My first time here, as I do not go to downtown unless I have to. I took my grandson to an animazement event and was totally overwhelmed. This venue is huge with multiple floors and many large rooms. There was plenty of staff around to answer questions about where we were trying to go. Parking is a pain, but we made it. read more

Came here for a conference and it was such a plus that it's connected to the Marriott indoors. So you just walk through the lobby and there's a walkway to the escalators and parking structure so you can walk to the convention center through just two escalators. Perfect since it was raining the whole time we were there. Wish the other convention centers back home were connected to a hotel like this. Food was pretty good for a convention center too but service was lacking. They kept clearing the buffets quickly and the one sit down service we had, they served people in an order that lacked rhyme or reason, never refilled water nor brought out the coffee despite the tables already having coffee cups and cream/sugar. read more

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Venue for the 2025 Lego Exhibition. Parking in a nearby garage $10. Easy access and plenty of vendors and crafty creators at the exhibition. I was able to snag a Wegos truck build for just $10. Get it? Wegos, Legos. Haha. Anyway, there were lots of creations to see and lots of Lego products to buy as well. I liked the historical Battle of the Bulge build and the Winnie the Pooh art, and it was interesting talking to the various creators about their builds (and their kids builds). Plenty of food options in the area plus a couple of refreshment trucks inside like roasted pecans and almonds. read more

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Beautiful connection center with plenty of space. The staff is top notch, some of the best I've ever seen at a conference center! They were friendly and helpful and on top of it. The food and beverages were always filled and they quickly cleaned up dishes. The facilities are clean and new, and plenty of restrooms! The food is top notch! Everyone kept saying how they've never seen so much food, if you served it at a restaurant, I'd never believe it was from a conference center. It's also easy to access from the Marriott. read more

I went here for a smaller event and it was really difficult to figure out where to go into the building. Once inside one of the unlocked doors, I was able to navigate to the area in which the event was taking place. I'm not sure who's in charge of signage (the event, or the convention center), but knowing which door to go in would have been helpful instead of walking around the building. The inside was nice, large rooms, decent bathrooms, and the breakfast and coffee provided to attendees was great. I appreciated the friendliness and attentiveness of the staff. read more

I visited Raleigh Convention Center over the summer for Galaxycon. I used to frequent NYCC at the Javits Center in NYC and have a few issues with that location/crowding. When I saw this convention center, I thought it was perfect. I did happen to visit on the Sunday so I'm unsure how this convention center holds up on more crowded days for cons but for a Sunday, it was awesome. There's plenty of room for shops, meet and greets, and hanging out on the sides. Parking was super easy and reasonably priced for a con. I definitely preferred Galaxycon over NYCC simply based on ease of access and low crowds. I would definitely come back to this convention center again. read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Galaxycon - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh Convention was just the right size for our annual conference. Nice clean city hub with 2 hotels just across the street as well as some restaurants that are even vegan friendly. Event hosts were generally friendly and helpful. Depending on your conference, no outside is typically allowed. They do have snack stands for quick bites to eat and get drinks. Water filters to fill up your own water bottle is available. Restrooms are clean and located to each corner or side of the main ballroom. read more

Raleigh Convention Center - At the entry way of Salisbury street - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Not my favorite convention center. The floor plan layout is rather awful to be honest. I attended GalaxyCon here and it was incredibly hard to get around. However, it must be said that the rooms themselves are impressive. There's so much space; the right convention will make use of the space in an effective way, I'm sure. The ground floor and outside view is rather spectacular-but in a sea full of cosplay, it's very hard to not be overwhelmed at how little seating there is for such a large convention. Parking is available, but save yourself some money on the weekend and park in the garage across the street... it's free. Restrooms are located across the venue in all corners, and for the most part they are kept very clean. 3.5 stars rounded down, was not blown away like I hoped to be. read more

Nothing special. Parking is not easy and the stress level around the space isn't great! Been there multiple times and yet to have an easy experience. read more

