Expanded Anaheim Convention Center Attracts Multi-Year Event Bookings

August 16, 2018

Thanks to the flexibility and modern allure of the newly expanded Anaheim Convention Center, trade shows including the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and Natural Products Expo West have booked the facility for multiple years. 

Completed in September of last year, the ACC expansion provides an additional 200,000 square feet of meeting space allowing for an even greater variety of event uses at what is known as the West Coast’s largest convention center.

Having met in Anaheim for almost 40 years, NAMM will make ACC its home through 2023. The association’s 2018 show in the expanded space was the largest in its 117-year history with a record-setting 115,000 attendees – a 7 percent increase compared to the previous year. 

For its future winter shows, NAMM has secured peak January dates when attendees from across the nation are especially interested in meeting in Southern California to escape cold weather.

“Our members travel from 140 countries to attend NAMM and look forward to coming to Anaheim to advance global trade in the music and sound products industry, attend the NAMM U educational sessions and to network with friends and peers,” explained Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO.

He continued, Like NAMM, the convention center has grown over the years and we’ve expanded our activities to create a true ‘crossroads’ of the music industry. The Anaheim community has been a great partner and for me personally, having been attending NAMM since 1983, it feels like ‘coming home’ each January!”

The expanded facility also helped Anaheim’s meeting package fulfill the growing needs of Natural Products Expo West. Produced by Natural Hope Media, the 2018 edition of the show at the ACC helped enable a 5.8 percent increase in exhibitors and an 8.5 percent spike in attendance. 

As a result, the show has committed to meeting in Anaheim through 2022. 

“Natural Products Expo West is the gathering place for the rapidly growing natural products industry and a launching pad for industry innovation and trend-setting,” said Lacey Gautier, show director for Natural Products Expo. 

She continued, “The 2018 show was the most successful yet with our much-anticipated expansion into the Anaheim Convention Center’s North Halls and we’re looking forward to future years of continued growth in Anaheim. In addition to the expanded exhibit space, the Anaheim Campus provides many unique and spacious venues for our growing audience. With a robust education program and networking opportunities throughout the week, we are able to offer an enhanced forum for community engagement.”

ACC hosts an average of nearly one million attendees each year. Thanks to its recent expansion, the center officially joined the “1 million-square-foot-club,” becoming the 11thlargest convention center in the U.S.

 

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