DPR is a leading builder of convention and conference center hotels with experience delivering large, complex venues across urban and highly active environments. We’ve delivered dynamic venues that bring people together for business, entertainment and civic events, often in the heart of bustling cities. These projects involve large, multi-use facilities and demanding schedules, so DPR approaches them with the mindset of an owner and operator. We focus on disciplined execution from the start, ensuring large, complex venues open on time and perform as intended.
DPR’s teams understand the demands of large, complex conference venues, from exhibit halls and ballrooms to meeting spaces and back-of-house systems. We work with owners, developers and design partners early to align project goals with a clear construction plan, focusing on constructability, phasing and coordination in urban and active environments.
Photo: The KPMG Lakehouse project received the Best Green Project award in Orlando Business Journal’s 2019 Structures Awards program.
Convention & Conference Center Contractors
DPR’s teams understand the demands of large, complex conference venues, from exhibit halls and ballrooms to meeting spaces and back-of-house systems. We work with owners, developers and design partners early to align project goals with a clear construction plan, focusing on constructability, phasing and coordination in urban and active environments.
Photo: The KPMG Lakehouse project received the Best Green Project award in Orlando Business Journal’s 2019 Structures Awards program.
Convention & Conference Center Contractors
DPR’s teams understand the demands of large, complex conference venues, from exhibit halls and ballrooms to meeting spaces and back-of-house systems. We work with owners, developers and design partners early to align project goals with a clear construction plan, focusing on constructability, phasing and coordination in urban and active environments.
Photo: The KPMG Lakehouse project received the Best Green Project award in Orlando Business Journal’s 2019 Structures Awards program.
Our Resort Construction WorkBy the Numbers
#12
Top Hotel & Resort Construction Firms
2024
Building Design + Construction
#15
Top Hospitality Facility Construction Firms
2025
Building Design + Construction
#15
Top Hotels, Motels and Convention Centers Contractors
2024
Engineering News Record
$23B+
Total Value of Commercial Projects Completed by DPR Construction to DateÂ
272
Total Number of Hospitality Projects Completed by DPR Construction to Date
#12
Top Hotel & Resort Construction Firms
2024
Building Design + Construction
#15
Top Hospitality Facility Construction Firms
2025
Building Design + Construction
#15
Top Hotels, Motels and Convention Centers Contractors
2024
Engineering News Record
$23B+
Total Value of Commercial Projects Completed by DPR Construction to DateÂ
272
Total Number of Hospitality Projects Completed by DPR Construction to Date
DPR focuses on how large gathering spaces, circulation, and building systems come together to support real-world use. Planning for expansive exhibition halls, multi-story meeting areas and integrated AV and building systems requires early coordination to ensure these elements can be built efficiently and function as intended.
Photo: White Lodging
Convention Planning and Design
DPR focuses on how large gathering spaces, circulation, and building systems come together to support real-world use. Planning for expansive exhibition halls, multi-story meeting areas and integrated AV and building systems requires early coordination to ensure these elements can be built efficiently and function as intended.
Photo: White Lodging
Convention Planning and Design
DPR focuses on how large gathering spaces, circulation, and building systems come together to support real-world use. Planning for expansive exhibition halls, multi-story meeting areas and integrated AV and building systems requires early coordination to ensure these elements can be built efficiently and function as intended.
Convention center and conference venue schedules are often tied to critical opening dates and major event commitments. DPR’s schedule-driven approach, supported by Lean scheduling and rigorous logistics planning, helps create predictable and reliable timelines. By identifying and addressing risks early, like site constraints and coordination challenges, our teams keep work moving and have delivered convention and conference projects on or ahead of schedule.
Convention Center Construction Costs
Cost management starts with defining what the budget can achieve and maintaining visibility as the design develops. DPR works with owners from the outset to shape the project around those goals, aligning scope and cost early and avoiding surprises as the design evolves. Strategies such as prefabrication and strong coordination support cost predictability while helping teams deliver complex venues efficiently.
Innovating Conference Venues
Convention and conference centers rely on tightly coordinated structural, mechanical and electrical systems. DPR uses Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to align structural, mechanical and electrical systems early, supporting more efficient execution in the field. Prefabrication and self-perform work also play a role in how we deliver these projects, helping improve consistency, coordination and overall project performance.
