Atlantic City Convention Center – Overview

Atlantic City is one of the most popular travel destinations not only in New Jersey, but the entire East Coast. So, it only makes sense that the city known as “The World’s Most Famous Playground” would be home to a world-class convention center. Since opening in 1997, the Atlantic City Convention Center has hosted everything from sporting events and trade shows to conferences, expos, and more.

Expect to have a great time during your upcoming visit to the Atlantic City Convention Center. In addition to being a fantastic facility, there’s plenty to do nearby once the event there has wrapped up for the day, including bargain hunting at Atlantic City’s only outlet mall, trying your luck in the casinos, or going for a stroll along the boardwalk. After seeing it for yourself, you’ll understand full well why the Atlantic City Convention Center has grown to become one of the most prominent convention centers in the Northeast.

Overview

486,600 contiguous square feet of exhibit space: With almost 500,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Atlantic City Convention Center is one of the largest convention centers on the East Coast. It occupies a nearly 31-acre site just a few blocks from the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk, putting attendees right near the heart of the action.
Five exhibit halls: The Atlantic City Convention Center features a total of five spacious exhibit halls. They are located on the second floor of the facility and range in size from 29,400 to 199,500 square feet. The rooms can be contracted individually, adjoined, or easily configured to meet an event planner’s specific needs. Hall A, at 29,400 square feet, is well-suited to accommodate functions requiring a ballroom or banquet hall-type setting.
45 meeting rooms: There’s meeting rooms aplenty at the Atlantic City Convention Center; 45, to be exact. The room dimensions range from 672 to 11,880 square feet, offering a total of 109,100 square feet of meeting space. Designed with convenience and versatility in mind, these meeting rooms feature amenities like soundproof panels and assisted listening systems, as well as voice, video, and data communications capabilities.
32,000 square feet of pre-function space: The Atlantic City Convention Center’s ample amount of pre-function space can be used for a variety of purposes, including registration, retail, and dining needs.
Expansive atrium lobby: First impressions are everything, which is why the Atlantic City Convention Center’s atrium lobby is one of the most impressive spaces in the entire facility. Eye-catching features include wave-inspired carpeting, a 90-foot-high skylight, and five flying fish sculptures suspended from the ceiling. These sculptures were created by artist Jonathan Borofsky. Another artist, Thomas Van Dyke, created the 27 cast stone sculptures inset into the atrium walls that depict local sea life, such as starfish, crabs, and seahorses.
1,400 indoor parking spaces: Finding a parking spot at the Atlantic City Convention Center is practically a non-issue thanks to the facility’s massive indoor parking garage. Parking at the convention center costs $15. If you’d like to try to find cheaper parking elsewhere, there are many other lots nearby as well.
Atlantic City Rail Terminal: Located within the Atlantic City Convention Center is the Atlantic City Rail Terminal. This bustling station is the easternmost stop on the Atlantic City Line that runs to and from Philadelphia.
Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel: Also part of the Atlantic City Convention Center campus is the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel. This 16-floor, 500-room Sheraton property is connected to the convention center via skybridge. Notable amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, a heated indoor pool, and Tun Tavern, an award-winning restaurant and brewery.

Tips

Take the train to the Atlantic City Convention Center if you can. With the Atlantic City Rail Terminal located right inside the convention center itself, taking the train in couldn’t be easier. The station is served by the Atlantic City Line, which makes stops at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, Pennsauken Transit Center, Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, Atco, Hammonton, Egg Harbor City, and Absecon.
If you’ll be traveling to the Atlantic City Convention Center by car, compare parking options ahead of time. Although a $15 parking fee isn’t as steep as some other convention centers, there are some cheaper alternatives available if you know where to look. One option is the parking lot of the Applebee’s located at The Walk, an open-air Tanger Outlet mall right next to the Atlantic City Convention Center. Parking at Applebee’s costs only $10 according to some folks who have done so in the past.
Bring a personal hotspot or portable charger if you plan to use your phone often while at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Like most other convention centers, the Wi-Fi at the ACCC can be a bit spotty, especially when everyone’s on their phones while there’s some downtime. Consider bringing along a personal hotspot or portable charger to avoid a spike in your data usage or having your phone’s battery drained as it searches for a Wi-Fi signal.
In need of a caffeinated pick-me-up? There’s a coffee shop located in the Atlantic City Rail Terminal. Whether you’ve got a big day ahead of your or need a jolt of energy to get you through the last few hours, a piping hot cup of joe is just what the doctor ordered. With a coffee shop located right in the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, weary attendees can get their caffeine fix without having to leave the convention center.
You can bring outside food into the Atlantic City Convention Center. Want to save money during your visit to the Atlantic City Convention Center? Try to avoid buying any of the overpriced concessions being sold at the event. Instead, bring snacks like granola bars, chips, and trail mix so you have something to munch on throughout the day.
Don’t pass up an opportunity to take a bathroom break. As some past eventgoers have pointed out, bathrooms can be hard to come by at the ACCC. So, if you see one, don’t let it pass you by. You might be kicking yourself later on if you do.
The Atlantic City Convention Center features an on-site UPS Store for all your printing, packing, and shipping needs. The UPS Store in the Atlantic City Convention Center can be found on the first floor of the facility. In addition to offering printing, packing, and shipping services, this UPS Store also rents motorized scooters and wheelchairs to those who need assistance getting around the convention center.

Trivia

Before there was the Atlantic City Convention Center, there was Boardwalk Hall. Atlantic City has been one of the East Coast’s most popular gathering places for well over a century, yet the ACCC only opened a couple decades ago in 1997. Where were events held before then, you ask? Boardwalk Hall, that’s where! Formerly known as the Atlantic City Convention Hall, this venue was built in 1929 and has hosted everything from Miss America pageants to the first indoor college football game. It is also home to a pipe organ that holds the record for world’s largest musical instrument. Composed of over 33,000 pipes, this organ is more powerful than a dozen orchestras combined. Following an extensive three-year renovation that began in 1998, Boardwalk Hall is still in use today, hosting concerts, sporting events, and more.
The Atlantic City Convention Center was built as the centerpiece of the Atlantic City Corridor Project that took place in the mid-1990s. In addition to the Atlantic City Convention Center, this multibillion-dollar effort led to the construction of The Walk, the Grand Boulevard, and the Sheraton hotel. Aesthetic improvements were made to the city’s entranceway as well, with new lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, benches, bus stops, and even a faux lighthouse that was subsequently torn down in 2006.
A statue of longtime Miss America emcee Bert Parks can be found in the Tea Garden outside the adjacent Sheraton hotel. This statue is a must-see for anyone who’s ever dreamed of being crowned Miss America. Place your head between Bert’s outstretched, crown-cradling hands and you’ll hear the famous lines “There she is…” as if he was singing it right to you. Yes, a recording really does play when you trigger the sensors in Bert’s palms. The statue is a 400-pound, life-size depiction of the man known as Mr. Miss America sculpted in bronze by artist Snell Johnson. It was unveiled in 1998 and has since posed for countless fun photo ops. The Sheraton is only about a five-minute walk from the Atlantic City Convention Center, so be sure to stop by and say hello while you’re in town.