractor schedules it.
Keep crew hours in straight time
Center technicians cost $60 an hour Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and $90 at other times. Schedule power hookups and installs inside that window.
Buy your coffee from catering
Traffic builders such as coffee, popcorn, bottled water and cookies must come from the center's catering. Your own samples are fine if they are bite-size and your company makes or sells them.
Use the overnight parking
Private vehicles may stay overnight in the loading dock, and the nearby marshalling area takes trailers overnight. Plan a two-day install without unhitching and re-queuing every morning.
Loading dock & move-in
Oklahoma City Convention Center loading dock and freight
Get directions to Oklahoma City Convention Center →
- DockA 15-bay loading dock on the east side of the building, plus two ramps and four roll-up garage doors with truck access onto the exhibit floor.
- MarshallingA marshalling area for trailers is nearby and allows overnight parking. Private vehicles may also park overnight in the loading dock.
- Receiving datesFreight sent straight to the building is received only on the kit's published dates. In one 2026 kit, freight that arrived early was not accepted, and all direct deliveries were handled (and billed) by the official contractor.
- Your own freightIn the same kit, exhibitors who did not order material handling moved their own freight from the dock to the booth and back.
- ParkingThe center's garage has about 1,100 spaces and a skybridge to the northeast corner of the second floor. A 2026 conference listed public rates of $2 an hour or $10 a day.
- Day −45Booth design checked against 30 ft and your show's height rule. Island booth? Check columns on the hall plan.
- Day −30Exhibitor-appointed contractor? Send the written notice and $1 million insurance certificate the kit asks for.
- Day −21Power, water, air and internet ordered from the center before the advance-price deadline. Carpet ordered if the floor is bare.
- Day −14Purple ships to Oklahoma City through our carrier network, to the advance warehouse or the show site.
- Day 0Trucks to the east dock or onto the floor by ramp, at your target time. Trailers wait in the marshalling area.
- Show closeOutbound carrier booked for the pickup window. Freight left behind is re-routed at your cost.
Labor & rules
Oklahoma City Convention Center labor rules: what your team can do itself
Oklahoma adopted right-to-work in 2001, so no one must join a union to work a show here. The center runs its own utilities and technicians, and each show's official contractor sets the booth labor rules. The details below come from the center's exhibitor pages and a 2026 show kit; your own kit has the final word.
✓Your own team
- Supervise the contractor's crew at your booth (2026 kit)
- Move your own freight from dock to booth if you did not order material handling (2026 kit)
- Hire your own installation company, with 30 days' written notice and a $1 million insurance certificate (2026 kit)
- Hand out bite-size food samples of products your company makes or distributes
●Center services
- Electrical, plumbing, compressed air and internet: ordered from the center, with advance and standard prices
- Center technicians: $60 an hour straight time, $90 overtime
- Straight time: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., not holidays
- Audio-visual: Encore
- Food and drink: the center's in-house catering; no outside food or drink
!Watch out for
- Drink samples over 3 oz (in a 4 oz cup); beer or wine over 2 oz; spirits over 0.5 oz
- Serving alcohol samples without Responsible Vendor Certification and the required insurance
- Giving away coffee, popcorn, bottled water or cookies not bought from catering
- Smoking anywhere on city property
- Freight arriving before the kit's receiving dates
Background photo: "Bricktown-OKC, Oklahoma" by bhanu.t, CC BY 2.0 Source
Free tool · plan your Oklahoma City budget
Oklahoma City Convention Center drayage and show budget estimator
Pick a booth size and type to get planning numbers for shipping weight, drayage at about $105 per hundredweight, and installation and dismantling (I&D) labor. Every number is a Purple planning estimate, not a quote: the center publishes no drayage or I&D labor rate (its $60 an hour technician rate covers utility hookups only), and your show kit carries the actual tariff. Oklahoma is a right-to-work state. See all venues on the drayage rates page.
The fields below fill in from size and type. Change any of them.
Purple planning estimate · not a quote
Drayage + I&D labor, Oklahoma City
$4,100 – $7,690- Shipping weight planning estimate
- 1,800 lbs
- Drayage planning estimate
- $1,890
- I&D labor hours planning estimate
- 16 – 28 hrs
- I&D labor planning estimate
- $2,210 – $5,800
18 cwt at $105 per 100 lbs. Labor at $138–$207 per hour, straight time.
Get a real Oklahoma City 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: $105 per 100 lbs (cwt), Purple's Oklahoma City planning rate, with a 200 lb minimum. Loose or pad-wrapped freight adds 30%.
- 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. No Oklahoma City rate is published, and overtime costs more.
- Own staff: only if this venue's rules and your show kit let your own full-time staff set up (see the labor section above). Then, I&D labor drops to $0 here.
- Not included: booth space, the exhibit itself, freight to Oklahoma City, power and internet orders, rigging, travel and tax.
In Oklahoma City: a 2026 local show kit at the center charged $85 to $95 per 100 lbs for material handling and $75 an hour straight time for contractor labor, below this planning range; national general contractors usually charge more. If your kit lists lower rates, type them into the fields above.
Downtown on a festival weekend
Photo: "Movement" by kristina sohappy, CC BY 2.0 Source
The calendar
Oklahoma City Convention Center events 2026–2027: trade and consumer shows
Roofing, outdoor outfitters, hunting retail and ag aviation all hold industry shows here, alongside the marathon expo in April. Confirm dates, halls and contractor with each organizer.
