Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546515
B M & T ••• September/October 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 25 Dayton at the crossroads of four major highways and Toledo anchoring Ohio's northern edge for those coming from Michigan and beyond. Cincinnati puts planners steps from its convention center with strong hotel options, Akron suits mid- size conferences, and Springfield serves retreats and regional leadership gatherings. The Black Chamber of Commerce connects planners to established Black-owned specialists across all seven cities, mak- ing Ohio a state where the network is already built. C Akron B Akron delivers serious meeting value in a com- pact, connected downtown. Akron-Canton Airport provides direct regional and national service. The John S. Knight Center holds 123,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space in the heart of the city. The Courtyard by Marriott Akron Downtown runs 146 guest rooms, 6 loft suites, and 2,708 square feet of event space three blocks north of the convention center, with floor- to-ceiling windows facing Cuyahoga Valley National Park. For overflow capacity, the DoubleTree by Hilton Akron/Fairlawn holds 203 guest rooms and Akron's largest hotel ballroom at 6,264 square feet, 10.5 miles west in the Fairlawn suburb. The Akron Urban League connects plan- ners to a verified network of Black-owned special- ists across the city. Whitefield's Creole and Soul Food and The Plannerz Place handle group dining, while House Three Thirty brings the city's music culture to life. Akron gives mid-size programs the space, access, and community network to land exactly right. C Cincinnati B Cincinnati sits where the Ohio River meets American history, giving planners a city with the infrastructure to perform and the cultural weight to move people. The First Financial Center - for- merly the Duke Energy Convention Center - delivers 750,000 gross square feet of total space, including 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 40,000-square-foot grand ballroom, and 39 breakout rooms, supported by 4,500 downtown hotel rooms. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport sits 13 miles south, serving 60-plus nonstop destinations. The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza holds 561 guest rooms, 71 suites, and 40,000 square feet of event space across 31 rooms - a National Historic Landmark with rare Brazilian rosewood paneling and the iconic Hall of Mirrors ballroom, less than half a mile from the First Financial Center. The 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati runs 156 guest rooms in a boutique layout with 8,000 square feet of distinctive venue space across its galleries - a fully functioning contemporary art museum open to the public 24 hours a day, 0.60 miles from the convention center. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center delivers riverfront views to the Kentucky shore where freedom seekers once crossed, an Atrium for up to 500 guests, the Legacy Gallery for intimate gatherings, and the Ford Learning Center for flexible meeting and presentation space. The Black Art Plus Gallery sits nearby, built on Black artistic excellence, offering private receptions and cultural evenings. The Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce connects planners to Black- owned professionals citywide. Soul Secrets, Rasheedah's Cafe, and Island Frydays give dinners genuine local flavor, while Nostalgia and the Wine and Jazz Lounge give the night its soundtrack. Cincinnati delivers authority, cultural depth, and a setting that gives any program lasting resonance. C Cleveland B Overlooking Lake Erie, Cleveland's Huntington Convention Center spans a one-million-square- foot connected campus, including 225,000 square feet of main exhibit halls, a 52,000-square-foot ball- room, and 50 meeting rooms, steps from nearly 5,000 downtown hotel rooms. Cleveland Hopkins A view of downtown Cincinnati from across the river Downton Akron