David L Lawrence Convention Center
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a 1.5 million sq ft LEED-certified convention venue in downtown Pittsburgh owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority and managed by Legends Global, serving enterprise event planners, exhibitors, and visitors with exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballroom, and integrated F&B, parking, internet, and A/V services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What David L Lawrence Convention Center does
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC) is a 1.5 million sq ft convention venue located in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, completed in September 2003 and designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects. The facility includes 313,400 sq ft of exhibit space (236,900 sq ft column-free), 53 meeting rooms (including two 250-seat lecture halls), a 31,610 sq ft Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, 37 loading docks, and a 700-car attached parking garage. The DLCC is owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA), a government entity, and operated by Legends Global under a private management contract.
The DLCC's core technology stack centers on an intelligent building management system combined with architectural sustainability features: natural lighting covering over 75% of the building, a natural ventilation system that uses the curved roof and Allegheny River breezes for zero-cost cooling approximately 25% of the year, an on-site water reclamation facility saving 5 million gallons annually, rooftop gardens and a 20,000 sq ft green roof with 7,000+ plants, and a building automation system monitoring thermostats, light sensors, and air intakes. The venue holds the distinction of being the first convention center in the world to achieve LEED Gold certification (2003), subsequently achieving LEED Platinum for Existing Buildings (2012, 2017) and re-certifying to LEED Gold under newer EBOM requirements in 2022.
The business model is anchored on venue rental and space booking (rental of exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballroom, and outdoor spaces to event planners via an RFP-driven SwiftRFP platform), supplemented by revenue share from exclusive partners: Levy Convention Centers for F&B (including a signature Rooftop Hops IPA from on-site hops), showNets for internet/telecom, Three Rivers Entertainment for A/V and rigging, and Alco Parking for the parking garage. Ancillary exhibitor services (electrical, plumbing, compressed air, security, cleaning, equipment rental) are ordered through an online portal. Primary customers are enterprise event planners, show managers, and exhibitors across verticals including education, technology, sports tournaments, trucking, government, and youth travel; visitors and attendees form a secondary downstream segment. Since 2003, the venue has hosted over 3,000 events with approximately 6 million visitors, welcoming nearly 600,000 visitors annually and generating $86+ million in direct regional economic impact as of 2017.
David L Lawrence Convention Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- David L Lawrence Convention Center
- Legal name
- David L. Lawrence Convention Center
- Website
- https://pittsburghcc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a 1.5 million sq ft LEED-certified convention venue in downtown Pittsburgh owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority and managed by Legends Global, serving enterprise event planners, exhibitors, and visitors with exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballroom, and integrated F&B, parking, internet, and A/V services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
David L Lawrence Convention Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convention Center and Event Venue Services
- NAICS
- Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)
Keywords
Where David L Lawrence Convention Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
David L Lawrence Convention Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Venue Rental and Space Booking: Rental of exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballroom, and outdoor spaces to event planners and show managers. Rates are published in advance with guidelines for 2026/2027 and 2028/2029. Booking handled through RFP process and Booking Coordinator.
- Food and Beverage Services: Levy Convention Centers provides exclusive catering services including booth catering, receptions, concessions, and custom menus. Cashless experience with all major credit cards and Apple Pay accepted.
- Parking Services: 700-car parking garage with 7'8 clearance available; operated by Alco Parking Corporation
- Ancillary Services: Internet services (showNets exclusive), electrical, plumbing, compressed air, security, cleaning, and equipment rental ordered by exhibitors through online portal
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Quote-based rental rates for event spaces |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a 1.5 million square foot LEED Gold Certified venue in downtown Pittsburgh that rents exhibit halls, meeting rooms, and ballroom space to event planners and show managers. It supports trade shows, conventions, exhibitions, public events, banquets, and sporting events through on-site food and beverage (Levy Convention Centers), exhibitor show services, internet services, and AV/rigging, plus sustainable building amenities including natural lighting, natural ventilation, and on-site water reclamation.
