Spokane Convention Center

What Spokane Convention Center does

The Spokane Convention Center is a public, government-owned event venue in downtown Spokane, Washington, operated by the Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD) - the first Public Facilities District created in Washington State. The facility originated from the 1974 Expo '74 World's Fair and opened as a convention venue in 1976, undergoing three major expansions (1989, 2007, 2015) to reach over 390,000 sq ft of total event space, including a 120,000 sq ft exhibit hall, three ballrooms totaling 50,750 sq ft, 40 breakout rooms, a 270-seat conference theater, and the 2,609-seat First Interstate Center for the Arts.

The venue offers a vertically integrated services stack: in-house audio-visual, technical, electrical, IT/network (with fiber optic backbone and campus-wide WiFi), engineering, operations, and digital marketing services, combined with exclusive partnerships for catering (Levy Restaurants), security and event staffing (BEST), ticketing (TicketsWest), and custodial services (ABM). Technology infrastructure includes a closed wireless network, digital wayfinding, and digital signage, but no AI/software/API offering.

Revenue is generated through one-time venue rental fees for conventions, trade shows, meetings, sporting events, banquets, and weddings; catering commissions via Levy; in-house service charges (AV, electrical, telecom, rigging); parking; and ticketing, with pricing ranging from published wedding packages (e.g., $25-$59 per person for food) to quote-based convention RFPs. Customers include trade associations, educational institutions, healthcare nonprofits, sporting event organizers, and wedding/social event planners, with the facility contributing approximately $266 million in direct regional spending over five years.

Name

Spokane Convention Center

Legal name

Spokane Public Facilities District

Website

https://spokanecenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Spokane Convention Center is a municipal public event venue in downtown Spokane, WA, operated by the Spokane Public Facilities District, offering 390,000+ sq ft of event space and integrated catering, AV, security, and ticketing services for conventions, trade shows, weddings, meetings, and sporting events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Convention Campus & District Operators (Integrated Venue Districts) (THAHAAAL)

Keywords

• Convention venue rental
• Event hosting services
• Trade show facilities
• Wedding venue hosting
• Meeting and banquet spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Venue Space Rental: Rental of flexible event spaces including exhibit halls, ballrooms, meeting rooms, outdoor spaces (Roof Deck, Riverside Terrace, Event Lawn), and specialty venues like the 270-seat Conference Theater and Executive Boardroom.
2. Catering and Concessions: World-class catering services through exclusive provider Levy Restaurants, including wedding menus, event catering, concessions, and beverage services.
3. In-house Services: Audio Visual and Technical, Electrical and Utilities, Telecommunications/IT/Network, Engineering, Operations (Room Setup, Rigging), and Marketing (Digital Signage, Website listing, Social Media) services.
4. Exclusive Service Providers: Ticketing Services through TicketsWest, Security and Event Staffing through BEST, Facility Services and Custodial through ABM.
5. Parking Services: Covered parking garage and lot options for event attendees, managed by Parking Services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Spokane Convention Center rents flexible event space (390,000+ sq ft including exhibit halls, ballrooms, breakout rooms, a 270-seat conference theater, and a 2,609-seat performing arts auditorium) for conventions, trade shows, meetings, banquets, weddings, and sporting events. It bundles venue rental with in-house audio/visual, electrical, IT, engineering, and operations services, and offers exclusive catering (Levy Restaurants), security (BEST), ticketing (TicketsWest), custodial (ABM), and parking services.

Product overview

The Spokane Convention Center is a premier event venue facility offering a comprehensive portfolio of event hosting services. The core offering is the physical event space portfolio (390,000+ sq ft total) including the 120,000 sq ft Exhibit Hall, three flexible Ballrooms (Grand Ballroom 100, Jr. Ballroom 111, Centennial Ballroom 300), 40 breakout meeting rooms, a 270-seat Conference Theater, and the 2,609-seat First Interstate Center for the Arts. These venue spaces are supported by a suite of integrated service modules: in-house audio visual/technical services, Levy Restaurants catering and concessions (exclusive provider), BEST security/event staffing (exclusive), TicketsWest ticketing (exclusive), ABM facility/custodial services (exclusive), and digital marketing/signage. The facility also provides free campus-wide WiFi, fiber optic network backbone, digital wayfinding, street-level kiosks, and outdoor marquee. The venue does not offer a software product or API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spokane Convention Center Event Space A premier event venue offering 390,000+ sq ft of total event space including 120,000 sq ft exhibit halls, three flexible ballrooms totaling 50,750 sq ft, 40 unique breakout rooms, a 270-seat conference theater, and a 2,609-seat First Interstate Center for the Arts auditorium. Available for conventions, trade shows, meetings, banquets, weddings, and sporting events.
• Event Planning Services Comprehensive in-house event services including audio visual and technical support, electrical and utilities, telecommunications and IT/network with WiFi, engineering, operations (room setup, rigging), and marketing (digital signage, website listing, social media) provided to event planners.
• Catering and Concessions World-class catering services provided exclusively by Levy Restaurants, offering locally sourced food and beverage choices, professional staff for dining, snack, and sample catering packages for events of all sizes.
• Exhibitor Services On-site exhibit services including audiovisual equipment, electrical provisioning, network/telecommunications services, and catering. Services ordered through Ungerboeck platform for trade show exhibitors.
• Security and Event Staffing Security and event staffing provided exclusively by BEST, including event security personnel and crowd management.
• Wedding Venue and Packages Wedding ceremony and reception packages including Roof Deck ($3,500 for 8 hours) and Riverside Lawn ($1,000 for 4 hours) venue rentals, food packages ($25-$59 per person), bar packages ($18 per person for 2 hosted drinks), and minimum food/beverage spend requirements based on guest count.
• Parking Services Covered parking garage and lot options for event attendees, managed by Parking Services at the Spokane Convention Center.
• Ticketing Services Ticketing services provided exclusively by TicketsWest for event ticket sales and distribution, including digital ticketing via mobile device and QR code entry.

