FIRST LOOK: Inside Kokomo’s New Conference Center and Hilton Garden Inn
After years of planning, construction and anticipation, one of the largest additions to downtown Kokomo is officially here.
The new Kokomo Conference Center and Hilton Garden Inn Kokomo Downtown celebrated its grand opening and ribbon cutting Monday, Sept. 21, giving invited guests and members of the media a first look inside the massive new development along Superior Street.
And if you’ve driven past the property throughout construction and wondered exactly what is inside, who can use it or whether the hotel and conference center are meant for locals too, the short answer is: yes.
The development was designed not only to bring conferences, conventions and visitors into Kokomo, but also to provide local businesses, organizations, families and residents with new spaces for everything from corporate meetings and trade shows to weddings, galas, fundraisers and other special events.
The Kokomo Post was invited inside for a first look at both facilities, and we brought our cameras along to give you a look around.
A project years in the making
Located at 121 E. Superior St., the Kokomo Conference Center encompasses approximately 55,000 square feet across three floors and can accommodate events of up to approximately 1,000 guests.
The adjoining five-story Hilton Garden Inn features 108 guest rooms and is physically connected to the conference center by a pedestrian bridge.
The development is the result of a partnership involving the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance and Greater Kokomo Visitors Bureau, City of Kokomo, Howard County and SSG Hotels.
The project broke ground in August 2024, but the effort to bring a large conference facility and connected hotel to Kokomo stretches back much further.
For years, one of the gaps in Kokomo's hospitality offerings was the absence of a large meeting facility physically connected to a hotel. The new development was created in part to allow Kokomo to compete for conferences, conventions, professional gatherings and other events that previously may have needed to look elsewhere.
The goal is bigger than filling the conference center itself. Bringing hundreds of visitors downtown for multi-day events has the potential to send those guests into Kokomo restaurants, bars, shops, attractions and other local businesses while generating additional visitor spending throughout the community.
Inside the Kokomo Conference Center
The centerpiece of the conference center is its first-floor ballroom, with more than 8,600 square feet of flexible event space and 23-foot ceilings.
The ballroom is divided into three sections meaning groups don't necessarily have to rent or use the entire space.
For large events, all three sections can be combined into one ballroom.
Configured for banquet seating, the combined ballroom can accommodate up to 672 guests. It can also be transformed for conferences, presentations, expos and other uses.
The space can also be arranged classroom-style for as many as 540 attendees, while individual ballroom sections can accommodate theater-style audiences of up to 360 people per ballroom, depending on the configuration.
That flexibility is intentional. Instead of creating one giant room that only works for major conferences, the center was designed to accommodate events ranging from relatively small meetings to some of Kokomo's largest indoor gatherings.
Smaller meetings have a place, too
Upstairs, the facility includes six breakout and meeting rooms, giving businesses and organizations options that don't require a ballroom-sized event.
Those rooms can be configured for board meetings, presentations, trainings, workshops, breakout sessions, private dinners and other smaller gatherings.
Individual rooms accommodate different group sizes depending on their setup, with theater-style capacities ranging from roughly 30 to 90 people.
Several rooms can also be combined.
That means the conference center isn't reserved exclusively for organizations bringing hundreds of people to town. A local business needing space for a training session, an organization holding a board retreat or a group planning a smaller private gathering can use the facility as well.
Yes, you can have a wedding here
The conference center is also being marketed as a wedding and special event venue.
In addition to the ballroom and reception spaces, the building includes The Elizabeth, a dedicated bridal/green room.
The approximately 320 square foot private space gives wedding parties, speakers, performers and other event participants a separate area away from the main event.
With its ballroom, catering operation, bar service, hotel next door and smaller gathering spaces, the property can accommodate weddings and receptions without guests needing to travel between multiple venues.
The conference center can also host galas, fundraisers, social events, association gatherings, expos, community events, corporate functions and celebrations.
Food, drinks and event services are handled on site
The facility has its own commercial kitchen and in-house culinary and banquet team.
For events held at the conference center, food and beverage service is provided exclusively through its in-house catering operation, with customizable options ranging from hors d'oeuvres and casual meals to plated dinners.
Full-service bar options are available as well.
The conference center also offers professional event coordination, high-speed Wi-Fi, in-house audio/visual equipment and support, along with services for exhibitors, trade shows and decorators.
In other words, organizations renting the space aren't simply being handed an empty room and left to figure out the rest.
One of the most uniquely Kokomo parts is downstairs
The lower level of the conference center is home to an automotive gallery celebrating Kokomo's role in automotive history.
Historic Haynes and Apperson automobiles are incorporated into the space, creating a connection between one of downtown Kokomo's newest developments and the innovation that helped shape the city more than a century ago.
The gallery isn't simply decorative space, either.
