I-X Center To Reopen Under New Ownership

CLEVELAND — The International Exposition Center, better known as the I-X Center, will reopen this year under new ownership.

Industrial Realty Group (IRG) announced its intention to purchase and retool the facility on Wednesday. The group is partnering with Industrial Commercial Properties to complete the transaction.

“The I-X Center has been on our radar for years,” said Stuart Lichter, president of IRG. “It has 159 acres full of potential and a versatile 2.2 million square foot building. We’re preparing a creative, robust plan for the surrounding development, while simultaneously reopening the existing I-X Center for convention and trade show use this year.”

Well-loved I-X Center shows will return, including the Auto, Home & Garden show, Recreation Vehicles, I-X Christmas Connection and the I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama Show.

“These trade shows have significant impact on the region’s economy,” Lichter said. “We are
delighted to facilitate these events on site once again.”

While welcoming back familiar trade shows, IRG also intends to redevelop the land surrounding the I-X Center. They believe the property could be attractive to many tenants due to its proximity to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and downtown Cleveland, and its access to I-71.

The I-X Center was originally built in 1942 as a plant for constructing B-29 bombers. After the war, the facility was briefly used as a space for soybean storage. In 1950, with the Korean War on, the plant began manufacturing tanks.

In 1985, the facility became the largest single-building exhibition space in the world. The facility hosted trade shows, large events and competitions, before also producing its own events like the I-X Indoor Amusement Park.

In 2020, the I-X Center shuttered with officials blaming the losses of the COVID-19 pandemic for forcing the closure.