COLUMBUS, Ohio— Experience Columbus, the destination marketing organization for Ohio’s capital city, is thrilled to announce that Columbus, Ohio will host the 109th National Convention of The American Legion in 2028. The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans service organization with nearly two million members and more than 12,000 posts in communities throughout America. This momentous win is proudly revealed on Memorial Day, a day when we commemorate the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and reflect on the importance of supporting our vets.
"The 109th National Convention of The American Legion holds immense importance for Columbus and marks a historic milestone as we proudly host this prestigious event for the very first time," said Brian Ross, President and CEO of Experience Columbus. "We are honored to extend a warm welcome and express our heartfelt gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our country. The city is eager to make it a truly memorable experience for all."
Known for its dedication to service members and their families, Columbus is a shining example of a veteran-friendly city. Since 2018, it has been the proud home of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the only museum in the country that tells the story of veterans from all branches of service.
The Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) also illustrates this patriotic admiration as the facility was honored by the U.S. Department of Labor during the 2019 HIRE Vets Medallion Awards for its demonstrated success in hiring military veterans.
“The passion conveyed by Mayor Ginther and all Columbus representatives, both during our site visits and in their presentation, did not go unnoticed,” said American Legion Convention Commission Chairman Mike Walton. “Our fellow veterans and the entire American Legion Family look forward to a wonderful time and experience in this great city."
With an estimated attendance of 8,000, the 109th National Convention of The American Legion is set to have a significant economic impact on the city, projected to be $8.8 million in direct visitor spend. The 109th National Convention of The American Legion will be held in Columbus from August 25 to 31, 2028.
About Experience Columbus
Experience Columbus is the destination marketing organization for the Columbus region, dedicated to growing visitor spending and enhancing the visitor experience. Annually, visitors make 42.7 million trips to Greater Columbus for conventions, trade shows, sporting events and leisure visits, spending $6.6 billion and supporting nearly 75,000 jobs. Columbus is proud to be selected as the host city for the 2023 U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting coming in June and to have hosted PCMA Convening Leaders 2023, which brought together the world's business events professionals in January. For more information, visit ExperienceColumbus.com.
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Media Contact:
Cameron Tirado: ctirado@experiencecolumbus.com | 610-389-6833