MIAMI BEACH, Fla. October 27, 2026 – The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) recently renewed its Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), reaffirming its commitment to creating more welcoming and accessible experiences for visitors attending events and activities across its expansive campus. First earning the designation in 2024, the award-winning MBCC, which is owned by the City of Miami Beach and managed by Oak View Group, features 1.4M sq.ft. of recently reimagined event space. As part of the renewal process, at least 80% of venue management staff who interact directly with customers completed updated autism and sensory training, equipping the team with continued knowledge and practical strategies to better support autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors and their families. 

“Creating a welcoming experience for every guest is an important part of venue excellence at the Miami Beach Convention Center,” said Freddie Peterson, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center. “Renewing our Certified Autism Center™ designation reflects the continued commitment of our team to understanding and anticipating the diverse needs of the people who come through our doors. We’re proud to work alongside the City of Miami Beach, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and our destination partners to help make Miami Beach and Greater Miami more accessible, inclusive and welcoming for all.” 

The CAC training equips convention center staff with practical strategies for responding to individual needs, helping create more consistent and confident service across events, meeting spaces, and other areas of the venue. This supports a more accessible experience for attendees while strengthening the organization’s ability to accommodate a wider range of visitors. 

“Renewing the Certified Autism Center™ designation demonstrates the Miami Beach Convention Center’s continued investment in creating more accessible experiences within a major events and convention destination,” says Myron Pincomb, CEO and board chairman of IBCCES. “By continuing its specialized training and accessibility efforts, MBCC is helping ensure that attendees can experience its events and facilities with greater comfort and confidence.” 

As part of the program, the MBCC has developed sensory guides to help sensory-sensitive visitors better understand and navigate their surroundings inside the MBCC and in the outdoor areas Collins Canal Park, Rum Room and Venu, and Pride Park. These guides provide detailed sensory maps and ratings, describing the sensory inputs one might encounter, such as sounds, lights, and crowds and can be downloaded from the dedicated landing page: https://www.miamibeachconvention.com/mbcc-certified-autism-center

To further support inclusivity efforts, Miami Beach Convention Center is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations for individuals with a variety of disabilities. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone. MBCC’s commitment to accessibility extends throughout the venue and campus, with a range of accommodations designed to support visitors with diverse needs. The ADA-compliant venue offers accessible parking, entrances, restrooms and elevators, and Braille signage, as well as two dedicated nursing pods to provide nursing parents with comfortable, private and thoughtfully equipped spaces. 

Furthermore, the MBCC has recently achieved the “Gold Certificate for Sustainability and Social Impact” from the Events Industry Council’s (EIC), and several staff members have earned the “Sustainable Event Professional Certificate,” which is designed for professionals who are dedicated to implementing sustainability and social impact where they work. 

Miami Beach Convention Center’s renewed certification continues to contribute to the broader initiative led by the Greater Miami Visitor and Convention Bureau to achieve the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) designation for the Greater Miami area. The CAD designation recognizes destinations where a representative number of attractions, hotels, and other recreation and entertainment venues have completed the CAC certification process, providing visitors with multiple certified options throughout the destination. 

For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory, and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact. 

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the sites has met IBCCES certification requirements. 

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About The Miami Beach Convention Center & Campus Re-imagined following a $640-million-dollar renovation, the award-winning MBCC includes a new 60,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom, four junior ballrooms, almost 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, an expanded Grand Lobby, pre-function areas that are bathed in natural light, up to 84 breakout rooms, approximately 800 roof deck parking spaces, almost 2,100 miles of cabling to support all IT communications, $10.2 million dollars’ worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program and a six-acre (Pride Park) and three-acre (Collins Canal Park) public green spaces that can serve as incremental event space. The MBCC Campus includes two new event spaces: Venu, a space for elegant private events and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s restaurant with an enticing tapas-style menu and local South Florida rums. The MBCC is proud to have earned LEED® Silver Certification as part of the venue’s $640-million expansion project, which includes many environmentally friendly features. A new connected headquarter hotel, a Grand Hyatt, is under development and slated to open in 2027. www.miamibeachconvention.com

About IBCCES Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For 25 years, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 125 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification. 

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality, and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification, and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare, and workplace sectors. 

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other. 
 

Media Contacts 
Miami Beach Convention Center 

Robin Rosenbaum 

Phone: 305-794-3242 

Email: [email protected] 

IBCCES 

Meredith Tekin, President 

Phone: 904.508.0135 / 904.434.1534 

Email: [email protected]