New Braunfels City Council received an update on the potential expansion of its convention center during a special meeting April 6.
Brandon Dowling, a principal with C.H. Johnson Consulting Inc.—the firm selected by council to conduct a market viability study for the proposed expansion—presented the summary conclusions from the first phase of the convention center’s feasibility study.
In a nutshell
The first part of the study was a supply and demand analysis for the expansion of the existing center. It analyzed economic, demographic, visitor and market conditions impacting the existing facility, and established the potential demand for new space based on trends and growth in the local and regional markets, city officials said in an email to Community Impact.
There are 120 hotel rooms within a 15-minute walk of the city’s convention center now, which is lower than the average for a convention center. Dowling said any future expansion of the convention center is going to need some form of hotel.
“We’re not aiming to compete with the size and scale of Austin or San Antonio, but we think that there’s a market in between that that is really right for New Braunfels to consider,” Dowling said during the special meeting.
Dowling said based on preliminary information, the city could potentially support a convention center and ballroom double the current size.
Redevelopment of the convention center could reposition it as a regional event hub, support new investment and create a more walkable downtown area, according to the meeting presentation.
According to the presentation, large event facilities typically undergo an expansion or renovation every 15 years. The New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center opened in 1971, and its last major renovation was in 2008, the presentation states.
The firm also engaged with various stakeholders, including city residents, local arts organizations, the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, convention center staff, vendors and event planners, according to the presentation.
What council is saying
District 3 council member D. Lee Edwards said Dowling’s presentation was “right on target.”
Mayor Pro Tem and District 4 council member Lawrence Spradley said the city has been working on this for quite some time.
“I’m glad this is actually happening,” Spradley said.
Stay tuned
The next step in the four-phase process will be presenting general program recommendations such as the size of exhibit space, ballroom space, banquet space and analyzing the site. The third phase will consist of a master plan, according to the email.
A fiscal impact analysis will be conducted as the final phase of the feasibility study process. The analysis will summarize the costs and benefits of the community pursuing the recommendations presented in the program. City officials anticipate having these results by late summer, the email states.
