When it comes to planning events, planners must be choosy when determining the venue. Setting priorities like location, size, and technological capabilities sets them up for a successful event, but often forces them to weed out dozens of venues due to their limitations. Although sometimes, a venue comes along that provides the perfect location, high-speed technology, and much more without having to compromise. The Austin Convention Center is known as one of the country’s most technologically advanced convention centers, is a LEED Gold-Certified building, and spans six city blocks in the downtown business district. The Austin Convention Center has all this to offer and much more when planners are looking to book in the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Ideal Downtown Location and Plentiful Accommodations
The meeting experience begins when attendees arrive at one of the most modern airports in the country, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Just 8 miles from downtown, the airport is listed among the top five airports in North America and the world for excellence in customer service.
After arriving in Austin, meeting attendees can travel with ease to and from the convention center from nearby accommodations. With a total of 42,000 hotel rooms in Austin, more than 11,000 of them are within a two-mile radius of the Austin Convention Center. A few hotels are connected via walkway, including The Fairmont Austin–America’s largest Fairmont property with 1,048 rooms–and the Hilton Austin, with 800 rooms. The all-new Austin Marriott Downtown, located adjacent to the convention center is opening its doors this year with 600 guest rooms. Other nearby hotels include the Four Seasons Hotel Austin, the JW Marriott, and so many more.
Meetings and events at the Austin Convention Center can spread out in a total of 370,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space. Five contiguous exhibit halls span 247,052 feet, two ballrooms fill 40,510 square feet, and 54 meeting rooms cover 58,000 square feet. Two parking garages provide ample parking with 1,700 spaces.
Customer Service Comes First
The Convention Center flaunts more than the building’s flexible and practical floorplan and planner-friendly features, like a service-first culture and in-house staff that takes ownership of the guest’s experience. The in-house staff has a vested, personal interested in a job well done by each of the employees. The staff’s commitment to providing world-class service to its customers brings clients back year after year, with a 99 percent customer survey rating.
The facility manages 90 percent of its services, such as housekeeping, security, IT and exhibitor services. In addition to bringing in independent operators, the Austin Convention Center team works with area vendors to procure local ingredients for catering menus. Among the most popular items–more than 90 percent of which are produced in-house–are street-style tacos, smoked meats, and Tex-Mex.
Advanced Technology Enables Productivity
Event hosts and attendees never have to worry about poor connectivity at the Austin Convention Center. Over 20,000 wireless devices can connect simultaneously, so there is no need to roam and look for a connectivity sweet spot. The gigabit-rated facility moves voice, video, and data at over 1 billion bits per second, and new video walls for wayfinding and client messaging accompany a 24/7 network support team for event customization. A variety of in-house services include complimentary wireless internet access, plug-and-play capabilities and a friendly, on-site technical staff to help with networking needs and support.
Active Preparation to Host Events
In preparing to return to hosting a full schedule of events and reach a higher level of cleaning and disinfection, the Austin Convention Center Department has qualified to pursue GBAC Star Facility Accreditation. In addition, the purchasing of new equipment such as handheld electrostatic sprayers prevents cross-contamination due to their touchless application. Equipment will be sanitized before the start of each event and at the end of each day so planners can feel confident in knowing the facility is sanitized.
Sponsored by the Austin Convention Center
Plan your next event at the Austin Convention Center. Experience Austin from the heart of the city, with over 11,000 hotel rooms a short distance away. We provide full wireless internet connectivity with five contiguous, column-free exhibit halls. Exhibit at the Austin Convention Center and be part of the deals, transactions, and ideas buzzing around our exhibit halls. Our in-house team will give you all the support and tools you need to be part of the action.
