Convention center guide

Exhibiting in Dallas: Convention Center Guide

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, its big rebuild and the hotels around it: what to know about exhibiting in Dallas.

By Michael Flavin Last updated October 12, 2026

Please note: Venue rules, rates, labor requirements, and deadlines change often and vary by show. Always confirm details in your show's exhibitor manual and with the show's general contractor before you plan or budget.

Cvent ranked Dallas the No. 5 meetings and events destination in North America for 2026, and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) is right downtown. Right now the big story is construction. The city is rebuilding and expanding the convention center, so what you remember from your last Dallas show may not be what you get this time. Here's what I'd want to know before I booked travel or shipped a booth to Dallas.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas

The KBHCCD is owned by the City of Dallas and managed by Oak View Group. According to its website, it has:

529,250 square feet of exhibit space (304,250 traditional contiguous, plus 225,000 adaptable multi-use)
46,216 square feet of ballroom space
53,269 square feet of meeting room space
The Omni Dallas Hotel, connected by skybridge
A DART light rail station (Convention Center Station) built right under the west wing

Construction note: The KBHCCD says its expansion is set to debut in 2030 (master plan). In the meantime, the Event Resource Guide says Halls D, E and F and Ballrooms A and D are going out of service as those buildings go under construction. Before you plan your booth or your hotel, confirm which halls your show is actually using.

Other Dallas-area venues I'd keep on your radar

Omni Dallas Hotel. It's connected to the convention center by skybridge (KBHCCD), so it's the easiest hotel for exhibitors who want to walk to the booth.
Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Between downtown and DFW Airport. Its column-free exhibit hall is 48,576 sq ft and fits up to 288 8x10 booths, which works well for smaller regional shows (Irving Convention Center).

Local labor rules and EACs

Who does what. From the KBHCCD's Event Resource Guide: "Texas is a Right-to-Work State and as such, no labor unions are associated with KBHCCD." No KBHCCD employees are union, but some of its partners and contractors may use union labor. A few things are exclusive here no matter what. Rigging (chain hoists, truss, lifts and rigging labor) goes through the building's exclusive provider, Freeman Audio Visual, and electrical has to be done by the utility provider your show picked. The exhibitor FAQ says you can't just plug into existing outlets.

What you can do yourself. The KBHCCD doesn't publish its own list of what exhibitors can set up themselves. That comes from your show and its general contractor, so check your show's exhibitor manual. If you have an island booth, the FAQ says to submit a floor plan showing where your utilities go at least 30 days before the first move-in day.

Using your own exhibit house (EAC). If you want your own exhibit house or installer to set up your booth instead of the show's general contractor, that's an Exhibitor Appointed Contractor, or EAC. Whether it's allowed, and how, is set by your show. Normally you file the show's EAC form with the general contractor or show management, and the EAC sends a certificate of insurance. Deadlines are often around 30 days before move-in, but go by the date in your exhibitor manual. Every service contractor working at the KBHCCD also needs ESCA and/or WIS-compliant badges to get into the building, so make sure your exhibit house has them.

Exhibitor need-to-knows

My exhibitor logistics 101 guide covers the basics that work the same in most buildings, like the advance warehouse, material handling, targeted move-in, hotel blocks and hiring local staff. Here's what's specific to Dallas.

These are the practical things I'd want to know before exhibiting in Dallas. Where I could check a venue- or city-specific detail against an official source, I've linked it. The rest is general advice that works in any convention city.

Advance warehouse or direct to show?

The KBHCCD won't accept or store freight or C.O.D. deliveries, including UPS and FedEx packages, at any time. Shipments during the event have to be addressed to your general contractor, show management or your company, with the event name and location. Because of construction, the KBHCCD says to check with your event manager for current dock details (KBHCCD Event Resource Guide).

Move-in and move-out

I couldn't find a KBHCCD-run marshaling yard in its guide, so truck staging is handled by your show's contractor. With halls going in and out of service during construction, double-check the dock and entrance in your manual right before you ship. Any cranes or large lift trucks have to be coordinated with the KBHCCD at least 45 days ahead.

Peak seasons and big annual shows

Dallas doesn't have one giant anchor show the way Las Vegas has CES. Instead it has a steady mix of trade, consumer and fan events, and with the construction, the calendar is shifting. Check the KBHCCD events calendar to see what else is in the building during your dates.

Hotel strategy

The Omni Dallas Hotel connects to the convention center by skybridge, so it's the easiest walk. Other downtown hotels are close, and DART light rail stops right under the building (see Getting there below). Uptown hotels are a short ride away.

Neighborhoods for client dinners

I'd look at Uptown, Deep Ellum, the Bishop Arts District and the downtown Arts District. Visit Dallas has a neighborhood guide.

Last-minute printing and supplies

The KBHCCD doesn't have its own business center. Its building amenities page points you to The UPS Store business center in the Omni Dallas Hotel next door. One more thing to know: the convention center is cashless.

Wi-Fi and internet

Smart City Networks is the exclusive provider of all internet, Wi-Fi and telecom at the KBHCCD. Free Wi-Fi covers common areas and meeting rooms, and the KBHCCD asks people to voluntarily turn off personal hotspots to cut down on interference with the building's Wi-Fi (KBHCCD Event Resource Guide). Smart City's KBHCCD exhibitor ordering guide (effective October 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026) lists basic Light Wired Internet at $895 by the advance deadline, $1,140 after that and $1,368 on site. Its dedicated services allow you to plug in your own router.

Food sampling and outside food

Sodexo Live! is the KBHCCD's exclusive food and beverage provider. Sampling is allowed once you've completed the required forms, and only for products your company manufactures, represents or processes. You'll need a temporary health permit from the City of Dallas Health Department before move-in, and possibly extra insurance (KBHCCD Event Resource Guide).

Weather and time of year

Dallas summers are hot. Spring brings severe thunderstorms and sometimes hail, which can delay flights at DFW and Love Field. Winters are usually mild, but the occasional ice storm can shut things down.

Sales tax on show services

In the City of Dallas, sales tax is 8.25%: Texas's 6.25% state rate, plus 1% for the city and 1% for DART (Texas Comptroller).

Getting there

DART light rail is the easy way. Convention Center Station sits right under the building, on the Red and Blue lines. If you're driving, the KBHCCD has its own parking garage at Memorial Drive and S. Griffin Street, plus Lot C at 502 S. Lamar Street. The exhibitor loading dock entrance is the Canton Gate at 1225 Canton St. (KBHCCD FAQ).

Dallas is a good show town, but with the construction going on, double-check everything: which halls, which docks and which entrance. For hotels and the rest of the city, Visit Dallas is the place to start.

Sources

All convention center guides

Get in touch

Planning a show here?

Tell me what you're exhibiting and when. I'm happy to share what I know.

Ask Michael