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."
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.
'Architectural and Sustainable' Design
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.
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.