Ocean Center

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Ocean Center is a convention center located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It opened in 1985 and is the fifth–largest convention center in Florida.

Building and design

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The Ocean Center features 205,000 square feet (19,000 m²) of prime meeting space; 42,000 square feet (3,900 m²) of exhibit space at the main arena, 14,000 square feet (1,300 m²) of space in the Ballroom and 32,000 square feet (3,000 m²) of meeting rooms. The new addition of the Exhibit Hall features 94,695 square feet (8,797.5 m²), ceiling heights: 22 to 45 feet (14 m), a drive-in door: 20' x 16', and 6 loading docks with self-adjusting levelers. 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²) of parking lot/outdoor exhibit space was also added near the Exhibit Hall.

Thanks to a $3 million grant from the ECHO program, the county's Ocean Center has a grand entrance. The grant from the ECHO grants-in-aid program was used to create a Cultural Information Center (CIC). The funds were used for site preparation and construction of the CIC, an enhancement of 51,635 square feet (4,797.0 m²) of lobby space with gathering areas, restrooms and concession facilities. It displays works from the "Arts in Public Places" program and has dedicated areas for permanent and visiting art works and cultural displays from all areas of Volusia County. The grand entrance also includes a new façade and entrance along N. Atlantic Avenue. Other features of the new entrance lobby and CIC is a marquee mural on the west wall above the ballrooms doors, seen from inside and outside the facility. The mural will change with the center's exhibits. The center and its displays are in the highest pedestrian traffic area for the venue.

The main arena seats 6,176 for

In 1985, the Ocean Center opened with 60,000 square feet (5,600 m²) of exhibit space and 18 breakout rooms. Christian pop singer Amy Grant performed the first concert at the Ocean Center on October 3, 1985, singing to 2,938 people. John Denver was the grand opening act two days later, performing to a crowd of 7,368.

Notable events

The Ocean Center has presented The

On June 29, 2019, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) held their Fyter Fest event. This was the promotion’s second pay-per-view event.

Sports

The Ocean Center hosted the 1988

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ocean Center hosted the entire 2021 College Basketball Invitational and the event returned in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Ice hockey

The

• Daytona Beach Garden Show
  Daytona Beach News-Journal
  ; usually scheduled in March.
• Daytona Beach Home Show
  Daytona Beach News-Journal
  ; usually scheduled in October.
• National Reptile Breeders Expo – An annual event that is held every 3rd week of August for three days. This event allows consumers to view and purchase reptiles in the convention center.
• National High School Drill Team Championships (http://nhsdtc.thenationals.net) – An event held since the building opened historically held the first weekend in May annually. This event brings together many of the finest high school Junior ROTC units performing military drill & ceremony events including military inspection, regulation drill, color guard and armed & unarmed individual and team exhibition drill. The event maintains active duty military judges and hosts roughly 4,000 people during the 3-day competition. The NHSDTC event uses every square inch of the Ocean Center Arena and Conference Center, as well as all of the breakout rooms throughout.
• National Youth Football Championships (http://football.thenationals.net) – An event held since the building opened historically held on the American Thanksgiving weekend annually. This event brings together youth football and cheerleading programs from across the eastern North America and the occasional overseas team. The event maintains NFL cheerleaders, a youth cheer competition, as well as an elaborate awards ceremony hosting roughly 2,500 people during the 4-day competition weekend.
• Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit (http://ffcc.org/) – An annual championship for the state affiliation of Winter Guard International. Winter guard teams and indoor percussion ensembles perform at the Ocean Center in various divisions to compete for placement. The FFCC state championship is scheduled to remain at the Ocean Center through 2023 while using the Daytona Beach Hilton as the headquarters hotel.^[4]

See also

• List of convention centers in the United States

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ocean Center.

• Information about center from tvsdesign

29°13′43″N 81°00′38″W / 29.228700°N 81.010600°W / 29.228700; -81.010600