{{Short description|Arena in California, United States}} {{Redirect|Anaheim Arena|the newer venue known by this name early in its history|Honda Center}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox venue | name = Anaheim Convention Center | native_name = | native_name_lang = | logo_image = Anaheim Convention Center.svg | logo_size = | logo_alt = | image = Anaheim_convention_center_2021.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = Exterior of venue, {{circa|2021}} | coordinates = {{coord|33.802455|N|117.919843|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}
| address = 800 West Katella Avenue<br />Anaheim, CA 92802-3415 | location = Anaheim Resort | owner = City of Anaheim | operator = Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau | opened = {{Start date|1967|07|12}} | renovated = 1974, 1982, 1990, 1999–2000, 2015–17 | cost = $15 million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|15000000|1964}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) | tenants = Anaheim Amigos (ABA) (1967–1968)<br>San Diego Friars (WTT) (1975–1977)<br>Anaheim Oranges (WTT) (1978)<br>California Surf (NASL) (1979–1980)<br>Anaheim Bullfrogs (RHI) (1993)<br>Anaheim Arsenal (NBA D–League) (2006–2009) | website = {{URL|http://www.anaheimconventioncenter.com/|Venue website}} }}
The '''Anaheim Convention Center''' is a convention center in Anaheim, California, United States. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. The original components, designed by Adrian Wilson & Associates and built by the Del E. Webb Corporation,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://delwebbsuncitiesmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/1965-1968.pdf|title=Webb Spinner 1965-1968|access-date=2019-10-04|archive-date=2018-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219090346/http://delwebbsuncitiesmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/1965-1968.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> opened in July 1967—including a basketball arena followed shortly by the convention hall. It has hosted many events, like ''Star Wars'' Celebration, VidCon, BlizzCon, Anime Expo, D23 Expo, WonderCon, NAMM Show, Pokémon World Championships, competitions, and more. In addition to hosting various types of conventions, the Anaheim Convention Center was used to host the wrestling during the 1984 Summer Olympics.<ref name="auto">[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf 1984 Summer Olympics official report.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101102235952/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/1984v1pt1.pdf |date=2010-11-02 }} Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 153–55.</ref>
The center has subsequently undergone six major expansions (1974, 1982, 1990, 1993, 1999–2000, 2016–2017). It is the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast of the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-381065-resort-center.html|title=Anaheim clears way for resort-area expansion|first=ERIC|last=CARPENTER|date=19 December 2012 |access-date=26 January 2017}}</ref>
==Hostings== thumb|175px|left|The Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center in 2007 thumb|175px|left|2004 Anime Expo Originally, the arena was home to the Anaheim Amigos of the American Basketball Association during the first ABA season, 1967–68. The franchise relocated to the Los Angeles Sports Arena and became the Los Angeles Stars immediately thereafter; the team eventually moved to Salt Lake City and became the Utah Stars, capturing the 1970–71 ABA Championship. The Stars' subsequent fan support in Utah set the foundation for the NBA's Utah Jazz.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/Anaheim-Amigos.html Anaheim Amigos] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306022726/http://www.remembertheaba.com/Anaheim-Amigos.html |date=2007-03-06 }}. Remember the ABA (2004-05-07). Retrieved on 2013-09-06.</ref><ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/Utah-Stars.html Utah Stars] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218181640/http://www.remembertheaba.com/Utah-Stars.html |date=December 18, 2008 }}. Remember the ABA. Retrieved on 2013-09-06.</ref> The San Diego Friars of WTT played some of their home matches in the arena between 1975 and 1977.