Trade & Convention Centre

Penticton has a long history of hosting large-scale events that draw crowds from far and wide. Penticton Trade and Convention Centre (PTCC) hosts a wide range of events including conventions and conferences, meetings, banquets, consumer shows and special events.

Shaping the Future of the PTCC

Exploring land use options

What does the Future Look Like?

The City is exploring land use changes that could allow a future hotel attached to the PTCC, if and when the time is right. A hotel attached to the PTCC has long been identified as a key move to make Penticton more competitive in the convention market, supporting tourism and a vibrant year-round economy.

This work builds on the North Gateway Plan (adopted in 2022) to create a sports, events and cultural district on these lands. The North Gateway plan calls for 2,200 new residential units, 350+ new hotel rooms, commercial offerings, revitalized ice surfaces and re-imaged public open spaces and parks, connected to the waterfront and downtown.

This conversation is about land readiness, not approving a specific hotel. Any future hotel proposal would go through a full public process and approvals.

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Large scale conference and convention organizers often require or strongly prefer an attached headquarter hotel for logistics and walkability.
Without it, the PTCC can be screened out early, limiting its ability to attract many national/corporate events and shoulder/off-season business. Most convention facilities that we compete with for these events have attached hotels.
The convention business in Penticton has an estimated annual economic impact of $98 million. Competition for this business is fierce and to maintain and grow the market share in Penticton, we need to continue to invest in our facilities.
- Attached hotels are a competitive advantage for hosting large events and shoulder season conferences.
- More visitors mean more local spending, more stable jobs and a stronger tax base.
- This aligns with the City’s Vibrant & Connected strategic priority and the long term North Gateway Plan vision for the PTCC as an economic driver.
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No. This is a readiness strategy and land use exploration. No development is being approved at this stage. A future project would still need design, permits, financial feasibility and proof of benefit to the Penticton taxpayers for the use of the land and separate approvals. This step is necessary to remove an impediment to adding a hotel when the time is right.
Council gave direction to staff in 2024 to prepare initial design work and public information materials to support the assent voting (referendum) for the 2026 General Election.

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The land that forms the Penticton Trade and Convention site has a number of complex land use considerations.
In addition to the traditional zoning and OCP regulations, some parts of the site have additional protections:
- 1912 trust condition: In 1912, a portion of the land where the PTCC sits was transferred to the City with a legal condition that it must be used for public recreation, sports, parks, exhibitions and other public purposes. In order to use this land for something not listed in the trust, such as a hotel, it requires the assent of the electors (referendum). In 1912, municipalities lacked the zoning powers they have today, so trust conditions were commonly used to control land use. Modern zoning now regulates land use more effectively and includes public input, without requiring a full referendum.
- Dedicated parkland: Some adjacent areas next to the PTCC are dedicated parkland. Amending these areas to allow for an attached hotel also requires approval of the electors.
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The City has hired architectural experts to review what the potential footprint of a building could look like. Those options are not proposals for a hotel; they provide examples of possible locations to where the hotel could be located, taking into account the existing use of the PTCC building, parking and other uses on the property.
On Oct. 17, 2026, residents will be asked to vote on proposed land use changes, which will help shape these lands for years to come. In the coming weeks and months, there will be opportunities to learn more about the options being considered, so that you can provide feedback and help shape the engagement process.
Learn what’s being proposed, see which land is being considered and find out how you can get involved, at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca.

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The North Gateway Plan (2022) proposes realigning green and open spaces to better serve the community and users of the PTCC/SOEC campus.
It recommends relocating Bambino Field (baseball diamond) because the current field dimensions serve only a narrow age group, which limits its use, and repurposing the site would provide greater amenity value for nearby residents and campus users as the area grows. City Council has approved funding to begin planning for the relocation.
The North Gateway Plan also seeks to support the Official Community Plan target of 2.5 hectares of parkland per 1,000 people as this area develops. As a result, it recommends that there is no loss of park space within the plan area, while recognizing the opportunity to optimize the utilization of these spaces.
It also aims to retain existing City trees and double the tree canopy. In place of a single use ball field, new green space will be designed for a mix of active and passive uses, with added pedestrian connections and green boulevards to enhance walkability and link major facilities to surrounding amenities.
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An attached hotel would open doors to larger-scale conventions including national and corporate events, which attract visitors in the hundreds to the community – often during the shoulder and off-season times.
More visitors mean more local spending in local restaurants and shops, more visitors requiring hotel beds, more stable jobs and a stronger local tax base and local economy.
Business events including meetings, conventions and exhibitions created a $98.3 million impact to Penticton in 2024 (2025 study). A total of 37,468 room nights were booked at hotels associated with business events in 2024, with 18,495 total delegates visiting the city. A significant portion of the spending came from accommodations, event participation, dining, entertainment and transportation.
$700/day: The amount each delegate spends in Penticton. That money flows directly into local businesses.
$98 million: Value of Penticton’s convention business in 2024. A significant portion of the spending came from accommodations, event participation, dining, entertainment and transportation.
37,468: Number of room nights booked at local hotels associated with business events in 2024.
18,498: Number of delegates who visited the city in 2024.
1,000+ people: The number of people the PTCC can host for a convention at one time.

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Currently, a significant barrier to capturing new and lost convention business is accommodation. For a convention that has over 600 delegates, for example, guests need to be spread over multiple properties. This is a barrier to attracting conventions.
The North Gateway Plan was developed through economic analysis and to realize the vision of the plan area as a premier sports, entertainment and event district. It outlined the vision, backed by economic analysis for 350+ new hotel rooms. Three sites within the North Gateway area have been identified for new hotels. No location is more important than attached to the PTCC.
With regard to overall hotel inventory in the community, in the past few years, close to 250 new hotel beds have added (Fairfield, Lakeside Resort Addition, Four Points and the addition to the Penticton Hotel). Given these additions, the hotel industry is thriving in Penticton as we continue to promote more shoulder-season events and utilize the convention business to drive tourism to the community. Additional hotel rooms will attract and facilitate larger and more events driving additional demand.

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Learn more and provide feedback
The City will be holding information sessions and a walking tour to guide residents around the site, as well as conducting pop-up visits throughout the community. Mark your calendar for the following dates:
- March 9 (4-6 p.m.): In-person info session at the PTCC; site walking tours at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
- Various dates: Look for us at an upcoming Vees game, the Penticton Home Show, TRUE Penticton Expo and the Penticton Farmers’ Market.
- May 6: Attend an Open House to speak with City Council and learn more.
- Anytime: Information updates to be found on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca, including an FAQ and opportunity for feedback.
- Oct. 17: General Voting Day
Learn more and provide feedback

Booking a Conference, Trade Show or Convention?

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273 Power Street, Penticton, B.C., V2A 7K9
Phone: 250-490-2460

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