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The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) pulls in over a million visitors a year across roughly a hundred major events, making it one of the busiest trade show venues in the country. Sitting at 650 S Griffin Street in downtown Dallas, it’s a go-to spot for B2B networking, product launches, and everything in between.
There’s a catch right now, though. The venue is in the middle of a massive, multi-year construction project tied to the city’s convention center master plan, and it’s already changing how shows operate on the ground. Halls D, E, and F are being demolished to make way for a new facility, with the expanded center expected to open around 2029 or 2030. If you’re pulling logistics notes from a few years ago, you’re working with outdated information, and that’s a fast way to end up with a truck stuck at the wrong dock or a booth crew standing around waiting for instructions.
This KBHCCD exhibitor guide covers what you actually need to know right now: navigating Texas labor rules, keeping drayage costs under control, and building a booth that still stands out while construction is happening around you.
Chapter 1: Venue Overview and the Expansion’s Impact on Current Shows
Before you get into booth design or shipping logistics, you need a clear picture of what’s happening at the venue itself. The construction isn’t some distant future event. It’s actively shaping how shows run today.
A few things worth knowing up front:
- Don’t assume your hall from last year. With Halls D, E, and F coming down, many shows have been reassigned to Halls A, B, or C, or split across temporary layouts. Confirm your assignment directly with show management rather than going off memory.
- Your General Service Contractor’s manual is the real rulebook. KBHCCD hands off most show-floor operations, including rigging and electrical work, to a General Service Contractor (GSC) such as Freeman, GES, or Edlen. Whatever manual your GSC sends out for your specific event should guide your planning, not a generic online checklist.
- Give yourself extra time getting downtown. Traffic patterns around the venue are shifting because of the redevelopment. Let your staff and any visiting clients know to build in buffer time, whether they’re coming from a hotel via DART rail or grabbing a rideshare.
Chapter 2: Shipping, Drayage, and the Loading Dock
Shipping is where a lot of exhibitors lose money without realizing it. Drayage, which is the cost of moving your freight from the dock to your actual booth space, tends to be one of the biggest hidden line items in a Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center trade show budget.
Getting Through the Canton Street Docks
The venue’s loading dock entrance sits at 1225 Canton Street. But you can’t just show up with a truck and expect to unload. Most major shows require carriers to check in at an off-site marshaling yard first, and that yard changes depending on which GSC is running your event.
You’ve generally got two options for getting your booth materials to the show:
- Advance warehouse shipping. Send your crates to the advance warehouse about 30 days ahead of the show. This is the safer route, since your materials are guaranteed to be waiting in your booth space when your team arrives.
- Direct-to-site shipping. This can save money, but it’s a lot riskier. Your truck has to hit a narrow target move-in window, and if it gets stuck in downtown traffic or a construction detour, you could miss your slot entirely.
What Drayage Actually Costs
Drayage gets billed per 100 pounds, known as CWT. Say your GSC charges $150 per CWT. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- A 500-pound pallet runs about $750 to move roughly 100 yards.
- A 2,000-pound crate comes out to around $3,000.
One thing worth considering: lighter booth construction pays off here. Aluminum extrusion frames and tension fabric graphics weigh far less than traditional wood-and-laminate builds. Cutting your crate weight in half can shave thousands off your drayage bill for a single show.
Chapter 3: Labor Rules for Setting Up at KBHCCD
Texas is a right-to-work state, and that works in your favor when it comes to booth labor. Compared to heavily unionized venues in cities like Chicago or New York, Dallas gives exhibitors a lot more flexibility.
What you can handle yourself:
- Full-time employees of your company can set up the booth, unpack products, and use battery-operated hand tools like cordless drills.
- You’re free to plug in your own simple 120-volt equipment, like laptops or basic display screens.
What requires a union crew or the venue’s own team:
- Rigging. Any hanging signage or truss systems have to go through the official GSC rigging crew, no exceptions. Safety and liability rules at the venue don’t leave room for DIY here.
- Heavy electrical work. Wiring machinery, running under-carpet flat wiring, or tapping into the floor pockets (which can offer up to 100-amp service) requires a licensed venue electrician.
- Plumbing and water hookups. Any water supply for demos or displays has to be arranged through the venue directly.
Chapter 4: Booth Design That Works for KBHCCD’s Halls
With the layout in flux, your booth design needs to be flexible enough to work regardless of exactly where you end up. Whether you’ve booked a 10×20 inline space or a 40×40 island, how you lay things out should be driven by how attendees actually move through the hall.
A Few Design Principles Worth Following
Give people three seconds to get it. Aisle traffic moves fast at a show this size. Your core message needs to be readable from about 20 feet away, at a glance. Illuminated hanging signs, where they’re permitted, help pull attention across a hall as large as Exhibit Hall F.
Keep sightlines open. Booths that feel closed off don’t get much foot traffic. Try to keep the front 20 percent of your space free of bulky counters or walls so people feel invited in rather than blocked out.