Quantifiable outcome

• $266 million in direct spending contributed to regional economy in the last five years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Levy RestaurantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExclusive catering and concessions provider for the Spokane Convention Center. Provides world-class catering services including locally sourced food and beverage choices, exceptional centerpieces, and special request items for events of all sizes.
• BEST (Crowd Management)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExclusive security and event staffing provider. Provides trained security personnel for events and manages event staffing needs.
• TicketsWestcoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive ticketing services provider for events at the Convention Center. Handles digital ticketing, mobile device delivery, and QR code entry for events.
• ABMcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExclusive facility services and custodial provider. Handles building maintenance, cleaning, and operational support services.
• First Interstate Center for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent 2,609-seat auditorium part of the Spokane Convention Center campus. Provides full technical capabilities for professional entertainment as well as plenary sessions.
• Visit Spokane (Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCVB partnership for destination marketing, convention development, and driving regional/national event bookings to Spokane and the Convention Center.
• Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner and operator of the Spokane Convention Center along with INB Performing Arts Center and Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. First Public Facilities District created in Washington State, a municipal corporation.
• IATSE Local #93 (Stagehands)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUnion representing stagehands and technical crew for events. Provides professional technical support through Business Agent and Call Steward.
• Spokane Transit (STA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic transit partner providing bus service to the Convention Center. City Line Route 1 stops just a block away; Route 25 main north/south line stops in front of the venue.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• McCormick Place: Largest convention center in North America in Chicago with ~2.6 million sq ft of exhibit space across four buildings. Industry benchmark for convention center scale and trade show hosting; relevant for understanding competitive dynamics though an order of magnitude larger.
• Seattle Convention Center: Larger public convention center in Seattle with the Summit and Arch buildings totaling ~1.5 million sq ft. Same Pacific Northwest region, broader scale and national convention draw, but operates the same convention/exhibition business model.

Direct peers

• Colorado Convention Center: Public convention center in Denver with ~584,000 sq ft of exhibit and meeting space, similar tier of city market. Comparable service ecosystem (catering, AV, parking) and similar customer segments including trade shows, conventions, and banquets.
• Rhode Island Convention Center: Public authority-operated convention center in Providence with ~137,000 sq ft of exhibit space plus ballrooms and meeting rooms. Comparable mid-tier regional venue with similar trade show, convention, and consumer event focus.
• Greater Columbus Convention Center: Municipal convention facility in Columbus, Ohio with ~1.7 million sq ft total complex. Similar mid-tier urban market profile with comparable convention/trade show mix and adjacent hotel connectivity.
• Kentucky International Convention Center: Publicly operated convention center in Louisville with ~200,000 sq ft of exhibit space and ballrooms. Comparable mid-tier urban convention facility with similar trade show, association meeting, and banquet business.
• Tacoma Convention Center: Publicly operated convention center in Tacoma, Washington — same Pacific Northwest region, smaller footprint but similar customer mix including conventions, weddings, and banquets. Directly comparable in climate and regional market dynamics.
• Atlantic City Convention Center: Public convention center operated by the Atlantic City Convention Center Authority with ~500,000 sq ft of flexible exhibit space. Similar tier of mid-sized regional venue with comparable trade show, convention, and consumer event business mix.
• Oregon Convention Center: Publicly operated convention center in Portland, Oregon — same Pacific Northwest region, comparable mid-to-large size with ~1 million sq ft of event space including exhibit halls, ballrooms, and meeting rooms. Operates with a similar mix of conventions, trade shows, and consumer/public events.

Others

• Visit Spokane: Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau — core GTM partner that drives destination marketing and convention business development for the Spokane Convention Center. Industry peer from the CVB side of the convention ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpokaneConCen
• Facebookfacebook.com/spokanecenter
• Pinterestpinterest.com/spokanecc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spokane-convention-center

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spokane Convention Center