City Council appears ready to move ahead with two major contracts that will officially kick off the process of demolishing and reconstructing the Austin Convention Center. On Thursday, contracts totaling nearly $1.27 billion could confirm LMN/Page as the design and engineering firms for the project, while JE Dunn/Turner would be the construction managers for the […]
Austin Convention Center
This city department operates the downtown convention center and associated events.
Posted inCity Council
Hotels adjust proposed new tax, giving city steady funds for homeless services
The city’s major hoteliers have agreed to adjust the terms of a proposed new tax that will provide the city consistent money to fund homelessness services even while tourism drops off during the forthcoming reconstruction of the Austin Convention Center. City Council members Ryan Alter and Vanessa Fuentes announced Monday they had reached an agreement […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council delays decision on new hotel tax that could fund homelessness services
City Council has put on hold a long-discussed partnership with local hotels that could generate millions of dollars in General Fund revenue to cover expenses related to services for the homeless. At last week’s meeting, Council voted to delay action on the proposed Austin Tourism Public Improvement District until Sept. 14. The delay in deciding […]
Posted inAustin
City loans up to $38M could shield Hilton downtown during convention center closure
An expected agreement between Hilton Worldwide Holdings, the board that manages the city-owned downtown Hilton Austin, and bondholders who financed the hotel will clear the way for the next steps in the expansion of the Austin Convention Center. Last week, the board for the Austin Convention Enterprises public facilities corporation approved amendments to its agreements […]
Posted inAustin
PAC seeks clarity, cost breakdowns for $1.6B convention center expansion
The political action committee co-founded by a former member of the Downtown Commission wants the mayor and City Council to answer questions about the planned expansion of the Austin Convention Center, it announced in a news release last week. Laura Cantu-Templeton, co-founder of the City Accountability Project PAC, has submitted 10 questions to all 11 […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Convention center eyes ‘campus-style’ events schedule during closure for expansion
Leaders from the Austin Convention Center plan to take a campus-style approach to coordinating a greatly scaled back calendar of meeting and event business at downtown hotels during the four to five years the facility is closed for a substantial reconstruction expected to cost more than $1 billion. Staff from the convention center spoke with […]
Posted inPreservation
Castleman-Bull house resolution OK’d with changes
City Council approved a resolution from Council Member Kathie Tovo last week directing City Manager Spencer Cronk to study questions about restoring the interior of the historic Castleman-Bull House, which has sat vacant since the Austin Convention Center acquired and moved it to its current location at 201 Red River St. The building has sat […]
Posted inPreservation
Tovo pushes renovation of historic convention center house
For 22 years the city has owned the historic Castleman-Bull House, which sits vacant and unused at 201 Red River St. across from the Austin Convention Center’s service yard entrance. Now City Council Member Kathie Tovo hopes to push through a resolution this week that would start the process of renovating the interior and returning […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission wants to study pros and cons of expanded convention center
Before deciding its position on the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center, the Music Commission will form a working group to study details of the project that’s expected to cost up to $1.4 billion. Commissioners voted 7-1 at Monday’s meeting in support of forming the working group, with Commissioner Scott Strickland voting against the […]
Posted inPlanning
Real estate leaders, developers eye start of proposal process for convention center project
Leaders in Austin’s real estate and development community learned plenty about the planned expansion of the Austin Convention Center during a panel discussion last week, but they were left waiting as to when the contracts for design, engineering and contracting work on the facility will be released for proposals and bidding. The May member breakfast […]
Posted inPlanning
Downtown Commission wants private developer proposals for convention center expansion
The Downtown Commission wants the city to solicit proposals from private developers to pay for a portion of the expansion and reconstruction of the Austin Convention Center. At last week’s meeting, the commission approved a recommendation asking City Council to direct staff to conduct a request for proposals; specifically the residential or office spaces for […]
Posted inPlanning
Industry expert pokes holes in city’s convention center expansion plan
A presentation to the Downtown Commission last week largely refuted the need to expand the Austin Convention Center. Commissioners will revisit the issue at their March meeting. The proposed expansion has been an issue for the commission since last fall when it formed a working group to gather information on the project that would likely […]