Baird Center named a Best Convention Center by EXHIBITOR Magazine
EXHIBITOR Magazine recently announced Baird Center has been named the Best Convention Center in the 100,000 to 500,000 square feet category for 2025. This special recognition comes on the heels of Baird Center being honored as one of the 25 convention centers that received the magazine’s Centers of Excellence designation in October. To find out why Baird Center was chosen for this prestigious award, we sat down with the EXHIBITOR magazine’s editor, Emily Olson and learned Baird Center has a growing reputation amongst exhibit managers and event planners.
“Our eyes have been on you for a while, even before you applied for the Centers of Excellence,” Olson told us. “We knew that you were going through an expansion upgrade project. We knew that the RNC was coming to you. So, we’ve been really interested in what you have going on.”
Already known for going above and beyond to help exhibitors pull off events that are easy, smooth and memorable, Baird Center’s cutting-edge practices and commitment to being a positive force for the Milwaukee made an impression on the pool of judges.
“Your risk-assessment plan and the way you focus on security was really cool,” Olson stated. “But what we liked most about what you guys do is that you seem to be trying to do good for the community.”
Olson mentioned other factors that weighed into the judges’ decision were Baird Center’s dedication to inclusivity with the sensory rooms developed through a partnership with KultureCity, Nursing Mother’s Rooms and all-gender restrooms found throughout the venue and the genuine way the center is committed to sustainability.
“Your approach to sustainability was really interesting,” Olson told us. “People will say, we’re sustainable, we have refillable water bottle stations. But you guys are concerned about the birds. So, that was something that came up.”
The expansion and modernization not only increased the venue’s exhibit space to 300,000 square feet but also integrated sustainable technology like a food digester, solar roof and the placement of fritted, bird-friendly glass along known flight patterns, ensuring that the center remains environmentally responsible while meeting the needs of modern event organizers and attendees.
The recognition from EXHIBITOR Magazine as a Best Convention Center of 2025 not only elevates Baird Center’s status with exhibit and event planners, it also continues the recent trend of Milwaukee being spotlighted as a premier destination for buzz-worthy events of all sizes and helps it deliver on its promise to be an economic driver for the city and state.