The National Recreation and Park Association Relocates 2027 NRPA Annual Conference to Houston Following Salt Palace Renovation Announcement

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the nation's leading champion for parks and recreation, has announced that the 2027 NRPA Annual Conference will relocate to Houston due to significant renovations scheduled for the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

On April 29, 2025, the Salt Lake County Council voted unanimously to approve the sale of 6.5 acres of the Salt Palace Convention Center property to Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) for $55.4 million. The land sale marks a key milestone in the development of a new downtown sports and entertainment district, which includes planned renovations to both the Delta Center and the Salt Palace Convention Center.

As part of this major redevelopment, NRPA was notified on May 12 that half of the exhibit hall space and multiple meeting rooms at the Salt Palace would be unavailable during the scheduled lease period for the 2027 NRPA Annual Conference, creating an insurmountable logistical scenario for NRPA.

"Moving our 2027 conference venue was an incredibly difficult decision for NRPA, as Salt Lake City is a valued partner, and we were eager to return to the intermountain west and showcase the incredible work of the city and county park venue and recreation teams," said Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO. "However, the scale of the planned renovations would significantly impact our ability to deliver the high-quality, large-scale event that our members expect and deserve. After an emergency site search, we are deeply grateful to Houston and the state of Texas for accommodating us in 2027."

For more than 50 years, the NRPA Annual Conference has been the premier annual meeting of the park and recreation community. The conference brings together more than 8,000 park and recreation professionals, academics, students, advocates and industry suppliers over three days for educational sessions, poster sessions, networking events and the opportunity to preview the latest products and services in the industry. NRPA remains committed to ensuring that the NRPA Annual Conference continues to provide unmatched opportunities for learning, networking and celebrating the power of parks and recreation.

Future locations of the NRPA Annual Conference include:

• 2025 NRPA Annual Conference: Orlando, Florida
• 2026 NRPA Annual Conference: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 2027 NRPA Annual Conference: Houston, Texas
• 2028 NRPA Annual Conference: Columbus, Ohio

To learn more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.

To learn more about the NRPA Annual Conference, visit conference.nrpa.org.

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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and supporters - the catalysts for positive change in service of parks for all, environmental resilience, and health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA's flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.