The 31,962 sq ft hall on the fourth floor held the ASSA 2026 exhibits and the AMATYC 2026 expo. Larger events can also use the 34,300 sq ft Grand Ballroom.
Exhibitor guide · Philadelphia, PA · Updated
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Exhibitor Guide
Philadelphia's largest hotel runs its own exhibit floor: association expos fill Franklin Hall, a 31,962 sq ft room with a 10½ ft ceiling, or its 22 ft Grand Ballroom. A skywalk joins it to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, but none of the PCC's CSA rules carry over. Here your show's decorator, its union jurisdictions and the hotel's in-house Encore crew set the terms.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: Market Street at 12th Street, the hotel's corner, looking west to City Hall in 2003. “20030702 26 Market St. @ 12th St.” by davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0. Source
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
The hotel's capacity chart lists Franklin Hall at 137 × 230 × 10.5 ft, and one 2026 GES floor plan marks an 8′6″ low-ceiling area. The Grand Ballroom is 22 ft.
The PCC's Customer Satisfaction Agreement covers the convention center. A show in the hotel follows its own decorator's rules; one 2026 contract here required the appropriate union to set up and dismantle all displays.
At a decorator-run expo, ship to the decorator: the ASSA 2026 contract said the hotel would not accept exhibitor freight. Small tabletop shows may let the hotel hold boxes, at one 2026 event no more than two days early.
Only at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown booth height planner: Franklin Hall's 10½ ft ceiling
Most Philadelphia exhibitors know the convention center next door, with its 29–30 ft halls. The Marriott's main exhibit hall is a different animal: a wide, low room built for banquets and booths of the same height. Which room your show books changes what you can bring. Check these numbers before you ship a 10 ft backwall or a hanging sign.
- 10.5 ftFranklin Hall's listed ceiling (137 × 230 ft). A standard 8 ft backwall fits; a 10 ft frame on a raised floor or with a header light may not.
- 8′6″A low-ceiling area marked on the GES floor plan for AMATYC 2026 in Franklin Hall. Ask which booths sit under it before you pick a space.
- 8 ftThe display height cap at ASSA 2026 in Franklin Hall, set by the organizer so no booth blocks its neighbors. Many hotel expos use a similar rule; your show's contract governs.
- 22 ftThe Grand Ballroom (34,300 sq ft) and its Salons E–H. Salons A–D and I–L are 18 ft. If your show is here, tall graphics become possible.
- 21 ftThe Liberty and Independence Ballrooms, for showcases and product theaters with room for a projection screen.
Sources: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown capacity chart (marriott.com, checked October 2026); AMATYC 2026 Franklin Hall B floor plan by GES, plotted October 2025; ASSA 2026 exhibitor contract. Room heights are listed figures; soffits, chandeliers and air vents can be lower, so walk the room or ask the hotel's event team.
Staying here & getting there
Staying at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown: rooms, transit and the PCC skywalk
For most hotel expos the booth staff sleep upstairs. The rest of Center City is a short walk.
Upstairs
SkywalkPhiladelphia Marriott Downtown
More than 1,400 rooms and suites, the city's largest hotel. Group rates in 2026 ran from $249 (AMATYC) to $294 (CUPA-HR).
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Connected by a skywalk. Big PCC conventions use the Marriott as headquarters hotel, which fills rooms fast.
Venue guide →Guest entrance
1200 Filbert Street
The hotel lists its guest entrance on Filbert Street, behind the 1201 Market Street address.
Nearby
Jefferson Station
SEPTA regional rail, including the Airport Line from PHL, stops at Jefferson Station near the hotel.
About a minute
Reading Terminal Market
The easy booth-staff lunch, about a one-minute walk away.
Overflow sessions
Loews Philadelphia Hotel
Took overflow sessions when ASSA 2026 used the Marriott as its headquarters.
Floor plan & exhibit spaces
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown floor plan: Franklin Hall and the Grand Ballroom
The hotel lists 93,868 sq ft of event space in 72 rooms, most of it on the third through fifth floors of the main building. Two rooms carry nearly every expo. Tap a space for its size and ceiling.