Convention Center Construction Timelines
Convention center and conference venue schedules are often tied to critical opening dates and major event commitments. DPR’s schedule-driven approach, supported by Lean scheduling and rigorous logistics planning, helps create predictable and reliable timelines. By identifying and addressing risks early, like site constraints and coordination challenges, our teams keep work moving and have delivered convention and conference projects on or ahead of schedule.
Convention Center Construction Costs
Cost management starts with defining what the budget can achieve and maintaining visibility as the design develops. DPR works with owners from the outset to shape the project around those goals, aligning scope and cost early and avoiding surprises as the design evolves. Strategies such as prefabrication and strong coordination support cost predictability while helping teams deliver complex venues efficiently.
Innovating Conference Venues
Convention and conference centers rely on tightly coordinated structural, mechanical and electrical systems. DPR uses Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to align structural, mechanical and electrical systems early, supporting more efficient execution in the field. Prefabrication and self-perform work also play a role in how we deliver these projects, helping improve consistency, coordination and overall project performance.
Convention Center Construction Timelines
Convention center and conference venue schedules are often tied to critical opening dates and major event commitments. DPR’s schedule-driven approach, supported by Lean scheduling and rigorous logistics planning, helps create predictable and reliable timelines. By identifying and addressing risks early, like site constraints and coordination challenges, our teams keep work moving and have delivered convention and conference projects on or ahead of schedule.
Convention Center Construction Costs
Cost management starts with defining what the budget can achieve and maintaining visibility as the design develops. DPR works with owners from the outset to shape the project around those goals, aligning scope and cost early and avoiding surprises as the design evolves. Strategies such as prefabrication and strong coordination support cost predictability while helping teams deliver complex venues efficiently.
Innovating Conference Venues
Convention and conference centers rely on tightly coordinated structural, mechanical and electrical systems. DPR uses Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to align structural, mechanical and electrical systems early, supporting more efficient execution in the field. Prefabrication and self-perform work also play a role in how we deliver these projects, helping improve consistency, coordination and overall project performance.
Clarify what the owner values most before offering cost-saving ideas. This can include safety, quality, schedule, cost, brand standards, return on investment timeline, operator requirements and decision-making style. A project alignment discussion with the owner and design team should happen early so value engineering ideas support what matters most.
Model rooms help finalize finishes and furniture, expose coordination issues and establish the quality benchmark for guestroom construction within the overall facility. We recommend building at least two model rooms offsite, ideally during design or early construction, using the same trade partners intended for the project. It is also common to construct model rooms onsite to confirm quality benchmarks before full production begins.
FF&E, or furniture, fixtures and equipment, coordination should start about 9 to 12 months before Substantial Completion, often around top out. On convention and conference center projects, this includes coordination for meeting spaces, ballrooms and public areas in addition to guestrooms. Teams should confirm staging, access and installation sequencing early to avoid delays.
At minimum, teams should define model room sign-off, bottom out, back to grade, top out, dry-in, permanent power, elevator turnover, FF&E start, major space completion for ballrooms and meeting areas, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, Substantial Completion and opening. These milestones are often tied to event dates and operational readiness.
Convention and conference center projects typically need about 10 to 12 months after top out to reach Substantial Completion. This depends on enclosure strategy, system coordination, interior production flow and inspection timelines, along with the complexity of large gathering spaces and supporting areas.
Teams need to plan for hoisting, elevator use, trade coordination and material movement across large, active job sites. Logistics may also include coordination of prefabricated elements, access for large assemblies and managing construction around partially completed spaces. Because of the size and complexity of these projects, early site and logistics planning is critical to maintaining progress.
Prefabrication is most valuable when repetitive scopes can be standardized early, such as bathroom pods, exterior panels and system components. On convention and conference center projects, prefabrication can also support complex mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Early coordination is critical to making prefabrication effective.
Teams should validate critical items early, including embeds, structural coordination, enclosure details, waterproofing, fire and sound ratings and system coordination. Convention and conference center projects often require additional focus on large-span structures and integrated systems. Early mockups and coordination help prevent conflicts and reduce rework.
Build the schedule around procurement milestones, including bid packages, submittals, fabrication and delivery. On convention and conference center projects, procurement must also account for long-lead systems and specialized equipment. Early engagement with trade partners helps reduce risk and keep work progressing.
Confirm whether guestrooms, ballrooms, meeting spaces and back-of-house areas need phased turnover before Substantial Completion. Many projects are tied to scheduled events, so turnover must align with inspections, staff readiness and operational requirements. Clear planning supports a smoother path to opening.
