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OEDA Summit Location RFP (2027 & 2028)

Given the record success of our 2024 and 2025 Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA) Annual Summits and the overwhelming support of participants to move the event around the State in order to experience all of Ohio, OEDA is issuing a Request for Proposals from Summit Host Committee teams in order to select the locations for future conferences for 2027 and 2028. The Summit will be in Dayton in 2026.

A Summit Host Committee is composed of a small team from a region with a high interest in and knowledge of economic development and the region. The Host Committee will provide high-level guidance in the areas of sponsorship, Summit branding, tour sites, and offsite locations for social events and receptions. The Host Committee should be able to commit to regular virtual meetings with OEDA Staff and the Summit Committee.

Please note that the city and region must be located within Ohio and the JobsOhio Regional Economic Development Organization (REDO) needs to either strongly support or lead the effort and must be represented on the committee.

If you are interested in hosting an OEDA Annual Summit for 2027 or 2028, please fill out the information below.

The deadline for submission is Friday, January 16, 2026. The OEDA Summit Committee will review proposals in the first quarter.

If you have any questions, please call or email David Zak, President & CEO, at 419.912.1150 or dzak@ohioeda.com and Amanda Miller at amiller@ohioeda.com or 419.910.1182.
1.Point of Contact. Please provide your contact information as the applicant completing this form.
2.City/Region. Please provide the name of the applying host city and region (along with any other supporting cities).
3.Host Committee. Please provide the name, title and representing organizations of the people that would form a local host committee.
4.Learning Labs. Please describe at least 5 Economic Development Project Tour sites that showcase projects, initiatives or programs that represent state-of-the-art economic development approaches or issues in the applying city or region have.
5.Conference Center(s). Please describe one or more convention centers that can accommodate maximum meeting space for up to 550 attendees, with space for up to 40 exhibitors, as well as at least six breakout rooms.
6.Hotels. Please list one or more potential host hotels in the area, including their capacity for hotel room nights and conference attendance. (More than one hotel is acceptable.) Combined, they would ideally be able to adequately house at least 150-200 guests on a peak night.
7.Restaurants & Social Venues. Please list interesting restaurants and venues near the convention center that could accommodate large dinners and social events. Please indicate if they are walkable or if transportation would be required.
8.Sponsorship. The Host Committee is responsible for working with the Summit Committee to raise $180,000 or more in sponsorships for the conference. Are you comfortable with this commitment? If so, please describe your approach to achieving this goal. Specifically, what strategies would you employ, which potential contributors would you target, and what initial steps would you take to build support?
9.Promotion & Partnerships. The Host Committee also has the responsibility to promote the event and form local partnerships to increase attendance and participation. Please detail experience in working local and regional partners to drive attendance and participation at events held in your region or city.
10.Hospitality. To ensure a positive experience for all Summit participants, OEDA aims to select locations that prioritize hospitality for all and safety. Could you share how your region fosters an environment where all visitors feel comfortable and valued? If there are any considerations related to local laws or practices that might impact some attendees, we would be grateful to understand how these are managed to support a welcoming experience.
11.Desire. Why and how strongly do you want to host an OEDA Annual Summit?
12.Uniqueness. Please describe what makes your city and region special? What sets it apart from other areas of Ohio?
13.Make Your Case. Please provide the top reasons should OEDA choose your city or region to host its Annual Summit.