On November 12–20, 2011, the Hawaii Convention Center hosted the culminating meetings of APEC United States 2011.

[1] The National Transportation Safety Board public hearing on the Korean Air Flight 801 crash in Guam was held at the Hawaii Convention Center on March 24–26, 1998, in Ballrooms A, B, and C.[2][3][4] On May 7, 2024, it was announced that Game Changer Wrestling would hold a live pay-per-view show at the Convention Center on November 2, 2024.

[citation needed][8] The center has won the Prime Site Award for twelve-year consecutive years.

[citation needed] In the television show Lost, the convention center was used to portray Sydney Airport in multiple instances.

It was also featured in an episode of the new Hawaii Five-0 as hosting a fictional convention similar to San Diego Comic-Con.