Cincinnati’s Reimagined Convention District is Making Headlines

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…

Cincinnati marked a major milestone on Jan. 7 as the Cincinnati Convention Center officially unveiled its $264 million transformation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Cincinnati Convention Center officially reopened on Jan. 7 after completing an 18-month, $264 million transformation that modernized the 750,000-square-foot facility as part of the city’s broader $800 million Convention District redevelopment.

After an 18-month, $264 million renovation, Cincinnati’s convention center has reopened as the anchor of a broader $800 million Convention District revitalization. The overhaul modernized technology throughout the building, improved traffic flow and upgraded meeting and…

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…

A $240 million transformation of the Cincinnati Convention Center in Cincinnati has debuted. The facility, previously called the Duke Energy Center, features a new façade, and the exhibition hall now flows into the new outdoor Elm Street Plaza, which opened late last year.

Following more than a year of construction and rerouting meetings and events to nearby venues, Cincinnati has unveiled its long-awaited, sparkling new convention center, cornerstone of a growing downtown convention district.

The Cincinnati Convention Center is back open after a $264 million transformation. Spectrum News 1 got an inside look at the upgrades and why leaders believe these changes could give Cincinnati a leg up over other convention centers in the state.

A transformation of the Cincinnati Convention Center aims to modernize the 55-year-old facility and strengthening the city’s position as a destination for large-scale conventions and events.

City, county and state leaders gathered at the newly remodeled Cincinnati Convention Center Wednesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of the building’s official reopening. Crews are still working on putting the finishing touches on the convention center as the building…

The Cincinnati Convention Center will officially reopen Wednesday after an 18-month, $265 million renovation that city leaders describe as a complete reinvention of the Downtown facility. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with state and regional leaders, including…

After 18 months and $264 million in renovations, the Cincinnati convention center is finally open once again. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, along with city, county and state leaders, celebrated the unveiling of the remodeled convention center during a ribbon-cutting Wednesday.

The Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati reopened Jan. 7, with civic, business and political leaders unveiling a striking $264 million renovation with a new facade that brings a considerable amount of natural light into the building, a major part of a…

Downtown Cincinnati's convention center has officially reopened after a $264 million renovation and expansion, just in time for the first event of the year with Redsfest.

Cincinnati's expanded and upgraded convention center reopens Wednesday, following an 18-month and $264 million renovation project. "We are about to open our generational transformation of our convention center," said Andy Conklin, the executive vice president of Visit Cincy…

Cincinnati's convention center reopened Wednesday after 18 months of work. The $264 million project dramatically changed the building's façade, upgraded and updated meeting rooms and ballrooms, and put on a new roof.

The newly renovated downtown Cincinnati Convention Center is set to reopen after an extensive 18-month renovation costing $264 million, with Local 12 getting a first look inside on Wednesday.

Contractors are putting the finishing touches on downtown Cincinnati's reimagined convention center, which reopens Wednesday after an 18-month, $264 million renovation.

After a $264 million renovation, the Duke Energy Convention Center will reopen in January 2026. The renovation includes 750,000 square feet of modernized space, and is part of a transformation of the city’s convention district.

The Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati will re-open in January 2026 with 108,938 sf of meeting space throughout 42 breakout rooms, up from the previously offered 100,627 sf.

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…

Visit Cincy Nears End of $800 Million Convention District Transformation Cincinnati, Ohio, is preparing to unveil an $800 million transformation of its Convention District in January 2026. The reimagined district will feature a fully revamped Duke Energy Convention Center, an…

Meetings in Cincy are heating up with new and award-winning dining options to accompany the $800 million transformation of the city's Convention District. The reimagined Convention Center, brand-new Marriott Headquarters Hotel and lively Elm Street Plaza will soon anchor a…

Crews are putting the final touches on downtown Cincinnati's reimagined convention center and the new Elm Street Plaza. Duke Energy is expected to relinquish its former naming rights for the building in 2026.

The Cincinnati Convention Center will reopen in January after an 18-month, $265 million renovation that city leaders describe as a complete reinvention of the downtown facility. The convention center at Fifth and Elm streets shut down for the extensive project, which includes the…

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.

Visit Cincy is just three months away from the grand reopening of its reimagined Convention Center. Following an 18-month, $264 million renovation, the Convention Center will proudly open its doors in January 2026 as the crown jewel of the Midwest and a centerpiece of the city’s…

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.

In August, I toured the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is in the final phase of a major 1.5-year renovation and expansion. The facility was still very much a work in progress, but even through the construction dust I could make out a larger vision.

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.

In August, we spent two days in Cincinnati to check out what the city has to offer trade shows. Here’s what you need to know if you plan, attend, and exhibit at business events in this Ohio city.

