Two Nights, With a Third on Either End
The Midwest Healthcare Engineering Conference and Trade Show runs November 8 to 10, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center, 100 S Capitol Ave, Indianapolis. The event uses Hall A and Rooms 123-128. The venue forecasts 600 attendees.
A Sunday arrival and a Tuesday release is two nights. A Saturday arrival adds one night ahead of the Sunday pre-conference session. A Tuesday-night stay with a Wednesday departure adds one night after the close. Both constructions put three nights in the block.
The published schedule sets the shape. The pre-conference session runs Sunday 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Rooms 123-124. The reception runs 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Westin Indianapolis and admits pre-conference attendees.
Monday Carries the Full Day
Registration runs 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Breakfast runs 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. An early session runs 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. in Rooms 123-124. The opening session runs 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Education continues to 3:45 p.m. The Happy Hour in the Hall and the ribbon cutting run 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday compresses. Registration runs 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Breakfast runs 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The general session runs 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The trade show opens 11:30 a.m. and closes 3:00 p.m., with lunch and the prize drawings inside that window. The grand prize drawing runs at 3:00 p.m.
A Tuesday release is reachable on that calendar. The delegate clears the hall by 3:00 p.m. Trade away the Monday night and the block falls to a single night, which a hotel prices at a higher rate.
The Published Rate and the Booking Channel
The organiser parks the block at The Westin Indianapolis, 241 West Washington Street. The published group rate is $179 per night plus taxes and applicable fees. Reservations run through a Passkey housing page that the organiser links from its hotel section, and that page describes the rates as available on an exclusive basis for the event.
The organiser publishes no housing cut-off date, no minimum hold and no attrition clause. The published cancellation ladder covers registration alone. Refunds less a $100 administrative fee apply before October 2, 2026, nothing is refunded after that date, cancellations go in writing to mwhcec@raybourn.com, registrations transfer between individuals at the same company, and the policy excludes sponsorships.
Those three missing terms are the negotiation. Ask for each one in writing before the block is signed.
Room-Night Arithmetic for the Attrition Conversation
Two attendance figures circulate. The venue forecasts 600. The organiser reports more than 540 attendees last year and plans a larger 2026. Ask which figure the contract uses.
At two nights, 600 delegates generate 1,200 room nights when every delegate stays both nights. At a pickup of 80 percent, 480 delegates generate 960 room nights. Put the 960 figure in front of the hotel when attrition comes up.
The pass mix splits the nights. An All Access pass costs $340 before September 14 and $380 after. A Monday Only pass costs $255 before that date and $295 after, and a Tuesday Only pass carries the same prices. Technician Training holds at $95 on either side of the early-bird line. A Monday Only pass puts the room night on Sunday, a Tuesday Only pass puts it on Monday, and an All Access pass uses both.
The exhibitor side adds the Sunday night. Exhibitor setup runs Monday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The organiser reports the exhibit floor sold out with more than 100 exhibitors, and exhibitor crews arrive the day before the doors open.
Spread the request. The grouprooms.org directory lists 273 Indianapolis hotels available to a block request, and a competing quote prices the same two nights against the published rate.
Four Numbers for the Contract
The minimum hold states how many rooms the block must pick up. The release cut-off states the date the hotel takes back unsold rooms without penalty. The attrition clause states the shortfall percentage and whether the hotel measures it in room nights or room revenue. The deposit clause states the charge and its date.
Two questions cover the Tuesday release. Ask how the hotel counts a Tuesday-night drop against the attrition base. Ask whether the $179 group rate holds for a Saturday arrival or a Tuesday night, because both sit outside the Sunday-to-Tuesday core.
Ask one question about overflow. The venue publishes 7,100 downtown rooms and 4,700 rooms connected to the convention center by skywalk, so a block that fills can spill into a connected property.
Between the Hotel and the Hall
The Westin sits at 241 West Washington Street. The hall sits at 100 S Capitol Ave, roughly 300 m away on a straight line between the two addresses. The venue counts 200 downtown restaurants within walking distance and 15 minutes to Indianapolis International Airport.
Skywalk hours depend on the event, with a rule of thumb of lockdown around 11:00 p.m. and reopening around 6:00 a.m. A delegate on the Monday 7:00 a.m. registration window should confirm the reopening time at the front desk.