Schematic. Widths are proportional to floor area, not an architectural plan, and the rooms are on different floors. The hotel's capacity chart and your show's floor plan are the official references.
Grand Ballroom
- 34,300 sq ft · 245 × 140 ft
- 22 ft ceiling
- 4,720 reception · 2,520 banquet
The largest room in the hotel. Salons E–H (4,968 sq ft each) keep the 22 ft ceiling; Salons A–D and I–L drop to 18 ft. The best room for a tall backwall or a hanging sign, if your show allows one.
Franklin Hall B
- 18,769 sq ft · 137 × 137 ft
- 10.5 ft ceiling
- 46 10×10 booths on the AMATYC 2026 plan
The larger half of Franklin Hall, on the fourth floor. The GES plan for AMATYC 2026 shows a freight elevator, service elevators and an exhibit storage area off this side of the room.
Franklin Hall A
- 12,741 sq ft · 137 × 93 ft
- 10.5 ft ceiling
- 1,060 reception
Combines with B for the full 31,962 sq ft Franklin Hall (137 × 230 ft). Franklin Rooms 1–13 around the hall, about 1,100–1,650 sq ft each, serve as breakouts.
Liberty Ballroom
- 6,144 sq ft · 96 × 64 ft
- 21 ft ceiling
- 570 reception · 400 banquet
Splits into Salons A, B and C. A good fit for a sponsor showcase or a small tabletop expo with tall graphics.
Independence Ballroom
- 2,640 sq ft · 66 × 40 ft
- 21 ft ceiling
- 250 reception
Three salons of 720 to 1,120 sq ft. Product theaters and hospitality suites rather than booths.
93,868sq ft of event space in 72 rooms, by the hotel's own count ("nearly 100,000" in its marketing)
31,962sq ft Franklin Hall, the fourth-floor exhibit hall · ASSA 2026 put registration and all exhibits here
27small meeting rooms (301–310, 401–415, 501–502) of about 390–590 sq ft, with 9–10 ft ceilings
1,350sq ft Liberty Lanes duckpin bowling on the lobby level · a reception space for 75
Freight & move-in
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown freight, freight elevator and move-in
Get directions to Philadelphia Marriott Downtown →
- Freight goes upFranklin Hall is on the fourth floor. The 2026 GES plan shows a freight elevator and service elevators beside Franklin Hall B, so crates ride up in the elevator: size them for it, and ask your decorator for the cab dimensions and weight limit.
- Decorator showsAll property ships to and from the decorator. The ASSA 2026 contract (Freeman) stated that the hotel would not accept or handle exhibitor freight.
- Tabletop showsWhere there is no decorator, the hotel may hold boxes for you. At one 2026 congress it accepted shipments no more than two days ahead, marked "Hold for Arrival" with the rep's name, company and event.
- Short setup windowsHotel expos move in fast: ASSA 2026 allowed 12:00–6:00 p.m. one day and 7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. the next, then a five-hour dismantle. Material left after 6:00 p.m. was discarded.
- Day −60Design approved against the room's ceiling and your show's height rule. Certificate of insurance to show management: ASSA 2026 wanted it about two months out, at $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Day −30Power, internet and AV ordered from the in-house provider; labor and material handling ordered from the decorator.
- Day −21Purple ships to Philadelphia through our carrier network, to the decorator's advance warehouse.
- Day 0Move-in through the hotel's freight elevator to Franklin Hall or the ballroom level, inside the show's window.
- Show closeDismantle the same afternoon. Outbound bill of lading filed before you leave.
Labor & rules
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown labor rules, exclusives and fire code
Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state, and Philadelphia show labor is union. The PCC's generous exhibitor work rules belong to the convention center; in the hotel, your show's decorator publishes the union jurisdictions, and they can be strict. The rows below come from show contracts and prospectuses for events at this hotel in 2025–2026.
✓Usually yours to do
- Staff your booth and run your own demos inside the booth limits
- Set out literature and product in your booth, not on hotel seats or in public areas
- At tabletop shows without a decorator, set up your own table; one 2026 congress let reps start at 6:00 a.m.