RoofCon
Business and leadership conference for roofing professionals · vendor expo · 2026
America Outdoors Conference & Outfitter Expo
National event for outdoor recreation businesses · Outfitter Expo of gear, apparel and services · 2026
Anime 405
Fan weekend with cosplay, guests and a shopping floor · consumer show · 2026
NBS Spring Semi-Annual Market
Nation's Best Sports buying market · archery, hunting, shooting and apparel · members and approved vendors only · 2027
OKC Memorial Marathon Health & Fitness Expo
Race packet pickup and running and fitness vendors · public · 2027
Ag Aviation Expo
National Agricultural Aviation Association convention and trade show · 2027
Dates from the convention center's event calendar (RoofCon, America Outdoors, Anime 405), Nation's Best Sports, VisitOKC's race calendar and the NAAA future-dates list. The Oklahoma Food & Beverage Expo (Oklahoma Grocers Association) is listed elsewhere for May 25, 2027, but we could not confirm it with the organizer.
Where to stay & getting there
Hotels near Oklahoma City Convention Center
Two hotels stand right beside the center: the 605-room Omni Oklahoma City, built as its headquarters hotel, and a Fairfield Inn & Suites. The center's own garage links to the second floor by an enclosed skybridge, and the OKC Streetcar loops through downtown. The center does not publish walking times, so ask your hotel for its route.
Next door · headquarters hotel
Omni Oklahoma City Hotel
605 rooms, built as the convention center's headquarters hotel and opened in early 2021, with suites overlooking Scissortail Park.
Next door
Fairfield Inn & Suites
The other hotel listed beside the convention center.
Skybridge
Convention Center garage
About 1,100 spaces on six levels, linked by an enclosed skybridge to the center's second floor.
4.7-mi loop
OKC Streetcar
22 platforms on a 4.7-mile downtown loop. A single ride is $1, a day pass $3.
~9–10 mi
OKC airport
Will Rogers International Airport is about 9 to 10 miles from the center by road.
The building
A convention center built through MAPS 3
Oklahoma City voters approved the building in 2009 as part of MAPS 3, and it became the largest project of the MAPS program. It replaced the Cox Convention Center as the city's main convention hall.
- 2001Oklahoma voters add right-to-work to the state constitution.
- 2009City voters approve MAPS 3, which includes a new convention center.
- 2018Construction starts in June. Populous designs the building and Flintco builds it. Omni announces its 605-room hotel next door.
- 2021The Oklahoma City Convention Center opens on January 5, at a cost of $288 million. The 605-room Omni opens next door in early 2021.
- 2027The National Agricultural Aviation Association books its Ag Aviation Expo here for November 15–17.
FAQ
Oklahoma City Convention Center FAQ for exhibitors
Is this the same as the Cox Convention Center?
No. The Oklahoma City Convention Center at 100 Mick Cornett Drive opened in January 2021 and replaced the older Cox Convention Center as the city's main convention venue. Check your show's address before you ship.
Is the Oklahoma City Convention Center union?
Oklahoma is a right-to-work state, so union membership cannot be required. Booth labor rules come from each show's official contractor; check your show kit for what your staff may do.
Can I set up my own booth?
It depends on the show. A 2026 kit at the center let exhibitors supervise the contractor's crew, appoint their own installer with 30 days' notice, and move their own freight if they did not order material handling. Your show's kit sets the rules for your staff.
Where is the loading dock?
The 15-bay loading dock is on the east side of the building. Two ramps and four roll-up garage doors also give trucks access onto the exhibit floor, and a marshalling area for trailers is nearby.
How much is drayage at the Oklahoma City Convention Center?
Plan about $105 per hundredweight for crated freight. A 2026 local show kit charged $85 to $95 per 100 lbs. Your general contractor's show kit carries the actual tariff.
What is the ceiling height?
The exhibit hall ceiling is listed at 30 ft, with 86 ft between columns. Your show may set lower booth height limits.
How big is the exhibit hall?
200,730 sq ft of continuous ground-level space, divisible into up to four halls of about 47,000 to 58,000 sq ft each. The building has about 500,000 sq ft in total.
Who supplies power and internet?
The convention center. Electrical, plumbing, compressed air, wired and wireless internet are ordered through its exhibitor services portal, with advance prices lower than standard prices.
Can we hand out food or drink samples?
Yes, if the items are made or distributed by your company. Food must be bite-size, non-alcoholic drinks up to 3 oz in a 4 oz cup, beer or wine up to 2 oz and spirits up to 0.5 oz, with a certified server and insurance for alcohol.
Where can I park?
The convention center garage has about 1,100 spaces and a skybridge to the building. A 2026 conference listed public rates of $2 an hour or $10 a day.
Exhibiting in Oklahoma City?
Tell us what is rolling onto the floor.
Send your show, booth number and anything heavy you plan to drive in. Within two business days you get a design brief for the 30 ft hall, a drayage estimate at Oklahoma City rates and a move-in plan for the east dock, the ramps and the center's utility orders.
Background photo: "Kerr Avenue, Oklahoma City" by rutlo, CC BY 2.0 Source
Compare venues
Oklahoma City Convention Center vs other major U.S. convention centers
How the Oklahoma City Convention Center 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Convention CenterThis guide | Convention center | 200,730 sq ft continuous, up to 4 halls | 30 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $105/cwt | OKC · ~9–10 mi |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
More big-city guides
Other major U.S. convention centers
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention CenterDallas, TX
Fort Worth Convention CenterFort Worth, TX
Austin Convention CenterAustin, TX
George R. Brown Convention CenterHouston, TX
Colorado Convention CenterDenver, CO
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: okcconventioncenter.com (home, floor plans, exhibitor services, policies and event calendar), the Event 1 Productions exhibitor kit for the 2026 OKC Spring Remodel & Landscape Show, Exhibitor Magazine, Flintco, Wikipedia (Oklahoma City Convention Center), Omni Hotels announcements, VisitOKC, and organizer sites for America Outdoors, Nation's Best Sports and the National Agricultural Aviation Association.