Ocean Center

What Ocean Center does

The Ocean Center is a 205,000+ square-foot convention and event venue located steps from the Atlantic Ocean in Daytona Beach, Florida, owned and operated by Volusia County Government since its founding in 1985. Its core physical product comprises four interconnected spaces: a 93,028 square-foot exhibit hall with utilities every 30 feet and capacity for 504 10'x10' booths; a 42,146 square-foot column-free arena with 9,300 concert seating; 32,000 square feet of meeting space across 32 breakout rooms and a VIP suite; and an 11,904 square-foot banquet hall with movable walls seating up to 768. Supporting technical infrastructure includes high-speed wireless internet, high-speed data lines, modern 32-input sound systems, portable staging, advanced lighting controls, six loading docks with self-leveling bays, and an adjacent 2,500-vehicle parking facility.

The venue operates a sales-led and event-driven go-to-market, targeting three primary customer segments: convention and conference planners, sports event organizers, and entertainment promoters, with secondary segments in consumer shows and government/community organizations. Revenue mechanics combine facility rental (negotiated per event with multi-year contract potential), food and catering revenue shared through the Oak View Group partnership, parking fees, and box office/ticket commissions routed through Ticketmaster. Distribution is direct via in-house sales, RFP submission, and recurring partnerships with anchor organizers including Varsity Spirit (NCA/NDA through 2030), Sports Network International (JROTC events since 1985), and Gazelle Group (College Basketball Invitational since 2021).

Beyond facility rental, the Ocean Center functions as an economic engine for Volusia County, generating an estimated $2B in cumulative community economic impact and hosting over 3,500 events across 40 years. Operating integration spans the Oak View Group-managed food service (capable of preparing up to 40,000 meals for large events), the Ungerboeck-powered exhibitor booth management portal, the Volusia County CVB destination-marketing partnership, and the ECHO Gallery cultural program. Marketing leverages a content-rich website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, a media center with archived press releases, and Skynav virtual tours.

Name

Ocean Center

Legal name

Ocean Center

Website

https://oceancenter.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Ocean Center is a county-owned convention and event venue in Daytona Beach, Florida, offering over 205,000 square feet of exhibit, arena, meeting, and banquet space. It serves convention planners, sports event organizers, and entertainment promoters through direct sales, RFP-based bookings, and anchor partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Convention event venue
• Exhibition facility rental
• Arena concert hosting
• Sports tournament venue
• Meeting and banquet space

Headquarters

HQ city

Daytona Beach

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Rental: The primary revenue stream comes from renting the venue's spaces (exhibit hall, arena, meeting rooms, ballroom) to event organizers, conventions, sports tournaments, and entertainment promoters. Rental fees vary based on space, duration, and event type.
2. Food Service and Catering: Oak View Group (OVG) provides on-site food services including concessions, catering for events, box lunches, and banquet services. The venue receives a share of food service revenue through its partnership with OVG.
3. Parking: The venue operates adjacent parking lots accommodating 2,500 vehicles. Revenue is generated from parking fees for event attendees.
4. Box Office/Ticket Sales: For public entertainment events, the venue sells tickets through Ticketmaster and its box office, generating revenue from service fees and potentially ticket sales commissions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ocean Center is a convention, entertainment, and sports venue offering over 205,000 square feet of flexible event space comprising a 93,028 sq ft Exhibit Hall, a 42,146 sq ft Arena with 9,300-seat concert capacity, 32,000 sq ft of meeting rooms with 32 breakout spaces, and an 11,904 sq ft Banquet Hall. The facility hosts conventions, conferences, tradeshows, sports tournaments, concerts, and community events, with on-site catering provided by Oak View Group and exhibitor booth management via an Ungerboeck-powered online portal. The venue is owned and operated by Volusia County Government and serves event organizers across the Southeast United States.

