What It Really Takes to Plan a 600-Person Corporate Conference

From the perspective of an Association Event Planner

If you think putting on a wedding is a big deal, imagine planning a multi-day corporate conference for 600 people. Every year. In a new city. With expectations that it runs seamlessly, feels fresh, and somehow... costs less than it did the year before.

Welcome to our world.

We thought it might be fun (and honestly, important) to give you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a national symposium to life. From scouting locations five years in advance to budgeting for coffee that costs more than your rent—we’re pulling back the curtain.

Booking a Venue 5 Years in Advance? Yep. 

Believe it or not, we’re currently scouting venues for the 2030 and beyond. That’s not a typo. The hospitality industry runs on a very long game. If you want a venue with the right space, the right price and in a city people want to visit—you need to be first in line.

But booking that early means you’re making some pretty big guesses. What will travel costs look like? Will our event grow? Will that hotel still exist?

We do our best to look into our crystal ball, but sometimes things change. Like in 2019, we booked a 2024 location because the hotel was supposed to undergo a huge renovation. Fast forward to post-Covid reality? The reno never happened. And we were locked in with a cancellation fee of $196,876. So we pivoted and made it work.

Why Not Just Wait to Book? 

Honestly, because we can’t. The cities and hotels we need fill up fast. Tier 1 and 2 cities (think: Denver, St. Louis, Portland) offer the right combo of flights, space, and pricing. Wait too long, and we’re stuck with sky-high costs or cities that aren’t easy for attendees to access.

And yes, we’re growing! We used to plan for 350 attendees. Now it’s 650+. That means we need bigger venues—often convention centers instead of hotels. Some convention centers have over a million square feet of meeting space (shout out to McCormick Place in Chicago). It’s not as cozy, but it means more of you can come.

The Planning Timeline.

Once a venue is booked, the real work starts. Planning kicks off 18 months before each conference. That means while we're wrapping up one event, we’re already in full prep mode for the next. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Jan (18 months out): Floorplan design starts

• March/April: Exhibitor floorplans released

• May/June: Site visit & budget creation

• July onward: Committees start meeting regularly & detailed planning begins!

• April/May (Event Month): Showtime!

  
  

Fun fact: This means we’re simultaneously planning two events AND sourcing venues for future ones. No rest for the organized.

So... Why Does It Cost So Much? 

On average, it costs $1,000–$1,200 per person to attend a symposium like this. And nope—your registration fee doesn’t cover it all. Exhibitors help offset nearly half of those costs. (So be sure to show them some extra love at your next event!)

Here’s where the money goes:

• A/V, Wi-Fi, lighting: $200,000+

• Staff & support: $75,000+

• Food & beverage: $350,000+ (more on that below)

• Exhibit hall buildout: $50,000+

• Everything else (badges, decor, signage): another $100,000+

The Food Dilemma: Coffee Edition ☕️

If there's one topic that gets people talking, it's the coffee. Or more specifically, the lack of coffee at all hours of the day.

We hear you. We also need coffee to survive 12-hour days full of programming and networking. Trust us—we’re right there with you.

But here's the deal: coffee at a hotel conference isn’t your $3 cup from the corner café. It’s hotel-priced.

Let’s break it down:

• One gallon of coffee = $130

• Add tax and service fees = $173 (for just 16 cups!)

• If everyone had three cups a day, we’d spend over $60,000 just on caffeine

Want unlimited coffee all day long? Some venues offer that—for the low, low price of $30,000 per day.

So while we’d love to have coffee fountains flowing endlessly in every corner, we have to be strategic. Morning coffee? Absolutely. Afternoon pick-me-ups? That’s where refillable bottles, nearby cafés, and creative caffeine sourcing come into play.

Now when someone asks why the coffee disappeared after 10 AM, you can hit them with the math.

Planning a conference is full of these kinds of behind-the-scenes tradeoffs. 

And while we can’t always give you bottomless coffee, we can promise we’re working hard to create a thoughtful, meaningful event that’s worth your time.

We hope this peek behind the curtain gives you a deeper appreciation for what it takes to make each Symposium possible. Our goal is always to support your professional growth—and if we can make you smile, connect with peers, or discover something new while doing it? Even better.

Got more questions? Want to see something specific in the next event? Reach out. We’re listening—and planning for the next five years while we’re at it.