Product overview
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a LEED® Gold Certified convention venue offering a comprehensive suite of event hosting services. The core product is its convention center facilities featuring 1.5 million square feet of space including 313,400 sq ft of exhibit space (236,900 sq ft column-free), 53 meeting rooms, and a 31,610 sq ft ballroom. Supporting services include Show Services for exhibitors, Food & Beverage through Levy Convention Centers, Internet Services via showNets, and A/V services through Three Rivers Entertainment. Outdoor amenities include the South Terrace green roof (20,000 sqft), Rooftop Terrace (60,000 sqft), Riverfront Plaza, and Rooftop Boulevard. Additional offerings encompass accessibility services (KultureCity® certified), a public art collection (25 works), parking (700-car garage), and transportation coordination. The venue also supports event discovery through an online calendar system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Convention Center Facility Rental A 1.5 million square foot LEED Gold Certified venue offering 313,400 sq ft of exhibit space (236,900 sq ft column-free), 53 meeting rooms including two 250-seat lecture halls, and the 31,610 sq ft Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom. Sold to event planners and show managers via RFP for trade shows, conventions, exhibitions, public shows, meetings, banquets, special events, and sporting events.
- Food and Beverage Catering Services Exclusive F&B services provided by Levy Convention Centers offering cashless payment experience (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Apple Pay), locally-sourced seasonal menus, customizable catering, booth catering, wedding and prom packages, and signature Rooftop Hops American Style IPA brewed from on-site rooftop hops. Booths cater to event planners, exhibitors, and attendees.
- Exhibitor Show Services Comprehensive exhibitor utility and operations services ordered online including electrical, plumbing, compressed air, security, custom cleaning, steel plates, utility grid, and internet services. Targeted at companies and organizations renting booth space at trade shows and conventions.
- Internet Services 1G wired/wireless internet (1024MB) plus 100Mbps redundant copper circuit provided exclusively by showNets with 100% CISCO infrastructure, fully redundant fiber, and High Density wireless networks. Available for event production, exhibitor operations, and attendee connectivity.
- AV and Rigging Services AV and lighting equipment rental, event technology services, and exclusive rigging services provided through Three Rivers Entertainment & Production. Targeted at event planners and show managers requiring production management.
- Parking Services 700-car parking garage (with 7'8 clearance) operated by Alco Parking Corporation, including bicycle racks, electric vehicle charging stations, and accessibility parking spaces adjacent to the venue. Serves event attendees and exhibitors.
- Accessibility and Sensory Inclusion Services KultureCity certified sensory inclusion services including sensory bags (noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, feeling thermometer, sunglasses, verbal cue cards), quiet room on Level 2 Concourse A, clearly marked Headphone Zones, ADA-compliant facilities, wheelchair availability, service animal accommodation, and mother's room. Targeted at attendees with sensory needs and accessibility requirements.
- Public Art Collection Tours Twenty-five curated works of public art displayed throughout the building celebrating Pittsburgh's diversity. Available as a self-guided cultural experience for event attendees and visitors.
Quantifiable outcome
- 66% reduction in purchased water consumption
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use David L Lawrence Convention Center
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- KultureCityminorSensory inclusive certification partnership. Provides sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, feeling thermometer, sunglasses and verbal cue cards. Quiet room available on Level 2, Concourse A. Headphone Zones clearly marked.
- Levy Convention CenterscoreExclusive food service provider for DLCC. Provides all catering including booth catering, receptions, concessions, and custom menus. Maintains 27 garden boxes on North Terrace growing herbs and vegetables. Produces Rooftop Hops American Style IPA beer from locally grown hops. Cashless payment system implemented.
- Legends GlobalcoreWorld leader in venue management, marketing and development. Legends staff manages DLCC operations including working with hotel industry, VisitPittsburgh, vendors/suppliers, and labor unions to facilitate events.
- Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA)coreOwner of DLCC along with Acrisure Stadium, PNC Park, PPG Paints Arena, North Shore Riverfront Park, and North Shore Parking Garage. Partners with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and VisitPittsburgh.
- showNetscoreExclusive internet provider for DLCC. Offers 100% CISCO infrastructure with fully redundant fiber, data networks including private/public/custom solutions, High Density wireless networks, equipment rental, and full telephone services.
