The Century Center Convention Center, designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, broke construction in 1974 and opened in 1977, has been managed by SMG since July, 2013. The center, built on the banks of the West Race canal, overlooks the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend, Indiana, United States. It features over 75,000 sq ft (7,000 m2). of convention space and is home to Island Park, an 11-acre (45,000 m2) riverfront park attached to the convention center via a cross walk over the West Race canal.
Century Center includes a 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) Convention Hall that can be split into two smaller halls. This level also offers a 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m2) Discovery Ballroom that can be separated into two equal halls.
Century Center Convention Center's 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2) Great Hall is includes a 30 ft (9.1 m) glass wall which overlooks the St. Joseph River. Eighteen meeting rooms, with over 35 combinations, complement the overall space. A pre-function area is located on the lower level adjacent to the Great Hall. A two-story high glass wall encompasses the Great Hall, with a view of the St. Joseph River.
The Century Center Convention Center provides access via an enclosed, climate-controlled skywalk to a 300-room DoubleTree hotel. It houses the South Bend Museum of Art and is connected by a tunnel to the former College Football Hall of Fame.
Features
75,000 square feet of function space, including:
- Great Hall- 16,600 sq/ft
- 36,500 sq/ft of column free convention halls
- Eighteen suites- 17,600sq/ft
- Bendix Theatre- 694 fixed seats
- Recital Hall- 166 fixed seats
- Pre-Function and Registration area
- Wired for high-speed WiFi Internet access
- Media services
- In-house food and beverage, including kosher preparation area
- 350 space parking lot adjacent to Century Center
- Loading docks with two bays; overhead doors with the ability to drive indoors into Convention Halls
- Connected to a 300-room full service DoubleTree Hotel
- An additional 175 rooms located within two blocks of Century Center
- Over 4,000 hotel rooms within the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka
- On average, 650 events per year
- Over 250,000 visitors per year
Events
The Century Center Convention Center hosts events throughout the year, from consumer shows to conventions to corporate meetings to weddings. Some of the more notable open-to-public annual events include:
- Michiana Home Show
- Michiana Boat and Outdoor Show
- Valley RV & Camping Show
The Century Center also hosts various events on a semi-regular basis, including the Heartland Travel Showcase next scheduled at the Center in March 2024.
References
- "Century Center". Service Management Group. Retrieved 2 July 2015.