Business historically has ebbed a bit for meetings, conventions and events in Phoenix in the summer months. This summer, however, the Phoenix Convention Center had its busiest summer on record with more events hosted than in previous years.
With 41 events between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year and more than 215,000 estimated attendees, leadership at the Phoenix Convention Center says the record-breaking summer is a sign of good things to come.
“Business never stopped in our summers, we have plenty of meetings and events each summer,” said Director Jerry Harper. “But this year, we didn’t slow down at all compared to our typically jam-packed spring and fall seasons. I think it shows that while Phoenix heats up in the summer, we can still host successful events.”
The venue’s vertical floor plan allows attendees to move between the North and West buildings without ever having to go outside, using our Sky Bridge to connect the two buildings. That feature, Harper said, is a big selling point to clients.
“People who visit us, especially in the summer, are grateful for our floor plan which is unique,” Harper said. “The stacked nature of it sets us apart from our competition. We are able to host huge conventions, utilizing our two largest buildings, and a visitor never has to step outside to get from one meeting room to another.”
Compared to the summer of 2024, the Phoenix Convention Center hosted six more events this year. Summer attendance numbers are always bolstered by Phoenix Fan Fusion, which ushers in tens of thousands of guests each year. This year, more than 130,000 people attended that event.
Additionally, the Convention Center hosted the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity 87th Grand Chapter Meeting in July, where more than 8,000 people attended the week of activities. In June, we saw another large event in the annual Volleyball Festival, which draws in thousands of families.
“We are glad to have seen a boost in business this summer,” Harper said. “The team here has worked hard to keep the facility cool and clean, all the while transitioning to back-to-back events. We look forward to welcoming all of our events this fall, including SEMICON West, which will take place outside of San Francisco for the first time in twenty years. We know our summer momentum will continue through the rest of the year!”