Dayto, Ohio at a Glance
Location: Southwest Ohio
Access: Junction of Interstates 70 and 75; U.S. Highway 35; James M. Cox Dayton International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport; John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport
Hotel Rooms: 7,000 hotel rooms county-wide
Contact Info:
Destination Dayton
800-221-8235
destinationdayton.org
Dayton Convention Center
Built: 1973; $45 million renovation completed April 2025
Exhibit Space: 150,000 square feet total meeting space and 63,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space
Other Meeting Spaces: 17,800-square-foot Flex Hall, 9,500-square-foot Gem City Ballroom, 5,200-square-foot Junior Ballroom, 675-seat full-stage theater, outdoor terrace, 18 breakout rooms
Meeting Hotels
Marriott at the University of Dayton
Guest Rooms: 399, including 10 suites
Meeting Space: 15,415 square feet
Hotel Ardent, Hilton Tapestry Collection
Guest Rooms: 118 rooms
Meeting Space: 576 square feet
Hotel Ardent, Hilton Tapestry Collection
Guest Rooms: 287 rooms
Meeting Space: 12,896 square feet
Hilton Garden Inn
Guest Rooms: 94
Meeting Space: 1,499 square feet
Who’s Meeting in Dayton
National Aviation Hall of Fame
Attendees: 400
American Society of Composites
Attendees: 300
9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association
Attendees: 200
Federation Aeronatique International
Attendees: 250
In the 1800s, the river city of Dayton, Ohio, established itself as a leader in manufacturing and entrepreneurship. This proud city changed the world. Its short list of contributions includes the first practical airplane, the automobile self-starter, the pop-top/pull-tab can opener, the cash register, liquid-crystal display (LCD), the stepladder, the bar code and the first internationally acclaimed African American poet, Paul Lawrence Dunbar.
By the turn of the 20th century, Dayton had more patents than any other American city.
“In addition to being innovative, super friendly and welcoming, Dayton is the city of the unexpected,” said Jacqueline Powell, president and CEO of Destination Dayton.
Dayton is full of surprises.
Destination Highlights
Though a 60-foot-high historic marker now identifies the spot where Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first historic air flight in 1903 on a North Carolina beach, the brothers were Daytonians. The city is rife with reminders of its proud aviation history.
“Dayton is the birthplace of aviation,” Powell said. “Our city taught the world to fly.”
Along the Dayton Aviation Trail lie such wonders as the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Wright Brothers National Museum, the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park and the renowned Dayton Air Show.
Visitors can even take flight in a modern replica of the Wrights’ B Flyer.
Dayton’s Oregon Historic District, the city’s oldest neighborhood, is home to art galleries, pubs, eclectic boutiques, exuberant nightlife and superb cuisine. Examples of city architecture from 1820–1915 line the brick streets of the 12-square-block area.
A thriving arts scene features organizations such as the Dayton Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Opera, and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Seasonal weekend outdoor concerts are free at the Levitt Pavillion.
“Part of our appeal to planners is how economical a meeting here can be,” said Powell. “We have lots of big city amenities that aren’t nearly as pricey as those in larger markets.”
Distinctive Venues
The oldest and largest of its kind in the country, the National Museum of the United States Air Force boasts 360-plus aircraft and missiles amid detailed American war history. A popular destination for military reunions, the museum has 10 event spaces that include an auditorium seating 490. Groups of up to 300 can enjoy “Dinner Under the Wings” in its aircraft-filled Presidential Gallery.
Dayton’s rich roots come alive at Carillon Historical Park, a 65-acre, open-air museum that covers “Gem City” history from 1796 to the present. The original 1905 Wright Flyer III, dedicated to Dayton by Orville Wright, is here, as is a replica of the brothers’ cycle company. A 151-foot-high carillon with 57 bells crowns the attraction.
Numerous historic buildings and exhibits supply chunks of Dayton’s past. Guests can enjoy Victorian teas and authentic hearth-cooked dinners. Carillon’s large ballroom accommodates more than 500 attendees.
A great way to see this extensive park is on a narrated tour around the property aboard an 1851 Locomotive replica that carries 120 riders.
Inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture, the grand Dayton Art Institute is recognized as having one of the finest collections in the Midwest, with 27,000 pieces that span 5,000 years of art history. Its distinctive meeting spaces include two cloisters.
“We can host your meeting here remotely with state-of-the-art tech in a 100-year-old building with a Monet down the hall,” said Mike Rice, director of external affairs. “We’re an unexpected intersection of cutting technology and classic beauty.”
Major Meeting Spaces
“The city’s big meetings news is a $45 million renovation of the ASM Global-managed Dayton Convention Center (DCC) that’s due for completion in April 2025,” said Powell. “The project is transformative for our city, as it adds modern spaces with abundant natural light and outdoor options.”
Nearly every square inch of the center — at 150,000 square feet, it’s the community’s largest event venue — has undergone structural, mechanical and cosmetic updates. Additions include a VIP lounge with wall-to-wall windows that overlook the exhibit hall, a 17,800-square-foot “flex hall” and an outdoor terrace.
In conjunction with the center’s remodel, several new hotels are opening downtown.
Replacing a Crowne Plaza property, the Dayton Vitality Hotel opens April 15. Its Orville Room has a theater setup for 74 with gorgeous city views. The property connects to the DCC by a newly refreshed skywalk, a convenient extension for large groups or breakout sessions.
Part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, the boutique 118-room Hotel Ardent Dayton Downtown, completed in February, is two blocks from DCC and is in the Theater District. Its Bistecca Italian Steakhouse offers handmade pastas, wood-fired grill selections and signature cocktails.
A new Hilton Garden Inn is in the beautiful Atrium of Dayton’s revitalized, historic circa 1903 Arcade, one of the nation’s earliest indoor shopping centers, now home to businesses, entertainment, restaurants and meeting spaces. The hotel’s restaurant and bar overlook the Plaza at Courthouse Square. The Schuster Performing Arts Center, with gathering spots for 20 to 2,000, is nearby.
After the Meeting
One of the country’s largest collections of Packard cars and artifacts is in the America’s Packard Museum housed at the former Citizens Motor Car Company. Located downtown in the heart of Dayton, this fun venue allows event guests to explore the collection and exhibits. The property, which was built in 1917, has an Art Deco Showroom for groups of up to 150 seated. Its Packard Pavillion seats 250.
When fresh air calls, Dayton answers with recreational options galore, many of which can serve as teambuilding possibilities. A few of those are kayaking, cycling, fly fishing, rock climbing, golf and disc golf. The Great Miami Riverway bike trail stretches for 99 miles. With 340 miles of paved, multi-use trails, Ohio’s Miami Valley region leads the nation.
Attendees who would rather sip a beer, eat a red hot and watch sports live can catch an outdoor game of the Dayton Dragons, a minor league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