- Coordinate your own return shipping with the hotel at tabletop shows
- Anything else: read your show's union jurisdiction form first
●Decorator and in-house
- ASSA 2026: "setup and dismantling of all displays must be done by the appropriate union," per the jurisdiction form in the Freeman kit
- Carpenter and decorator booth labor ordered in advance from the decorator, at its rates
- Material handling by the decorator (Freeman at ASSA 2026, GES at AMATYC 2026)
- Electrical, internet and AV through the hotel's in-house provider, Encore, at ASSA 2026
- Booth cleaning through the decorator
!Watch for
- Nothing pasted, tacked, nailed or screwed to hotel walls, floors or furniture
- No combustible decoration: crepe or tissue paper, cardboard, corrugated paper
- Cloth must pass the City of Philadelphia flameproof test
- Open flames, butane and oxygen tanks need the hotel's and the Fire Prevention Bureau's permission
- No freight to the hotel at decorator shows
- Sound kept to your booth's immediate area
Free tool
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown drayage cost estimator
Set to about $170 per hundredweight, a Purple planning number for a union Northeast city, the same rate we use for the convention center next door. Hotel freight still crosses a dock and a freight elevator, so expect similar charges. Your decorator's show kit carries the real tariff. See all venues on the drayage rates page.
Estimated drayage
$2,550
Cut this with a lighter booth
The calendar
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown trade shows and conferences 2026–2027
Education, medical, academic and engineering associations bring their expos into the hotel itself, from 46 booths on the AMATYC 2026 plan to the 80-plus exhibitors ACHA advertises. Attendance figures are planning ranges; confirm each event with its organizer.
AMATYC Annual Conference
Two-year college mathematics · 52nd annual conference, exhibits in Franklin Hall · 2026
Renaissance Society of America Annual Meeting
Academic, Renaissance studies · annual meeting · 2027
AACOM Educating Leaders
Osteopathic medical education · exhibit hall that sells out each year · 2027
ACHA Annual Meeting
College health · 80+ exhibitors at a typical meeting · ~2,000 · 2027
American Control Conference
Control engineering · technical program with exhibits · 2027
Dates and venue are from each organizer (AMATYC, RSA, AACOM, ACHA, ACC 2027), checked October 2026. The 2027 AAEA Annual Meeting (July 25–27) uses the Marriott as its conference hotel, and the AABA's 96th Annual Meeting is set for the hotel in 2027 (dates not yet posted). SPSP (February 11–13, 2027) and ASCE2027 (March 1–5) use it as headquarters hotel but meet at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Recent expos here include ASSA in January 2026 and the CUPA-HR Annual Conference & Expo in October 2026.
The building
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown history: the convention center's hotel
The Marriott opened alongside the new convention center on the old Reading Railroad blocks, and grew with it.
- 1893The Reading Terminal opens on Market Street, with its train shed and the market beneath it.
- 1993The Pennsylvania Convention Center opens next to the terminal, which becomes its Market Street entrance and Grand Hall later in the decade.
- 1995The Marriott opens in January with about 1,200 rooms, next to the new convention center.
- 1999An expansion brings it to 1,408 rooms.
- 2011A renovation of the meeting space, reported at $17 million, is completed; Franklin Hall had been redone separately.
- 2023The owners, a joint venture of Oaktree Capital Management and Clearview Hotel Capital, refinance the hotel with a $215 million loan.
- 2026ASSA, CUPA-HR and AMATYC run their expos in the hotel.
Insider tips
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Design for 10½ ft, not 30
Franklin Hall's listed ceiling is 10.5 ft, with an 8′6″ low area on one 2026 plan. A booth sized for the convention center next door can hit the soffits, so plan an 8 ft backwall unless your show is in the 22 ft Grand Ballroom.
Ask which room, early
"At the Marriott" can mean Franklin Hall on the fourth floor or the Grand Ballroom, with very different heights. Get the room name from show management before the graphics go to print.
Ship to the decorator, not the desk
At ASSA 2026 all property went to and from Freeman, and the hotel would not accept exhibitor freight. Boxes sent to the front desk at a decorator show can get refused or lost.