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Crossley|first1=Andy|title=1975-1978 San Diego Friars|website=Fun While It Lasted|url=http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2013/02/06/1975-1978-san-diego-friars|access-date=August 30, 2014|date=February 6, 2013}}</ref> In 1978, the Anaheim Oranges of WTT used the arena as their primary home venue. The arena was also home to the California Surf of the NASL for one indoor season (1979–80).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/162623853|title=Los Angeles Times: Archives - SURF TO TAKE SOCCER INDOORS AGAINST THE AZTECS TONIGHT|access-date=26 January 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021636/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/162623853.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov%2028,%201979&author=&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=SURF%20TO%20TAKE%20SOCCER%20INDOORS%20AGAINST%20THE%20AZTECS%20TONIGHT|id={{ProQuest|162623853}} |url-status=live}}</ref>
According to frequent news reports, the largest exposition held at the Convention Center in recent years has been the Winter NAMM Show. This music-equipment convention (trade only, not open to the general public) had over 2,000 exhibitors and a record-breaking 115,888 attendees during the 2020 show.<ref>[https://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/new-decade-crossroads-opportunity-namm-show-global A New Decade, A Crossroads of Opportunity: The NAMM Show, The Global Platform for Innovation in Music Products, Pro Audio and Entertainment Technology Returns to Anaheim]</ref> The NAMM Show has been running at the Anaheim Center since 1977, except for a three-year break in 1998–2000 while the Convention Center underwent major renovations, and in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2008, news reports indicated that NAMM's long-term lease with the Anaheim Convention Center authority would end in 2010, and NAMM was applying pressure to the City of Anaheim to further expand and improve the convention center.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2008/01/16/anaheim-convention-center-explores-expansion/|title=Anaheim Convention Center explores expansion|first=SARAH|last=TULLY|date=16 January 2008 |access-date=26 January 2017}}</ref> The NAMM Show did ultimately occur in the convention center in 2011 and the subsequent years.
The Anime Expo was hosted at the Anaheim Convention Center in 1996 and again from 2003 through 2006<ref name='AnimeCons'>{{cite web |title=Anime Expo 1996 Information |publisher=AnimeCons.com |url=http://www.animecons.com/events/info.shtml/150 |access-date=2009-12-03}}</ref> and was one of the convention center's biggest public events.
Blizzard Entertainment holds BlizzCon at the venue. In 2005, BlizzCon used the northern two conference halls, (and the arena for a concert one evening). In 2007 and 2008, it used three conference halls. In 2009, it used four conference halls. While tickets to the 2007 event sold out in 3 days, tickets to the October 2008 event sold out "within minutes,"<ref name='WoWforum 2008-08-12'>{{cite news |author=Nathaera |title=BlizzCon Ticket Update #6 |date=2004-08-12 |publisher=Blizzard Entertainment |url=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=8765785084&sid=1 |work=World of Warcraft Forums |access-date=2008-08-12}}</ref> and tickets to the August 2009 event sold out in "56 seconds". Tickets to the 2010 Blizzcon reportedly sold out within 30 seconds.
Another large convention held at the center is the Medical Design and Manufacturing Show, held shortly after Winter NAMM.<ref>[http://www.devicelink.com/expo/west08/ MD&M West – Medical Design and Manufacturing<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012140408/http://www.devicelink.com/expo/west08/ |date=October 12, 2007 }}</ref>
The venue served as the site for wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics.<ref name="auto"/>
The venue hosted the Big West Conference's men's and women's college basketball tournaments from 2001 to 2010 and the 76 Classic college basketball tournament from 2007 to 2012. The Wooden Legacy college basketball tournament has been hosted at the convention center since 2021 (the 2020 edition of the tournament was scheduled to be hosted at the venue prior to being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
It was briefly home to the Anaheim Arsenal basketball team in the NBA Development League from 2006 to 2009 before it relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts, for the 2009–10 season.
