Venues
Information and links about potential event venues, for comparison/research purposes.
Greater Columbus Convention Center
http://www.columbusconventions.com/
Offers very large and flexible space. Grand Ballrooms are the largest (though we've used them in the past, probably too big for our needs); C-pods, D-pods, and E-pods offer different-sized rooms. Four attached hotels (Drury, Hyatt, Hilton, and Crowne Plaza); no "bargain" hotels in immediate vicinity.
Just about everything is expensive - convention space, monopoly food provider, monopoly Internet provider. Parking in the area is all paid, $12/day and up. Prevented from selecting our own providers for most services (meals, bar).
Good infrastructure is generally available. Building layout is confusing and very long walks to some hotels.
Ohio Expo Center and State Fair
Most facilities here are targeted toward farm shows and events needing large open spaces. Some buildings have closeable partitions but resulting spaces still tend to be large.
Best buildings look to be the DiSalle Center (largest room holds 450) and the Rhodes Center. Buildings are near each other but not connected.
Rhodes Center has attached dormitory and cafeteria. Not sure how dorm rooms work. Some hotels in area, on-site camping. Parking is $5/entry.
DiSalle is nice, but perhaps too small to contain the entire event. Rhodes has large open spaces.
NorthPointe Hotel and Conference Center
http://www.northpointecenter.com/meet/
Virginia Building: Largest room (Grand Ballroom) holds 600, can split into 4 rooms. Several rooms with capacity (PDF) of 40-100.
Ohio Building: dining for 375 max.
Buildings and hotel are on same site but not connected by indoor walkway. Hotel has 119 rooms, a dozen more hotels < 1 mile away in Worthington and Polaris.
Far away from downtown.
Crowne Plaza Columbus North
http://www.cpcolumbusnorth.com/
Largest room holds 800, splits into multiple rooms. Several meeting rooms (PDF) with capacity 20-200.
Hotel has 300 rooms, a dozen more hotels < 1 mile away in Worthington and Polaris.
Far away from downtown.
Embassy Suites Columbus - Airport
http://embassysuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/ohio/embassy-suites-columbus-airport-CMHATES/index.html
Largest room holds 400, splits into two rooms. Maximum of six meeting rooms with capacity 30-160.
One mile from airport, free courtesy shuttle. Several other hotels in immediate area.