Hide the clutter. Stacked boxes and coats piled in a corner undercut whatever brand image you’re going for. Build lockable storage into the booth itself so the working mess stays out of sight.
| Booth Size | Best Used For | Build Strategy |
| 10×10 / 10×20 | Focused lead capture, one-on-one conversations | High-impact backwall graphics paired with lightweight modular frames to keep shipping costs down |
| 20×20 Island | Product demos, multiple engagement zones | Overhead hanging signs for visibility, plus a 360-degree layout so every side is approachable |
| 30×30 and up | Immersive experiences, VIP lounges | Careful floor-pocket electrical planning and dedicated labor management for installation |
Chapter 5: Utilities, Internet, and Rigging Basics
Don’t assume anything beyond bare floor space comes standard with your booth.
Internet: The free Wi-Fi available in public lobbies isn’t reliable enough for booth demos or live presentations. Exhibitor internet runs exclusively through Smart City Networks, so if you’ve got a tech demo that depends on a stable connection, order a hardwired drop well ahead of time.
Electrical: Power comes from floor pockets spread across the exhibit halls. Order your service through the provider listed in your GSC manual, usually Edlen or the GSC itself, at least 30 days out to lock in discount pricing. One thing to note: outside generators aren’t permitted on the floor.
Catering: Outside food and alcohol aren’t allowed for booth hospitality. Sodexo Live! holds the exclusive catering contract for the venue, so any coffee service, snacks, or drinks for your booth need to be ordered through them.
Chapter 6: Show Day and Breaking Down Afterward
Move-out is when things tend to fall apart if you haven’t planned ahead. The moment a show floor closes, aisles fill up fast with empty crates and forklifts, and it gets chaotic quickly.
A few things to lock in before the show even opens:
- Keep your empty labels visible. Put your “Empty” crate labels out during setup so the GSC crew can get your crates back to you quickly once the show wraps.
- Confirm your outbound freight ahead of time. Have your Bill of Lading filled out and your carrier (something like FedEx Custom Critical or a dedicated freight line) scheduled with the GSC well before move-out day.
- Don’t leave your freight unattended. If your carrier misses its pickup window, the GSC can force transport your booth to their own warehouse, and that comes with a steep bill.
A Rough Planning Timeline
| Timeframe | Focus | What to Do |
| 6-9 months out | Strategy | Reserve your booth space, set clear goals for the show, and hire a booth builder if you’re going custom |
| 3-4 months out | Logistics | Go through the GSC exhibitor manual and lock in your final 3D booth design and graphics |
| 45 days out | Deadlines | Order electrical, internet through Smart City, and rigging in time for advance discount pricing |
| 30 days out | Shipping | Get your booth properties to the advance warehouse instead of gambling on direct-to-site timing |
| Show week | Execution | Arrive on site, oversee your labor crew, test every piece of tech, and run the show |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Texas a right-to-work state for trade shows? Yes. Full-time employees of the exhibiting company can set up their own booth and use basic battery-operated tools without needing to bring in union labor for standard assembly work.
Where’s the marshaling yard for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center? It depends on which GSC is running your show. Don’t head straight to Canton Street assuming that’s where you’ll check in. Your exhibitor manual will list the correct off-site yard for your event.
How much does drayage cost at KBHCCD? It’s billed per 100 pounds (CWT) and generally falls somewhere between $100 and $250 or more per CWT, depending on your GSC, whether your freight went to the advance warehouse, and whether it needs special handling.
How is the expansion affecting current trade shows? Halls D, E, and F are being demolished as part of the larger project, and that’s currently changing hall assignments, walking routes through the venue, and dock traffic patterns. Always work from the current floor plan for your specific show rather than anything from prior years.
What’s the maximum booth height allowed? That’s set by show management rather than the venue itself, but as a general rule, inline booths are usually capped around 8 feet, while island booths can often go up to 16 or 20 feet, or use hanging signage.
Can I bring my own food or drinks for my booth? No. Sodexo Live! has the exclusive catering rights for the center, so any hospitality items, including coffee, snacks, or alcohol, need to go through them.
Who’s responsible for rigging? All rigging work, including hanging signs, truss, and lighting, needs venue approval and is handled almost entirely by the official GSC rigging crew due to safety requirements.
Where’s the nearest hardware store for last-minute booth fixes? If you’re scrambling for tape, zip ties, or tools, the closest major option is the Home Depot on Lemmon Ave, about a 10 to 15 minute drive from the convention center.
Making Dallas Exhibiting Less of a Headache
Exhibiting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center during a construction project of this size takes some patience. Between learning the Texas labor rules, timing your Canton Street dock delivery, and keeping drayage fees from eating your budget, the logistics alone can pull focus away from the reason you’re there in the first place: growing your business.
That’s exactly why a lot of exhibitors bring in a team that already knows Dallas and this venue specifically. A good exhibition stand partner can design a lightweight custom booth that cuts your shipping costs, handle the GSC paperwork, manage your labor calls, and take care of outbound freight documentation, so your team can spend the show actually talking to prospects instead of chasing logistics. If you’re planning your next Dallas exhibitor guide checklist, working with a builder who understands the venue’s current construction realities is one of the smartest moves you can make before the show even opens.
