Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541144
OHIO RISING: HISTORY, CONFERENCES, AND HOSPITALITY BY ZURI EMERSON Ohio rises quietly from the heart of the country, but its power is immediate to anyone who steps off the jet bridge. This is a state where Black inventors tested flight, where musicians scored move- ments for freedom, and where planners today can walk the same streets and still feel possibility underfoot. CINCINNATI Cincinnati rises from the banks of the Ohio River with the quiet confidence of a city that knows how to host. This is a des- tination that understands logistics with- out spectacle and delivers hospitality without pretense. At the core is the Duke Energy Convention Center, offering 750,000 square feet of meeting space and a central location that connects effortlessly to major hotels like the Hyatt Regency, Hilton Netherland Plaza, and the Westin, all within walking distance. For planners seeking range, the Shar- onville Convention Center offers an addi- tional 65,000 square feet in a recently expanded campus just 15 minutes north. Cincinnati's walkable downtown extends the value of any event, with dining, sports, and cultural venues easily accessible. Over the Rhine, once the heart of B M & T ••• November/December 2025 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 55 AREA GUIDES Duke Energy Connvention Center photo credit: Duke Energy C.C. O H I O