Comic cons, tattoo festivals, sneaker conventions, major startup conferences, shopping extravaganzas, and more are all held inside the huge Tampa Convention Center. The venue, which recently completed several renovations and upgrades, has been named a Center of Excellence by Exhibitor Magazine, according to the City of Tampa. The list awards the nation’s top convention centers for trade shows and corporate events, placing Tampa in the top 20.
Honoring North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events, the Centers of Excellence awards (produced by EXHIBITOR Magazine and Find It – Marketplace, the buyer’s guide to trade show products and services) recognize the best large and small trade show venues based on a variety of criteria within five different categories.
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Tampa Convention Center continues to win awards
The Tampa Convention Center also received the Gold Medal for Best Convention Center in the Southeast in the Northstar Stella Awards. Voted on and judged by meeting planners, Northstar’s Stella Awards recognize the world’s best hotels, airlines, convention and conference centers, cruise lines, destination marketing organizations and destination management companies.
“A treasure in the heart of Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Convention Center has 600,000 square feet of event space in a spectacular waterfront setting,” wrote the Northstar judges. “The center currently is undergoing a $38 million renovation and expansion, including a new two-level addition with 18 new meeting rooms overlooking the river. These rooms include air walls for increased flexibility for event managers and planners.”
The center has invested in new HVAC technology to increase efficiency, eliminate the need for oil disposal and reduce energy usage. The facility partners with community programs to donate unused supplies to schools, extra construction materials to Habitat for Humanity, and excess food to charities.
You can see upcoming events at The Tampa Convention Center on its website, as well as its Facebook and Instagram. The convention center is also enjoying more notoriety as it’s the dock for the Cross-Bay Ferry.
