Once one of the largest train stations in the country, the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center is a complex housed in an impressive structure. The building was designed in the style of an Italian villa. Today trade shows, banquets and exhibits fill its halls.
The Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center claims to be the only railway station from the southern part of the U.S. to be converted into a convention center. Its halls and rooms are spread across 265,000 square feet (25,000 square meters) inside the grand structure.
Admire the convention center’s façade, which is characterized by columns, arches and pediments. Behind the columns are a number of glass windows that sparkle in the sunlight. Surrounding the complex are neatly trimmed hedges and trees.
Learn about the building’s fascinating past as the region’s hub of rail transport. Up to 142 trains passed through the station every day for half a century. The building for Union Station was constructed in 1919. Its facilities were last used for transportation in 1974, before Amtrak moved to a different location in Jacksonville. It first opened as a convention center in 1986.
Attend events held at the convention center such as car shows, community events and art exhibitions. Many industry events are also held in the former railway station. Make sure to check the official convention center website before your visit to find out what activities are scheduled.
The Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center is located on the north bank of the St. Johns River in the center of Jacksonville. It is four blocks west of Central Station on the city’s monorail system. If you are driving, there is parking available, for a fee, on-site. The convention center is free to enter, but some exhibitions and events charge entry. Walk to the complex from other landmarks such as Jacksonville Landing, the Museum of Contemporary Art and EverBank Field Stadium.
