The National Conference Center

What if walls could talk? At The National Conference Center, they whisper stories of innovation, transformation, and the power of shared ideas. The National Conference Center, originally built in 1974, wasn’t always the bustling hub it is today. It began as the Xerox International Center for Training and Management Development, a $55 million investment reflecting Xerox’s commitment to its employees. The architecture, a distinctive brutalist style, remains a testament to its origins. The center initially focused on training Xerox employees in copier and other technologies. Imagine rooms filled with the hum of Xerox machines and the eager chatter of trainees. The center’s layout, a deliberate maze of color-coded buildings and tunnels, was designed to foster team building, even if it left some attendees delightfully disoriented. The National Conference Center was a world unto itself, a “living learning module” where knowledge flowed like electricity. In 1994, Xerox opened the facility to outside organizations, marking a shift in its trajectory. This decision paved the way for its sale to Oxford Capital Partners in 2000 and a $29 million renovation in 2002. The renovation modernized the facilities while preserving its unique character. The color-coded buildings, the tunnels, and even the original room numbering system, a quirky relic of Xerox’s expansion plans, remained. The National Conference Center evolved, embracing a wider range of corporate training needs and conferences. Today, The National Conference Center thrives on 66.8 acres, a fraction of its original 2,265. Yet, within this space, it boasts 250 conference rooms, a vast 16,500 square-foot ballroom, an athletic facility, and 917 guest rooms. The once-shared bathrooms of the Xerox dormitory days are now private accommodations. The National Conference Center continues to hum with activity, a place where ideas spark and connections are forged. It stands as a symbol of adaptation and growth, its walls now whispering the stories of countless organizations and individuals who have passed through its doors.