According to the conference center, the museum area will also be available to rent for private events, providing another option for gatherings inside the facility.
The automotive component was intentionally included as a way to make the conference center feel specific to Kokomo rather than like a conference facility that could exist in any city.
Then there's the hotel
Connected directly to the conference center is the new Hilton Garden Inn Kokomo Downtown, located at 191 E. Superior St.
The five story hotel includes 108 rooms and is a regular Hilton Garden Inn, meaning you do not need to attend a conference, be traveling for business or have any special affiliation to stay there.
Anyone can book a room based on availability.
Hilton's current reservation system lists availability beginning Sept. 23, 2026.
Room options include traditional king rooms, rooms with two queen beds and one bedroom king suites, along with accessible room options.
The hotel has a pool, fitness center and more
Amenities at the new Hilton Garden Inn include:
An indoor heated swimming pool
Fitness center
Free Wi-Fi
Business center
Free parking
Electric-vehicle charging
Connecting rooms
Digital Key access
Streaming entertainment
Pet friendly rooms
On-site meeting space
An on-site restaurant and bar
The hotel is entirely non-smoking.
For travelers bringing pets, Hilton currently allows up to two dogs or cats, with a maximum weight of 75 pounds. A nonrefundable pet fee applies.
Complimentary self-parking is available on site, with additional free parking available in an adjacent garage.
You don't have to stay at the hotel to eat there
Another addition that locals may be particularly interested in is The Garden Grille & Bar, the Hilton Garden Inn's on-site restaurant and bar.
The restaurant serves made to order breakfast along with dinner and drinks.
Breakfast offerings include items such as omelets, French toast, breakfast sandwiches and eggs prepared to order, while the dinner menu focuses on a combination of familiar dishes and seasonal offerings, including locally sourced ingredients.
So while the hotel will obviously serve travelers, its restaurant and bar add another food and drink option to downtown Kokomo.
The location is a major part of the plan
The development sits in the heart of downtown Kokomo, putting hotel and conference guests within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, trails, public art and entertainment.
That's an important piece of the larger vision behind the project.
Rather than building a conference center on the outskirts of the city where attendees would largely remain on one property, the downtown location gives visitors the opportunity to leave their hotel or conference and immediately experience Kokomo.
The hotel is also less than a mile from the Seiberling Mansion, while Kokomo Opalescent Glass and the Elwood Haynes Museum are within approximately two miles.
Championship Park is roughly three miles away, creating another potential use for the hotel for families and groups traveling to Kokomo for sporting events.
Can local businesses and organizations rent it?
Absolutely.
The conference center is actively booking corporate meetings, trainings, conferences, expos, nonprofit events, association meetings, weddings, galas, fundraisers, social gatherings and other events.
Its current opening promotions even include special offers specifically geared toward weekday meetings and nonprofit or association events.
Qualified nonprofit and association groups may be eligible for discounted event packages, while weekday meetings can qualify for other incentives depending on the booking.
Pricing varies based on the room, number of guests, setup, food and beverage needs, A/V requirements and other event details, so the conference center provides customized quotes rather than one universal rental price.
Those interested in hosting an event can submit a request through KokomoConferenceCenter.com or contact the conference center directly.
A new tool for bringing people to Kokomo
Perhaps the biggest impact of the project won't be something residents see during a single visit.
Until now, Kokomo's ability to pursue certain large conferences and multi-day events has been limited by the lack of a sizable conference facility connected directly to a hotel.
The Kokomo Conference Center and Hilton Garden Inn were built to change that.
With a conference center capable of accommodating approximately 1,000 guests, 108 hotel rooms immediately next door and additional hotels throughout Kokomo, local tourism and economic development officials hope the facility will allow the city to compete for meetings and events that bring hundreds of people and their spending into the community.
And those bookings are already beginning.
The new conference center is scheduled to host events ranging from local and regional gatherings to multi-day conferences, including the 2026 Indiana MPO & IARC Conference in October, which will bring transportation and planning professionals from across Indiana to Kokomo.
The Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance's Annual Celebration & Awards Dinner is also scheduled for Nov. 5 at the facility and is being billed as the organization's inaugural signature event inside the new conference center.
For Kokomo residents, though, the biggest takeaway may be that this isn't a facility they can only admire from the outside.
You can stay at the hotel.
You can eat at the restaurant.
Your company can hold a meeting here.
Your organization can host an event here.
You can attend a conference here.
You can hold a wedding or reception here.
And visitors coming to Kokomo now have a large scale conference facility and full service hotel planted directly in the middle of downtown.
After years of seeing renderings and then watching the buildings rise along Superior Street, Kokomo finally gets to see the finished product.
And we got a first look inside.
Scroll through The Kokomo Post's full photo gallery below for a look inside the new Kokomo Conference Center and Hilton Garden Inn Kokomo Downtown.
