A
convention center (
American English;
conference centre outside the USA) is a large building that is designed to hold a
convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees. Very large venues, suitable for major
trade shows, are sometimes known as
exhibition centres. Convention centers typically have at least one
auditorium and may also contain
concert halls,
lecture halls,
meeting rooms, and
conference rooms. Some large
resort area hotels include a convention center.