Partnering with Industry Experts to Chart the Future of the FCCFA Campus

The next chapter of the FCCFA Campus is officially underway and the first step is choosing the right partners to help shape it.

In April, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a planning and design team capable of leading a comprehensive master plan for the campus. Rather than starting with a predetermined vision, the RFQ was designed to invite big-picture thinking grounded in data, experience and community insight.

The response confirmed strong national interest. Seven firms with deep experience in convention centers, hospitality districts and large-scale urban planning submitted qualifications. The FCCFA is currently reviewing those submissions and expects to make its selection by early summer.

So, what exactly are we asking that partner to do?

At its core, the master plan will serve as a long-term roadmap, one that helps guide decisions across the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC), Hilton Columbus Downtown, Nationwide Arena and surrounding FCCFA-owned sites. The RFQ calls for a team that can look holistically at how these assets function together today and how they should evolve over time.

That includes everything from analyzing market demand and industry trends to identifying opportunities for campus expansion, redevelopment and improved connectivity. It also means engaging stakeholders across the community, from public partners to hospitality leaders, to ensure future recommendations reflect shared priorities and real-world conditions.

The planning effort will dig into both immediate needs and long-range possibilities, mapping out near-term priorities alongside a 10- to 15-year vision. It will explore how the campus can better connect to surrounding districts, enhance the guest experience and adapt to changing expectations in meetings and events.

Just as importantly, it will examine opportunity areas that could shape the future of the campus, including:

• Potential hotel development and additional full-service rooms within walking distance
• Reimagining underutilized sites such as the North and East Parking Lots
• Enhancing outdoor and public gathering spaces
• Strengthening transportation connections, including future multimodal options, including the potential integration of passenger rail, bus rapid transit and other regional mobility connections into the FCCFA campus
• Advancing sustainability and energy strategies

None of these ideas are predetermined outcomes. Instead, they represent the types of questions the master plan is designed to answer, grounded in analysis, feasibility and community input.

The GCCC has grown alongside the region for decades, now spanning 1.8 million square feet and serving as a cornerstone of the visitor economy. This planning effort is about ensuring the broader campus continues to support that role in a way that is coordinated, forward-looking and responsive to change.

Over the coming months, the FCCFA will move from selecting a planning partner to actively engaging stakeholders and shaping a shared vision for the future. While the process is just beginning, the goal is clear: to position the FCCFA Campus and Columbus for continued success in an increasingly competitive landscape.

We look forward to sharing more updates on our website, social channels and in future editions of this newsletter.