Century Center
Century Center is a government-owned, full-service convention and event venue in downtown South Bend, Indiana, offering 100,000+ sq ft of flexible event space for weddings, corporate conventions, special events, and esports competitions, operated by Legends Global and ASM Global.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersSouth Bend, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Century Center does
Century Center is a full-service convention and event venue located on an 11-acre riverfront park along the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, Indiana, designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee and founded in 1977. The asset is owned by the City of South Bend, governed by the Century Center Board of Managers, funded by the Saint Joseph County Hotel/Motel Tax Board, and operated under management contracts with Legends Global (food and beverage) and ASM Global (venue management). The venue offers more than 100,000 square feet of flexible event space across the Great Hall, Convention Hall, Discovery Ballroom, Bendix Theatre, Recital Hall, Island Park Pavilion, Bendix Esports Arena, and 15+ meeting rooms, with event capacity ranging from 5 to 2,500 attendees and weddings up to 750 guests. On-site amenities include exclusive catering, professional A/V via partner EventSys, gigabit fiber internet, on-site parking for 265 vehicles, and direct skywalk access to the DoubleTree by Hilton. The venue is ADA-compliant and designated one of USA Today's 25 Must-See buildings in Indiana (2017). Revenue is not publicly disclosed given its government ownership.
Century Center generates revenue through multiple streams: venue space rental (one-time event licensing priced by space, duration, and event type), exclusive food and beverage services provided by Legends Global, professional A/V services via EventSys, event equipment rentals through preferred vendor AAY's, parking, and ticket-based consumer events sold via Eventbrite. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with the exception of consumer admission (e.g., $30 per person / $10 per dog for the Indiana Invasion All Breed Dog Show). Go-to-market is sales-led: a dedicated sales and events team handles RFPs and direct bookings, supplemented by co-marketing with Visit South Bend/Mishawaka and a hotel partner network (DoubleTree, Courtyard Marriott, Aloft).
The venue serves four primary customer segments: wedding and banquet clients, corporate and convention organizers, special events (concerts, fights, festivals, consumer shows), and the esports/gaming community using the Bendix Esports Arena. Named customers include the 91st Annual Sigma Phi Gamma International Convention, the South Bend Auto Show, the International Association of Water Rescue Professionals, the MVPA Historical Archives Convention, and the International Jugglers' Association, indicating diversified demand across associations, consumer shows, and private celebrations. Distribution is regional (Midwest U.S.), with the venue positioned two hours east of Chicago and 15 minutes from South Bend International Airport.
Century Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Century Center
- Legal name
- Century Center
- Website
- https://centurycenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Century Center is a government-owned, full-service convention and event venue in downtown South Bend, Indiana, offering 100,000+ sq ft of flexible event space for weddings, corporate conventions, special events, and esports competitions, operated by Legends Global and ASM Global.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Century Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convention & Event Venue Services
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Dedicated LAN Gaming Centers (PC/Console Stations, Hourly Play) (MPAFALAA)
Keywords
Where Century Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Bend
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Century Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Venue Space Rental: Rental of flexible convention and meeting spaces including ballrooms, theaters, the Great Hall, Convention Hall, and outdoor venues like Island Park. Pricing varies based on space size, event type, and duration.
- Event Services and Catering: Exclusive food and beverage services provided by Legends Global, including catering for weddings, banquets, and conventions. Also includes bar services, concessions, and custom menu creation.
- A/V and Media Services: Professional audio/visual services provided through partnership with EventSys, including equipment rental, sound systems, lighting, and technical support.
- Event Equipment Rentals: Furniture and equipment rentals through preferred vendor AAY's Rental for events including catering/dining essentials, drapery, decor, tents, tables, and seating.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Wedding & Banquet Packages |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer Event Admission |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Convention & Meeting Space |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Century Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Century Center is a full-service event venue and convention center on an 11-acre riverfront site in downtown South Bend, Indiana. It rents flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces—including the Great Hall, Convention Hall, Discovery Ballroom, Island Park Pavilion, Bendix Theatre, Recital Hall, and meeting rooms—along with in-house catering, A/V services, high-speed fiber internet, and event rentals. The venue hosts weddings, corporate conventions, trade shows, concerts, esports competitions, and special events ranging from 5 to 2,500 attendees.
