In mid-February of 2024, the Monroeville Convention Center announced that it would be closing in June of 2024. The abrupt announcement left many event planners and organizations scrambling to find a new place to host their events. The Monroeville area was in shock and left many residents angry and confused.

The community was further rocked by the sudden closure of the DoubleTree next to the Convention Center. The community blamed the Monroeville Convention Center. After news of the closure, leaders and community members stressed how important the Convention Center is to the community. Leaders argued that the event space brought people, events, and revenue to the area.

A coalition of state, county, and local officials decided to involve themselves in the situation in the aftermath of the announcement. They entered into a discussion with Hobby Lobby and the Oxford Development Company. They all decided it was in the “best interest of the community” not to close the Convention Center.

The officials planned to transition the Convention Center into a long-term community asset under a new community or government-based ownership structure. The plan and details are still in discussion between officials and Oxford Development Company.

“Today’s announcement is the result of several weeks of discussions, including information sharing about the MCC’s large impact,” officials said. “We want to thank Hobby Lobby and Oxford for their sincere effort to reach a positive outcome. Everybody at the table worked behind the scenes to deliver a result that will see the MCC become a properly owned and funded community asset.”

Officials plan to reach out to vendors of shows that were canceled due to the closure date soon. They hope they will still hold their events at the Monroeville Convention Center. Some events include the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo, Steel City Con, and many more.

The Mayor of Monroevill, Nick Gresock, stated, “On behalf of myself and the residents of Monroeville, I want to offer my gratitude to Hobby Lobby and Oxford. I also want to recognize the state, county, and local officials who worked together to save the Convention Center and secure today’s announcement. Thank you!”