As Cincinnati embarks on an $800 million transformation of its downtown Convention District, the spotlight is shining on the exciting new developments. The reimagined First Financial Center, a 700-room Marriott headquarters hotel, and the innovative Elm Street Convention Plaza are setting the stage for the future of meetings and conventions in the city.

This collection of stories showcases the buzz surrounding these projects, underscoring their importance not only for the meetings and events industry but also for the continued growth and vitality of Cincinnati. Browse the links below to explore the headlines and learn more about this massive project.

Interested in covering this story? Reach out to Eileen Osborne, Senior Communications Manager for more details and media opportunities.


 

In the News Articles

Prevue Meetings highlights Cincinnati’s growing meetings landscape, including the reimagined convention center, the new 700-room Cincinnati Downtown Marriott underway, and the recently opened Fidelity Hotel with more than 7,700 square feet of meeting and event space.

Construction is officially underway on the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott, a new 700-room convention headquarters hotel that will complete Cincinnati’s reimagined Convention District and strengthen the city’s ability to compete for larger meetings, conventions, and citywide events.

It’s supposed to be the last piece of the puzzle- a 62,000 square foot hotel – connected to Cincinnati’s recently upgraded convention center. The hope is that it will help attract more large events to Southwest Ohio. And now construction is getting underway.

City officials, real estate developers and community figures gathered at the First Financial Center downtown Tuesday morning to break ground on the Cincinnati Marriott Downtown — the critical piece to the city’s $828 million plans for a revitalized Convention District.

National developer Portman, in partnership with the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, the State of Ohio, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., The Port of Greater Cincinnati and Visit Cincy, today closed on $540 million in financing to develop the Cincinnati Downtown…

Think outside the white box. We have come a long way from the idea that a convention center should be a massive blank box inside and out. Attendees expect buildings and operations that minimize their toll on natural resources.

After months of anticipation, the City of Cincinnati has confirmed that groundbreaking for its long-planned $540 million Marriott convention hotel is finally on the horizon, with construction expected to begin within the next few months, according to the Cincinnati Business…

First Financial Bank has entered a Naming Rights Agreement with the City of Cincinnati, renaming the city’s newly rebuilt convention center the First Financial Center. Leaders from the City of Cincinnati, First Financial Bank, Hamilton County, Visit Cincy, Cincinnati Center City…

Cincinnati’s convention center has a new name to match its new look. The convention center on Elm Street in downtown Cincinnati will now be known as the First Financial Center, named after First Financial Bank—which has its headquarters just a few steps away at Fountain Square.

Cincinnati, Ohio, is acclaimed for its location in the heart of the Midwest, but the city’s offerings for meetings and groups are at the heart of so much more. Cincinnati is a hub for culture, history and F&B, and is also at the forefront of immersive event design with the recent…

Ice skaters glide by on a skating rink on the new Elm Street Plaza, as visitors sit around fire pits or inside glass igloos enjoying a hot cocoa or a cocktail. Across Fifth Street, hungry diners enter the new Salazar restaurant, while others stroll a couple blocks east to check…

Cincinnati marked a milestone in its downtown revitalization Wednesday with the completion of a $264 million renovation of the Cincinnati Convention Center. Officials say the overhaul will boost the city’s appeal as a convention destination and strengthen connections across…

A new $536 million Marriott headquarters hotel is anticipated to break ground by the end of 2025 in Cincinnati. The property will offer more than 62,000 square feet of meeting space and a 17,000-square-foot events terrace. The hotel will be connected by skywalk to the completely…

A quick trip reveals how a downtown renaissance is transforming Ohio’s third-largest city into a top-tier event destination.

A re-opening of a beloved favorite and a grand opening of a new public space are the latest developments in the ongoing transformation of Cincinnati, Ohio’s Convention District. Coming back after a two-year absence is Salazar, the eponymous New American eatery from renowned chef…

Following an 18-month, $264-million renovation, Visit Cincy is just three months away from the grand reopening of its reimagined Convention Center. The renaming is also set to be unveiled when the Convention Center opens its doors in January 2026 as the centerpiece of the city’s…

At this point, there are approximately three months to go before the milestone debut of Cincinnati’s reinvented convention center, which, in turn, will have a positive impact on its surrounding downtown neighborhood. Everyone’s excited and, according to one source, “the city is…

Cincinnati’s Convention District Sees Growth and Development. The convention district in Cincinnati is experiencing a period of significant growth and development, according to a recent update. This revitalization effort aims to enhance the area’s appeal for both convention…

Big things are happening in downtown Cincinnati. Visit Cincy is just months away from unveiling its reimagined Convention Center — a $264 million renovation that anchors the city’s broader $800 million Cincinnati Convention District transformation.

Cincinnati is investing more than $800 million into the city on four projects that are bound to revitalize the city and make it even more attractive to meeting professionals who bring their groups.

Cincinnati is betting on meetings in a big way. Downtown is in the midst of a whopping $800 million revitalization, with much of the energy focused on its convention core.

The top of my itinerary reads “The Future Meets in Cincy,” and it’s an easy future to envision. Cincinnati is betting big on meetings, and that’s great news for any group looking to visit this historic, vibrant, yet still somewhat under-the-radar city.

Like a Joe Burrow two-minute drill in the fourth quarter, a last-second equalizer from FC Cincinnati or a game-tying Elly De la Cruz homer in the bottom of the ninth, Cincinnati is staging a comeback. Cincy, as the natives affectionately call it, is scrappy. It’s old school. It’s…

Portman makes first acquisition. Prolific developer and architectural firm Portman Holdings has acquired its first hotel, the 456-key Westin Cincinnati. The deal also the official launch of Portman’s value-add strategy, a strategic evolution of the firm’s national real estate…

Marriott Hotels will operate the new 700-room convention center hotel in downtown Cincinnati. Part of the city’s ongoing $800 million transformation of its convention district, the brand-new HQ hotel will sit alongside the newly reimagined convention center and a two-acre park at…

Portman and a group of public and private partners have selected Marriott Hotels to operate the future convention headquarters hotel in downtown Cincinnati. The 700-key hotel will anchor the city’s $828-million Convention District investment and connect to the Duke Energy…

#2: In Cincinnati, construction on the upcoming Convention District is in full swing, with the Convention Center (currently closed during construction) on track to reopen in January 2026. Visit Cincy also expects to announce the new headquarter hotel soon, with construction…

"Already an established center for sports, entertainment and the arts, Cincinnati is raising the stakes on that trifecta with plans to completely renovate its convention center by 2025 while at the same time making it the centerpiece of a complete convention district that will…