DENVER (July 9, 2025) – Thanks to record-setting bookings at the Colorado Convention Center (CCC) and downtown infrastructure improvements, Denver’s meetings and conventions are on track to generate over $980 million in economic impact in 2025, emphasizing the industry's vital role in the city's economy and downtown renaissance.
Meetings and conventions strongly contribute to the city’s economy as attendees stay in local hotels, dine at award-winning restaurants, explore unique attractions and enjoy all the city has to offer. The majority of this impact stems from meetings and events at the CCC, with the remainder coming from meetings hosted in area hotels.
Visit Denver, the official convention and visitor bureau for the city, works closely with meeting planners to sell Denver and the CCC as a premier destination for meetings, conventions and events. In 2025, the team has contracted a record number of groups to host their meeting at the CCC totaling an expected 277,451 attendees and nearly $672 million in economic impact, all of which represent records for the CCC. These numbers far surpass pre-pandemic figures. In 2019, the CCC welcomed 254,134 meeting attendees, which represented $540 million in economic impact for the city. An additional $308 million in economic impact is expected to be generated this year from meetings hosted in Denver hotels. This year's numbers will continue to grow as the Visit Denver team works with meeting planners to contract meetings in 2025 and beyond.
In addition to conventions, the CCC hosts other events including Bellco Theatre performances, community graduations, receptions and more. 2025 is on track to welcome nearly 800,000 to the CCC, emphasizing the importance of the center for a variety of meetings and events.
In the first half of 2025, Visit Denver welcomed 129,042 meeting attendees at the convention center. This positive momentum will continue in the second half of the year. In July alone, Visit Denver estimates the city will welcome more than 121,000 meeting attendees at the CCC, including some of the biggest of the year, like Fan Expo, which is estimated to attract 75,000 pop culture fans in one weekend.
The Visit Denver meetings and conventions sales team secures events of varying sizes and subject matter emphasizing the city’s diverse venues and welcoming ethos. For example, in 2025 Denver has hosted or will host the American Water Works Association conference, American Psychological Association convention, International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference, American Academy of Pediatrics conference, the Global Business Travel Association convention, the National Safety Council Congress & Expo, the American Educational Research Association conference, The Linux Foundation’s Open Source Summit and more.
“Denver continues to rise as a top meeting destination in the U.S. and this year’s numbers reflect years of dedication from our hospitality partners and meeting and convention sales team in delivering the best Denver experience,” said Richard Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver. “Ongoing investments in both infrastructure and safety in our downtown area will continue to contribute to our sales efforts and drive business for years to come.”
This encouraging outlook can be attributed to multiple factors including team sales efforts, convention center improvements, city-wide revitalization projects, Denver’s commitment to safety and sustainability and more.
The CCC completed an expansion project in 2023 that includes 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and ballroom space, 35,000 square feet of pre-function space and a 20,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, all located on the roof of the existing building. The new space has helped the sales team achieve record-breaking numbers as it can accommodate more attendees and includes outdoor space, a welcome aspect of any meeting. Since the project was completed, Visit Denver has booked 27 future meetings that could not have happened without the expansion due to capacity constraints in other parts of the center. These meetings represent 164,700 attendees and $401 million in estimated economic impact.
The variety of venues perfect for any event size within walking distance of 52 downtown hotels and nearly 13,000 hotel rooms all benefit from the downtown location of the CCC. The Center and its meeting attendees also create demand for 25,657 hotel rooms in the city and county of Denver and 48,175 hotel rooms around metro Denver for those visiting Denver to attend a meeting or convention.
Just two blocks from the CCC is the newly revitalized 16th Street. The renovated street features wider sidewalks, vibrant public spaces, expanded restaurant patios, a new tree canopy, outdoor furniture, free electric shuttle buses, interactive art and family-friendly play structures all in a car-free environment that meeting planners look for. 16th Street’s transformation prioritizes walkability, connectivity and community engagement.
Accessibility is another key factor for meeting planners when selecting a destination. Denver International Airport (DEN) helps the city stand out as a top destination. With direct flights from over 230 destinations including 21 countries, DEN ranks as one of the busiest and most connected airports in the world. The RTD A Line from DEN to Denver Union Station makes Denver’s accessibility story even more compelling.
Denver's commitment to sustainability ensures that events have a positive impact on the environment, a key priority for many meeting planners. Visit Denver is proud to be the world’s first destination to be certified at the Platinum level under the Event Industry Council’s Sustainable Event Standards.
Visit Denver’s meeting and convention sales and services teams are committed to working with city leadership and our world-class venues to ensure Denver shines as a top destination. To learn more about Denver’s meetings and conventions business head to VisitDenver.com/meetings.