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Convention Center expansion finishes under budget; director touts bookings and economic impact
Summary
The Tampa Convention Center’s $44 million expansion and renovation finished under budget, center director David Ingram told council, creating new meeting rooms and yielding early rental revenue and broader economic impact for the city.
David Ingram, executive director of the Tampa Convention Center, told council the expansion/renovation program (three phases: design/professional services, GMP 1 and GMP 2) was completed under the $44 million budget after two change orders produced a net credit. Ingram said the total project budget included expansion, HVAC replacements and building upgrades; construction began in early 2021 with phased GMPs and the project ultimately delivered additional meeting rooms and other upgrades.
Ingram reported the project is under budget: GMPs and change orders produced net actuals slightly below the approved budget; contingency of $1.7 million was used about $1.5 million, leaving roughly $220,000 unspent and an additional combined unused allowance that produced a net positive credit. Ingram asked council to authorize use of about $600,000 of unused capital funds toward three items: exterior lighting fixture replacement, remaining HVAC unit replacements (nine remaining of forty‑one total), and electrical switchgear upgrades. He said the expansion’s 20,000 square feet (18 meeting rooms) already produced approximately $7.1 million of contracted rental revenue for 2024 and 2025 bookings and that the convention center’s events generate broad economic activity (estimated 2025 economic impact of roughly $169 million).
Council members asked about payback and timelines. Ingram said a simple rent-payback estimate could be 15–20 years strictly on rental revenue, but that broader economic impacts (hotel room nights, restaurant spending and bed tax) are part of the public benefit calculus. Ingram and staff will return with a facilities assessment and a broader feasibility report from consultants (CSL) in April–May that will evaluate expansion options beyond the recent renovation.
Council approved moving the Clarion code‑update presentation to a time slot on March 6 in order to give staff time for public outreach in that schedule shift; a small scheduling change moved a purchasing commendation to March 27 to free the slot for Clarion and related briefings.
