Meeting Space Needs
The space needs below reflect the 2028 (Seattle, WA) and 2029 (North Dakota) WASHTO Annual Meeting RFPs. Where needs differ by year, ranges are shown. The agenda is modeled on the 2026 WASHTO program and is tentative and subject to change. Times listed with a 24-hour hold require the space to be held overnight.
At a Glance
- Anticipated Attendance: 600 – 900
- Peak Room Night: Approximately 400 – 475 rooms
- General Session: Theater for 750 – 850 (minimum 500)
- Exhibit Hall: 30 – 60 (10x10) booths, plus a meals space with rounds for 500 – 700 for meals and receptions
- Breakouts: 4 – 5 concurrent rooms, classroom or theater for approx. 150 – 200 each
- Support Spaces: Staff office and storage, host DOT office, dignitaries green room, speaker green room, staff/crew meals room, and (2) hybrid-capable invite-only meeting rooms
Tentative Program Agenda
| Date / Time | Function | Pax | Room Size / Set-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday – Advance Staff Arrival | |||
| Daytime | H&A Advance Team Arrival | NA | Travel day; no function space required. |
| Friday – Full Team Arrival, Office & Storage Open, Bag Stuffing | |||
| 8:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Staff Office | 10 | Boardroom for 10, plus (1) 6' table for printer and (1) 6' table for supplies; whiteboard. Lockable, 5 keys. 500 – 1,500 sq. ft. |
| 8:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Event Storage | NA | Approx. 2,000 sq. ft., connected to or near the Staff Office. 6' tables around walls. Must be rekeyed. Equipment and materials stored for the entire conference. |
| 8:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Delegate Bag Stuffing | NA | Clean and clear room with 6' tables as needed (Friday – Saturday). Room may flip to the Spouse/Guest Suite on Sunday. |
| 10:30 AM – Noon | Pre-Con Meeting with Hotel & AV | 12 | Conference set for 12. |
| Saturday – Production Load-in, Registration Set-up, Host DOT & CEO Arrivals, CEO Dinner | |||
| 7:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Staff Office, Event Storage, Bag Stuffing | — | Continued holds. |
| 6:00 AM (24-hour hold) | General Session – Production Load-in & Build | 750 – 850 | Theater for 750 – 850 (minimum 500). Full production by outside production company (own truss, staging, LED/screens); venue to provide rigging points, drape, 400A three-phase power tie-in and labor. 18 state flags. |
| 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration – Set-up | NA | Built-in registration counters preferred, with on-site badge printing; (2) 6' tables and 3 chairs for walk-in registration; host state tourism table. Power at all counters and hardwired internet. |
| 8:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Host DOT Office / Hub | 18 | (3) rounds of 6, (3) power strips. Saturday – Wednesday. |
| 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | CEO Dinner (invite only, off-site) | 35 – 45 + guests | State DOT CEOs and their guests. Please recommend a private dining venue that showcases the host city, within 15 minutes of the host hotel; coach or shuttle transportation. |
| Sunday – Registration Opens, Golf & Local Activities, Technical Tour, Host State Event | |||
| 7:00 AM (24-hour hold) | Staff Office, Event Storage, Host DOT Hub | — | Continued holds. |
| 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Golf Tournament | 80 – 120 | Typically 20 – 30 teams. A course on property or within 15 minutes is a plus; please include course recommendations. |
| 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Local Activities (optional) | TBD | Attendee and guest outings that showcase the region (e.g., city, waterfront or cultural tours). Recommendations welcome. |
| 7:00 AM – 1:30 PM daily | Staff / Crew / Volunteer Meals | 30 | Rounds, buffet. Sunday – Wednesday. |
| 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily | Dignitaries Green Room | TBD | Soft seating or conference set; water station. Sunday – Wednesday. |
| 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily | Speaker Green Room | 10 – 15 | Near the General Session room. Soft seating, mirror, water and light snacks; program monitor if available. Sunday – Wednesday. |
| 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily | Invite-Only Meeting Rooms (2) | 20 ea. | Conference set for 20 with hybrid capability (screen, projector, mic, camera, hardwired internet) for committee, partner and USDOT/FHWA meetings. Sunday – Wednesday. |
| 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily | Emerging Leaders Training (invite only) | 35 | Crescent rounds for 35; screen and projector, sound and mic. Sunday – Wednesday. Lunch in room Sunday (35). |
