Congratulations on being named to EXHIBITOR Magazine's Fifth Annual Centers of Excellence list, which honors North America's best convention centers for trade shows and corporate events. We received nearly 50 applications throughout the competition, but only the 25 highest-scoring venues qualified based on their scores in five primary categories of criteria: Facility & Functionality, Location & Accommodations, Service & Execution, Upgrades & Expansions, and Awards & Industry Participation.

We kindly ask that you hold off on publicly sharing the good news until the official press release goes out and the online web portal goes live on October 20. In the meantime, members of our editorial team will be reaching out to verify details and fact-check any content that will be included in the online Centers of Excellence web portal.

To capitalize on this honor, EXHIBITOR is offering the following opportunities to help you promote your facility's inclusion on this prestigious list, which we hope will serve not just as a well-deserved honor, but also a resource for exhibit and event professionals as they seek out venues for future trade shows and events. For more details on any of the information below, please contact your sales rep or email adinfo@exhibitorgroup.com or CentersofExcellence@exhibitorgroup.com.

Logo Bug: Add the 2024 Centers of Excellence bug to your website, print ads, and marketing materials. Available exclusively to convention centers named among North America's top 25 venues for trade shows and events, this little logo is the trade show world's equivalent of the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. You can download this image here.

Press Release: After EXHIBITOR has issued its official press release announcing this year's Centers of Excellence list (which will occur on October 20), you are allowed (and encouraged) to issue your own release to media, clients, and prospects. Should you choose to do this, be sure to send it to us at news@exhibitorgroup.com so that we can post it to our online news section at www.ExhibitorOnline.com/News. And, in November/December, we will send two additional press releases announcing the finalists and winners of the competition's special awards (Best Convention Center in four size-based categories, as well as Best Customer Service & On-Site Support). Those press releases will go live to coincide with the Centers of Excellence Supplement (explained below).

Centers of Excellence Plaque: Commemorate your placement among North America's top 25 convention centers for trade shows and events - and let the world know how awesome you really are - by hanging our custom Centers of Excellence plaque in your facility or office. The 14-by-14-inch awards feature your venue's name, management organization (optional), the official Centers of Excellence logo, the EXHIBITOR logo, and the Centers of Excellence tagline: North America's Top Convention Centers. Each award costs $375 (including domestic U.S. shipping) and can be ordered here. Orders must be placed by August 31 in order to guarantee availability.

Online Listing: As a member of the Centers of Excellence, your facility will be featured online at www.ExhibitorOnline.com beginning in October. Your listing will be automatically populated with information you submitted in your Centers of Excellence entry, including facility name, photo, location, URL, description (truncated to 150 words), year founded, management organization, total exhibit-hall square footage, number of meeting/breakout rooms, LEED Certification status, etc. (See last year's portal here.) Any venues with existing Find It - Marketplace listings will also receive a direct link from their listing in the Centers of Excellence to their listing on Find It - Marketplace. (Venues that do not yet have a Find It - Marketplace listing may purchase one. For more information, contact adinfo@exhibitormagazine.com.)

Social Media Campaign: Your venue will be recognized via a weekly social media campaign that will feature all 25 convention centers, both collectively and individually. This campaign will begin in October and continue well into 2024.

Centers of Excellence Supplement: All Centers of Excellence venues will be featured in a special supplement within the October/November 2023 issue of EXHIBITOR magazine. This complimentary listing will include your facility's name, photo, location, URL, year founded, management organization, total exhibit-hall square footage, number of meeting/breakout rooms, LEED Certification status, etc. You may also choose to enhance your listing by selecting either of the following options (limited quantities of each are available, and they may be reserved on a first come, first served basis). For questions, or to reserve your One- or Two-Page Enhanced Listing, contact your sales rep or email adinfo@exhibitorgroup.com.

• One-Page Enhanced Listing: This includes your venue's description (up to 150 words) and one photo, along with the facility's location, year founded, contact information (name, phone, URL, email), venue size, number of meeting rooms, total exhibit square footage, three largest event spaces, and a half-page advertisement. All enhanced listings include a complimentary Find It - Marketplace listing, valued at $1,500. (Limited Availability) Price: $4,000. Deadline: August 18 (artwork due August 31)
  
  
• Two-Page Enhanced Listing: This includes your venue's description (up to 150 words) and three photos, along with three unique selling points/key differentiators (up to 60 words each), your facility's location, contact information (name, phone, URL, email), year founded, venue size, number of meeting rooms, total exhibit square footage, three largest event spaces, recent honors/awards (space permitting), and a full-page advertisement. All enhanced listings include a complimentary Find It - Marketplace listing, valued at $1,500. (Limited Availability) Price: $5,000. Deadline: August 18 (artwork due August 31)
  
  
• BONUS! Each enhanced listing includes a free online EXHIBITORXchange (November 2023 - October 2024) when reserving by August 18, 2023. A $3,995 VALUE!
  
  

For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact your sales rep or email adinfo@exhibitorgroup.com or CentersofExcellence@exhibitorgroup.com.

Thank you and congratulations!

Emily Olson
Managing Editor, Digital
EXHIBITOR Magazine
eolson@exhibitorgroup.com
www.ExhibitorOnline.com