In its November 16, 2025 article, Event Marketer reports that convention centers across North America, are undertaking massive expansions: “From Louisville to Los Angeles, a wave of convention center expansions is reshaping the North American trade show and convention landscape, adding continuous space, modern amenities, outdoor terraces, and pedestrian-friendly districts to accommodate more flexible, more experiential events.”

Here at Steel City Displays, we believe this isn’t just a facilities story: it’s a moment of strategic opportunity for exhibitors. As builders of trade-show experiences aligned with our Power of WE ethos (collaboration, radical intentionality, craftsmanship, measurable ROI) we’re getting ready, and so should you.

1. Bigger Footprints + More Flexibility = Elevated Attendee Expectation

Event Marketer’s article notes expansions like LA’s new 190,000 sq ft of contiguous exhibit space and a 98,000-sq-ft rooftop ballroom. As venues open up physically, the spatial canvas changes, but so do what attendees expect.

For exhibitors this means:

• You will be operating in larger, more open spaces that invite higher-level engagement.

• Design and brand storytelling must scale up, not just in size, but in experience.

• Static displays won’t cut it; immersive, interactive experiences will be the differentiator.

2. Modern Venues Favor Experience-First Exhibits

The article highlights how centers are investing in walkable districts, outdoor plazas, and flexible meeting spaces (e.g., Austin’s redesign to over 620,000 sq ft, Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront expansion).  These amenities shift the event experience from “halls of booths” to “destinations of discovery.”

That means:

• Exhibitors must craft environments worthy of destination status within a trade show ecosystem.

• Digital integration, live activations, sensory design, and story arcs become must-haves.

• Logistics and fabrication must support rapid transitions, modularity, and multi-purpose usage.

3. More Space → More Events → More Audience, But Also More Competition

With venues like the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston expecting a 30% increase in events after expansion, according to the article. More events and venues means more opportunities and more exhibitors fighting for attention.

To win this new era, exhibitors should:

• Reassess their event portfolio: Which shows will matter most in the newly scaled venues?

• Consider investing in adaptable “shell + story” systems that can scale with larger footprints.

• Elevate pre- and post-show engagement to ensure value beyond the days on-site.

4. The Standard for Fabrication, Presentation, and Engagement Has Risen

As the built environments become first class, so must the exhibitor environments. The article’s examples reflect modern, sophisticated venues demanding premium levels of build, branding, technology, and labor.

That aligns with our experience at Steel City Displays, where we pair high-end fabrication with strategic intent. Exhibitors who treat their trade-show presence like a brand experience, not a temporary booth, will emerge ahead.

5. Timing Matters, now is the Moment to Plan

With many expansions targeting completion between 2025 and 2029, Event Marketer underscores this is not a distant future it’s happening now. For exhibitors, that means planning must begin today if they want to show up ready.

Concrete steps:

• If your booth is five years old or more, begin a refresh.

• Talk to your partners (fabricators, logistics, creative) about scalability, modularity, reusability.

• Budget for increased build/labor/shipping demands as venues enlarge.

• Sync your trade-show roadmap with these upgraded venues so you can be “first mover” rather than “late entrant.”

How Steel City Displays Helps You Meet This Moment

At Steel City Displays we live this new world every day. We help exhibitors to:

• Align booth strategy with the larger vision of modern venues.

• Translate your brand story into physical environments built for scale and flexibility.

• Fabricate with craftsmanship, precision, and an eye toward sustainability and reuse.

• Deploy a full-service offering: design, fabrication, logistics, installation, dismantle, storage.

In short: we help you thrive in the era Event Marketer describes not merely survive it.

The trade-show environment is shifting. Venues are upgrading. Audience expectations are rising. Exhibitors who underestimate what this means will pay the price. But exhibitors who embrace this as a strategic moment and invest accordingly will stand out.

If you’re ready to elevate your game for 2025–2026 and beyond, let’s talk. Because in the era of big venues and immersive environments, it’s the exhibitors who design with power, partnership and intentionality who win.

Let’s create something bold. Let’s build together.

Click here for the full Event Marketer article: In the Works: Convention Centers Are Expanding to Meet the Next Era of Events