Greater Columbus Convention Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greater Columbus Convention Center |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | 400 N High St., Columbus, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 39°58′18″N 83°00′02″W / 39.97162°N 83.00054°W |
| Owner | Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Architect | Peter Eisenman |
| Opened | 1993 (Ohio Center in 1980) |
| Expanded | 1999 and 2017 |
|
Construction cost
|
$94 million (not including expansions) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 1,800,000 sq ft (170,000 m2) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 447,000 sq ft (41,500 m2) (noncontiguous) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 118,000 sq ft (11,000 m2) (75 rooms) |
| • Ballroom | 114,000 sq ft (10,600 m2) |
| Parking | Four garages |
| Public transit access |  Add→ 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 13, 102, AirConnect, CBUS, CMAX, Night Owl CoGo |
The Greater Columbus Convention Center is a very large building in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, United States. It is a popular place for big events, shows, and meetings. It sits along the east side of North High Street.
A famous architect named Peter Eisenman designed the convention center. It first opened in 1993. Later, it was made even bigger in 1999 and again in 2016. A company called ASM Global helps manage the building every day.
The center is huge, covering about 1.8 million square feet. That's like having 30 football fields under one roof! It has a lot of space for exhibits, three large ballrooms, and 75 rooms for meetings.
Contents
History of the Convention Center
The idea for the convention center started many years ago.
- In 1976, an old train station's arcade was taken down to make room for the new center.
- The first part, called the Ohio Center, began construction in February 1978. It opened on September 10, 1980.
- In 1989, Peter Eisenman won a contest to design the main convention center.
- Construction for the Greater Columbus Convention Center started on June 28, 1992. It was officially opened on March 13, 1993.
- The center was made much larger in 1999 with an $81 million expansion. This added 300,000 square feet of space.
- More renovations and expansions happened over the years. In 2017, a big $140 million project was almost finished.
- On August 31, 2017, the center had a re-opening party. They also showed off a cool digital art sculpture called "As We Are."
Exciting Events and Shows
The Greater Columbus Convention Center hosts many different kinds of events. Sometimes, unexpected things happen too!
- On January 9, 2008, a large water pipe broke near the building. Water flowed under the center. People worried the building might be damaged. But engineers checked it and said it was safe. About 150 people worked to clean up the water. They replaced carpets and walls. The center was back to normal the next morning!
- EcoSummit: In 2012, this big meeting about protecting Earth's ecosystems came to the U.S. for the first time. Scientists from 75 countries attended.
- John Deere: This company showed off new farm machines. They even let people test drive equipment at a nearby farm!
- NHL All-Star Weekend: In 2015, hockey fans came to meet mascots and players. They could also take photos with the famous Stanley Cup.
- The Episcopal Church Convention: This large meeting happens every three years. In Columbus, 10,000 people from around the world attended.
Popular Yearly Events
Many exciting events happen at the center every year.
- Arnold Sports Festival: This huge event was started by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It happens every March. More athletes compete here than in the Olympics! It also has a giant health and fitness expo.
- Columbus International Auto Show: Car lovers can see hundreds of new cars here. You can find everything from Fords to Ferraris. They even show off future concept cars.
- Cultivate – An American Hort Experience: This is the biggest show for plants and gardening in North America. It has over 7 acres of exhibits. Thousands of experts from many countries attend.
- Ohayocon: This is a three-day event for anime fans. It happens in January or February. "Ohayocon" sounds like "Ohio" and "Ohayou," which means "Good morning" in Japanese.
- Ohio Star Ball: This is the world's largest ballroom dancing competition. It started as a small event and grew very big. You might even see parts of it on TV!
- Origins Game Fair: If you love games, this is the place to be! You can learn about new games, buy them, and play them. It includes role-playing games and card games.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Breakfast Celebration: This is the biggest breakfast event in the country that honors the life of the civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America): This event helps students who want to work in healthcare. They have contests that test students' skills and knowledge.
Building Design and Features
The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority owns and manages the convention center. In 2015, they started a big project to update the outside and inside of the building. This project finished in 2017.
The expansion added nearly 37,000 square feet of exhibit space. It also added 10,000 square feet of meeting space on two levels.
Today, the center has 410,000 square feet of exhibit space. It also has 65 meeting rooms. There are 114,000 square feet of ballroom space. The Battelle Grand is the largest ballroom in Ohio, covering 74,000 square feet. The Union Station Ballroom is 25,000 square feet, and the Short North Ballroom is 15,000 square feet. The four main exhibit halls together cover 373,000 square feet.
Images for kids
-
The Columbus Convention Center west facade facing High Street
