About San Francisco

San Francisco, in northern California, is a hilly city on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. It’s known for its year-round fog, iconic Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and colorful Victorian houses. The Financial District’s Transamerica Pyramid is its most distinctive skyscraper. In the bay sits Alcatraz Island, site of the notorious former prison.

Taxes

  • How much is the total cumulative hotel tax?
    14% hotel occupancy tax and 1-1.5% Tourism Improvement District (TID) assessment
  • How much is the F&B tax? 8.5%
  • How much is the average F&B gratuity? 15 – 18%

Airport

  • How many miles from the airport to downtown? 13
  • Is there public transportation, such as a bus or subway available?
    Yes, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Trains arrive at the SFO International Terminal every 15 minutes and arrive to downtown San Francisco in 30 minutes 
  • How much does the public transportation cost?
    $9.65 / Find fares from the airport to any station by using the QuickPlanner.
  • What is the shuttle bus fare from the airport to downtown? $18
  • What is the taxi fare from airport to downtown? $45 – $50
  • How many daily flights out of airport? 668
  • Is the airport a hub for any carrier? United, Alaska
  • What are the major carriers serving airport?
    Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines / American Eagle, British Airways, Cayman Airways, Delta, Emirates, Frontier, JetBlue, KLM, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas, Spirit, Sun Country Airlines, TACA, United, British Airways, Asiana Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific Airways, Korean Air, Emirates, Air China, China Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, Qantas Airways, Aer Lingus, Air India

Hotels

  • How many committable hotel rooms downtown on peak night? 20,000
  • How many committable hotel rooms downtown on peak within walking distance to convention center? 6,000
  • How many headquarter hotel properties?
    At least three – Hilton Union Square, Intercontinental San Francisco, Marriott Marquis
  • How many rooms available on peak night at the largest headquarter property?
    600 – 1,300 Hilton Union Square; Subject to various factors

Convention Center

  • How many total gross square feet of exhibit space at Convention Center?
    601,574 includes all 3 buildings
  • How much of this exhibit space is contiguous?
    Moscone North & South – 504,914 Moscone West – 96,660 
  • How many total gross square feet of meeting space is available at the Convention center?
    Moscone North & South – 231,125 Moscone West – 176,900
  • How many meeting rooms does the convention center have? 82
  • How big is the largest meeting room? 56,294 sq. ft.
  • How many ballrooms does the convention center have?
    3 ballrooms, including a new 50,000 sq. ft. column-free ballroom.
  • How big is the largest ballroom? 56,294 sq. ft.
  • When was the last renovation or expansion? 2019
  • When is a future renovation/expansion scheduled?
    TBD
  • Is there free Wi-Fi at the convention center? Yes
  • Do services contractors need a permit in order to work at the Moscone Center?
    Yes. General Service Contractors, Exhibitor Appointed Contractors, Electrical and Plumbing Contractors, Plant and Floral Contractors, Audiovisual Contractors, and Production Companies are all required to obtain a permit. Permits can be obtained by contacting Linda Villa at 415-974-4011 or lvilla@moscone.com.
  • Is there an exclusive in-house Electrical provider?
    No; Electrical power (above just plugging into a wall socket) is provided by an electrical contractor (usually provided through the General Services Contractor)
  • Is there an exclusive in-house AV provider? No
  • Is there an exclusive in-house decorator? No
  • Is there an exclusive in house caterer? Yes; Savor San Francisco
  • Is the convention center a union property? Yes
  • If union property, can you provide estimated pricing list?
    Moscone event attendant labor is billed out at $55/hour. For all other unions that work at the facility you would need to get pricing from the General Service Contractor or A/V contractor that is providing the service. They all negotiate their contracts directly with the union and have different pricing (they also charge various different rates for administrative costs and the like).
  • Here are a list of labor unions with whom planners will be required to work at the convention center:
    • Freight handling — The receiving, unloading, delivery and reloading of all event material is under the jurisdiction of Teamsters Local 85 and is scheduled and managed by the General Services Contractor. Display labor to install and remove exhibits, installation of floor covering, graphics and most other decorative elements Within the jurisdiction of the Sign, Scene and Display & Allied Crafts Union, Local 510. This is scheduled and managed by your General Services Contractor.
    • Staging, rigging, theatrical lighting, sound and audio visual services and computer placement and repacking —  Within the jurisdiction of I.A.T.S.E. Local 16, typically scheduled and managed by either your audio visual services provider and/or computer rental provider.
    • Food and beverage services — The jurisdiction of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Workers’ Local 2, scheduled and managed by Savor San Francisco.
    • Temporary electrical services for exhibitor and show — Within the jurisdiction of IBEW, Local 6, and typically scheduled and managed by your General management requirements not in a theatrical environment Services Contractor.
    • Temporary electrical services within a theatrical environment — I.A.T.S.E., Local 16, scheduled and managed by your theatrical services contractor. Event security personnel within the jurisdiction of Theatrical Employees, Local B-18, scheduled and managed by your event security contractor.
    • Telecommunications — Within the jurisdiction of CWA, Local 9410; scheduled and managed by your communication services contractor.

Off Site Venues

Additional Resources

Easy to Use Guides

San Francisco Visitors Guide

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San Francisco Traveler

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Video