In total, Charleston offers more than 173,300 square feet of meeting space, more than 4,000 hotel rooms, and easy access to shopping, dining, and recreation for visitors. One of the city's main meeting locations, the Charleston Civic Center, has more than 100,000 square feet of exhibition space in its Grand Hall, North and South halls, and meeting rooms. Located only one block from the central business district, the modern Charleston Civic Center is available for large gatherings, events, and concerts. Adjacent to the Civic Center is the Coliseum, a multipurpose facility that offers unobstructed-view seating for 13,500 people for events ranging from concerts and circuses to athletic competitions and horse races. A brick walkway links the Charleston Town Center complex—which consists of the Civic Coliseum, a three-story enclosed mall, the four-star Marriott Hotel, and many restaurants and night clubs—with the renovated Village District. Just two blocks away is the Charleston Municipal Auditorium with seating for up to 3,500 people. The Haddad Riverfront Park is available for special events. The University of Charleston also has facilities for groups of varying size, and all downtown hotels have ample meeting space.
Many shops and restaurants are within walking distance of the downtown hotels, and a low crime rate further enhances the appeal of the area for visitors and conventioneers.
Convention Information: Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau, 200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston, WV 25301; telephone (304)344-5075; fax (304)344-1241