\u201cIt took us two weeks to get over the shock, because we had never experienced anything like that in our lives,\u201d says Abel.<\/p>\n
The Anaheim Convention Center has increased in size from 375,000 square feet when it first opened to 1.8 million square feet today, making it the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast. It had already undergone one major expansion before the first Expo West show debuted in 1981, and several more expansions and renovations have occurred since:\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second expansion, in 1982, added another 100,000 square feet to the exhibit hall and 21,000 square feet of flexible space with the creation of the Pacific Room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A third expansion, in 1990, featured the grand opening of Hall D, which added 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 1,100-space parking structure and 500 parking spaces below ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ACC was expanded and remodeled in 2000, adding 220,000 square feet of exhibit space, new meeting rooms and a 38,000 square-foot ballroom. The grand opening was celebrated in December.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In 2013, the Grand Plaza created 100,000 square feet of multi-purpose outdoor space, complete with lighting, landscaping and water features.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Related:Don’t forget to register for Natural Products Expo West<\/a><\/p>\n Because the facility is landlocked by existing structures, much of the recent growth has been vertical, with the addition of more floors above ground level.<\/p>\n The biggest expansion came in 2000, but the facility has always executed its expansion efforts in phases to allow events to take place with minimal interruption. Throughout these construction projects, the convention center and Expo West have become adept at making use of the surrounding hotels to help stage various activities related to the shows, Abel says.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody works very closely together to execute events,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019re almost like one large property, even though we\u2019re individual entities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Related:Expo West exhibitors: Showcase your brand to investors at inaugural Deal Room<\/a><\/p>\n As Expo West and other events at the Anaheim Convention Center have continued to grow, the facility has expanded its partnerships with other venues in the city where convention-related events take place. These will soon include the OCVibe<\/a>, a 100-acre, mixed-use entertainment district surrounding the Honda Center arena. Slated to begin opening to the public next year, OCVibe is being touted as Orange County\u2019s \u201cnew downtown,\u201d featuring dozens of restaurants and private spaces for corporate events.\u00a0<\/p>\n Located less than 3 miles from the convention center, OCVIBE will be natural fit for Expo West to leverage in the future, says Abel.<\/p>\n Natural Products Expo West’s attendance peaked in 2019, with 86,000 attendees. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the 2020 and 2021 events.<\/p>\n A boon to Anaheim\u2019s economic engine<\/p>\n Located literally across the street from Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center and the theme park are the one-two punch of the city\u2019s economic engine. After Disneyland opened in 1955, local Anaheim business leaders were seeking a way to drive more year-round visitors. The convention center has succeeded beyond expectations in this role, hosting not only New Hope\u2019s Natural Products Expo West, but also such global events as the Star Wars Celebration, VidCon, BlizzCon (from Blizzard Entertainment), the Anime Expo, and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) winter show.<\/p>\n Originally built with an arena for the Anaheim Amigos of the American Basketball Association, the Anaheim Convention Center also has a history of hosting a wide range of sporting events, including college basketball tournaments and Olympic wresting.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/expo-west-2019-largest-beasley.png\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\n