Excellent event here and definitely had a nostalgic feel as me and my company played games and looked though all the cool things sold from clothes to tech! read more

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OH MY !!! Such a big space. Ballrooms and meeting rooms galore !! There is a parking garage in close proximity. We always try to find a space on the street first but honestly it's easier to just pull into the garage. Sometimes there are multiple events happening at the same time throughout the Convention Center. They seem to have signs pointing you in the right direction . We had an easy time finding where we needed to go for our event. Lots of restrooms scattered throughout this venue. They are spacious and kept very clean and well stocked . Raleigh has done a great job with its Convention Center. read more

This is a beautifully designed building that is fairly close to the museums in Raleigh and the area in Raleigh where you are now allowed to carry an open container of alcohol. I came here for an expo, I do wish they had put signs around as to where to go however if you followed the crowds you could find your way. It seemed that the expo I was going to was in a medium-size space in the basement there were escalators and stairs to get downstairs however I did not see elevators but I'm sure they're there. The bathrooms were all the way in the back. I felt like the expo I went to was a little overcrowded but that might be per the event. in the hallways there are very comfortable chairs and lots of space to move around. Overall it is a nice space with lots of potential. read more

Great experience at the 2022 Fortnite FNCS Invitational. Truly a wonderful event that was logistically flawless. read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Inside the Raleigh Convention Center at FNCS Invitational. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Huge convention center in Downtown Raleigh, near lots of parking and several hotels. There is a giant open floorspace that can be subdivided, plus several ballrooms and meeting rooms. There are often several events happening at the same time, so make sure you know what room(s) your event is in. Plenty of paid parking nearby, some with options to pay at a kiosk before you get to the toll gate. Overall, a good space for meetings and big events. read more

Let's be real for a sec. I went to Galaxy con today and holy crap. AMAZING!!! Animazement is May 2022 and I'm going so if u see me in the same costume stop by for a pic! read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Bakugou costume - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The Raleigh Convention Center is a convention and exhibition facility in downtown. 500,000square-foot facility includes a stunning granite lobby with dramatic windows. Well I had covered most places in raleigh and with out much nothing left was walking pass by and decided to check it. Luckily there are some rap auditions going on and glad I got to see some talent. Pros: ------- Great place for business meetings and events Good Ambiance Red Hat Amphitheater and the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts only steps away Clean restrooms Wells Fargo ATM available GoTriangle's Route 100 bus picks up and drops off at the airport from Downtown Raleigh's GoRaleigh Station every 30 minutes through 6:30 PM Parking decks close by read more

Just spent a few hours walking through the vendors and displays at the Convention Center, host of the Downtown Raleigh Home Show. Had a ball checking out the Tiny Houses set up. They are deceiving in how much livable space there is! A great way to scope out home improvement ideas, too. Convention Center is spacious, clean, fairly new and has a number of parking decks nearby for easy access. Looking forward to returning in a few weekends for the Wide Open Blue Grass Festival! read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Raleigh Convention Center hosting the Home Show. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We've only been here twice. (July 2017 and July 2018.) We attended SuperCon. (ComicCon.) We've had good experiences both times. There's plenty of parking close to the building, and when we went both times there were people in neon vests guiding cars to areas to park. That made things less stressful! This year they put up a tent like cover and had misting fans to keep everyone standing in line in the hot sun cool. They didn't have that last year. Both times we attended the SuperCon events it was well organized. Plenty of restrooms that are easy to find. The ONLY thing that I didn't like was in 2017 there were lots of large circular tables near the food serving area. This year there was less than five. People say on the floor making it hard to walk. read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Sir Raleigh is dressed up for SuperCon 2018. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Great burger! Very filling. We visit Raleigh frequently and will eat here again in the future

This review is solely on the actual building itself! I was lucky enough to (kind of) be a part of their private completion celebration. My dad works for the city and contributed to the construction of the Raleigh Convention Center. So once they were finished with building, they held a little party in some upstairs room. It was so groundbreaking and amazing when it was first completed years ago; it was one of the sharpest looking buildings and had that cool shimmering tree on the one side...there was nothing like it downtown! The space is very large and has been home to so many events since it's opening, like graduations, trade shows, conferences, etc. I don't have any specifics on the building, but in my opinion, it was a much-needed addition to downtown Raleigh before the city even knew how much it needed it. read more

