On February 12th, Monroeville Convention Center announced that they would be closing their doors for the final time in June of 2024. Monroeville Convention Center has been a large part of the surrounding community for years, hosting large conventions, trade shows, and events in Pittsburgh. Some major events included the Steel City Con, the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo, and the Vintage Fest which visited for the first time in January.
The owner of the space, Oxford Development, announced that the 100,000-square-foot convention center had been sold to Hobby Lobby. This sale came as a surprise to many organizations who had been loyal to the convention center for years, such as Steel City Con who posted on Facebook shortly after the news broke:
“This week the Monroeville Convention Center (MCC), and its owners, Oxford Development, have informed us that effective June 1, 2024, Oxford Development has entered into a twelve-year lease with Hobby Lobby and will cease operations at that time, therefore terminating all show leases. Our April show will not be affected. Steel City Con currently has shows scheduled August 9-11 and Dec 6-8, 2024, and we are currently in discussions with multiple venues in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area to move these shows. We thank the Monroeville Convention Center and the city of Monroeville for over 30 years of hosting Steel City Con. We look forward to hosting our shows as scheduled in a new venue, and will be making subsequent announcements soon.”
Many other vendors and shows are in the same predicament since many need to book their dates over a year in advance. The showrunners have all communicated their panic and now scramble to find a new venue in time to still honor their tickets and vendor commitments. Ticket holders and vendors alike are confused, concerned, and saddened by the news. Many are concerned about what other affordable options are available in the surrounding areas.
Steven Guy, the Oxford CEO, stated that the convention center was not profitable, and had no comment regarding the community impact. With little to no explanation as to “why,” the event planners are incredibly upset.
“For it to just be pulled out from underneath of us out of nowhere is very disheartening,” said Pittsburgh Gaming Expo showrunner Colt Dalmaso.
“We budget out based on what the show was going to cost us, and suddenly we’re looking at being short money if we have to go to a venue that costs more,” stated Alex Kinnamon, co-owner of Pittsburgh Gaming Expo.
The Monroeville Convention Center will continue to welcome shows to their venue until June 1, when Hobby Lobby will begin its 12-year lease with Oxford Development.
