Madison Meetings FAQ

Madison offers two major convention facilities designed with flexibility in mind for a range of events:

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

Specs:

• 250,000 square-foot building
• 85,000 square feet of useable meeting room space
• 68,000 square-foot rooftop
• Additional hallways available for use that are not counted toward square footage
• View room capacities, diagrams, A/V capabilities and more details here.

Notable Features: Frank Lloyd Wright–designed building, lake views and paths, LEED-certified with a sustainable food waste program

Alliant Energy Center

Specs:

• 630,000 total square feet of functional space including two live agriculture pavilions, 255,000 gross square footage exhibition hall and multipurpose venue with capacity for 10,000+ visitors
• 29 acres of green space
• 5,800 on-site paved parking spaces
• View venues, diagrams, A/V capabilities and more details here.

Notable Features: Multi-venue campus ideal for large expos, trade shows, sporting events, horse shows, concerts and festivals

Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center:

• Complimentary standard Wi‑Fi
• No A/V service fees
• Catering menu and pricing
• A/V menu

Alliant Energy Center:

• Complimentary standard Wi‑Fi
• Catering menu and pricing
• 2026 Pricing Guides

Hotel connected to Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center: Hilton Madison Monona Terrace

• 240 guest rooms
• 6 meeting rooms and 6,063 square feet of total event space

Embassy Suites by Hilton Madison Downtown is another option very close to Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center with 262 guest rooms.

Hotel connected to Alliant Energy Center: Spark by Hilton Madison Central

• 140 guest rooms
• Directly connected to the Exhibition Hall by a climate-controlled walkway

View more hotels near Alliant Energy Center.

View all of our downtown hotel listings.

Largest downtown convention hotel: The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club

• 27,000 square feet of meeting space
• 373 guest rooms

Learn more about the hotel’s meeting capabilities here.

Largest hotel for meetings: Madison Marriott West

• 61,017 square feet of meeting space
• 292 hotel rooms

Learn more about the hotel’s meeting capabilities here.

• 1,400+ hotel rooms (and growing!) in Downtown Madison
• 14 downtown hotels within walking distance of Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
• 12,000 hotel rooms across Greater Madison

The Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is less than 15 minutes by car from our convention centers, university and downtown hotels.

Distances in Miles:

• Airport to Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center: 5.2 miles
• Airport to Alliant Energy Center: 7.8 miles
• Airport to the Wisconsin State Capitol and Capitol Square: 4.8 miles
• Airport to the University of Wisconsin–Madison: 5.5 miles

Learn more about transportation options in Madison on our Maps & Transportation page.

The Dane County Regional Airport has direct flights serving 19 destinations and counting.

Major airlines:

• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines
• Breeze Airways
• Frontier Airlines
• Sun Country Airlines

One surprising perk of traveling through our airport is how easy and stress-free it is. Attendees enjoy a more relaxed experience with shorter security lines, convenient parking, quick rideshare and taxi pickup, plus easy access in and out of the terminal. Plus, it takes less than 15 minutes by car to get to the convention center and downtown.

• Approximately 2 to 2.5 hours by car
• Direct bus service available via Van Galder Bus
• Madison is located northwest of Chicago

Getting to Madison from Chicago or Milwaukee is easy. Hop on a Van Galder bus right from Chicago O' Hare International Airport or a Badger Bus if you're getting here from the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.

There are 300+ restaurants, bars and attractions located downtown near the convention center and Downtown Madison.

Within Downtown Madison, your group can enjoy the following:

• Free tours and exploration of the Wisconsin State Capitol
• Lakeside parks and outdoor recreation
• Museums, comedy shows and live music
• State Street shopping district and local boutiques
• A wide range of restaurants, streateries, cocktail bars and craft breweries
• Family-friendly attractions
• Madison Like a Local, a free digital itinerary for meeting attendees

Here are some related blogs that may be of interest:

• Top 10 Things to Do in Downtown Madison
• Things to Do in Madison, WI: A Complete Guide for Meeting Attendees and Their Families
• Stay One More Day: Things to Do in Madison, WI After Your Conference
• Madison Must-Dos You Can Walk to From Monona Terrace
• Top Things to Do Near Alliant Energy Center

Madison is known for its safe, welcoming, accessible and walkable downtown. The compact layout makes it easy for attendees to navigate confidently on their own. Read our blog to learn why Madison is a safe city for hosting meetings and events.

Our responsive, reliable team of professionals supports planners with:

• Site selection and venue recommendations
• Hotel sourcing and room block coordination
• Custom itineraries and dine-arounds
• Local vendor connections
• Attendance‑building tools and resources

Read more about our event services support here.

Yes! We love supporting our local womxn-owned, BIPOC-owned and LGBTQ+ owned partner businesses. Have a specific question or request for your event or meeting? Reach out to our Event Services team at services@destinationmadison.com.

Madison is growing rapidly, and there’s always something new and exciting to look forward to! Check out the latest highlights here.

Here are some related blogs that may be of interest:

• What's new in Madison, WI in 2026
• 9 New Madison, WI Foodie Spots

Submit your RFP here. We look forward to assisting you!

Email our sales team at sales@visitmadison.com or fill out this form and we’ll be in touch soon to answer all your questions.

Yes. Sign up for our quarterly e-news, Madison Meetings Insider. As a bonus, you’ll automatically be entered into our annual giveaway for a $5,000 sponsorship for your next meeting!