So randomly I attended a huge Christmas party at this convention center. Yep a party so big it was at a convention center and it took up multiple areas of the building too. It's very open and spacious with lots of interesting spaces that I imagine give them a lot of flexibility. The food was good and had a nice variety but some stuff was a bit weak, like the watery hot chocolate. The bartenders were all hustling though. Signage was a bit confusing but the staff were all nice. Parking was next door at a parking garage. read more

The new Convention Center. I will say that if you come for a conference or convention (I've been to Internet Summit here for two years now), that you're probably screwed for about $7 for parking since you have to get there in the morning. If you arrive in the afternoon though, you can probably park for free depending on where you park. I'd suggest going to the lots for ... I believe it's the Performing Arts garage or something like that. It's right across from the Convention center. The facilities at the convention center itself are very nice and posh. I'm sure that the catering isn't cheap either, but at least it's decent. WIthin walking distance to a multitude of great restaurants (I don't have to tell you to whip out Yelp here, do I?) and two adjacent hotels. Sheraton and Marriott. It's a pretty neat architectural design and definitely one of the cooler places to do a conference if you can afford the rent. read more

Personally, I have enjoyed attending events at the Raleigh Convention Center... The spaces are modern and comfortable to be in, and very spacious. Also, the rest rooms are always clean and very well kept. Oh, and I've had catering there a number of times too, I'm not going to review that because it's subjective to your budget and order. However, they have probably one of the best big chocolate chip cookies I have had! read more

I have been to the Convention Center a few times now for events such as the Boat Show, Raleigh Home Show and the Junior League of Raleigh's Shopping Spree. It is a spacious venue and I have enjoyed every event that I have attended! Parking can be an issue, especially if you do not want to pay. If you get downtown early enough finding parking within walking distance is typically easy to find. Plus, the Cree shimmer wall is the ish! read more

This convention center is really nice compared to the last one that Raleigh had. Raleigh had indeed stepped up their game. They host graduations, conventions, trade shows and more here. The decor is very nicely done. And if you stay at the hotel across the street, you will notice that the two buildings are connected via a tunnel. They also built an amphitheater right outside the convention center. read more

Nice facility as far as convention centers go, although a bit on the small side. There were two things that I didn't like though. The underground parking garage is a tight squeeze to navigate and is quite dark IMO. Better lighting would have made me feel safer, as well as better signage to make my way into the facility. Also, the chairs in the meeting rooms seem to all be equipped with whoopie cushions. I kid you not! It was hilarious as each person came into the room and sat in their "musical" chairs!! I'd give it 4 stars for the outside appearance, but between the garage and the chairs, had to drop it down a bit. read more

Meh. I guess one of the signs of Raleigh's "coming of age" is the appearance of one of these large bland buildings. The "art" on the outside is utterly forgettable, and it sadly doesn't get a lot better on the inside. The most prominent thing was the brass placard on the inside honoring the mayor of the city when this thing was built ... a lot of mutual self-adoration for a building that simulates the shapeless nothingness of similar buildings in other large cities. In terms of the actual facilities, the first thing one notices is the rather strange parking deck across the street; a deck that requires one to descend to the ground level, and cross a busy street before re-entering the convention center (going up many flights of stairs). Good design would have included some sort of "sky deck" going from the parking deck to the convention center ... but that might have cut into the brass placard budget. Inside, the building feels large and spacious, but not necessarily in a useful way. I spent a lot of time walking through huge hallways to get to the (surprisingly small) room where my event was being held. Bathrooms felt distant, as did any semblance of humanity in the decor. If I can help it, I won't be back. Bad job, Raleigh. read more

