Orange County Convention Center

About Orange County Convention Center and What They Can Accommodate

When it comes to hosting events, Orange County Convention Center is one of the best venues in the country. Located in Orlando, FL, it is the second-largest event center in the United States and can handle any event you need with its 7 million square feet of space.

The Orange County Convention Center routinely holds regional, national, and international events, including conventions, trade shows, and meetings for various organizations and event planners. On average, the Convention Center hosts over 1.5 million attendees and 200 events per year. 

With three separate buildings, the Convention Center offers a lot of variety for any type of event.

The West building of the Convention Center boasts 4 million square feet of space with over 1.1 million square feet of exhibition space, 45 meeting rooms with a total of 305,069 square feet, 132 breakout rooms, 1,450 parking spaces, a ballroom of over 62,000 square feet, a theatre with 2,643 seats, a 160 seat lecture hall, and four food courts.

Together, the North and South buildings both feature 3 million total square feet with 950,282 square feet of exhibition space, 25 meeting rooms with over 166,000 square feet of space, 94 breakout rooms, and 4,777 parking spaces both paved and unpaved, as well as four food courts.

The Convention Center also has an aeroponic garden with 81 towers and over 3,500 plants. 

Whichever building you want to reserve for your event, making your reservation is easy through the Convention Center’s online event booker. You can also find floor plans available so that you can customize the facility for your event and get a clear idea of what space you have at your disposal.

History of Orange County Convention Center

The Orange County Convention Center has a fairly recent history. Built as a response to a new tax law in 1977, the Convention Center is a relatively new addition to the city. The Convention Center was completed in several different stages, with the first stage being finished in 1983. The subsequent three phases brought the West building to life.

The fifth phase built the North-South building. Started in 2000, the North-South building is the newest feature of the Convention Center and was finished in 2003. Although the two buildings are separated, they can be joined together to create one larger space which is why they are often referred to as the North-South building instead of the North building and the South building.

A few hotels have since partnered with the Convention Center, creating pedestrian walkways to make arriving at the Convention Center easier than ever. In 2009, Hilton built a 1400-room hotel that connects to the North-South building. The Hyatt Regency has also constructed a hotel and pedestrian walkway to connect with the Convention Center.

Geographic location and Things to do

The Orange County Convention Center is conveniently located only 11 miles away from Orlando International Airport. With multiple hotels nearby and four of them connecting directly to the Convention Center, there’s always a place to stay nearby to make attending an event easy and worry-free.

When you aren’t attending an event at the Convention Center, there is plenty to do nearby. As the Center is located on International Drive, you’re at the right tourist destination. International Drive is full of shopping, dining, entertainment, and family attractions that are perfect for any day out.

Several resorts and attractions are located nearby as well. Visit WonderWorks for an interactive science museum that doubles as an entertainment center. Another awe-inspiring place to visit is Sea Life Aquarium, where you can watch a live tank feeding every hour and wander down an underwater tunnel.

Visit Arcade City for a large collection of arcade games or America’s Escape Game for a top-rated escape game. For something a little further away but still accessible from the Convention Center, check out Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, or ICON Park for an exciting day out.

Orange County Convention Center

P.O. Box 691509

Orlando, FL 32869-1509