Austin Convention Center redevelopment progresses; city says project on budget and on track to reopen in 2029

Acting deputy director Katie Zmeznick and Austin Convention Center staff told the Economic Opportunity Committee on May 16 that demolition and design are underway for the downtown Convention Center redevelopment and that the project remains on schedule and on budget for a 2029 reopening.

Zmeznick said the project has a construction budget of $1,260,000,000 and will increase rentable exhibit and meeting square footage from about 365,000 square feet to roughly 620,000 square feet, with the ability to add an additional 140,000 square feet later. The city estimates the expanded center will add about $285,000,000 in annual economic impact — bringing the center’s projected total to about $750,000,000 per year — and roughly $12,000,000 a year in tax revenue. Zmeznick said the expanded facility will support…