If you’re working events at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), listen up—this one’s for you.
GWCC just dropped an important update: Starting January 1, 2026, all labor workers and contractors entering the facility will be required to display a valid ESCA Badge to access the venue. And while that date might seem far off, the soft launch begins October 15, 2025, which means enforcement and monitoring are already on the horizon.
Here’s the deal:
What’s Changing?
Anyone entering GWCC as a contractor—whether you’re AV, photo booth, temp labor, or even a supplier—must have an ESCA Badge during move-in, show days, and move-out. No badge, no access.
Who Needs One?
- General Service Contractors (GSC) & Labor Teams
- Exhibitor Appointed Contractors (EACs)
- AV Production
- Cleaning Crews
- Electrical
- Event Vendors & Suppliers
- Temporary Labor Staff
Important: This badge is not your exhibitor credential or company ID. It’s strictly to verify you’re authorized to work onsite.
Nationwide Trend to Watch
This isn’t just a GWCC thing. We’re starting to see this same badge requirement popping up at other convention centers across the U.S. So whether you’re local to Georgia or hustling coast-to-coast, now’s the time to get ahead of this.
What You Need to Do
- Make sure everyone on your team is registered in the ESCA Badge System.
- Coordinate with your labor crew and vendors—they’ll need to apply individually.
- Don’t forget to submit any venue-specific applications along with your ESCA badge registration.
On-Site Support
Need help? The ESCA Badge team will be on-site at GWCC on September 30, 2025 (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Hall B Lobby) to print badges and handle updates.
Bottom Line:
Whether you’re a one-person operation or managing a full team, this is a must-do if you plan to keep working major venues like GWCC in 2026 and beyond. And with more venues moving toward badge requirements, now’s the time to get familiar with the ESCA system and make sure you’re compliant.
For more info:
🔗 badge.esca.org
📧 badge@esca.org
📞 972.777.9288
