Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Grand Wayne Convention Center listed among Best Convention Centers in U.S.

October 2022, Fort Wayne, Indiana — Grand Wayne Convention Center (GWCC) in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, received two national award recognitions based on event planners’ nominations:  (1) a 2022 Awards of Excellence Prime Site Award presented by Facilities & Destinations Magazine in their 2022 F&D Superbook (page 34); and (2) a 2022 Best Convention Center Award presented by Meetings Today Magazine as part of their annual Best Of Awards. 

Each award stems from unbiased nominations based on key criteria that event planners use to evaluate a venue’s quality of space and service, including:

• Quality of meeting space  
• Guest rooms
• Guest services and amenities
• Food and beverage service
• Efficiency and helpfulness of the staff  
• Availability and quality of tech
• Recreational facilities and activities
• Cleanliness and COVID-19 protocols
• Overall value and experience

Both awards noted the nationwide repercussions of and recovery from COVID-19 that has severely impacted the hospitality and meetings industry since 2020. Evaluation criteria was expanded to include health and safety protocols and proactive efforts by the facilities and weighed as part of each award nomination.

“We are humbled and grateful for these recognitions,” stated Bart Shaw, executive director of Grand Wayne Convention Center. “Our staff has really stepped up to meet the health and logistics challenges facing event planners and their guests over the last few years. It’s rewarding to know that our efforts are being noticed and that event planners value and remember their experiences in downtown Fort Wayne.”