Tabletop show? Mind the two days
When the hotel holds boxes itself, as at a 2026 cardiovascular congress here, it may accept them only two days before the event. Label them "Hold for Arrival" with your name, company and show, and number every carton.
Power comes from Encore
At ASSA 2026, electrical, internet and AV ran through Encore, the hotel's in-house provider, not the decorator. Order on the Encore form by the advance deadline, and budget for it separately.
Watch the citywide weeks
When a big Pennsylvania Convention Center meeting such as SPSP or ASCE2027 makes the Marriott its headquarters, the hotel's 1,400+ rooms go fast. If your show overlaps one, book crew rooms the day the block opens.
FAQ
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown FAQ for exhibitors
Where is the exhibit hall at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown?
Most expos use Franklin Hall, a 31,962 sq ft room (137 × 230 ft) on the fourth floor that divides into Franklin A and B. Bigger events can use the 34,300 sq ft Grand Ballroom. Your show's floor plan names the room.
What is the ceiling height in Franklin Hall?
The hotel's capacity chart lists 10.5 ft, and a 2026 GES floor plan marks a low-ceiling area at 8′6″. The Grand Ballroom is 22 ft, and the Liberty and Independence Ballrooms are 21 ft.
Is the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown union?
Philadelphia show labor is union, and Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state. The ASSA 2026 contract for this hotel required setup and dismantle of all displays by the appropriate union, per the decorator's jurisdiction form. Check your own show kit, since rules differ by show and decorator.
Do the Pennsylvania Convention Center's CSA rules apply at the Marriott?
No. The Customer Satisfaction Agreement and its exhibitor work rules cover the convention center. A show held inside the hotel follows its decorator's labor rules, even though the two buildings are joined by a skywalk.
Can I ship my booth directly to the hotel?
Only if your show says so. At decorator-run expos such as ASSA 2026, all freight ships to and from the decorator and the hotel will not accept it. At small tabletop events the hotel may hold boxes; one 2026 congress allowed shipments no more than two days ahead.
How much is drayage at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown?
Plan about $170 per hundredweight. That is a Purple planning estimate for a union Northeast city; your decorator's show kit has the actual rate.
Who provides electricity and internet?
At ASSA 2026, electrical, internet and AV came through Encore, the hotel's in-house provider. Order on its forms in advance.
Can I hang a sign at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown?
In Franklin Hall, with a 10.5 ft ceiling, a hanging sign is rarely practical. In the 22 ft Grand Ballroom it may be possible if your show allows it; ask show management and the hotel about rigging points and approval before you design one.
Is the Marriott connected to the convention center?
Yes, by a skywalk to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Many PCC conventions use the Marriott as their headquarters hotel.
How do I get there from the airport?
SEPTA's Airport Line runs from PHL to Jefferson Station, near the hotel. A taxi or rideshare is the alternative.
Exhibiting at the Marriott?
Send us your show and your room.
Tell us whether you are in Franklin Hall or the Grand Ballroom, your booth size and your show's height rule. Within two business days you get a design that clears a 10½ ft ceiling and fits the freight elevator, a drayage estimate at Philadelphia rates and a plan for the decorator's union rules.