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.

Ohio’s Queen City is working on a $264-million redo of its Duke Energy Convention Center, which, when it reopens by January 2026, will make it one of the premier convention centers in the Midwest. When complete, the center will total 750,000 square feet, including setup and…

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…

The new hotel anchoring Cincinnati, Ohio’s transformed Downtown Convention District will be a Marriott, says Visit Cincy. The Marriott Headquarters Hotel is due to begin construction sometime in the third quarter of this year and will be located to the south and across the street…

The new hotel that will anchor Cincinnati’s renovated convention center district will be a Marriott, announced the developer Portman Holdings. The 700-room hotel is set to start construction by the end of this year and open in 2028.

A $536 million hotel being developed across from the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati will bear the Marriott name, developer Portman Holdings announced on July 15.

Cincinnati will soon play more prominently in the conventions and tourism industry with the development of a new 700-room Marriott Headquarters Hotel in the heart of the city’s Convention District.

Cincinnati pronto tendrá un papel más destacado en la industria de las convenciones y el turismo con el desarrollo de un nuevo Hotel Marriott Headquarters de 700 habitaciones en el corazón del Distrito de Convenciones de la ciudad.

Cincinnati is set for a new landmark hotel in the Downtown Convention District. Downtown Cincy’s new $536 million Headquarters Hotel, developed by Portman Holdings, will become a Marriott branded property.

As part of the renovated Downtown Convention District, downtown Cincinnati will add a new $536 million Marriott headquarters hotel.

Portman Holdings revealed that a new Marriott convention center hotel will be built in Cincinnati, just south of the Duke Energy Convention Center, expected to be one of the largest and highest-profile hotel developments in the region.

Portman Holdings a officiellement levé le voile sur l’enseigne de son ambitieux projet hôtelier à Cincinnati. Le futur hôtel du quartier du Duke Energy Convention Center sera un Marriott, avec près de 700 chambres, un centre de congrès intégré et des espaces événementiels…

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…

Cincinnati is making an $800 million bet that a fully modernized convention center, a new headquarters hotel, and two-acre public plaza will help the city leapfrog into the top tier of U.S. meetings destinations.

Cincinnati, Ohio has selected Marriott to operate its new $536m hotel in the city’s Convention District, connected to the new convention centre. The hotel will feature more than 62,000sqft of meeting space, a 17,000sqft outdoor events terrace, and a direct skywalk connection to…

Cincinnati wird seine Innenstadt mit Berichten über ein neues Marriott-Kongresszentrum-Hotel deutlich verändern. Der Bauträger Portman Holdings gab am Dienstag bekannt, dass das neue Hotel südlich des Duke Energy Convention Centers entstehen und voraussichtlich zu den größten und…

Cincinnati’s Convention Center District represents a $800 million transformation including a reimagined Duke Energy Convention Center, new Marriott headquarters hotel, and two-acre Elm Street Plaza.

Portman Holdings has officially announced that the highly anticipated hotel near the Duke Energy Convention Center will be a Marriott. This major project will rise just south of the convention center, featuring approximately 700 rooms and more than 62,000 square feet of advanced…

Cincinnati is set to significantly alter its downtown with reports of a new Marriott convention center hotel. Developer Portman Holdings revealed Tuesday that the new hotel will be built just south of the Duke Energy Convention Center and will likely be one of the largest and…

National developer Portman, in partnership with the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, the State of Ohio, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), The Port and Visit Cincy today announced its collaboration with Marriott International for the new hotel.

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…

Cincinnati is set to significantly alter its downtown with reports of a new Marriott convention center hotel. Developer Portman Holdings revealed Tuesday that the new hotel will be built just south of the Duke Energy Convention Center and will likely be one of the largest and…

The new $536 million, 700-room convention center headquarters hotel to be built near Duke Energy Convention Center will be a Marriott hotel, the developer announced July 15.

Portman Holdings, the developer of Cincinnati’s new headquarters hotel, announced Tuesday, July 15, that it will be a Marriott. Downtown Cincinnati does not currently have an actual Marriott hotel, although it does have a Moxy, an AC Hotel, the Lytle Park Hotel-Autograph…

Marriott Hotels will operate the under-construction 700-room hotel connected to the Duke Energy Convention Center, marking a major step in Cincinnati’s efforts to boost its downtown Convention District as a top destination for large-scale meetings and events.

Marriott Hotels will operate the new 700-room convention center hotel in downtown Cincinnati. Plans released by the developer on Tuesday call for an $536-million facility south of the Duke Energy Convention Center, between Fourth and Fifth streets, along Plum Street.