First time to Raleigh and I could not be more pleased with how great this town is! The convention center is honestly on of the best I have ever been to. The finishes are all very high quality along with easy to access and clean bathrooms. Had food here and it was some of the best "convention center" food I've ever had! The only thing that was funny were the chairs in the spaces when you sat down in them they all seemed to make "farty" noises!! read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Entrance - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The Convention Center is well maintained, relatively new (built in 2008) and huge. Split between 3 floors is a 150,000 sq. ft. Exhibit Hall, 32,617 sq. ft. Ballroom, 20 Meeting Rooms ranging from 701 sq. ft. - 5,538 sq. ft., and 4,100 sq. ft. street-level Mezzanine (fancy name for hallway). If you stay at the Marriott Hotel, there is a tunnel connecting the two buildings. It's like Wayne Enterprises and the Batcave. If you want to feel like Batman, then you should probably stay at the Marriott Hotel. lol Outside, on the west wall is the Shimmer Wall. It features an Oak Tree (Raleigh is known as The City of Oaks) lit up by LED lights. I am not sure if they light it up nightly, or during major events. I guess you can say this is Raleigh's take on the Bat Signal. In front of the convention center is an 11-foot statue of Sir Walter Raleigh. According to wiki he was an "English landed gentleman, writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy, and explorer." I guess he was the founder and sponsor of the Roanoke Colony which was in North Carolina. Supposedly it wasn't successful, the colonists disappeared, and I don't know how I trailed off into reading about John Smith and Pocahontas, but somehow the capital of North Carolina was named after him. I still don't understand his relevance to the city, but I am not from North Carolina, so oh well. Lol. Honestly, I think the Convention Center is better off having a statue of Batman instead of Sir Walter Raleigh. lol. jk. I have been to this Convention Center twice for the Rock n Roll Marathon Series Expo, and both times I enjoyed seeing Sir Walter Raleigh adorned with a guitar, racing bib and knee support. I saw other pictures of him in a Karate outfit, sash, jersey, tutu and so on. They do host a Comic-Con at this Convention Center, so hopefully one day someone will dress up Sir Walter Raleigh as NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA BATMAN!!! **FYI, most of the pictures posted below are not mine. I just wanted to show how awesome the Raleigh Convention Center is, and Sir Walter Raleigh's amazing outfits. ;) read more

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Perfect venue for the international Bluegrass Festival! Plenty of parking, lots of free music, exhibit hall open to the public Fri& Sat, Separate fee for Red Hall and different venues around town. People from all over US and overseas. See up and comers along with bluegrass icons like Ricky Skaggs! read more

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Rock on, Raleigh Convention Center. I hate your parking deck, but I like you. Have had the opportunity to spend time downstairs in the large tradeshow rooms -- a little warehousy, but not bad, including acoustics -- and in the ballrooms. The latter are pretty posh for a city convention center, with artistic lighting and ceiling sound absorbers. Had a catered meal there just last night and was impressed with both the food and the service. Stephanie, our table attendant, was really friendly, and kept the water glasses full and the plates bussed. The folks carrying wine bottles may have been a little less frequent to visit. But the event was really terrific, in no small part because of top-notch, efficient service. Oh, and the shimmer wall is bee-ay-en-ay-en-ay-ess! read more

I've been to the Raleigh Convention Center for a few different events, most recently the Raleigh Home Show. RCC was a great new addition to the downtown area a few years ago, and is a much needed upgrade from the civic center. There is nothing special about this one compared to other convention centers but it gets the job done and is a building that Raleigh can be proud of. The shimmer wall on the outside of the building, is indeed a beauty! My issue- parking!!!! What's up with the parking sitch? You need a freaking map for that parking deck!!! read more

I don't really have anything to say about this convention center b/c I think it's just like any other convention centers I've been to through-out the country. I am giving this place 5 stars because of the janitorial staff. At the internet summit last week, I left my phone in the bathroom. I had realized that my phone was missing after a good 20 minutes; the phone wasn't in the bathroom anymore. As any panicked person living in the 21st century, I felt as if someone stole my brain. I had no idea where and who I was anymore. (not exaggerating)! I went to the security man by the front door and told him that I left my phone in the bathroom. He smiled and was like..OH REALLAY? A PHONE EHHH??? and whipped out my better half. He informed me that all janitorial staff is required to submit everything they find. MAN they are awesome. For that, they deserve 5 stars for having such a responsible and trustworthy staff. read more