| All day (24-hour hold) | General Session – Speaker Rehearsals | 750 – 850 | Existing General Session set. |
| 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Spouse/Guest Hospitality Suite | 30 | Spouse/guest hospitality suite. (3) rounds of 6 plus (2) card tables; (1) power drop. Food and beverage during open hours. |
| 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Exhibitor Move-in | NA | Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. 30 – 60 (10x10) booths with rounds for 500 – 700 for buffet meals; built-in sound for announcements and background music. Freight access and floor protection for load-in. |
| 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Registration & Help Desk – Open | NA | Existing registration set. |
| 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Off-site Technical Tour | 30 – 40 | Coach staging for pick-up and drop-off. Tour recommendations welcome. |
| 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | AGC Caucus (invite only) | 20 | Conference or open U for 20 with extra chairs around the walls; water service. |
| 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Host State Event (Opening Night) | 600 – 800 | Hosted by the host state DOT. Unique venue that showcases the host city and state (on property or within 15 minutes, or with shuttle service). Food stations and bars; casual attire. Venue recommendations welcome. |
| Monday – Opening General Session, Breakouts, Vendor Happy Hour, Board of Directors Event | |||
| 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration & Help Desk; Spouse/Guest Suite (8 – 4) | NA | Existing sets. |
| 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | ARTBA Engineering Breakfast (invite only) | 75 – 104 | Rounds of 8 for 104 (F&B guarantee approx. 75); skirted head tables (no riser) for 12 panelists; podium with mic; buffet. Wired mics on stands; no screen. |
| 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Group Breakfast with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. 30 – 60 (10x10) booths with rounds for 500 – 700 for buffet meals; built-in sound for announcements and background music. |
| 7:00 AM – Noon | Additional Talent Green Rooms (2) | 1 – 6 | Dressing space with mirror for performers/keynotes; water and light snacks. |
| 9:00 AM – Noon | Opening General Session & Keynote | 750 – 850 | Existing General Session set. Coffee break 10:30 – 10:45 AM in foyer. |
| 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Chief Engineers Lunch (invite only) | 50 | Rounds; buffet. |
| Noon – 1:30 PM | Group Lunch with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Buffet in Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. |
| Noon – 1:30 PM | Board / Emerging Leaders / FHWA Lunch (invite only) | 40 – 65 | Hollow square for 40 (or rounds if over 65); buffet; mics. Same room holds the afternoon roundtable. |
| 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Educational Session #1 | 750 – 850 | General Session room. |
| 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | USDOT Meeting (invite only) | 20 | Conference set; water service. |
| 2:45 PM – 3:35 PM | Concurrent Breakouts (4 – 5 rooms) | 150 – 200 ea. | Classroom or theater for approx. 150 – 200. Stage with stairs, podium with mic, (4) bar stools for panelists. Large wide screen with rear projection, (4) wireless handhelds, sound, slide advancer. One floating AV tech across all rooms; DOT supplies laptops. Prefer not to use the General Session room. |
| 3:35 PM – 4:05 PM | Afternoon Break | 700 | Foyer; specialty beverage station. |
| 4:05 PM – 5:05 PM | Educational Session #2 | 750 – 850 | General Session room. |
| 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | CEO Roundtable (invite only) | 30 – 45 | Hollow square for 40; wired/wireless mics; water service; possible virtual component. |
| 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | Vendor Happy Hour with Exhibitors | 700 | In Exhibit Hall; bars and light hors d'oeuvres; background music. |
| 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM | Board of Directors Event (invite only, off-site) | 90 | CEOs, spouses and AASHTO representatives. Signature host-city experience plus reception; recommendations welcome. |
| Evening | Sponsor-Hosted Receptions | TBD | Only sponsors may hold events in the hotel; all space requests go through H&A (Lauren Kolve, Michelle Earp or Ernie Cochran). |
| Tuesday – Educational Sessions, Breakouts, Board Reception, Closing Event | |||
| 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration & Help Desk; Spouse/Guest Suite (8 – 4) | NA | Existing sets. |
