The Imperial Event Center

What The Imperial Event Center does

The Imperial Event Center is a full-service event venue located at 26 East Chestnut Street in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, co-located within the Holiday Inn Lancaster property under the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) brand umbrella. The site is recognized as the oldest continuously operated hotel location in the United States, with continuous hospitality operations dating to the 1750s and a presidential visitation history spanning Lincoln, Taft, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Nixon. The venue offers over 21,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space, including the Imperial Grande Ballroom (4,030 sq. ft., up to 360 attendees theater-style), the Imperial Blue Ballroom (3,642 sq. ft.), the Imperial Terrace (4,500 sq. ft. outdoor), the Imperial Atrium with a 35-foot skylight and an ornate Italian-designed chandelier, and six conference rooms ranging from 286 to 864 sq. ft. equipped with 70-inch monitors and built-in digital conferencing capability for hybrid events.

The business operates a horizontally segmented model targeting four primary customer groups: wedding couples (primary), corporate clients (primary), special event hosts, and private dining guests. The venue is supported by The Imperial Restaurant, a 120-seat onsite American/international cuisine restaurant with a 20-seat bar, as well as full-service in-house catering and bar services and Holiday Inn Lancaster hotel accommodations including seven extended-stay suites. Go-to-market is primarily direct: enterprise field sales driven by phone inquiries (717-394-0900 and 717-909-2014), website contact forms managed via Tripleseat event-management software, in-person site visits, and organic social galleries. Revenue is generated through one-time venue rental fees, per-person catering and bar charges, restaurant dine-in, and lodging bookings, with no publicly disclosed pricing (all custom-quoted by event).

The business is privately held under unknown legal structure, has 13 employees, and operates without disclosed funding, M&A activity, or investor backing. IHG serves as the parent brand via the Holiday Inn franchise relationship, providing distribution through the IHG One Rewards loyalty program and IHG Business Rewards for planners. Technology integration is limited to Tripleseat (event management) and OpenTable (restaurant reservations); no proprietary AI/ML systems, mobile applications, or data flywheel mechanics are disclosed.

Name

The Imperial Event Center

Legal name

The Imperial Event Center

Website

https://theimperialeventcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1750

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Imperial Event Center is a full-service event venue in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, co-located with Holiday Inn Lancaster, hosting weddings, corporate meetings, galas, and special events across 21,000+ sq. ft. of ballrooms, terrace, atrium, and conference space with onsite catering and accommodations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Venue Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Hotel & Resort Convention Venues (Convention Hotels) (THAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

City/Urban Convention Hotels (THAGALAA)

Keywords

• Event venue rental
• Wedding venue services
• Corporate meeting spaces
• Event catering services
• Ballroom event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Venue Rental: Rental fees for ballrooms, meeting rooms, terrace, and atrium spaces for weddings, corporate events, conferences, and special occasions. Revenue generated through room rental charges based on event type, duration, and space requirements.
2. Catering and Bar Services: Full-service in-house catering including plated dinners, buffets, and custom menus. Beverage and bar services for events. Revenue from per-person catering charges and bar service fees.
3. The Imperial Restaurant: Onsite 120-seat restaurant offering American and international cuisine. Revenue from dine-in service, private dinner parties, and bar sales including happy hour.
4. Hotel Accommodations: Holiday Inn Lancaster rooms and suites adjacent to event center. Revenue from overnight stays, extended stay suites, and group bookings for event attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Imperial Event Center operates as a full-service event venue in Downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, providing over 21,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space including the Imperial Grande Ballroom (4,030 sq. ft.), Imperial Blue Ballroom (3,642 sq. ft.), the 4,500 sq. ft. Imperial Terrace, and the skylight-covered Imperial Atrium. The venue offers in-house catering and bar services, bridal suites, conference and meeting rooms with digital conferencing capability, the onsite Imperial Restaurant, and Holiday Inn Lancaster hotel accommodations for weddings, corporate meetings, galas, and special events.

Product overview

The Imperial Event Center is a full-service event venue operating as part of the Holiday Inn Lancaster in Downtown Lancaster, PA. The venue portfolio includes two ballrooms (Imperial Grande Ballroom at 4,030 sq. ft. and Imperial Blue Ballroom at 3,642 sq. ft.), the 4,500 sq. ft. Imperial Terrace outdoor space, the skylight-covered Imperial Atrium, and seven conference/meeting rooms totaling over 21,000 sq. ft. of event space. Ancillary offerings include Private Bridal Suites, The Imperial Restaurant (120-seat onsite dining), professional catering and bar services, and Holiday Inn Lancaster hotel accommodations. The venue specializes in weddings, corporate meetings, conferences, galas, and special events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Imperial Grande Ballroom: A 4,030 sq. ft. elegant ballroom that can accommodate up to 275 attendees for sit-down dining or 360 for lecture/theater-style meetings. Features include a built-in bar, ample pre-function space, and adjacent meeting rooms.
• Imperial Blue Ballroom
• The Imperial Terrace
• Imperial Atrium
• The Imperial Restaurant