Product overview
Century Center is a full-service convention and event venue located on the St. Joseph River waterfront in downtown South Bend, Indiana. The venue offers over 100,000 square feet of flexible event space spanning multiple distinct products: venue rental spaces (Great Hall, Island Park Pavilion, Discovery Ballroom, Convention Hall, Bendix Theatre, Recital Hall, and Meeting Rooms), esports facilities (Bendix Esports Arena), event planning services (Weddings & Banquets, Conventions & Meetings, Special Events), and supporting services (Food & Beverage Catering, Audio/Visual Services, Internet Services, and Event Rentals). The venue is owned by the City of South Bend and managed by Legends Global, serving as a one-stop-shop for hosting events ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale conventions and trade shows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bendix Esports Arena: State-of-the-art esports arena and LAN center with seating for more than 500 visitors, featuring lighting and sound equipment for competitive gaming.
- Bendix Theatre
- Great Hall
- Island Park
- Discovery Ballroom
- Convention Hall
- Recital Hall
Products and services
- Weddings & Banquets Venue Rental Full-service wedding and banquet hosting at Century Center including venue rental, catering, event coordination, and a preferred vendor network, accommodating up to 750 guests across Great Hall (16,640 sq ft), Discovery Ballroom (12,000 sq ft), Island Park (6,400 sq ft), and smaller rooms. Targeted at couples and families planning wedding ceremonies and receptions.
- Conventions & Meetings Venue Rental Rental of Century Center's convention halls, ballrooms, meeting rooms, and outdoor spaces for corporate conventions, conferences, trade shows, and consumer or trade shows. Includes on-site sales and event managers, custom floor plans, CAD drawings, A/V support, and catering.
- Special Events Venue Hosting Event hosting services at Century Center for concerts, fights and wrestling matches, release parties, banquets, receptions, music festivals, martial arts tournaments, car shows, and dinosaur exhibits, with varying layouts and configurations for entertainment and sporting events.
- Bendix Esports Arena & LAN Center A state-of-the-art esports venue and LAN gaming center at Century Center with 500+ spectator seating, advanced lighting and sound systems, and full gaming equipment setup for competitive or casual gaming events. Located 15 minutes from South Bend International Airport and two hours east of Chicago.
- Food & Beverage Catering Exclusive on-site food and beverage services at Century Center provided by Legends Global, featuring an executive chef, locally sourced ingredients, and customizable menus for events of all sizes, including catering for weddings, banquets, conventions, and concessions.
- Audio/Visual Services Professional audio/visual services at Century Center delivered through the in-house EventSys partnership, providing equipment rental and technical support including screens, projectors, microphones, sound systems, and lighting for events of all types.
- Event Equipment Rentals Event rental equipment and supplies arranged through preferred vendor Always At Your Service (AAYS) Event Rentals at Century Center, including catering and dining essentials, drapery and decor, tents, tables, and seating.
- Bendix Theatre Rental The 569-seat Bendix Theatre at Century Center featuring state-of-the-art lighting and sound with a Thrust Stage design that places every seat within 32 feet of the action, used for comedy shows, breakout sessions, musical performances, wrestling/MMA/boxing, and esports.
Companies that use Century Center
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Century Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Century Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, preferred and minor.
- Legends GlobalcoreLegends Global took over operations and food services at the Century Center in summer 2013. They are the exclusive food and beverage provider offering full catering and food management services. Legends Global has made significant improvements to the space including enhanced customer service and new business development.
- ASM GlobalcoreASM Global is a well-recognized, worldwide venue management group that manages the Century Center. ASM believes that events should bring people and ideas together, and these events should be produced with environmentally-conscious practices, products, and people.
- EventSyscoreEventSys is the full-service in-house media company that accommodates all audio/visual needs at Century Center. From tripods, screens, projectors, microphones, sound systems, to lighting, EventSys helps create the perfect A/V setup for events.
- Always At Your Service Event Rentals (AAY's)preferredAAY's Rental is the preferred vendor for event rentals at Century Center. With over five decades of providing rental items for events, they provide items for catering and dining essentials, drapery and decor, tents, tables, and seating.
- Visit South Bend/MishawakacoreVisit South Bend/Mishawaka is a tourism partnership that ensures seamless and memorable convention experiences. The Century Center collaborates with Visit South Bend to promote conventions and attract visitors to the area.
