20th Anniversary

Join CMCC for its 20th anniversary celebration at our Open House on September 18 from 3-6 pm.

June 2002: “Blast Off” Ceremony
August 12, 2002: Ground Breaking
August 19, 2003: Topping Off Ceremony
September 21, 2004: Grand Opening
February 25, 2006: 200,000th visitor recognized at the SC Humanities Council event
Jan 26, 2008: President Obama onsite (first presidential visitor)
September 10, 2009: 5th anniversary “Hot to Trot” themed celebration

By 5 years, CMCC held 1,940 events and welcomed 813,828 attendees

January 7, 2011: 1 millionth visitor celebrated at the University of South Carolina’s Provosts’ Spring
Meeting
September 11, 2011: 9/11 Memorial was completed and dedicated
February 9, 2014: Guinness World Record set in CMCC Exhibit Hall for most bowties tied at once (823)
September 17, 2014: 10th anniversary tailgate-themed celebration

By 10 years, CMCC held 4,275 events and welcomed 1,795,786 attendees

April 23, 2015: CMCC welcomed its 2 millionth visitor
August 11-14, 2017: CMCC hosted its largest event to date -- FLW Forrest Wood Cup Expo with 68,350 attendees and 15,681 room nights
May 2018: Renovation completed, adding the Lincoln & Senate rooms within the current footprint of the building, and renovating and enlarging the Board room
May 31, 2019: Celebrated our 3 millionth visitor at the Richland School District One Celebration event
June 21-22, 2019: President Biden spoke at SC Democratic Party event
September 21, 2019: 15th anniversary celebrated by recognizing clients who met at CMCC all 15 years

By 15 years, CMCC held 6,635 events and welcomed 3,122,522 attendees

March 16-June 22, 2020: Facility closed during COVID outbreak
June 2020-July 2021: Social distancing required for all events held. CMCC was one of first public assembly venues to re-open in the country -- or established protocols that were requested by other venues. Staff members participated on national committees to establish protocols for public assembly venues.
April 29, 2021: Former VP Mike Pence spoke at Palmetto Family Council dinner
June 4, 2021: CMCC received GBAC Accreditation
June 10, 2022: VP Kamala Harris spoke at the SC Democratic Party dinner
February 23, 2024: Former President Donald Trump spoke at Black Conservative Federation dinner
September 21, 2024: 20th anniversary

By 20 years, CMCC we will have held 8,041 events and welcomed 3,918,822 attendees

Through the Years