Products and services

• The Imperial Grande Ballroom An elegant ballroom spanning 4,030 sq. ft. that accommodates up to 275 attendees for sit-down dining or 360 for lecture/theater-style meetings. Features include upgraded King Louis chairs, a built-in bar, ample pre-function space, and adjacent meeting rooms.
• The Imperial Blue Ballroom A sophisticated ballroom with 3,642 sq. ft. of space, illuminated by natural light from wall-to-wall windows facing Ewell Plaza and Downtown Lancaster. Offers direct access to the outdoor Imperial Terrace and proximity to the Atrium.
• The Imperial Terrace A 4,500 sq. ft. outdoor venue with a green roof covering over half the space, accommodating up to 160 guests for table seating. Features views of Ewell Plaza, Binns Park, and the Lancaster City skyline.
• The Imperial Atrium A 35-foot-high skylight-covered atrium space featuring a stunning ornate chandelier by Italian designer Massimo Scolari. Flows directly to the Imperial Blue Ballroom and Imperial Terrace, connected to the Grande Ballroom by a grand staircase with glass railing.
• Conference and Meeting Rooms Over 21,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and event space including the Imperial Suite (2,000 sq. ft.), six conference rooms ranging from 286 to 864 sq. ft., and two board rooms. Equipped with 70-inch monitors, high-speed Wi-Fi, and digital conferencing capabilities, hosting up to 200 attendees.
• The Imperial Restaurant An onsite 120-seat American cuisine restaurant featuring an artful infusion of international flavors, with indoor seating, covered outdoor seating, and a 20-seat solid wood bar. Offers custom menus for private dining and events.
• Catering and Bar Services Full-service in-house catering with a culinary team offering seasonal ingredients, custom menu options, plated dinners, and buffets. Accommodates special dietary needs including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Includes full bar and beverage services.
• Holiday Inn Lancaster Hotel Accommodations Onsite hotel featuring beautifully appointed rooms with two Queen beds or single King beds, seven Extended Stay Suites with mini-kitchenettes, and luxury suites with two King rooms adjoining a Meeting/Hospitality Suite. Includes complimentary Wi-Fi, indoor pool, fitness center, and adjacent covered parking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Accommodates up to 360 theater-style attendees in Grande Ballroom
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Holiday Inn LancastercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoliday Inn Lancaster is co-located within the same property as The Imperial Event Center. The hotel provides accommodations for event attendees including guest rooms, extended stay suites, and a hospitality suite. This partnership enables the full-service event destination model, allowing guests to stay onsite during weddings, conferences, and special events.
• IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIHG is the parent brand of Holiday Inn Lancaster. The partnership provides IHG One Rewards points for guests and meeting planners, integrating event planning with the hotel loyalty program.
• The Imperial RestaurantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Imperial Restaurant is an onsite 120-seat restaurant operated as part of the event center complex. It specializes in American and international cuisine, private dining, and provides catering services for events. The restaurant offers happy hour and bar services.

Scale indicators10 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Eden Resort & Suites: Lancaster-area full-service resort with conference and wedding venues, on-site catering, and overnight rooms. Targets the same Lancaster-County wedding and corporate segments with a bundled venue-plus-accommodations value proposition.
• Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square: An upscale downtown Lancaster convention hotel directly competing for the same corporate meeting, wedding, and gala bookings as The Imperial Event Center. Operates comparable ballroom counts with Penn Square Convention Center adjacency, making it the closest direct substitute in the immediate micro-market.
• Hotel Hershey: Historic Pennsylvania resort with extensive ballrooms, on-site catering, and overnight accommodations. Competes with Imperial for regional destination weddings and corporate retreats, offering a comparable full-service venue-plus-hotel proposition under a well-known heritage brand.
• The Cork Factory Hotel: Boutique urban event venue in downtown Lancaster offering ballroom rentals, catering, and on-site accommodations. Closely comparable on size, location, and primary wedding/corporate use cases to The Imperial Event Center.
• Hershey Lodge: One of the largest convention hotels in the Eastern U.S. with substantial ballroom and meeting space. Competes head-on with Imperial for mid-to-large corporate conferences and association meetings across Pennsylvania.

Regional players

• Valley Forge Casino Resort: Large Pennsylvania conference, wedding, and event venue with hotel accommodations and F&B operations. Comparable in scale and full-service venue-plus-hotel model, though anchored by casino gaming rather than heritage positioning.
• Bear Creek Mountain Resort: Pennsylvania destination resort with on-site event venues, lodging, and catering. Competes for destination-style weddings and corporate retreats across Eastern Pennsylvania but does not serve downtown Lancaster micro-events.
• The Bellevue Hotel: A historic Philadelphia hotel with longstanding ballrooms and corporate-event heritage analogous to Imperial's 'Imperial' / 'Brunswick' backstory. Targets similar corporate and social-event clients in the broader Pennsylvania market without directly competing in Lancaster.

Broad incumbents

• Hilton Hotels: Global convention-hotel brand whose urban and resort properties compete for the same wedding and corporate segments as Imperial. Useful as the broader benchmark against IHG/Holiday Inn's brand portfolio under which The Imperial operates.
• Marriott Hotels: Global convention-hotel brand whose properties (including the Lancaster Marriott above) compete with Imperial across multiple geographies. Operates a far broader portfolio, providing context for the macro positioning of upscale convention hotels versus an independent venue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-imperial-event-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Imperial Event Center