Exhibitor guide · Jacksonville, Florida
Prime Osborn Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
A 1919 railroad terminal, once the largest station in the South, turned into a 265,000 sq ft convention center with 78,500 sq ft of exhibit halls. The most historic hall in Florida, and one the city plans to replace.
Prime Osborn · 1000 Water StWhy this page exists
The Prime Osborn is a regional center in a landmark building: the grand concourse of the old Union Terminal, with the concrete bumper posts of the head tracks still standing inside. It hosts consumer shows, association meetings and the events of Florida's largest city, and it does so in a building with rules set by its history.
This guide covers the two halls and the concourse, the renovation completed in 2025, the rules, a travel planner for a downtown split by a river, and the calendar. Purple ships to Jacksonville from Fishkill.
The building
The halls and the concourse
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit Halls A and B | Two halls totaling 78,500 sq ft in the newer structure behind the terminal; exact clear heights are on the venue's hall plans. | Home and patio shows, consumer expos, association expos | Concrete floors, docks on the west; hanging signs by in-house rigging. |
| Grand Concourse | The 1919 terminal's main hall, restored, with the original bumper posts. | Registration, receptions, galas | Landmark rules: nothing anchors to the historic fabric; freestanding only. |
| Ballrooms and meeting rooms | Several ballrooms and breakouts on the concourse level. | Sessions, meals | Carpet rules. |
| Renovation | A renovation program launched in 2023 has refreshed the halls, lobbies and building systems in phases, with upgrades continuing into 2025. | All events | New finishes; confirm floor-load and rigging updates in the current guide. |
The City of Jacksonville has said it intends to replace the Prime Osborn with a 500,000 sq ft downtown center within the decade; no site or date is fixed.
Free tool
Jacksonville travel-time planner
History
The largest station in the South
The first union depot opens in LaVilla, the railroad hub where lines from Savannah, Tampa and the Florida East Coast met.
Henry Flagler's Jacksonville Terminal Company opens the Flagler Depot on the site.
The second Union Terminal opens: 32 tracks, 142 trains and 20,000 passengers a day at its peak, with a restaurant, barber, florist and drug store inside. It is the largest railroad station in the South.
The last train leaves on January 3 as Amtrak moves to a smaller station north of downtown.
The terminal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A public-private partnership led by railroad executive Prime F. Osborn III reopens the building as a convention center, with new exhibit halls behind the restored concourse. Osborn dies the same year and the center takes his name.
An extensive renovation is completed while the city studies a larger replacement downtown.
Rules of the floor
Labor, exclusives and landmark rules
Non-union, city-run
Full-time staff may set up with hand tools; outside labor through the contractor or Purple as EAC.
In-house electrical and rigging
Through the center's operator; the show kit carries the current list; early-bird orders close about three weeks out.
Nothing anchors to the terminal
In the concourse and historic rooms, structures are freestanding and ballasted; no drilling, no adhesives on the original surfaces.
North Florida rates
Planning rates around $150 per hundredweight, the lowest in the state.
West docks behind the halls
Compact dock; ship advance warehouse.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue
Covered and multilevel review; thresholds similar to Orlando; confirm the current threshold when the fire plan is submitted.
Empties and the MHA
EMPTY stickers on unpack; MHA before leaving.
Certificates
Naming the organizer and the City of Jacksonville; Purple's is on file.
Free tool
Jacksonville drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026. All-venue rates on the drayage rates page.
The calendar
Shows at the Prime Osborn
| Show | Month | Industry | Attendance | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Home and Patio Show | February and September | Consumer home | 20,000 | 10×10 rentals |
| Southeast US Boat Show (indoor portion) | April | Marine | 15,000 | Booth rentals |
| Florida association annual meetings | Year round | Trucking, healthcare, education, government | 1,000–5,000 | 10×20 rentals |
| Fan and collector conventions | Spring and fall | Consumer | 10,000 | 10×10 rentals |
Logistics
Getting there
- Airport: Jacksonville International is 20 minutes north.
- Skyway: the free JTA Skyway's LaVilla station is across the street, linking the center to the Hyatt, the Omni and the Southbank.
- Hotels: no attached hotel; the Hyatt Regency Riverfront and the Omni are a Skyway ride or a 15-minute walk.
- Freight: west docks; marshaling per the contractor.
- Purple: ships from Fishkill; Jacksonville is the shortest Florida haul from the Northeast.
The city
Jacksonville in pictures
Questions
Prime Osborn FAQ
Is the Prime Osborn union?
No. City-run in a right-to-work state; full-time staff may set up with hand tools.
Can I put a booth in the historic concourse?
Freestanding displays only, ballasted, with nothing attached to the original surfaces. The exhibit halls behind it take normal builds.
Is there an attached hotel?
No. The Hyatt Regency Riverfront and the Omni are a free Skyway ride or a fifteen-minute walk.
Is the city really replacing it?
The City of Jacksonville has said it plans a larger downtown center within the decade, but no site or opening date is fixed. The 2025 renovation keeps the Prime Osborn running in the meantime.
How does drayage compare?
The lowest planning rates in Florida, and the shortest freight haul from the Northeast.
What does Purple do that the contractor does not?
Designs, builds, ships, installs, supervises and stores the booth, and files the EAC and MHA paperwork.
Exhibiting in Jacksonville?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a design brief, a drayage estimate and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.