(ONTARIO, California, October 7, 2024) – The Ontario Convention Center has received a prestigious Stella Award for outstanding achievement in quality service and innovation for meeting and event professionals.
The Convention Center received a Silver Award as one of the best meeting venues in the West. The judges described it as “a beautiful contemporary venue with more than 225,000 square feet of flexible column-free exhibit, meeting and function space. Located just 2 miles from Ontario International Airport and 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, with access to a variety of hotel and dining options within walking distance, the center is frequently used as a location for movies, while exhibits of all kinds take place in a 70,000-square-foot column-free hall with a 28-foot clearance.”
The Stella Awards are presented by Northstar Meeting Group and its brands, Meetings & Conventions and Successful Meetings, honoring excellence across key industry segments: hotels, convention and conference centers, airlines, cruise lines,
The award to Ontario comes just a week after the Convention Center was honored with a “Best Of” award from Meetings Today, a leading industry trade publication. The Best of Meetings Today Awards are given annually to the top meeting facilities and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in North America, as well as the top global DMOs.
“We are thrilled to receive this latest industry award, which is a testament to the hard work, creativity and dedication of our team. This recognition further motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation as we strive to showcase Greater Ontario as a premier destination for travelers worldwide,” said Michael Krouse, President and CEO of GOCAL.
The recognition comes as Greater Ontario’s hospitality industry plays critical role in the Inland Empire’s emergence as one of the most dynamic population and economic centers in the United States. Today, Greater Ontario’s Tourism Marketing District features 68 hotels and 6,749 hotel rooms, and is the hub of a growing regional hospitality scene that employs 186,000 workers in the Inland Empire.
According to a recently released annual report, Greater Ontario’s Tourism Marketing District booked more than 87,000 hotel nights during the year, exceeding its goal by 145%. Rental bookings and food and beverage sales at the Ontario Convention Center grew by 7% and 32%, respectively, over prior year and exceeded their goals by 129% and 104%.
Meanwhile, the economic impact of hospitality and tourism in Greater Ontario grew by nearly 14% during the past year.
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