Oct. 16—The Owensboro Convention Center has won an international award.

EXHIBITOR magazine has named it one of its 30 Centers of Excellence for 2022, making it one of North America's top 30 convention centers for trade shows and events, the publication said.

"It's a huge honor for the convention center to be named one of the top 30 convention centers in North America, especially during a pandemic when there is a labor shortage and constant changes," said Laura Alexander, the convention center's general manager. "We have been working to receive this distinction since opening the building (in 2014), and I am extremely proud of our team for working together to achieve this award."

Tim Ross, the city's public events director, said, "Gaining repeat business from so many of our clients who continue to bring their events back year after year has shown that the staff is accomplishing that goal."

The 30 venues will be featured in the October/November issue of the magazine.

EXHIBITOR said, "Applicants were evaluated using an objective algorithm and rigorous grading scale based on five primary categories: facility and functionality, location and accommodations, service and execution, expansions and upgrades, and honors and awards."

The magazine said, "The evaluation also included a survey of event planners, show organizers and exhibit managers who have recently hosted or exhibited at trade shows and events within each facility, as well as a review of entrants' event spaces, primary selling points, nearby attractions, and innovations, conducted by a panel of corporate exhibit managers."

"While individual exhibit managers rarely have a say in where their trade shows are held, they are often the ones most impacted by that decision," Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine, said in a news release. "This is their opportunity to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the exhibitor-friendly venues that do their part to make trade shows and events as smooth.

"Simply by virtue of being included in this list, these facilities have proven their ability to host trade shows and events of all shapes and sizes while providing world-class service and state-of-the-art accommodations."

The Owensboro Convention Center is also in the running for the best customer service and on-site support award.

Finalists will be announced on Nov. 23, and the winners will be announced on Dec. 6.

The center has just under 102,000 square feet of space, including a 44,000-square-foot exhibition hall.

Other centers recognized included those in Anaheim, California; Baltimore; Edmonton, Alberta; Las Vegas; Vancouver, British Columbia; Quebec; and both the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville.

In 2019, the Owensboro Convention Center won one of Facilities and Destinations magazine's "prime site" awards for the fifth consecutive year.

And in 2018, ConventionSouth magazine named the Owensboro Convention Center and the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau as winners of its 2018 Readers' Choice Award for the third time.

Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com.