It hosted concerts by popular artists including Madonna, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Styx, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, and Hall and Oates.

The Orange County Convention and Civic Center (OCCCC) was born out of a 1977 law passed by Florida's State Legislature.

In a special election in April 1978, the voters of Orange County approved a 2% Tourist Development Tax (the limit set by the state) to build a convention and civic center.

Phase III was completed in January 1996, adding 383,400 sq ft (35,620 m2) of exhibition space, at a cost of $219.5 million.

In June 1998, the BCC got a fifth cent approved for the TDT, partly for a grand Phase V, which would add a total of 3 million ft² of space to the OCCC.

That December, they paid Universal Orlando Resort $69 million for 239 acres (97 ha) of land across International Drive from the original OCCC.

It adjoins with the South Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center's North/South Building via an elevated, covered pedestrian walkway.

The elevated walkway connects the North, South and West concourses over International Drive and the Hilton Orlando.

They are linked by elevated, covered pedestrian bridges as part of Orange County's master plan to improve connectivity and safety for convention-goers.

The West Building, opening in four phases from February 27, 1983[4] (with an initial 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m2) of exhibition space) and 1996, is located on the south side of International Drive.