CLEVELAND (Oct. 13, 2026) –
Destination Cleveland, the destination marketing and management organization for Cuyahoga County, has announced an extended agreement with the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society to host its
Global Polymer Summit (GPS) in Cleveland for four additional years. The agreement builds on the Rubber Division’s existing commitment to host GPS in Cleveland in odd-numbered years through 2029 and extends the conference’s presence in the city through 2037.
Each of the four newly contracted conferences is expected to bring approximately 5,000 attendees to Cleveland and generate an estimated $5.9 million in economic impact each year, for a total projected economic impact of more than $23 million over the agreement period. The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (HCCC) will host the event, and the connected Hilton Cleveland Downtown will serve as the headquarters hotel. The GPS events included in the extended agreement will be held Sept. 22-25, 2031; Sept. 26-29, 2033; Sept. 10-13, 2035 and Sept. 14-17, 2037.
The new agreement reflects a relationship built over decades of successful events in Cleveland. The region's strength in advanced manufacturing, convention facilities and hospitality partnerships continue to meet the conference’s needs. The destination also offers key logistical advantages for GPS, including the ability to ship heavy machinery and large equipment through the Port of Cleveland with convenient access to the convention center exhibition floor.
"Our conference has been committed to the city of Cleveland – and Cleveland has been committed to us – since 1975," said Rubber Division, ACS Executive Director and CEO Lakisha Miller-Barclay. "We started here. It was our very first location. We celebrated our 50th conference here, and it just feels like home. This multiyear agreement is based on all of that: the longevity, the relationships and the genuine commitment from the city."
The agreement adds to Destination Cleveland's record-setting success in meetings and conventions sales. In 2025, the organization secured a record 410 future bookings, representing nearly 310,000 room nights through the mid-2030s, a 10% increase in bookings over 2024.
"When a client continues choosing Cleveland decade after decade, it's one of the strongest endorsements our destination can receive," said Gordon Taylor III, chief sales officer at Destination Cleveland. "Our goal isn't simply to bring a meeting to Cleveland once; it's to build relationships, understand what our clients and their attendees need and deliver an experience that gives them a reason to return. The Rubber Division's continued commitment to Cleveland reflects the strength of our destination, our hospitality community and the team that works together to make these events successful."
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. The private, non-profit organization’s mission is to stimulate economic growth by attracting people and connecting them to experiences that illustrate Cleveland’s diversity, creativity and contagious passion. In 2024, visitation increased for the fourth straight year to 18.6 million visits, with visitor spending infusing a record-high $6.9 billion into the local economy. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com