- DoubleTree by Hilton South BendpreferredConnected via climate-controlled skywalk to DoubleTree by Hilton hotel which was recently renovated with 291 rooms, Baker's Bar & Grille, and full-service Starbucks. Provides shuttle service and is a key hospitality partner for event attendees.
- Courtyard by Marriott South Bend Downtownpreferred78 guest rooms with flat-screen televisions, complimentary wired and wireless Internet access, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries. Part of the hotel partner network for event attendees.
- Aloft South Bendpreferred187 air-conditioned rooms featuring LED televisions, pillowtop beds, complimentary wireless Internet access. Located blocks from Century Center with shuttle service available.
- City of South BendcoreCentury Center is owned by the City of South Bend and governed by the Century Center Board of Managers. Funded by the Saint Joseph County Hotel/Motel Tax Board. Located on the corner of Jefferson Blvd. and S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
- South Bend Museum of ArtminorThe South Bend Museum of Art is attached to the north side of the Century Center building, providing an adjacent attraction for event attendees and visitors.
- Transpo (South Bend Public Transportation)minorTranspo provides public transportation to the city of South Bend with a drop-off point located directly in front of Century Center building.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Century Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Allen County War Memorial Coliseum: Fort Wayne, IN multi-purpose arena and convention complex that hosts trade shows, banquets, concerts, and esports-style events. Comparable product mix (concerts, trade shows, banquets) and regional Midwestern location make it a direct competitive analog.
- Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium: Large convention complex in Indianapolis, ~150 miles south of Century Center. Operates in the same Midwest convention market and competes for the same regional and national convention clients, but at a much larger scale and with hotel-room density far exceeding South Bend.
- Duke Energy Convention Center: Cincinnati convention center that competes for conventions and trade shows in the Midwest/Great Lakes region. Comparable footprint and customer mix of corporate, association, and consumer events.
- Cobo Center (TCF Center Detroit): Detroit convention center (Huntington Place) that competes for Midwest regional conventions and trade shows. Similar 100,000+ sq ft-class flexible halls and comparable customer base of corporate and association events.
- BlueGate Hospitality Group (BlueGate Music Hall / BlueGate Theatre): Indiana-based operator of event venues and hotels including Shipshewana and Indianapolis locations. Competes for weddings, banquets, and small-to-mid corporate events in the Indiana/Midwest market.
Others
- Cvent: Event management and venue-sourcing software platform that connects planners with venues including convention centers. It is a marketplace/technology enabler rather than a venue competitor, but the platform is the dominant digital channel through which Century Center-style venues are sourced.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend at Notre Dame: Adjacent full-service hotel with its own ballrooms and meeting space in the South Bend market. Competes for the same wedding, banquet, and small-corporate event bookings that Century Center targets, though it does not offer an exhibition-hall-scale facility.
Broad incumbents
- McCormick Place: The largest convention center in North America, located in downtown Chicago. Centur Center explicitly markets its proximity ("2 hours east of Chicago") and competes for spillover and mid-size events that don't fit McCormick Place's massive halls.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Century Center social profiles
Digital presenceCentury Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Century Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Century Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Century Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Century 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 Century Center
What does Century Center do?
Century Center is a full-service event venue and convention center on an 11-acre riverfront site in downtown South Bend, Indiana. It rents flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces—including the Great Hall, Convention Hall, Discovery Ballroom, Island Park Pavilion, Bendix Theatre, Recital Hall, and meeting rooms—along with in-house catering, A/V services, high-speed fiber internet, and event rentals. The venue hosts weddings, corporate conventions, trade shows, concerts, esports competitions, and special events ranging from 5 to 2,500 attendees.
Is Century Center a public or private company?
Century Center is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Century Center founded?
Century Center was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Century Center based?
Century Center is headquartered in South Bend, United States, in the North America region.
How does Century Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Venue Space Rental is the primary driver. The others are event Services and Catering, A/V and Media Services and event Equipment Rentals.
Who are Century Center's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium, Duke Energy Convention Center, Cobo Center (TCF Center Detroit) and BlueGate Hospitality Group (BlueGate Music Hall / BlueGate Theatre). Others are Cvent and Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend at Notre Dame. McCormick Place is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Century Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Century Center.
What industry is Century Center in?
Century Center's product category is Convention & 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 71 and its SIC code is 7900.