The big picture
The long-in-the-works redevelopment will see the current convention complex demolished, rebuilt and reopened in time for the 2029 spring festival season.
The new facility will have 620,000 square feet of rentable space, a nearly 70% increase. It will include a larger exhibition hall below-ground and new public areas, pedestrian connections and commercial spaces at street level. The campus will also have room for potential future expansion of up to 140,000 additional square feet.
“These enhancements improve quality of life while fostering a more sustainable and accessible urban environment," he said. "The project is built on a people-first urban design strategy that enhances pedestrian mobility, promotes active transportation and reduces car dependency in the downtown corridor.”
The redevelopment is funded entirely through city hotel tax collections that have been reserved for the project. Millions have also been set aside for new public art pieces from local artists that'll go into place around the site.
What they're saying
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, a former member of the city's Tourism Commission, called the expansion a once-in-a-generation investment. She highlighted the $750 million in annual economic impact and $12 million in annual civic tax revenue the new convention facility will generate, as well as the estimated 1,600 local jobs the redevelopment project will create.
"This expansion will support local jobs, uplift small businesses and bring new energy to the heart of our city," Fuentes said at the April 17 groundbreaking.
"All of the infrastructure that a destination needs to be really successful, we’re building here in Austin. Our competitors have noticed and this is a great shining moment for the city of Austin," he said.
Mayor Kirk Watson said Austin's boom in population and popularity during the 1990s was similar to trends it's experiencing today, and that a larger facility is now needed to serve people and major events wanting to come to town.
“This is going to be a great connection to our downtown vision," he said. "It’s going to be what we need to be doing right now, so it’s exciting to be a part of this. It’s exciting to be working with a city council that shares that vision and is working together as a team to make sure that it comes true.”
The project is anticipated to disrupt the surrounding downtown area over the coming months, especially in its early demolition and excavation stages. Qadri said downtown residents and businesses will be looped in on construction impacts as work progresses.
“It’s going to be important for the city, and also obviously my office ... to communicate both to residents and visitors alike on any road closures, and any discomfort that the area might be facing," he said. "We’re going to be having the convention center expansion around the same timeline as we’re going to see I-35 expansion, the same timeline we’re going to see Project Connect. So it’s going to be really important and vital for us to ensure that we’re keeping everyone up to date, making sure that no one feels like they’re in the dark or that they’re falling behind in any way.”
