Officials say the eight-figure investment — the largest in the convention center’s history — has changed everything about what was an outdated facility, from the exhibit halls to the ballrooms to the meeting rooms to the exterior and entrance. Community members are invited to come see the changes in person on Friday afternoon, during a public open house.
“If you haven’t been over there to take a look at the convention center, you really should, it’s something to see,” said Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw.
Thousands of people were on hand when the Dayton Convention Center officially opened on Jan. 13, 1973 at South Main and East Fifth streets.
Officials at the ribbon cutting said the center would be a magnet for downtown that attracts people from all over.
The Dayton Convention Center cost about $5.3 million to build; adjusted for inflation, it would cost about roughly around $40 million in today’s dollars.
Flash forward to present day, and the Dayton Convention Center has just completed $45 million in renovations, which kicked off in August of 2022.
The three-story facility has new furniture, lighting, artwork, escalators, digital signage, carpet, restrooms, mechanical systems, and the exhibit halls, ballrooms and meeting rooms have been upgraded with state-of-the-art technology.
A new terrace has been installed on the third floor that provides an outdoor gathering space and weather cover for people who are outside the entrance doors on the first floor. Out front on Fifth Street, there is new landscaping and artwork, and there’s a new digital sign on the northwest corner of the building that has 3D capabilities. The sign replaces a digital ribbon board that stopped working years ago.
This was a very big renovation project, and to celebrate its completion, the convention center is hosting a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by a community open house from 4 to 7 p.m.
Pam Plageman, executive director and CEO of the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority, said the venue was tired and had lots of maintenance issues before they made improvements.
“Before the renovation, it just needed love, it needed updates and care and deferred maintenance was real,” she said. “We were chasing leaks, and we had to replace the skywalk roof.”
She said the convention center will now be able to compete for more local, regional and national events. New bookings include the Ohio Economic Development Association’s 2026 Annual Summit.
This will be the first time the Summit will be held in Dayton, and about 500 economic development professionals from across the state are expected to attend, said Amanda Miller, marketing and engagement manager for the Ohio Economic Development Association.
“Choosing Dayton is a great opportunity to feature our strong partnerships with Dayton-area economic development leaders and highlight the city’s impressive revitalization efforts,” Miller said. “The modernized convention center, walkable downtown and ongoing investment in the region make Dayton an ideal host for our premier annual event.”
The Dayton Convention Center hosts Dayton’s roller derby league, car shows, talent competitions, cheer contests, RV shows, galas, banquets, bridal expos, concerts, a tattoo festival and winter and color guard championships.
On Saturday afternoon, Gem City Roller Derby will host a double-header home game in one of the convention center’s exhibit halls.
The female roller derby league, that’s based in Dayton, has about 80 skaters and other members, including skating officials. The flat-track matches attract sizable crowds.
Jessica “Slamwise Gamgee” Beans, president of the Gem City Roller Derby’s Board of Directors, said the floors in the exhibit hall have been redone and are now smooth and free of cracks.
“Our first home game in the new space was in May and the design refresh was noticed,” she said. “Our fans seemed to have a great time at our event and we packed out the main room bleachers. Other small things we noticed are the renovated bathrooms that we think is a much nicer experience for our fans.”
The convention center is in much better condition after the renovations, said Brent Flynn, marketing and communications manager for WGI Sport of the Arts, which has hosted part of its annual Color Guard World Championships at the facility for more than 20 years.
Credit: Adam Alonzo
Credit: Adam Alonzo
Flynn said lighting can be a critical part of a group’s performance, and the exhibit halls now have much better equipment.
“This significantly improved the quality of performances and the overall aesthetic of the venue,” he said. “We received positive feedback from nearly all of the groups that used the venue for their performances this year.”
Flynn said the only real downside of the convention center is that there hasn’t been a hotel right by it. He said this would significantly improve the experience for traveling groups from out of town.
The convention center is attached to the former Crowne Plaza hotel by a skywalk. The Crowne Plaza closed down in the fall of 2022, but a new Dayton Vitality Hotel recently opened in the building.
A new hotel is supposed to be built across the street from the convention center, on its eastern side. The project remains in development.
A new hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, recently opened in the Dayton Arcade, which is a couple of blocks north of the convention center. It’s possible another new hotel might come to that part of downtown.
Moving forward, the convention facilities authority will continue to invest in the facility, to keep up with maintenance needs, Plageman said. She said it’s possible the facility could be expanded upward or outward in the future, if bookings and sales grow, as expected.
Plageman also said the convention center plans to open a new ground floor establishment called Elevate cafe and bar that essentially will be a cafe by day and a bar at night.
Work on the space hopefully will begin in September and could be done by the second quarter of 2026, Plageman said. There will be an outdoor patio space, and the business will have street and indoor access.
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