The Dayton Convention Center (DCC) in Dayton, Ohio has begun a $40 million renovation project designed to serve as an integral part of the city’s downtown economic revitalization. According to officials from ASM Global, which manages the convention center, the 51-year-old facility will soon undergo a major update that will equip it to meet the ever-evolving needs of meeting and event clients.

Construction is expected to conclude in late summer or early fall of 2024, and the venue will remain open to host events throughout the project.

Announced on Sept. 22, the project follows the DCC’s April 2021 sale to the newly formed Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority (MCCFA), an independent governing body tasked with overseeing funding improvements and services for the convention facility that will allow the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau to attract more national and regional events that will drive revenue and economic growth to Montgomery County and the city of Dayton.

According to DCC officials, not only will a revamped and refreshed DCC serve as a main driver for the city’s downtown renaissance, it will also help bring online a beneficial array of mixed-use facilities, residential inventory, restaurants and entertainment offerings for visitors and residents alike.

“With the additional hotel inventory coming online in 2022 and 2023, the renovation of the Dayton Convention Center will solidify Dayton’s place on the map for meeting and event planners in the region,” said Jacquelyn Powell, president and CEO of the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The sleek and modern design is a long-awaited and welcome addition to our impressive list of meeting and event facilities in Montgomery County.”

Project highlights include:

• Redesign of the DCC’s 68,000-square-foot exhibit hall to include 18,000 sq. ft. of flex space that will serve as a state-of-the-art ballroom;
• A new outdoor terrace overlooking public green space for a city block;
• Upgraded HVAC system;
• Enhanced LED lighting in all public spaces;
• $1.3 million telescopic seating system offering more than 1,300 seats.

Currently, the DCC offers 150,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a 68,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, a full-service, 672-seat theater, two ballrooms and 22 meeting rooms. 

Additionally, Dayton’s inventory of 981 downtown area hotel rooms is expected to be supplemented by additional accommodations in the near future. New hotels in the pipeline include:

• Hotel Ardent, a Hilton Tapestry Hotel with 118 rooms opening in December 2022;
• AC Hotel by Marriott with 134 rooms opening in Q1 2023;
• Boutique Hotel by Windsor Companies with 90-120 rooms with opening TBD;
• Hilton Garden Inn in the Arcade with 91 rooms, opening TBD.

“It’s an exciting time to be in Dayton,” said DCC General Manager Kelli Donahoe, who was brought on board in April 2021 when the MCCFA tapped ASM Global to oversee the day-to-day operations of the venue. “We are on the cusp of a monumental movement here in downtown, and the DCC is an integral part of this economic revitalization.”

In 2022, the DCC will host approximately 98 events, including regional conferences, cheer and dance competitions, fundraising galas, comedy shows and movies series, and will host approximately 120 events in 2023.

The facility offers a convenient overnight package with the 287-room Radisson Hotel Dayton Convention Center, which is connected to the facility via a pedestrian walkway and offers ample connected parking.  

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