Miami Beach, FL – (July 31, 2025) – The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) is proud to announce that it has been honored with the prestigious 2025 IAVM Venue Excellence Award by the International Association of Venue Managers. This award represents the industry’s top honor that recognizes outstanding venues across the globe for exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence in public assembly facility management. This accolade is a true testament to the MBCC’s relentless pursuit of quality, sustainability, and community impact, and underscores its status as a leader in the event venue industry. Freddie Peterson, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center, managed by Oak View Group, accepted the award Thursday, July 31, 2025 on behalf of the MBCC team at IAVM’s 100th VenueConnect Annual Conference and Tradeshow.

“These awards represent the highest honors in our industry,” said Trevor Mitchell, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CDP, IAVM President & CEO. “Our winners not only lead by example in their venues and communities — they also inspire and shape the future of venue management as a profession.”

“We are deeply honored and absolutely thrilled to receive the IAVM Venue Excellence Award,” remarked Peterson. “This achievement belongs to every MBCC staff member, the City of Miami Beach, the Greater Miami Conventions and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), our venue partners, Sodexo Live!, Smart City Networks, 1st Class Parking and Everlast Productions, contract partners, and clients who have greatly contributed to making the Miami Beach Convention Center a beacon of excellence in customer service and venue management. It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to hosting  exceptional events, delivering memorable experiences for our clients and guests, fostering innovation, and generating robust economic and social impact to our community.”

A powerful economic engine for South Florida, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) and its Campus, owned by the City of Miami Beach, is a world-class venue that attracts global meetings and conventions. Since completing a $640 million transformation in 2020, the MBCC has hosted prominent events and welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests each year. Events span the tech, finance, sports, corporate, education, arts & culture, health & fitness, and medical verticals, and have generated tens of millions in annual economic impact for the region.

Following its complete reimagining, the award-winning MBCC features 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, more than $10.2 million dollars worth of art curated by the City of Miami Beach Art in Public Places program, plus 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, for elegant private events and upscale meetings, and Rum Room, a 1920s restaurant with an enticing tapas-style menu and local South Florida rums. Additionally, $19 million worth of capital projects in FY25—such as cybersecurity, security systems and cameras—ensure the venue remains state-of-the-art. A $1.5 million investment will add LED wall screens for immersive experiences and event branding.

Strategically positioned in the Convention Center District adjacent major cultural sites in world-famous South Beach, the MBCC is set for major growth with the 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach, slated to open in late 2027. The hotel will directly connect to the center via a skybridge, expanding capacity for global events. The property is steps away from Lincoln Road Mall, the Fillmore Theater, the Miami Beach Botanical Gardnen, the Bass Museum, and the New World Symphony.

Underscoring a deep commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, the Miami Beach Convention Center recently earned a 4 Green Keys rating from Green Key Global —  an achievement made possible through partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The MBCC, already EIC Silver Certified, continues to lead in energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction.

The Venue Excellence Award recognizes five IAVM venues across all sectors of membership that demonstrate excellence in the management and operation of public assembly venues. Award applicants must show distinction in areas such as operational excellence, safety and security, team building and professional development, and service to the community. A committee of IAVM members selects the finalists, and winners are approved by the IAVM Board of Directors.

The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) represents public assembly venues across the globe, with a mission to educate, advocate, and inspire professionals in the industry. Its 6,800+ members include senior leaders and managers from a wide range of venues—auditoriums, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university facilities, amphitheaters, and fairgrounds.

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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 Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, and 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 the The International Association of Venue Managers
The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) represents public assembly venues across the globe, with a mission to educate, advocate, and inspire professionals in the industry. Its 6,800+ members include senior leaders and managers from a wide range of venues—auditoriums, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university facilities, amphitheaters, and fairgrounds. Learn more at IAVM.org.For more information or media inquiries, please contact:  

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