San Diego Convention Center – Overview

Home to the legendary San Diego Comic-Con since 1991, the San Diego Convention Center is one of the most well-known convention centers in the world. It’s also one of the most recognizable, with a roof featuring Teflon-coated fiberglass sails and an inclined elevator that ascends along the building’s exterior.

Located on the waterfront of Downtown San Diego’s Marina district, the San Diego Convention Center is a sight to behold even before you walk inside. Its interior is just as impressive however, with over 600,000 square feet of exhibit space, 72 meeting rooms, and two ballrooms, along with amenities like three Starbucks, a FedEx Office store, and free Wi-Fi. With a convention center as remarkable as this, it’s no wonder why San Diego consistently ranks as one of the country’s top meeting destinations.

 

Overview

  • 615,701 total square feet of exhibit space: Between the exhibit space offered on the Ground Level of the facility and within its iconic Sails Pavilion, the San Diego Convention Center features a total of 615,701 square feet of exhibit space. The Ground Level exhibit halls feature eight concession stands. Eight show manager offices overlook the halls.
  • 90,000-square-foot Sails Pavilion: Perhaps the San Diego Convention Center’s most unique feature is its Sails Pavilion. That’s because the roof of this 90,000-square-foot gathering space consists of sails made from fiberglass, in reference to the San Diego Convention Center’s immediate proximity to the San Diego shore. The iconic roof was replaced as part of a $16 million renovation that took place from December 2016 to late February 2018. Other updates included new concrete flooring and a programmable LED lighting system.
  • 72 meeting rooms: Not every gathering held at the San Diego Convention Center is as big a deal as Comic-Con. For smaller get-togethers, the San Diego Convention Center is equipped with 72 meeting rooms, which provide the facility with an additional 204,114 square feet of useable space.
  • Two ballrooms: For moderately sized gatherings such as banquets and conferences, the San Diego Convention Center features two large ballrooms. Combined, these ballrooms offer 80,706 square feet of space.
  • 184,500 square feet of outdoor terrace levels: Being that the San Diego Convention Center is located in the sunny state of California, it only makes sense that the facility has over 180,000 square feet of outdoor terrace levels. These terraces feature beautiful foliage and plenty of places to sit and mingle with colleagues during downtime. Some even offer breathtaking views of San Diego Bay!
  • 283,494 square feet of pre-function space: Event planners will especially appreciate the San Diego Convention Center’s 283,494 square feet of pre-function space. The lobby alone spans 115,756 square feet, which makes registration a breeze, even during major events like Comic-Con.
  • Two parking facilities: In order to accommodate attendees who arrive by car, the San Diego Convention Center is equipped with two massive parking facilities. Together these facilities provide a whopping 3,950 parking spaces. One is a parking garage with 1,950 spaces, while the other is a 2,000-space structure located directly across the street from the convention center on the corner of Harbor and 8th Avenue.

 

Tips

  • Take advantage of the San Diego Convention Center’s many amenities. Free Wi-Fi, three Starbucks, and a FedEx Office store aren’t the only amenities attendees can look forward to enjoying at the San Diego Convention Center. The facility also features two ATMs, a nursing mother’s lounge with comfortable furniture, and seven FuelRod SwapBoxes where attendees can purchase, recharge, or exchange FuelRod portable chargers.
  • Pick up a copy of the San Diego Attendee Guide. San Diego is a city with a lot to offer. To make sure you don’t miss any of the good stuff, grab a copy of the San Diego Attendee Guide when you arrive. This 98-page booklet is your roadmap to all things San Diego, with plenty of information on things to do and sights to see. It’s also packed with plenty of coupons to help you stretch your travel budget further. Copies of the San Diego Attendee Guide can be found throughout the San Diego Convention Center and at 50 other locations around the city. If you’d prefer to familiarize yourself with the guide ahead of time, simply request a physical copy via email or view the digital version online.
  • Parking at the San Diego Convention Center can get pricey. We can’t say for sure how much parking will cost during your visit to the San Diego Convention Center. That’s because the rates can range anywhere from $15 to $35 a day depending on demand. To avoid having to shell out up to $35 before you even walk through the doors of the San Diego Convention Center, consider taking public transit or arriving early to try to find street parking.
  • Dress warm, but not too warm. Like most other convention centers, they keep things on the cooler side at the San Diego Convention Center. That way it doesn’t get uncomfortably hot when the crowds pour in. The weather in San Diego can get pretty toasty though, so bring an article of warm clothing that you can put on and take off as needed, such as a sweatshirt or light jacket.
  • Come prepared. Some essentials you might want to consider bringing with you to the San Diego Convention Center include a refillable water bottle, a portable charger, and of course, comfortable shoes. As you can probably imagine, you’ll be doing a lot of walking at the San Diego Convention Center. Bring sunscreen too in case any parts of the event you’re attending take place outdoors.

 

Trivia

  • The San Diego Convention Center has hosted over 5,000 events since opening in 1989. That’s an average of over 160 events a year! Aside from Comic-Con, another notable event that was held at the San Diego Convention Center is Neuroscience 2018. Organized by the Society for Neuroscience, Neuroscience is the world’s largest conference for scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. Wheel of Fortune also did live tapings at the San Diego Convention Center featuring local contestants in 1997, 2003, and 2007. The San Diego Convention Center has hosted major political events as well, such as the 1996 Republican National Convention and the 2007 California Democratic Party Convention.
  • The San Diego Convention Center’s Sails Pavilion originally featured an open-air design. While it still sported its signature sail-inspired roof, the Sails Pavilion didn’t have any walls back when it was first built along with the rest of the San Diego Convention Center in 1989. Glass walls were added in 2000 to make the pavilion more enticing to potential event planners while simultaneously increasing the San Diego Convention Center’s amount of useable space.
  • In 2017, the San Diego Convention Center earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. San Diego is one of the greenest cities in the country, so it only makes sense that it would be home to one of the greenest convention centers. The San Diego Convention Center’s ongoing efforts to become a more green facility were rewarded in 2017 when it received LEED Gold certification. LEED, which stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” is a certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. In order to be considered for LEED status, a building’s environmental footprint must be evaluated based on resource consumption, waste management practices, and overall operational efficiency. Some of the practices the San Diego Convention Center takes part in to reduce its environmental footprint include donating edible food to the San Diego Rescue Mission, composting non-edible food, and using drip irrigation to water the facility’s outdoor landscaping.