Austin convention center revamp revealed
The Austin Convention Center, due to close in April for a major rebuild, will reopen in spring 2029, per a presentation this week to Austin council members.
Why it matters: Conventions are a key part of the Austin economy — along with gatherings ranging from bachelorette parties to music festivals — and city officials say a revamped convention center is key to capturing business.
By the numbers: Austin is the 11th-largest city in the U.S. but has the 66th-largest convention center. After the reconstruction, it will be the 35th-largest, Katy Zamesnik, assistant director of the convention center, told the city council.
The project will expand Austin's convention space from 365,000 square feet to about 620,000 square feet.
The bottom line: The $1.6 billion project, known as Unconventional ATX, will be paid for by hotel occupancy tax and convention center revenues.
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Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Demolition crews start taking apart Austin Convention Center
The Brief Work has started to take apart the Austin Convention Center and build a new one Crews are starting with the interior There was also controversy over artwork that was still in the convention center. The city reached agreements with three of the four artists AUSTIN, Texas - Work has started to take apart the Austin Convention Center and build a new one. The new convention center will be completed in 2029. The backstory Crews are starting with the interior. "It's a surgical demo. No explosion, nothing like that, nothing exciting, but we'll take it down in a very controlled manner over the next few months," Graham Dewar, general manager for the Austin office of Turner Construction, said. Some of the materials will go into the new convention center. Next month, the exterior will start to be taken apart. "The building will be demoed kind of in a clockwise fashion around the site," Riley Triggs, capital delivery consultant for the City of Austin said. "Following right behind it, there's going be a process that lays in a diaphragm wall that will act as shoring, water protection, and ultimately foundation for the new building." That process will take about a year. Then after, there will be a 10-month excavation to put in foundations and steel. Dig deeper The $1.6 billion project is paid for through hotel occupancy tax and convention center revenue. It will nearly double the size of the current one, from 365,000 square feet to 620,000 square feet and have indoor-outdoor connections. The city projects $750 million in annual economic impact. "By doubling the size of the Convention Center, we will now be able to bring more events, larger events that will continue to build that economic impact throughout the tourism industry," Trisha Tatro, director of the Austin Convention Center Department, said. The other side However, some question the need for a new one. "I think it's just fine the way it is. I've visited here multiple times over the years, and it seems to be big enough, and it's already tight on space here anyways," Joe Hartley, a visitor from Houston said. The original convention center opened in 1992. Ten years after that, it doubled in size, and a hotel was added next door. Mayor Kirk Watson admits this is a bit of déjà vu. "This reminds me very much of my recently took Legos and built a beautiful whatever it was, and I told her it was beautiful, and then she immediately destroyed it. I kind of feel like that's what I'm -- I remember trying to double the size of this convention center, and now we're going to knock it down," he said. What they're saying There was also controversy over artwork that was still in the convention center. The city reached agreements with three of the four artists, according to a city memo. RELATED: Austin artists fight to keep iconic art pieces at convention center The city memo reads in part: "Waller Creek Shelves by Damian Priour will be removed from the Austin Convention Center next week but will remain in the City of Austin's Art in Public Places (AIPP) collection. It will be relocated to the Austin Public Library, where it will remain publicly accessible. Macro/Micro by Rolando Briseño will also stay in the AIPP collection. A digital re-creation is being developed, and plans are in progress for a future relocation. Riffs & Rhythms by John Yancey is being carefully removed from the Austin Convention Center this week through a collaboration partnership. Once removed, ownership of the piece will transfer to Mr. Yancey. Discussions are underway regarding a potential reinstallation in East Austin's historic African American Heritage Cultural District. Index for Contemplation by Margo Sawyer has been removed by the artist in accordance with the existing contractual agreement. We remain optimistic that a resolution will be reached to ensure this work remains publicly accessible. It has always been our desire to retain all of this work. We are actively exploring options to retain a portion or all of the work as a legacy installation within the newly redeveloped Convention Center. Ultimately, we respect the artist's decision should she choose to reclaim it." The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Construction officially starts on new Austin Convention Center
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Just weeks after South by Southwest ended, construction has already begun on the new Austin Convention Center. Austin leaders hosted an official event Thursday. 'Today is the official closure of the Austin Convention Center. We are unveiling Unconventional ATX, which is the new Austin Convention Center project,' said Trisha Tatro, director of the Austin Convention Center Department. The city of Austin first released renderings of the new space earlier this year. City leaders say it will make the area more walkable and add green space. 'The redevelopment of the Convention Center will create a vital downtown amenity and urban connector,' said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. 'With a design that emphasizes street-level openness and accessibility, vibrant public plazas, and pedestrian-friendly pathways, this transformation will enhance connectivity and inclusivity, creating a more accessible and engaging downtown experience for residents and visitors.' The $1.6 billion project will nearly double the rentable square footage of the existing facility, growing from 365,000 square feet to 620,000 square feet of rentable space, according to a release from the city in February. 'We took about half of our leads that we got, and we put them right in the trash can because we were either sold out or too small,' said Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Visit Austin. 'Now we're going to be much more competitive.' What's the deal with SXSW when the Austin Convention Center closes for reconstruction? The project, which the city calls Unconventional ATX, is being funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax and Convention Center revenues — no property taxes are going toward the project, the city said. The convention center is expected to reopen in 2029. According to the city, the new convention center will be the world's first zero-carbon-certified convention center (International Living Futures Institute). The design of the center 'reimagines traditional event spaces,' a city release said. It will prioritize accessibility, flexibility, and sustainability. $1.6B Austin Convention Center expansion to start in 2025 The design also aims to enhance connectivity with surrounding districts, including the Waterloo Greenway, Palm District, and Project Connect initiatives, the city noted. It will prioritize public access and multimodal transit by reopening Third Street for multimodal traffic and transforming Second Street into a pedestrian-friendly corridor. 'There will be retail and open green spaces for not only the community to celebrate and enjoy and partake in but also our visitors,' Tatro said. The convention center will also showcase art installations, interactive exhibits, and artist-driven spaces that 'celebrate Austin's diverse creative community,' a release said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
26-02-2025
- Axios
Austin convention center revamp revealed
The Austin Convention Center, due to close in April for a major rebuild, will reopen in spring 2029, per a presentation this week to Austin council members. Why it matters: Conventions are a key part of the Austin economy — along with gatherings ranging from bachelorette parties to music festivals — and city officials say a revamped convention center is key to capturing business. By the numbers: Austin is the 11th-largest city in the U.S. but has the 66th-largest convention center. After the reconstruction, it will be the 35th-largest, Katy Zamesnik, assistant director of the convention center, told the city council. The project will expand Austin's convention space from 365,000 square feet to about 620,000 square feet. The bottom line: The $1.6 billion project, known as Unconventional ATX, will be paid for by hotel occupancy tax and convention center revenues.
