REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
Grand River Center named one of North America's Top 25 convention centers again
LOCAL NEWS WIRE • October 30, 2026
EXHIBITOR Magazine's 2027 Centers of Excellence list puts the Dubuque venue in the Top 25 for the second straight year; it is also a finalist to defend its Best Convention Center title.
KEY FACTS & RECORD HIGHLIGHTS
- EXHIBITOR Magazine named the Grand River Center one of North America's Top 25 convention centers in its 2027 Centers of Excellence Awards, announced Oct. 28, 2026; second straight year on the list.
- The center is one of three finalists for Best Convention Center (less than 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space); it won the title last year.
- Winners will be announced at IAEE's Expo! Expo! in Milwaukee, Nov. 16-18, 2026.
- The Grand River Center at 500 Bell St. is operated by the Oak View Group; the 86,000-square-foot facility opened in November 2003 as the final phase of Dubuque's America's River Project.
REAL DUBUQUE NEWS (RDN)
The Grand River Center has again been named one of North America's Top 25 convention centers. EXHIBITOR Magazine announced its 2027 Centers of Excellence winners on Oct. 28, and the Dubuque venue made the list of 25 for the second straight year.
The center is also one of three finalists for Best Convention Center in the under-100,000-square-feet of exhibit space category, a title it won last year. Winners will be announced from the show floor at IAEE's Expo! Expo! in Milwaukee, Nov. 16 to 18.
The Oak View Group, which operates the Grand River Center at 500 Bell St., said the recognition reflects the venue's facility functionality, event service, location, upgrades and sustainability work. The three-story center on the Mississippi River opened in November 2003 as the final phase of Dubuque's America's River Project.
Note: no verifiable photo of the Grand River Center building was available at publish time. The standing photo set, Wikimedia Commons and the venue's own site turned up no usable building photo, so this story ships with the template card.