Alliant Energy Center

What Alliant Energy Center does

Alliant Energy Center is a Dane County, Wisconsin-owned multi-venue event complex located on a 164-acre campus at the gateway to downtown Madison, one mile from the Wisconsin State Capitol. The campus operates four distinct venues: Veterans Memorial Coliseum (10,231-person capacity for concerts and sports), the Exhibition Hall (255,000 sq ft of convention, meeting, and conference space accommodating up to 650 exhibit booths), the New Holland Pavilions (290,000 sq ft of multi-use indoor space oriented toward agricultural shows), and Willow Island (a 29-acre outdoor venue with a 6-acre isthmus and 1,200 amp power). Ancillary infrastructure includes more than 5,800 paved and lit parking spaces, overnight camping with 120 sites at Willow Island and the North Lot, on-site catering by Sodexo Live! (serving 12 to 12,000 guests), an on-site Spark by Hilton hotel connected by a climate-controlled walkway, and ticketing through Ticketmaster and the Madison Ticket Agency.

Revenue is generated through quote-based venue rentals via a Request for Proposal process, unit-priced parking ($10/car, $30/bus per day), camping permits, ticketing service fees, and catering commissions. Distribution is primarily direct sales to event planners and promoters, with secondary consumer access through ticketing and self-service parking registration. Customer segments are diversified across agriculture (World Dairy Expo, Midwest Horse Fair, Junior National Hereford Expo), entertainment (national touring concerts, family shows), sports (UW Men's Hockey, wrestling, CrossFit, bowling tournaments), cultural and community events (Madison Hmong New Year, Dane County Fair), and consumer shows (Gamehole Con, World's Largest Brat Fest).

The venue traces its operational heritage to 1896 and was renamed Alliant Energy Center in 2000 through a naming-rights agreement with Alliant Energy Corporation. As of January 2026, the center entered a $100 million renovation partnership with Frank Productions (FPC Live) and Live Nation for Veterans Memorial Coliseum, while also pursuing an expansion of the Exhibition Hall, marking the largest private capital event in the facility's history and a shift toward public-private collaboration on campus development.

Name

Alliant Energy Center

Legal name

Alliant Energy Center

Website

https://alliantenergycenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Alliant Energy Center is a Dane County-owned, 164-acre multi-venue event complex in Madison, WI, hosting conventions, concerts, trade shows, and agricultural events across four venues (Coliseum, Exhibition Hall, New Holland Pavilions, Willow Island) with on-site parking, camping, catering, and hotel amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers (THAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Convention Campus & District Operators (Integrated Venue Districts) (THAHAAAL), Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Event venue rental
• Convention center hosting
• Trade show facilities
• Convention catering services
• Live event spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental: Revenue generated from renting venue spaces to event organizers for concerts, conventions, trade shows, agricultural events, sporting events, and private events. Pricing varies by venue, size, and duration.
2. Parking Fees: $10 per car per day, $30 per bus per day. Daily parking fee allows same-day reentry with parking stub. Cashless payment system accepting all major credit cards and mobile payments.
3. Catering Services: On-site catering provided by Sodexo Live!, offering customizable menus for events of 12 to 12,000 people with locally grown ingredients and made-from-scratch meals.
4. Ticketing Services: Revenue from ticketed events through Ticketmaster and Madison Ticket Agency, including box office services at the Coliseum.
5. Camping Permits: Overnight camping accommodations for event-goers at Willow Island and North Lot, with various power hook-up options available for a nominal fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Alliant Energy Center is a multi-building event venue complex spanning 164 acres in Madison, Wisconsin, owned and operated by Dane County. The facility rents indoor and outdoor event spaces for conventions, trade shows, concerts, sporting events, agricultural shows, consumer shows, and large-scale gatherings. The campus includes Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Exhibition Hall, New Holland Pavilions, Willow Island, 5,800+ parking spaces, on-site catering operated by Sodexo Live!, ticketing services, and an adjacent campground.

