The Monroe County Capital Improvement Board has announced the official groundbreaking of the Bloomington Convention Center on June 3. This event marks the beginning of a significant expansion of the Monroe Convention Center and the city’s event spaces and offerings.
The entire project will be renamed the Bloomington Convention Center and will comprise over 70,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space and over 100,000 square feet of space in the facility overall. The venue will be able to accommodate a wide variety of events, including conventions, conferences, trade shows, concerts, meetings, sporting events and more. The expansion is currently scheduled for completion in 2027.
For over two decades, Bloomington has established itself as a premier destination for small meetings, conferences, conventions and other business-related group events throughout Indiana, the Midwest and the Great Lakes region. The new Bloomington Convention Center will significantly expand the city’s capacity to host larger groups, accommodating up to 600 attendees. A 225-room host hotel is also being planned as part of the development.
The city’s proximity to nearby feeder towns, Indiana’s largest lake and national forest, coupled with its numerous outdoor attractions, enhances its appeal to meeting planners seeking diverse Midwest experiences in a well-known college town. Located along the I-69 corridor, Bloomington is easily accessible for Midwest business travelers, with transportation from the Indianapolis International Airport taking less than an hour.
The current Monroe Convention Center building was originally built in 1923 as Graham Motor Sales, which later became known as the Henry Ford Model T assembly plant and showroom. The facility hosts more than 500 events annually but often turns away events due to availability and size restrictions.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on June 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the site of the convention center, located at 301 S. College Avenue. The significant milestone will be attended by city officials and stakeholders, which include Eric Spoonmore, president of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce; John Whikehart, president of the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board; and Kerry Thomson, mayor of the City of Bloomington.
For more information, visit www.monroecib.com.
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