Consultants already want a bigger convention center
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The expanded ballroom and rooftop terrace. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios
Another Convention Center expansion? Are they serious?
Why it matters: It's been just two years since a $52 million renovation integrated the woebegone Global Center for Health Innovation into the Huntington Convention Center.
- Now, a new consultant's report says Cleveland risks falling behind peer cities if it doesn't keep its foot on the gas — adding exhibit space and hotel rooms.
The big picture: Commissioned by the Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corp., the study recommends adding roughly 100,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, plus a modest ballroom expansion and 820 to 2,100 nearby hotel rooms over time.
- Consultants found Cleveland's 225,000 square feet of exhibit space ranks well below the average among 14 peer convention markets, limiting its ability to compete for the largest trade shows.
By the numbers: The 600-room Hilton Downtown hotel was the smallest "primary headquarter property" among the 14 cities surveyed.
- The study noted that an interior pedestrian connection — such as a skyway — to the Cleveland Marriott would bring an additional 400 rooms under one roof.
Flashback: The skyway was proposed in 2022 but was rejected by Cuyahoga County Council, reeling in the face of a rapidly inflating price tag.
The other side: Some members of the convention facilities board questioned at a meeting last week whether Cleveland should first modernize the Public Auditorium.
- That venue's meeting rooms are connected via underground tunnels to the Convention Center but weren't included in the analysis, per Cleveland.com.
The intrigue: The consultant's report comes as the convention center is enjoying unprecedented success.
- Officials say 2025 was a record year, with 149 events, more than $101 million in economic impact, 132,000 hotel room nights and the facility's first-ever operating surplus.
- Total events and total room nights are both expected to exceed 2026 goals as well, per Cleveland.com.
What we're wondering: If the recent expansion is already paying dividends, what evidence suggests additional costly expansions are necessary?
What's next: No expansion plans are currently in the pipeline. The study is intended to guide long-term planning as Cleveland weighs its position in the convention industry.