Rochester's primary meeting place is the Mayo Civic Center, which houses the 11,000-square-foot Grand Lobby and the 25,000-square-foot Taylor Arena, accommodating 4,500 theater-style and 1,000 classroom style. The civic center's 15,700-square-foot auditorium can seat 1,700 theater-style and 600 classroom-style, while its theater can handle 1,340 theater-style and provides up to 17 breakout rooms. The facility also has many patios and a 3,000-square-foot outdoor stage. Graham Arena and Graham Arena East are at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. Graham Arena provides a total exhibit area of 28,000 square feet with seating for 2,500. Graham Arena East has 22,000 square feet of exhibit space.
Rochester has about 4,600 hotel rooms, with more than 1,500 of them linked by climate-controlled skyways and subways to dining, shopping, services, the Mayo Clinic, and the Mayo Civic Center. There are 52 hotels and motels in the Rochester area.
Convention Information: Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, 150 S. Broadway, Ste. A, Rochester, MN 55904; telephone (507)288-4331; toll-free 800-634-8277; fax (507)288-9144