| 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | AASHTO / AGC / ARTBA Joint Committee Breakfast (invite only) | 66 | (11) crescent rounds of 6; podium with mic and speakers; buffet. |
| 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Board of Directors Business Meeting Breakfast (invite only) | 30 | Rounds or conference set; buffet. |
| 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Group Breakfast with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. 30 – 60 (10x10) booths with rounds for 500 – 700 for buffet meals; built-in sound for announcements and background music. |
| 8:00 AM – Noon | Additional Talent Green Rooms (2) | 1 – 3 | Dressing space with mirrors; water and light snacks. |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Educational Session #3 | 750 – 850 | General Session room. |
| 9:40 AM – 10:30 AM | Concurrent Breakouts (4 – 5 rooms) | 150 – 200 ea. | Classroom or theater for approx. 150 – 200. Stage with stairs, podium with mic, (4) bar stools for panelists. Large wide screen with rear projection, (4) wireless handhelds, sound, slide advancer. One floating AV tech across all rooms; DOT supplies laptops. Prefer not to use the General Session room. |
| 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM | Coffee Break | 700 | Foyer. |
| 10:50 AM – 11:50 AM | Educational Session #4 | 750 – 850 | General Session room. |
| Noon – 1:30 PM | Board of Directors Lunch (invite only) | 40 | Rounds; buffet. |
| Noon – 1:30 PM | Group Lunch with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Buffet in Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. |
| 1:00 PM – 2:50 PM | Concurrent Breakouts (two rounds) | 150 – 200 ea. | 1:00 – 1:50 PM and 2:00 – 2:50 PM. Same set as above. |
| 1:40 PM – 3:00 PM | FHWA & DOT Meeting (invite only) | 20 | Conference or hollow square; water service. |
| 3:05 PM – 3:25 PM | Break with Exhibitors | 700 | Exhibit Hall. |
| 3:20 PM – 4:20 PM | Educational Session #5 | 750 – 850 | General Session room. |
| 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Off-site Technical Tour | 40 | Coach staging. Tour recommendations welcome. |
| 4:30 PM – 5:20 PM | Concurrent Breakouts | 150 – 200 ea. | Same set as above. |
| 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Board of Directors Reception (invite only) | 100 | Unique space on property with a fun feature (specialty cocktail, ice sculpture; ideas welcome). Food stations or passed hors d'oeuvres, (2) bars, high-tops. |
| 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Closing Event | 500 – 700 | Final evening event of the conference. Venue with stage for a live band, house LED/video for branding, full sound. On property or within 15 minutes. Recommendations welcome. |
| Wednesday – Day 3 (Half Day): Closing General Session; Conference Concludes ~1:00 PM | |||
| 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Registration & Help Desk; Spouse/Guest Suite (8 – Noon) | NA | Existing sets. |
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Group Breakfast with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. 30 – 60 (10x10) booths with rounds for 500 – 700 for buffet meals; built-in sound for announcements and background music. |
| 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Partner / Committee Meetings (invite only) | 20 | In the hybrid-capable invite-only meeting rooms (see Sunday); coffee service AM, water all day. |
| 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM | Concurrent Breakouts | 150 – 200 ea. | Same set as above. Networking break 9:50 – 10:00 AM. |
| 10:00 AM – Noon | Closing General Session, AASHTO Awards, Emerging Leaders Graduation & Closing Keynote | 750 – 850 | Existing General Session set. |
| Noon – 1:00 PM | Closing Lunch with Exhibitors | 500 – 700 | Buffet in Exhibit Hall / Meals Room. Conference concludes. |
| 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Post-Conference Debrief | 25 | Hollow square for 25; light lunch. |
| 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Exhibitor Move-out | NA | Load-out labor and freight access. |
| 1:00 PM – 11:59 PM | General Session – Production Strike & Load-out | NA | Overnight strike permitted. |
| Thursday – Pack-out & Departures | |||
| 8:00 AM – Noon | Staff Office & Event Storage – Pack-out and Room Release | NA | Ship materials; return radios and keys. |
Notes
- Meeting space requests from sponsors or attending companies must be approved by H&A before booking. H&A will work with the CSM on approvals.
- Any outdoor function must include an indoor or tented contingency.