I've come to appreciate the Raleigh Convention Center, since it's helped pave the way for a lot of the growth in the city. The building opened in 2008, about 2 1/2 years after the old convention center was torn down. The Marriott on Fayetteville Street was built adjacent to accommodate visitors. In front of the convention center is an 11-foot statue of Sir Walter Raleigh, which is seemingly decorated for every major event. On the back wall is the shimmer wall, an LED-lit art installation of an oak tree. Inside, the convention center is just about as large as every other one I've visited across the country. I'm glad that the City of Raleigh didn't skimp out and build a small one. This took some foresight, since it was broke ground in 2006, back when Raleigh was a much different looking city. I've been to the convention center for many events, some small that used just one meeting room, and some bigger ones that used the main ballroom. I've only had the convention center's food once at a catered breakfast, and it was actually pretty good. read more

This was my first visit to the convention center for something other than a car show open to the general public. It was a nice experience. The function rooms were nicely laid out and the acoustics were great. I have to say that it was a bit of a confusing walk from the parking garage to the convention center. Thankfully, the event I was attending had folks stationed around to assist. read more

For a mid-sized convention center, the one in Raleigh is bright, clean, and well-run. Convenient to downtown Raleigh, the only minor issue is parking, but if you are staying at the Marriott then you can valet your car and get free in-and-out privileges for mere $18 a day. ($12 is the self-park daily rate, but if you need to drive anywhere, you're better off with the valet.) read more

Spacious, clean, walkable from downtown hotels- not much more to ask for. Granted, I'm not here with a car (if you're coming from the airport, just ride the 100 bus for $2!!), so I haven't dealt with any parking issues like I've seen on other reviews. With several good restaurant choices within walking distance, it's hard to lose having a conference here. Well, it's only my first day. We'll see by the end of the week. read more

Came here for the first time for All Things Open 2015. This place is huge! It has a total of three floors. For those who hasn't been here yet, you can park in the Performing Arts Parking Deck off of W Lenoir St for $7 a day. Tip: If you're an early bird and arrive before 7:00 AM you can park for free. Inside the convention center there are two ballrooms on the topmost floor. One of them was used for our keynote speakers. There are many smaller rooms on the ground floor for individual tech talks/sessions. I like how there is an underground walkway that takes you to the nearby Marriott which has a Starbucks inside. Throughout the place, they've set up these water machines so you can refill a cup or water bottle with purified water. I believe they provide both hot and cold water. Overall, I'm very impressed by this convention center. read more

I spend a lot of time in the Raleigh Convention Center...Between work and leisure i've been on every level of the center and even behind the scenes. All in all this is a great venue. Perfect for small intimate ceremonies (we've been to a lot of awards breakfasts here) and massive conventions! The service has always been quick and friendly, and the management is amazingly efficient. I don't know how they keep up with so many simultaneous events! If I had one small nitpick it would probably be that Centerplate (who I believe still does their food) isn't my favorite. They food is never terrible, but it's not particularly inspired either. It always seems to come out lukewarm at best as well...I've had breakfast, lunch and dinner here and nothing really stands out. Food aside I really love the convention center! It's a beautiful space with tons of nearby parking options (many free on nights and weekends if you're willing to walk a block or two). I'm sure i'll be back here time and time again! read more

As far as convention centers go I have no major complaints. The parking deck across the street is kinda convoluted to say the least (an airbridge or tunnel to the RCC would have been nice). It's convenient to nearby restaurants and personally I like the up and downstairs layout. The Shimmer Wall? well, OK. It's different anyway. All in all, a city has to have a convention center and we've got ours. read more

Raleigh Convention Center - Bluegrass - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina