Niagara Falls Convention Center & Old Falls Street

In accordance with its mission for revitalization of downtown Niagara Falls, USAN developed and opened the $20 million Niagara Falls Convention Center (NFCC) in 2004, to replace the functions of the former Niagara Falls Convention & Civic Conference Center, which had been converted to house the Seneca Niagara Casino.  Moreover, NFCC was designed to be more “right sized” for the market, comprised of facilities for professional meetings and conferences, large banquets and events, as well as traditional flat space for convention and trade show operations.  Through acquisition and adaptive reuse of a long vacant structure, USAN developed a state-of-the-art facility which was awarded first place in a 2007 design competition for adaptive reuse sponsored by the Western New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  The primary mission of NFCC is to stimulate downtown economic activity by expanding visitation to Niagara Falls, NY; generating lodging demand from attendees at professional meetings, conferences, seminars, and conventions held at NFCC; and through increases in overnight visitation, facilitating expenditures at local commercial establishments.

The NFCC is a 116,000 square foot exhibition and meeting facility programmed to contain the following distinct elements:

  • A 32,200-square-foot event/exhibit hall with superior acoustical design and capacity for up to 4,000 persons.
  • The Cascades Room, a 10,500-square-foot ballroom facility, one of the largest in Western New York.
  • The Cataracts Room, a 5,000-square-foot, multi-purpose conference dining room fronting on Old Falls Street.
  • A 5,000-square-foot Grand Foyer, designed in an inspiring two-story space that provides extensive natural light, and equipped with permanent bar, reception, coat-check, and registration desk facilities to meet all event staging requirements.
  • A full-service learning center that includes 15 conference/meeting rooms with built-in multi-media equipment; including wireless internet access throughout the facility; a fully equipped business center; a theater-style presentation space; and fully appointed executive boardroom facilities.
  • A large, landscaped outdoor veranda along Old Falls Street, suitable for receptions, banquets and special events, equipped with built-in power; and
  • A 5,000-square-foot, fully appointed kitchen facility with space, staging areas, and all necessary equipment to easily cater up to 2,000 meals in a single seating.

Destination Niagara USA was selected to operate the NFCC in 2021.  In 2019, the NFCC hosted 115 events, attracting 83,019 attendees and generating 35,068 room nights. USAN estimates NFCC generates $13-19 million in annual direct spending on local hotels, food and beverage and transportation in the region and spurs new private investments.  For more information, please visit the NFCC web site at Niagara Falls Conference Center.

Old Falls Street, USA

Old Falls Street, USA is a three-block destination connecting Niagara Falls State Park with Niagara Falls Convention Center and downtown hotels, restaurants and attractions. Serving as a welcome center for residents and visitors alike, Old Falls Street, USA provides exciting spaces for free family-friendly games and activities, seasonal concerts, outdoor movies, festivals and special events.  This project aims to turn this area of the city into an active public space through a quality and environmentally sustainable design that provides key pedestrian amenities.

USAN, in partnership with the City of Niagara Falls, advanced the Old Falls Street reconstruction project.  The project consisted of two individual, but related components included in USA Niagara’s 2005 Downtown Niagara Falls Multi-Modal Access Program. 

Improvements along Old Falls Street between Third Street and First Street included new paving, full-depth roadway reconstruction as needed, drainage systems, new granite curbing and accessible curb-cuts. In addition, the project included the introduction of limited vehicle access, while maintaining suitable access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

In 2009, USAN and the City of Niagara Falls completed the $7.9 million Old Falls Street - West Mall Initiative. The West Mall Initiative included major infrastructure investments toward the full-depth reconstruction of Old Falls Street from Prospect Street to First Street. The West Mall Initiative included the restoration of the public right-of-way and re-introduction of vehicular access during off-peak and off-season periods. Together with USAN’s completion of the Old Falls Street reconstruction between First and Third Streets, the West Mall Initiative marked the completion of the restoration of Falls Street in its entirety in the downtown district.

Cataract Commons, a public square or “commons” space located on Old Falls Street, was completed in Summer 2020. The project transformed an empty parcel into a more usable and inviting outdoor facility that has permanent structural seating and shade, as well as flexibility for hosting various events.  The roughly $1.3 million project was funded through Buffalo Billion II.

Managed by Destination Niagara USA, Old Falls Street continues to grow its programming of activities and engaging special events, successfully raising the visibility of the street for both visitors and regional audiences. For more information on Old Falls Street, please visit Old Falls Street, USA.