Background photo: "Philadelphia at night - City Hall Clock Tower" by Hafiz Issadeen, CC BY 2.0 Source
Compare venues
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown vs other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York
How the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown stacks up against other trade-show halls within a day's drive of New York. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Marriott DowntownThis guide | Hotel ballrooms | 34,300 sq ft Grand Ballroom · 31,962 sq ft Franklin Hall | 10.5 ft Franklin Hall · 22 ft ballroom | Union · check kit | ≈ $170/cwt | PHL · SEPTA to Jefferson Station |
| Atlantic Union Bank Convention CenterRaleigh | Convention center | 146,843 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 47 ft listed max | Right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $110/cwt | RDU · 18 min drive |
| Baird CenterMilwaukee | Convention center | 300,275 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–E | 30 ft | Right-to-work · in-house utilities | ≈ $115/cwt | MKE · 8 mi |
| Bayfront Convention CenterErie | Convention center | 28,800 sq ft Great Hall · 160 booths | 23 ft (Great Hall) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | ERI · about 6.5 mi |
| Birmingham-Jefferson Convention ComplexBirmingham | Convention center | 92,234 sq ft East Halls 1–3 · 473 booths | 30 ft East · 25 ft 10 in North · 20 ft South | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | BHM · 4.5 mi |
| Charleston Area Convention CenterNorth Charleston | Convention center | 76,960 sq ft, Halls A–C | 30 ft to beams | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CHS · 2 mi |
| DeVos PlaceGrand Rapids | Convention center | 162,000 sq ft column-free hall, A–C | 37–72 ft (hall) · 28 ft (ballroom) | Self-unload · IATSE 26 stagehands | ≈ $125/cwt | GRR · 13 mi |
| Eastern States ExpositionWest Springfield | Fairgrounds | 129,400 sq ft Mallary Complex · 123,000 sq ft BLC | — | Check show kit | ≈ $125/cwt | BDL · about 25–40 min |
| Greater Richmond Convention CenterRichmond | Convention center | 178,159 sq ft · Exhibit Hall A–D | 35 ft | Right-to-work · non-union | ≈ $110/cwt | RIC · ~15 min |
| Greenville Convention CenterGreenville | Convention center | 125,000 sq ft Hall 1 (280,000 total) | 10–22 ft Hall 1 · 19–22 ft Hall 2 | Right-to-work | ≈ $105/cwt | GSP · 12 mi |
| Hershey Lodge & Convention CenterHershey | Resort ballrooms | 32,004 sq ft Great American Hall | 22 ft (Great American Hall) | In-house decorator · check kit | ≈ $50/cwt | MDT · ~20 min |
| Joseph S. Koury Convention CenterGreensboro | Hotel ballrooms | 40,000 sq ft Guilford Ballroom | 32 ft Guilford · 18 ft Imperial | Right-to-work | ≈ $95/cwt | GSO · ~12 mi |
| Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Pocono MountainsPocono Manor | Resort ballrooms | 38,000 sq ft Kilimanjaro Ballroom | 16–25 ft | Not right-to-work · check kit | ≈ $120/cwt | AVP · ≈40 mi |
| New York State Fairgrounds Exposition CenterSyracuse | Fairgrounds | 110,000 sq ft clear span, Exposition Center | 60 ft truss height | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | SYR · about 10 mi |
| Vandalia Health CenterCharleston | Convention center | 50,086 sq ft Grand Hall · up to 256 booths | — | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | CRW · about 5 min |
| Vibe Credit Union ShowplaceNovi | Expo center | 305,000± sq ft, Halls A–C + Event Center | 24 ft clear (A–C) · 40+ ft (Event Center) | No venue union rule · check kit | ≈ $95/cwt | DTW · about 20 min |
| Virginia Beach Convention CenterVirginia Beach | Convention center | 150,012 sq ft · Halls A–D | 40 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $100/cwt | ORF · 20 min |
| York Expo CenterYork | Fairgrounds | 114,000 sq ft UPMC Arena (74,000 clear span) | 24–30 ft arena · 12–22 ft other halls | Show contractor · check kit | ≈ $90/cwt | MDT · roughly 30 mi |
More guides nearby
Other venues near the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
Pennsylvania Convention CenterPhiladelphia · by skywalk
Greater Philadelphia Expo CenterOaks
Atlantic City Convention CenterAtlantic City, NJ
NJ Convention & Exposition CenterEdison, NJ
Lancaster County Convention CenterLancaster
Hershey LodgeHershey
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Figures marked for verification are being confirmed with the venue. Sources: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown event and capacity pages (marriott.com), Visit Philadelphia, ASSA 2026 exhibitor letter and contract (American Economic Association), AMATYC 2026 conference materials and GES floor plan, Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia Cardiovascular Congress 2026 exhibitor prospectus, CUPA-HR 2026 expo page, organizer sites for RSA, AACOM, ACHA, the American Control Conference, AAEA, AABA and SPSP, GlobeSt (citing the Philadelphia Inquirer), Hotel Business and IREI on the 2023 refinancing, Wikipedia (Reading Terminal).