Our Partners

The world’s leading venue management and services company, connecting people through the power of live experience

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 95 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company's portfolio of eleven world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,200 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 690,000 rooms in 93 countries and territories, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®.

In 2012, the FCCFA took ownership of Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and anchor of the successful Arena District, financing the project by collecting up to a third of the Ohio casino tax revenue owed to the City of Columbus and Franklin County. The agreement was struck in partnership with the City of Columbus, Franklin County and The Ohio State University, protecting thousands of jobs in the Arena District while ensuring that the Blue Jackets will continue to call Nationwide Arena home through 2039.

Consisting of representatives from the FCCFA, Columbus Blue Jackets, the Ohio State University and Nationwide Realty Investors, Columbus Arena Management approves the operating and capital budgets and provides operational oversight for Nationwide Arena.

The Convention Center's food partner, Levy Restaurants, partners with Cameron Mitchell Restaurant Group to drive local and social business.

The FCCFA has a long partnership with Franklin County, which established the FCCFA in 1998 and authorized it to levy excise taxes on lodging to create and operate the Convention Center. The County has been a staunch supporter ever since and was an instrumental partner in the deal that resulted in the FCCFA assuming ownership of Nationwide Arena. The County was also instrumental in development of the Columbus Downtown Hilton by providing credit guarantees for the FCCFA's hotel bonds. Franklin County appoints six of the 11 members of the FCCFA board.

The City of Columbus shares FCCFA's goals for a vibrant, growing community and has collaborated with the FCCFA on some of its most important developments. For example, the City of Columbus was instrumental in development of the Columbus Downtown Hilton by agreeing to allow the hotel tax to be used to finance hotel development. In 2012, the FCCFA financed its ownership of Nationwide Arena in partnership with the City of Columbus, Franklin County and The Ohio State University. Additionally, the City of Columbus appoints three members to the FCCFA's 11-member board.

The leading force in creating and revealing the best of the Columbus experience to the world, Experience Columbus' mission is to sell, market and promote the Destination Columbus experience to visitors. Experience Columbus is supported by nearly 1,000 members who offer their services, attractions and facilities to visitors, meeting planners, convention delegates and residents.

Driving the collaborative efforts of the central Ohio region, the Greater Sports Commission provides the experience and expertise in sports marketing and event management that has established the Columbus region as a premier sports destination. The Sports Commission has brought more than 270 new sporting events to Columbus since 2002.

The North Market serves as Columbus' only remaining true public market. Located immediately north of the Hilton Columbus Downtown, the North Market is within a one-block walk of the Convention Center. Established in 1876, the market houses more than 30 merchants providing a wide variety of fresh, local food, including organic produce, grass-fed beef, pork, lamb and goat, pastured poultry, sustainably raised seafood, locally roasted coffee, baked goods, cheeses, flowers and other artisan food items. 

The Greater Columbus Arts Council funds artists and arts organizations and provides marketing services that support artists and organizations. The Arts Council produces the Columbus Arts Festival, the city's welcome-to-summer event that takes place each June, and provides access to the arts for people of all cultural backgrounds, economic status, sexual orientation, age and physical ability.

Huntington Park is home to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers baseball team, a Cleveland Indians affiliate. This award-winning, state-of-the-art ballpark provides an electric, family-friendly environment in which to watch championship-caliber baseball. Located conveniently in the Arena District, Huntington Park is just a short walk from both the Hilton Columbus Downtown and the Convention Center.

The Short North Alliance (SNA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture the Short North Arts District as a vibrant & balanced residential, cultural, and business community and as a regional and national destination. The SNA pursues its mission through advocacy, district services and special improvements; arts and cultural community engagement; creative marketing and programming; and resource development. Within the Short North greater area there are 12,900 residents, 20,500 employees, and 850 employers. A separate special improvement district exists to collectively assess property owners and implement an annual service plan within the SNA.

The regional public transit provider for greater Columbus, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) services an area of 1.2 million residents and provides more than 19 million annual passenger trips. Operating throughout Franklin County, and parts of Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Union counties, COTA is committed to excellence in serving its customers, employees and taxpayers.

A public entity actively engaged in connecting central Ohio with the world, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority has a skilled, dedicated team to facilitate the flow of passengers and cargo at Port Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport, Bolton Field Airport, the Rickenbacker Inland Port and Foreign Trade Zone #138. The Airport Authority creates exceptional travel experiences for passengers, strategic opportunities for businesses and vital economic growth.