Voters Name Greater Columbus Convention Center Best Meeting Space/Conference Center

Columbus CEO readers have selected the Greater Columbus Convention Center as the best place in the city to hold a meeting or conference.

Meanwhile, a national analysis based on costs, convenience, hotel availability and other measures pegged Columbus as the fifth best city in which to hold a conference.

On November 4, FCCFA Executive Director Don Brown accepted the Columbus CEO “Best of Business” award on behalf of the Convention Center at a ceremony at St. Charles Preparatory School. The FCCFA owns the Convention Center.

The 12,659 votes cast by the publication’s readers determined the winners in 83 categories for the eighth annual presentation. That’s more than 3.5 times the number of votes tabulated in 2014, according to Columbus CEO.

“It’s gratifying to be recognized by central Ohio business leaders as providing the top venue for meetings and conferences,” Brown said. “It’s a testament to SMG, who manages the Convention Center, as well as our food service partner, Centerplate, and convention center staff, who continue to provide an extraordinary experience for both local and national visitors to our city.”

Not only is the Convention Center considered the best place to hold a meeting in Columbus, but Columbus has emerged as one of the best cities in which to do so.

SmartAsset, a personal-finance software and data company, reviewed data from the Hotels.com^® Hotel Price Index and other sources on the costs and convenience of attending meetings in various U.S. cities. Criteria included the number of major hotels, hotel room costs, safety and distance from the airport to the city’s center. SmartAsset found that Columbus lagged behind only San Antonio, Las Vegas, San Diego and Tucson as top cities in which to hold a conference.