Cincinnati leaders announced Tuesday that a Marriot hotel will be the new Duke Energy Convention Center hotel. We got a sneak peek of what the upcoming project will look like, and what it means for Cincinnati.

As construction continues on the Duke Energy Convention Center, the developer of the project, Portman Holdings, announced that the convention center headquarters hotel will be a Marriott.

The Duke Energy Convention Center district's future hotel will be a Marriott, developer Portman Holdings announced Tuesday. The Marriott Hotel will be built just south of the Duke Energy Convention Center when it's done.

The new hotel that's set to anchor Cincinnati's renovated convention center district will be a Marriott, the developer confirmed. The developer Portman Holdings announced Marriott Hotels will be the convention headquarters' hotel.

The future of Cincy meetings just got that much closer. Construction on the $800 million transformation of the Convention District is halfway completed.

As part of planned Cincinnati Convention Center updates, the large “Cincinnati” sign on an outside wall is also getting an upgrade.

#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…

The long-awaited Duke Energy Convention Center project is less than a year from completion. The over $200 million renovation project will modernize the building, add new technology, and allow multiple conventions to be held simultaneously.

Construction is about halfway finished on the $200 million renovation of Downtown's Duke Energy Convention Center, which is already booking conventions through 2030, according to Julie Calvert, president and CEO of Visit Cincy.

During a recent tour, officials highlighted plans to add windows to brighten the space and introduce a rooftop terrace for convention use. Visit Cincy has expressed optimism about hosting larger conventions and attracting new businesses to the revamped facility. Lydia Mahalik…

The Duke Energy Convention Center remains under construction, but good progress is being made as the opening date gets closer.

The long-awaited Duke Energy Convention Center project is expected to be completed a bit sooner than the original timeline.

"Construction for the convention center renovation kicked off earlier this year. The local office of Moody Nolan and Atlanta-based TVS are the designers, equipping the building with a new glass façade, updating and extending exhibit hall space, upgrading meeting rooms and…

"The development team behind Cincinnati’s Convention District has broken ground on Elm Street Plaza, a new addition to the city’s expanding convention infrastructure. This new two-acre flexible outdoor venue, part of the $700 million reinvention of the district, aims to offer new…

"Cincinnati Digs into a New Event Plaza. The third leg of a major renovation to the Cincinnati Convention District is an open-air plaza for special events."

"The new state-of-the-art Duke Energy Convention Center (DECC) will feature a dramatic facade and an exhibition hall that will flow into the new Elm Street Plaza, an outdoor area connected to a programmable park space."

"Say 'Hello' to your new favorite city"

"When completed in December 2025, the facility will feature a new façade, and the exhibition hall will flow into the new outdoor Elm Street Plaza, which will be available for events."

"The work signifies the beginning stages of the reinvention of Cincinnati's downtown convention district, which also will include a headquarter hotel and new restaurant and entertainment venues."

"The DECC transformation is part of a broader initiative to revitalize the downtown area, which will also include new restaurants and entertainment venues."

"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…

"The reimagined center will boast energy-efficient exhibit and meeting spaces, refreshed ballrooms, a pre-function area, outdoor event space, and a rooftop terrace."

"This project is expected to significantly boost the Cincinnati lodging market by attracting larger conferences and events. With enhanced facilities and a more modern convention space, the renovated DECC is anticipated to be more competitive with the other convention centers in…

"(This is a) reinvention rather than renovation because it goes beyond carpet paint and tiles. Escalators will be moved, and ceilings will be raised, spaces will be opened up and brightened, meeting spaces and ballroom will be upgraded. The facade outside will be taken down and…

"The DECC transformation is part of a broader initiative to revitalize the downtown area, which will also include new restaurants, entertainment venues, and more."

"Downtown Cincinnati will undergo a $700 million transformation with the development of a Convention District, which will be a reimagined Duke Energy Convention Center connected to a new headquarters hotel."

"It includes replacement of the facade and replacing the building’s guts to keep it useful for decades to come, including replacing the electric switching systems, plumbing and HVAC. The junior ballroom will be renovated and connected to a new rooftop deck."

"For the first time in almost 20 years, the Duke Energy Convention Center is getting an update. And it's a big one."

"Tired, old, and dark. In other words, the Duke Energy Convention Center is holding the region back. Now, it's one step closer to becoming a gem for Cincinnati, Hamilton County and Ohio as project leaders celebrate the start of construction on its redevelopment."

"A multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation project of the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati is officially underway."

"The focus of the renovation is on improving the customer experience, the building’s efficiency, and the aesthetic appeal of both the interior and exterior. "

"Cincinnati is investing in its future, and the renovation of the Duke Energy Convention Center is a critical part of that vision."

"The Duke Energy Convention Center is set to become a game-changer in the meetings and conventions industry."