During the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the Los Angeles Clippers were forced to move Game 4 of their NBA playoff series versus the Utah Jazz to the Convention Center.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wharton |first1=David |title=Amid L.A.'s civil strife in 1992, the Clippers found a way to host a crucial playoff game |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-jazz-riots-20170416-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=16 April 2017}}</ref>
VidCon has been held at the Anaheim Convention Center since its third annual event in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Green|first1=Hank|title=ANNOUNCING VIDCON 2012!!|url=https://twitter.com/hankgreen/status/94453697182040066|website=Twitter|date=July 22, 2011}}</ref> The new venue offered a much larger capacity than the previously used Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles.<ref>[http://www.vidcon.com/ Home] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501060752/http://www.vidcon.com/ |date=2013-05-01 }}. Vidcon.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-06.</ref> WonderCon is hosted annually at the convention center since 2012, with the exception of 2016 when it was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-wondercon-back-anaheim-in-2017-20160325-story.html|title=WonderCon will go back to Anaheim in 2017, but L.A. wants it back for 2019|last=Woerner|first=Meredith|date=March 25, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2016-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330182130/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-wondercon-back-anaheim-in-2017-20160325-story.html|archive-date=2016-03-30|url-status=live}}</ref>
The 2012 VEX Robotics World Championship was also held in the convention center. Almost 600 teams were present at the competition which utilized two of the convention center's exhibit halls, as well as the convention centers Arena. In 2013 the VEX Robotics World Championship returned to the Anaheim Convention Center, occupying 3 exhibit halls as well as the arena. There were over 700 teams present, representing 24 nations. Each competed to be crowned the World Championship within their respective divisions.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 2012 VEX Robotics World Championships |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/04/2012-vex-robotics-world-championships/ |magazine=Wired |date=30 April 2012}}</ref>
Disney's inaugural D23 Expo, a biennial convention for Disney fans, was held at the Anaheim Convention Center in 2009. The convention center has hosted all subsequent D23 Expos.<ref>[https://d23.com/d23-expo/ D23 Expo] D23.com. Retrieved May 12, 2014</ref>
Lucasfilm's ''Star Wars'' Celebration fan gathering was held at the convention center in 2015.<ref>[https://www.starwars.com/star-wars-celebration Star Wars Celebration Anaheim] starwars.com. Retrieved July 1, 2015</ref> The ''Star Wars'' Celebration was scheduled to be held there for a second time in 2020, but was postponed to 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Perry |first=Spencer |title=Star Wars Celebration Returning to Anaheim for 2020 |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1059711-star-wars-celebration-returning-to-anaheim-for-2020 |website=ComingSoon.net |access-date=April 16, 2019 |date=April 15, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=An Update on Star Wars Celebration 2020|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/an-update-on-star-wars-celebration-2020 |website=StarWars.com |access-date=June 15, 2020 |date=June 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616022506/https://www.starwars.com/news/an-update-on-star-wars-celebration-2020|archive-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramos |first1=Dino-Ray |title=Star Wars Celebration Canceled, Set To Return In 2022 |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/star-wars-celebration-canceled-will-return-2022-1202959943/ |access-date=June 16, 2020 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616042022/https://deadline.com/2020/06/star-wars-celebration-canceled-will-return-2022-1202959943/ |archive-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=J. Kim |title=Star Wars Celebration Canceled for First Time, Sets New Date for 2022 |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/star-wars-celebration-2020-canceled-coroanvirus-1234635590/ |access-date=June 16, 2020 |work=Variety |date=June 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616065020/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/star-wars-celebration-2020-canceled-coroanvirus-1234635590/|archive-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref>
Minecon was held at the venue in September 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weinberger |first1=Matt |title=Spending the weekend with 12,000 Minecraft fanatics helped me understand why Microsoft paid $2.5 billion for it |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/minecon-minecraft-convention-pictures-2016-9 |website=Business Insider |date=28 September 2016}}</ref>
It hosted the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Karen |title=U.S. WEIGHTLIFTERS AIM TO END MEDAL DROUGHT AS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN IN ANAHEIM |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/November/28/US-Weightlifters-Aim-To-End-Medal-Drought-As-World-Championships-Open-In-Anaheim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919233303/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2017/November/28/US-Weightlifters-Aim-To-End-Medal-Drought-As-World-Championships-Open-In-Anaheim |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2020 |website=Team USA |date=28 November 2017}}</ref>