Product overview

Alliant Energy Center is a multi-building event venue complex offering four primary facilities for conventions, concerts, trade shows, agricultural events, and outdoor festivals. The portfolio includes Veterans Memorial Coliseum (concert/arena venue), Exhibition Hall (convention space), New Holland Pavilions (agricultural/multi-use), and Willow Island (outdoor venue). Additional services include on-site parking (5,800+ spaces), overnight camping, and catering by Sodexo Live!. The campus is adjacent to Spark by Hilton Madison Central hotel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Veterans Memorial Coliseum Indoor arena within the Alliant Energy Center complex used for concerts, sporting events, large-scale entertainment shows, and arena-style gatherings. Targeted at event organizers, promoters, and entertainment touring productions.
• Exhibition Hall Large indoor exhibition space used for trade shows, conventions, consumer shows, expos, and corporate conferences. Targeted at trade show organizers, convention planners, and exhibitors.
• New Holland Pavilions Specialized pavilions designed for livestock shows, agricultural exhibitions, equestrian events, and animal-related competitions. Targeted at agricultural associations, breed organizations, and 4-H/FFA event organizers.
• Willow Island Outdoor event space within the Alliant Energy Center campus used for festivals, outdoor concerts, community events, and seasonal gatherings. Targeted at event promoters and community organizers.
• Catering Services (Sodexo Live!) Exclusive on-site catering and food & beverage services for events held at the Alliant Energy Center, operated by Sodexo Live!. Targeted at event organizers and exhibitors booking concessions, banquets, and hospitality packages.
• Event Parking On-site parking with more than 5,800 spaces provided for event attendees and exhibitors at the Alliant Energy Center campus. Targeted at event organizers and individual event attendees.
• Campground (Alliant Energy Center Campground) Adjacent RV and tent camping facility used primarily by exhibitors and visitors attending multi-day events such as livestock shows. Targeted at exhibitors, vendors, and event attendees needing overnight accommodations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 16 million visitors entered Coliseum doors by 1992
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Alliant Energy CorporationflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAlliant Energy Corporation holds the naming rights for the campus (Alliant Energy Center). The company is a regulated, investor-owned energy company (NASDAQ: LNT) serving more than 1 million electric and 435,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are its wholly owned subsidiaries.
• New Holland AgricultureflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNew Holland Agriculture holds naming rights for the New Holland Pavilions. New Holland manufactures a wide range of agricultural equipment including tractors, hay and forage equipment, harvesting equipment, crop production and materials handling equipment. Partnership established in 2013 with 2014 ribbon cutting ceremony.
• Sodexo Live!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSodexo Live! provides on-site catering services at the Alliant Energy Center, offering customizable menus, locally grown ingredients, made-from-scratch meals, and the ability to serve events from 12 to 12,000 people.
• FPC Live / Frank ProductionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrank Productions (FPC Live) partnered with Dane County in 2026 for a $100 million renovation of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The partnership brings nearly $100 million in private investment for the renovation project, with FPC Live serving as concert promoter for the venue.
• Live NationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLive Nation is a joint venture partner with Frank Productions for the Coliseum renovation project, bringing global touring acts and entertainment industry connections to the venue.
• Spark by Hilton Madison CentralcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site hotel located on the Alliant Energy Center campus, directly connected to Exhibition Hall by a climate-controlled walkway. The hotel is newly renovated and offers convenient accommodations for event attendees and exhibitors.
• Wisconsin Equine Clinic and HospitalminorOthersSponsor of Alliant Energy Center providing veterinary services for equine events. Recognized as one of the best equine medical providers in the field.
• Wisconsin DistributorsminorOthersSponsor distributing domestic, craft and import beers along with craft soda, water and energy drinks. Services 30 counties in Southern Wisconsin with warehouses in Sun Prairie and Appleton.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing provider for events at the Alliant Energy Center. Tickets available online 24/7 with service fee-free pickup at Coliseum Box Office.
• Miron ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction company awarded nearly $20.7 million bid to construct the two New Holland Pavilions in 2013.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center: Convention and event venue also located in Madison, Wisconsin, directly competing with AEC for the same local/regional event planner demand. Most direct geographic peer for AEC.
• Wisconsin Center: Milwaukee's major convention facility operated by the Wisconsin Center District, directly comparable in scale, mid-size Midwest convention market positioning, and government-district ownership structure.
• McCormick Place: North America's largest convention center in Chicago, competing with AEC for large Midwest and national trade show business. Comparable in multi-building campus model and event hosting.
• Georgia World Congress Center: Large convention, trade show, and event complex in Atlanta with multiple buildings and a connected arena/college football hall of fame, directly comparable in multi-venue integrated model.
• Orange County Convention Center: Second-largest convention complex in the U.S. with multi-venue campus, comparable to AEC in providing integrated exhibition, meeting, and event space for trade shows and conventions.
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center: Large multi-purpose convention and event venue in Dallas, similar to AEC in hosting conventions, trade shows, concerts, and sporting events across an integrated facility.
• Henry B. González Convention Center: Major convention and event facility in San Antonio with comparable multi-venue, multi-purpose event hosting model including conventions, concerts, and trade shows.
• Las Vegas Convention Center: Major multi-building convention campus with massive exhibition and meeting space; comparable venue model to AEC's integrated campus and overlapping convention/trade show customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Oak View Group: Private venue development and operating company specializing in arenas and live entertainment venues, with growing convention/event footprint. Adjacent competitor for live event content and venue operations.
• ASM Global: Largest private venue management company globally, managing convention centers, arenas, and stadiums. Comparable business model to AEC's venue operations, though operates as a third-party manager rather than venue owner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/alliantenergycenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alliant-energy-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/alliantenergycenter
• Xx.com/AlliantECenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Alliant Energy Center