The Tampa Convention Center was named a winner in the Best Convention Center category for the 2026 Smart Stars Awards, presented by Smart Meetings, according to a June 2 announcement. This marks the second consecutive year that meeting professionals and event organizers have selected the venue for this recognition.
Located on the waterfront in Downtown Tampa, Florida, the center was honored alongside 17 other venues across North America considered leaders in group business hospitality. Organizers said voters described the Tampa Convention Center as a trusted partner that consistently enhances attendee experiences at international conferences, corporate events, and trade shows.
“Meeting professionals are once again recognizing the Tampa Convention Center for delivering an outstanding level of service, seamless execution, and world-class venue capabilities,” organizers said. The Smart Stars Awards are now in their 14th year and are determined by active meeting planners based on firsthand experiences at venues worldwide.
This latest award adds to a series of recent honors for the facility. The center is pursuing its fourth consecutive Stella Award for Best Convention Center in the Southeast U.S. from Northstar Meetings Group. It also received Best of the Best Convention Center and a Readers’ Choice Award from ConventionSouth in 2025 and was listed among Exhibitor Magazine’s Centers of Excellence.
The Tampa Convention Center features over 600,000 square feet of flexible event space with modern technology infrastructure. The venue holds LEED Silver Certification for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M), reflecting its commitment to sustainability through green building standards, waste diversion initiatives, and energy efficiency.
Tampa is Florida’s third-largest city with approximately 392,800 residents; it is part of a metropolitan area with about 3.1 million people, according to the official website. The city has evolved into a multicultural hub with significant Hispanic heritage centered around Ybor City, according to its official history page, and features notable venues such as Raymond James Stadium—home to the NFL’s Buccaneers—and University of South Florida Yuengling Center, according to city records.
