Wheel-lift towing by Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc in Columbus, Ohio
Events & Places

Convention Center Towing for Attendees and Exhibitors

Dead battery in the Vine Street Garage after a three-day show, or an exhibitor van that quit at the dock? Call (740) 812-9489 any hour.

Call (740) 812-9489

Convention Center towing is a different job from a quick post-game jump. Shows at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on North High Street often run three or four days, so cars sit untouched in its garages for long stretches, and exhibitors arrive in cargo vans, box trucks and trailers that must be loaded and unloaded at the docks. This page is for both groups: attendees who come back to a car that will not start, and vendors whose work vehicle breaks down on move-in or move-out day. It covers the building's six parking facilities, the busiest events on its calendar, and the kinds of vehicles we can move ourselves. We dispatch around the clock from 1620 Harrisburg Pike, and most metro calls are reached in 20–40 minutes, which is an estimate, not a guarantee.

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The six parking facilities, and what to tell us

The convention center's operator lists about 4,000 spaces on site. On the south end, the South Garage at 50 E. Nationwide Blvd. sits beneath the South Building near the Battelle Grand Ballroom, and the East Surface Lot is at 80 E. Nationwide Blvd. The Ohio Center Garage shares the 400 N. High St. address. To the north, the Vine Street Garage at 37 Vine St. is the largest structure, and the Goodale Garage at 70 E. Goodale St. sits beside the small North Surface Lot at 50 E. Goodale St.

Because the building stretches several blocks along High Street, naming the right garage matters more here than almost anywhere downtown. Tell the dispatcher the facility, the level, the nearest elevator or stair core, and which show you are attending. Our parking garage recovery trucks are low-profile; if you noticed the posted clearance at the entrance, mention it.

  • South end: South Garage, East Surface Lot
  • Middle: Ohio Center Garage
  • North end, toward the Short North: Vine Street Garage, Goodale Garage, North Surface Lot

Multi-day shows and the Arnold in early March

The Arnold Sports Festival is the building's best-known event, held each year in early March; the 2026 edition ran March 5–8 and drew more than 100,000 guests, with the convention center reporting 14,740 vehicles parked on its facilities over the weekend. Other regular events include the Origins Game Fair, the Ohio Star Ball and the Ohayocon anime convention.

Long events create a specific problem. A car parked Thursday morning and not touched until Sunday night, especially in March cold, may have too little charge to start. Our jump start includes a printed battery test, and when a battery has failed we can handle a mobile battery replacement in the garage.

If you locked your keys inside while hauling a costume case or trade-show tote, our lockout service is $75 flat plus $4 a mile en-route.

Exhibitor vans, box trucks and trailers

Exhibitors bring vehicles bigger than a sedan, and they break down at bad times: a van that will not restart at the Battelle Grand loading dock on North Third Street, or a box truck that dies in line for the north facility dock on Convention Center Way. Our medium-duty towing is handled in-house and covers box trucks, delivery vans, shuttle buses, work trucks and small RVs. The rate card adds $100 for a large vehicle.

For semis and full-size coaches, we coordinate heavy towing through a heavy-duty partner, so tell dispatch the vehicle type up front. Keep in mind that most garages cannot take tall vehicles, so a van stuck at a dock or on the street is often easier to reach than one wedged under a low ceiling.

When you call, give the dock name, the dock door number if you can see it, and whether the vehicle is still loaded.

Getting in and out along High Street

From the east and the airport, I-670 westbound has an exit marked 4-B toward the convention center. From the south, drivers usually come up I-71 to I-70 and take the Fourth Street exit north to Nationwide Boulevard. High Street itself forms the building's front door, with the Arena District to the west and the Short North beginning just past Goodale Street to the north.

High Street traffic is heavy on show days and on Short North evenings, so if your car stalls there, get to the curb if you can, turn on your hazards and stay out of the travel lane. A tow is $4 a mile en-route, a $125 hook-up and $7 per loaded mile, with after-hours and weekend add-ons on the rate card.

Convention Center: common questions

Frequently asked questions

How is Convention Center towing priced for a car in a garage?

A tow out of any convention center garage costs $4 a mile en-route, a $125 hook-up and $7 per loaded mile. Calls on weekends add $50, calls between 10 PM and 6 AM add $150, and vans or box trucks may add the $100 large-vehicle charge. A jump, lockout or tire change in the garage is $75 flat plus $4 a mile en-route instead.

Can you tow our exhibit van or box truck?

Yes. Box trucks, delivery vans, work trucks, shuttle buses and small RVs fall under our medium-duty service, which we run with our own equipment. Tell dispatch the make, the approximate size, whether it is loaded and where it is sitting, such as a named loading dock. Semis and full-size buses are handled through a heavy-duty partner we coordinate with.

My car sat in the Vine Street Garage for the whole Arnold weekend and won't start. What now?

A long sit in March cold is a common cause of a dead battery. Call with the garage name, level and nearest elevator. The technician will jump the car and run a battery test with a printed report. If the battery has failed, we can replace it right in the garage so you can drive home without another stop.

Does the convention center have special parking for trailers?

We could not confirm any oversized-vehicle or trailer parking in the facility's public information, and garages generally have height limits. Check with the convention center or your show organizer before arrival. If your van or truck does break down on the way in, describe it and any trailer to dispatch so we can tell you what equipment the job needs.

Which garage is closest to the Short North?

The Goodale Garage at 70 E. Goodale St. and the adjacent North Surface Lot are at the building's north end, closest to the Short North. The Vine Street Garage is also on the north side. If you parked in one of these and walked up High Street for dinner, give that garage name when you call so we do not search the south end.

Are you the convention center's official towing company?

No. We are an independent, insured towing company with no relationship to the convention center, its facilities authority, the Arnold Sports Festival or any show organizer. We are not stationed at events. You can reach dispatch directly at (740) 812-9489, day or night, the same as from anywhere else in Columbus.

Related help

Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc is an independent towing company and is not affiliated with the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, the Arnold Sports Festival, or any show organizer.

Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc (dba Columbus Roadside Towing).
Corporate office (private, no walk-ins): 3879 Regatta Ct, Lewis Center, OH 43035
Tow yard & impound lot: 1620 Harrisburg Pike, Columbus, OH 43223
(740) 812-9489 · chris@columbusroadsidetowing.com

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