Product overview

Ocean Center is a premier convention and event complex in Daytona Beach, Florida, offering over 205,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor space. The facility comprises multiple interconnected spaces: the 93,028 sq ft Exhibit Hall for large exhibitions and tradeshows, the 42,146 sq ft Arena for concerts and sporting events (up to 9,300 concert capacity), 32,000 sq ft of Meeting Rooms including 32 breakout rooms, and an 11,904 sq ft Banquet Hall. The venue also features the ECHO Gallery for local art exhibitions. Food services are provided by Oak View Group, and exhibitor booth management is handled through an Ungerboeck-powered online portal. The facility hosts conventions, conferences, sports competitions, live entertainment, and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exhibit Hall Rental 93,028 square foot exhibit space with 32-foot ceiling height, utilities every 30 feet, six loading docks with self-adjusting levelers, drive-in door 20' x 16', and capacity for 504 10'x10' booths. Rented to tradeshow organizers, convention exhibitors, and large exhibitions.
• Arena Rental 42,146 square foot multi-purpose arena with 45-foot ceiling height, concert seating for 9,300, drive-in door 13.5' x 14', two loading docks, portable staging, no columns, and capacity for up to 210 10'x10' booths. Rented to concert promoters, sports organizers, and entertainment tours.
• Meeting Room Rental 32,000 square feet of meeting space comprising 32 breakout rooms, an executive board room, and a VIP suite with easy-to-use sound and lighting controls. Rented to corporate meeting planners, training organizers, and conference breakout sessions.
• Banquet Hall Rental 11,904 square foot banquet hall with seating for 768, featuring movable walls and versatile configurations for banquets, galas, and dining events. Rented to event organizers hosting banquets and formal dining functions.
• Food Services by Oak View Group On-site catering services including concessions, box lunches, coffee service, elegant luncheons, gourmet banquets, and large-volume meal preparation (up to 40,000 meals with special dietary accommodations). Provided as part of the venue rental package to event organizers through Oak View Group partnership.
• ECHO Gallery On-site art gallery at the Ocean Center showcasing local photography and art exhibitions focused on environmental, cultural, historical, and outdoor recreation themes of Volusia County. Available as a cultural amenity for event attendees and visitors.
• Exhibitor Booth Management Portal Online portal powered by Ungerboeck that enables exhibitors to select booth options, services, and manage their exhibition setup for events hosted at the venue. Used by exhibitors participating in tradeshows and exhibitions at the Ocean Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 billion in economic impact generated for Volusia County since 1985
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Varsity SpiritcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Varsity Spirit, a leader in cheerleading and dance competitions, has extended its partnership with the Ocean Center to host the NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship through 2030. This decades-long partnership marks its 30th year at the venue. The 2025 championship welcomed over 470 collegiate teams and used 38 hotel partners, generating significant economic impact.
• Oak View Group (OVG)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOak View Group is the contracted food service company providing all catering operations at the Ocean Center. OVG offers creative flare and presentation for events ranging from box lunches and coffee service to elegant lunches and gourmet banquets. For large youth group events, OVG has mobilized chefs from across the county, preparing up to 40,000 meals for events with special dietary accommodations.
• Daytona Beach BandshellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host venue for the NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship. The competition is cohosted at the Ocean Center and the Daytona Beach Bandshell, with athletes celebrating wins on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Gazelle GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGazelle Group is the event organizer for the College Basketball Invitational and Sunshine Slam tournaments hosted at the Ocean Center. Has hosted College Basketball Invitational annually since 2021 and Sunshine Slam for three consecutive years.
• Sports Network InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports Network International of Ormond Beach, Florida has hosted the National JROTC Showcase Weekend at the Ocean Center for over four decades since the facility opened in 1985. This includes the National High School Drill Team Championships, Army JROTC National Drill Championship, and National JROTC Fitness Challenge Championships.
• Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe CVB partners with the Ocean Center for destination marketing, attracting meeting planners and event organizers to the Daytona Beach area. The CVB promotes the venue as part of the broader destination package including hotels, restaurants, and attractions, generating economic impact for the community.
• Tourism Development CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvisory group that makes recommendations to the Volusia County Council regarding use of tourist development tax revenues and effective operation of special projects. Meets regularly at the Ocean Center.
• ECHO Gallery Committee (Volusia County)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe ECHO Gallery Committee, part of Volusia County's Environmental, Cultural, Historical and Outdoor Recreation initiative, curates rotating art exhibitions in the Ocean Center's ECHO Gallery. Features works by local artists representing Volusia County's assets.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Orange County Convention Center: Florida's largest convention center (2.1M+ sq ft) in Orlando, directly competing with Ocean Center for state and regional convention business. Both venues target convention organizers, exhibitors, and event planners in the Florida market.
• CFG Bank Arena: Multi-purpose arena in Baltimore hosting sports tournaments, concerts, and family entertainment. Comparable to Ocean Center's arena segment for sports and entertainment promoter demand.
• Tampa Convention Center: Direct regional competitor in Tampa, FL offering waterfront event space, ballrooms, and exhibit halls for conventions, meetings, and consumer shows. Comparable size and Florida-driven demand profile.
• Charlotte Convention Center: Regional convention center in Charlotte, NC hosting conventions, tradeshows, and meetings with comparable infrastructure including exhibit halls and ballrooms. Direct competitor for Southeast US conventions.
• Savannah Convention Center: Comparable regional convention center in Savannah, GA offering exhibit halls, ballrooms, and meeting space for conventions and tradeshows. Similar size and mid-tier regional convention center positioning.
• Jacksonville Convention Center: Another major Florida city venue operated via the JAX Events brand, hosting conventions, meetings, sports events, and entertainment. Competes for the same pool of regional and state-level event organizers.
• Broward County Convention Center: Fort Lauderdale-based convention center competing with Ocean Center for Florida convention and tradeshow business, offering exhibit space and meeting rooms in a coastal destination setting.
• Amway Center: Orlando-based arena hosting NBA games, concerts, and family entertainment, comparable to Ocean Center's 9,300-seat arena for sports tournament and entertainment promoters in the Florida market.
• Duke Energy Center: Cincinnati convention center offering exhibit halls, ballrooms, and meeting rooms for conventions, meetings, and consumer shows. Direct comparable in size and regional convention center positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia World Congress Center: One of the largest convention centers in the US, located in downtown Atlanta. Serves as a broader incumbent in the Southeast US convention market, overlapping with Ocean Center on regional and national convention business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheOceanCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/TheOceanCenter

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Ocean Center