How Larger, Tech-Forward Venues Create Revenue Opportunities for Associations

Association members are willing to show up—and pay up—for immersive experiences, customization, and technology, according to industry research  (opens in a new tab), though planners are more likely to opt for simpler executions, creating a disconnect that can be costly.

By hosting events in larger-scale, higher-tech venues, however, smart planners have an opportunity to deliver on what attendees want and ultimately drive revenue for their organizations.

“That’s quite frankly the quiet goal of most meetings,” said Anthony Cordo, executive vice president of Visit Lauderdale. Cordo oversees the operation of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is in the final phase of a multiyear expansion that includes adding more than 525,000 square feet of meeting space and a host of technological upgrades.

More Space to Sell

For many meeting planners, the simplest path to revenue is more exhibitors and attendees, which a larger space enables.

The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) has hosted its Tropical Plant International Expo at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center nearly every year since the facility opened, and Linda Adams, the association’s chief operations officer, is excited about the potential for growth of her event through the facility’s expansion.

“In 2020, we filled the convention center, and we used about 80,000 net square feet,” Adams said. “When we came back, we increased the size of our sold space by 20 percent, and our attendance also increased by 20 percent. That definitely hits your bottom line when you can add opportunities for people to grow their space or bring in new companies.”

Having a larger facility allows FNGLA to dedicate additional space to buzz-generating events instead of taking away that space from exhibitors. “And we rent our stage to the exhibitors,” Adams said, “so it’s a way for us to make up the cost of that area.”

Elsewhere on the convention center grounds, Adams pointed to the 801-room headquarters hotel and 6-acre outdoor waterfront plaza as attractive draws for her January 2026 event. “We are really looking forward to having our participants enjoy first-class facilities,” she said.