Nearly Half of 2026 Centers of Excellence for Convention Centers are ISSA GBAC STAR Accredited

Exhibitor Magazine announced its 2026 Centers of Excellence, recognizing 25 top convention centers in North America. Ten (40%) of the convention centers are ISSA Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accredited, a comprehensive program to establish and sustain a high-performance cleaning and maintenance program to maintain a hygienic indoor environment. Additionally, 14 (56%) are LEED certified, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s rating system used by the U.S. Green Building Council to measure a building’s sustainability and resource-efficiency. 

The 2026 Centers of Excellence winners were selected based on evaluations of facility and functionality, location and accommodations, service and execution, upgrades and innovations, sustainability, and highlights these facilities for their excellence in hosting trade shows and events.

The 25 venues that qualified for Exhibitor Magazine’s 2026 Centers of Excellence include:

• Albany Capital Center, Albany, New York—GBAC STAR accredited
• Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California—LEED certified 
• Baird Center, Milwaukee—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland—GBAC STAR accredited
• Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Colorado Convention Center, Denver—LEED certified
• Edmonton EXPO Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• Grand River Center, Dubuque, Iowa
• Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Greater Tacoma Convention Center, Tacoma, Washington
• Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Huntington Place, Detroit—LEED certified 
• Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Dallas
• Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky—LEED certified
• Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles—LEED certified
• McCormick Place, Chicago—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami—LEED certified
• Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kansas—GBAC STAR accredited
• Owensboro Convention Center, Owensboro, Kentucky
• Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, North Carolina—LEED certified
• Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, Tennessee
• San Diego Convention Center, San Diego
• Seattle Convention Center, Seattle—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified 
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.—GBAC STAR accredited and LEED certified

Special Awards Finalists
In addition to naming the world’s 25 best convention centers for trade shows and events, Exhibitor Magazine’s Centers of Excellence program will present five special awards. The finalists for those awards are listed below, and the winners will be announced at its expo, taking place in Houston in December. 

Best Convention Center (More than 1 million square feet of exhibit space)

• Anaheim Convention Center
• McCormick Place

Best Convention Center (500,000 to 1 million square feet of exhibit space)

• Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium
• Miami Beach Convention Center
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Best Convention Center (100,000 to 500,000 square feet of exhibit space)

• Edmonton EXPO Center
• Greater Columbus Convention Center
• Seattle Convention Center

Best Convention Center (Less than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space)

• Albany Capital Center
• Grand River Center
• Overland Park Convention Center

Best Customer Service and On-Site Support

• Anaheim Convention Center
• Edmonton EXPO Center