The Collegiate Challenge gymnastics meet was held in the arena in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nhi Nguyen |first1=Thuc |title=UCLA gymnastics team opens a new era with second-place finish in Anaheim |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2020-01-04/uclas-gymnastics-team-places-second-in-season-opening-meet-in-anaheim |website=Los Angeles Times |date=5 January 2020}}</ref>
The convention center hosted the 2017 FBLA-PBL National Leadership Conference.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Erin |title=A&M-Texarkana student places eighth in nation in computer competition |url=https://txktoday.com/news/texarkana-student-places-eighth-nation-computer-competition/ |website=TXK Today |date=13 September 2017}}</ref>
The convention center hosted the 2019 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shaner |first1=Kyle |title=Greenville marketing student to participate in the BPA National Leadership Conference - Daily Advocate |url=https://www.dailyadvocate.com/news/70308/greenville-marketing-student-to-participate-in-the-bpa-national-leadership-conference |website=www.dailyadvocate.com |date=19 March 2019}}</ref>
The convention center and arena is currently hosting the California State Future Farmers of America leadership conference, which started in 2018, the largest youth convention in the State of California. As of 2019, 9,000 students from across the state of California have attended the event, with more expecting to show up in the future. thumb|right|Exhibit Hall A serving as a COVID-19 vaccination site, May 2021 The convention center was a filming location for ''Star Trek: Picard'' and made an appearance in the show as a part of Starfleet Headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Patel |first1=Varun |title=Where Was Star Trek: Picard Filmed? CBS Show Filming Locations |url=https://thecinemaholic.com/where-did-shooting-of-star-trek-picard-take-place/ |website=The Cinemaholic |date=22 January 2020}}</ref>
The convention center served as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site for Orange County workers and residents from February to June 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Myers |first1=Erin |last2=Salahieh |first2=Nouran |title=O.C. to open mass COVID-19 vaccine site at Anaheim Convention Center |url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/o-c-to-open-mass-covid-19-vaccine-site-at-anaheim-convention-center/ |website=KTLA |date=18 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Robinson |first1=Alicia |title=Orange County to close its mass vaccination sites in June |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2021/05/06/orange-county-to-close-its-mass-vaccination-sites-in-june/ |website=Orange County Register |date=6 May 2021}}</ref>
The convention center hosted the 2025 Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference and the 2025 Pokémon World Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FBLA National Leadership Conference - FBLA |url=https://www.fbla.org/fbla-national-leadership-conference/ |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://victoryroad.pro/2025-worlds/|title=2025 Pokémon World Championship|work=Victory Road|access-date=19 August 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * {{C|Convention centers in California}} * List of convention centers in the United States * {{C|Sports venues in Anaheim, California}} * {{C|Tourist attractions in Orange County, California}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website|http://www.anaheimconventioncenter.com/}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927143924/http://www.anaheim.net/article.asp?id=216 Anaheim.net: City of Anaheim history, including the Convention Center] * [http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt8j49q5bm/?layout=metadata&brand=calisphere 1966 photo of the Convention Center under construction]
{{Anaheim}} {{Orange County Sports}} {{1984 Summer Olympic venues}} {{Olympic venues wrestling}} {{California Surf}} {{Portal bar|Greater Los Angeles|California|Sports}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Convention centers in California Category:American Basketball Association venues Category:Anaheim Arsenal Category:College basketball venues in California Category:Buildings and structures in Anaheim, California<!--convention center--> Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1967<!--convention center--> Category:California Surf sports facilities Category:Defunct college basketball venues in the United States Category:Event venues established in 1967 Category:Googie architecture in California Category:Gymnastics venues in California Category:Indoor soccer venues in California Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor venues Category:Olympic wrestling venues Category:Sports venues in Anaheim, California<!--arena--> Category:Sports venues completed in 1967<!--arena--> Category:Tennis venues in California Category:Tourist attractions in Anaheim, California Category:Volleyball venues in California Category:Wrestling venues in California Category:Venues of the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:1967 establishments in California Category:Indoor arenas in California Category:Esports venues in California Category:Los Angeles Clippers