- Three Rivers EntertainmentcorePreferred A/V provider and exclusive rigging provider. Offers cutting edge AV and lighting equipment rentals, event technology services, and production management.
- Visit PittsburghcoreOfficial destination marketing/tourist promotion agency. Promotes Pittsburgh as premier meeting and events destination. Partner in making Pittsburgh a premier destination through collaboration with SEA.
- Alco Parking CorporationminorOperates the 700-car parking garage at DLCC. Entrance located on 10th Street with 7'8 clearance.
- Three Rivers Heritage Trailminor22-mile recreational trail along Pittsburgh's three rivers. DLCC Riverfront Plaza forms integral part of the trail, connecting Point State Park to Strip District.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pennsylvania Convention Center: Philadelphia's 1M+ sq ft convention center is the closest in-state peer and most direct regional competitor for East Coast association, corporate, and trade show RFPs, with comparable exhibit-hall scale and LEED-equivalent positioning.
- Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland: Cleveland's lakefront convention center competes with DLCC for Midwest association and trade show bookings at similar scale (≈1M sq ft), making it a direct peer for regional RFP competition.
- Greater Columbus Convention Center: Columbus's downtown convention center competes head-to-head with DLCC for Ohio/Midwest association events at comparable exhibit-hall size and meeting-room count.
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center: Washington DC's 2.3M sq ft convention center is a direct peer at the next scale tier for national association and government-affiliated events, often overlapping DLCC's RFP consideration set.
- Colorado Convention Center: Denver's convention center is a direct peer with a comparable sustainability profile (LEED Gold facilities) and similar exhibit-hall scale, competing for national rotating events.
- San Diego Convention Center: San Diego's 2.6M sq ft waterfront convention center is a direct peer at a slightly larger scale, competing for large association and trade show events on the West Coast and nationally.
- McCormick Place: Chicago's McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America (~2.7M sq ft of exhibit space) and a direct peer at significantly larger scale, anchoring many of the same rotating national shows.
- Jacob K. Javits Convention Center: New York City's Javits Center is a direct peer that competes for large-scale association events, government conferences, and consumer shows at a substantially larger footprint.
- Georgia World Congress Center: Atlanta's 3.9M sq ft GWCC is a direct peer at a larger scale, frequently competing with DLCC for southeast and national trade show rotations.
- Orange County Convention Center: Orlando's OCCC is the second-largest convention complex in the US and a direct peer for the largest rotating trade shows, competing for many of DLCC's flagship event categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
David L Lawrence Convention Center social profiles
Digital presenceDavid L Lawrence Convention Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
David L Lawrence Convention Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
David L Lawrence Convention Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
David L Lawrence Convention Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about David L Lawrence Convention Center
What does David L Lawrence Convention Center do?
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is a 1.5 million square foot LEED Gold Certified venue in downtown Pittsburgh that rents exhibit halls, meeting rooms, and ballroom space to event planners and show managers. It supports trade shows, conventions, exhibitions, public events, banquets, and sporting events through on-site food and beverage (Levy Convention Centers), exhibitor show services, internet services, and AV/rigging, plus sustainable building amenities including natural lighting, natural ventilation, and on-site water reclamation.
Is David L Lawrence Convention Center a public or private company?
David L Lawrence Convention Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was David L Lawrence Convention Center founded?
David L Lawrence Convention Center was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is David L Lawrence Convention Center based?
David L Lawrence Convention Center is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does David L Lawrence Convention Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Venue Rental and Space Booking is the primary driver. The others are food and Beverage Services, parking Services and ancillary Services.
Who are David L Lawrence Convention Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pennsylvania Convention Center, Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Colorado Convention Center, San Diego Convention Center, McCormick Place, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Georgia World Congress Center and Orange County Convention Center.
Does David L Lawrence Convention Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for David L Lawrence Convention Center.
What industry is David L Lawrence Convention Center in?
David L Lawrence Convention Center's product category is Convention Center and Event Venue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAAAA, Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers), with a secondary code of THAHAAAB, Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues. Its NAICS code is 711 and its SIC code is 7900.