Why Everyone From the NFL to the FBI Is Meeting in Cleveland

2022 is shaping up to be a banner year for Cleveland. The city started the year off with a slam dunk, welcoming the NBA All-Star Weekend in February. Since then, the FBI National Academy Associates brought its 58th national annual training conference to the city in August, followed by Content Marketing World’s four-day conference and expo in September. More major gatherings are on the horizon, including the NCAA Women’s Final Four and the Pan-American Masters Games in 2024. Below, a short list of what makes Cleveland a win for sporting events, conferences, and every kind of event in between.

Plenty of space. The LEED Gold-certified Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland spans 410,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 225,000 square feet of exhibit space, two ballrooms, and more than 40 breakout rooms. It’s also directly connected to the Hilton Cleveland Downtown and Cleveland Public Auditorium and Conference Center, which features a 10,000-seat, stadium-style auditorium.

Accommodations aplenty. Within a 15-minute walk of the Huntington Convention Center are 5,000 hotel rooms, including the attached 600-room Hilton Cleveland Downtown. In recent years, several hotels have opened within close range, and more are in the works, including a new W Hotel opening in 2023.

Easy to get to, easy to navigate. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), which is just 12 miles from downtown, is served by 115 daily flights to nearly 50 nonstop destinations. On arrival, visitors can take the RTA Red Line train directly to downtown for just $2.75. And since Cleveland is located within 500 miles of nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population, many attendees can also opt for an easy drive in as well.

A walkable downtown full of attractions. One of the biggest perks of meeting at the Huntington Convention Center in downtown is proximity to some of the destination’s biggest draws, including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Cleveland Browns), and lakefront parks as well as plenty of dining and entertainment in the nearby Warehouse District, the waterfront Flats District, and along bustling East 4th Street.

Then there’s the food. Cleveland’s history and diversity shines through in its culinary scene, which blends influences from the more than 100 ethnicities found throughout the city. Short on time? Hit up the West Side Market, a more than 100-year-old landmark in the Ohio City neighborhood where many of Cleveland’s famous and iconic flavors — from corned beef to pierogis — can be found under one roof.