Houston First unveils master plan to expand George R. Brown; project funded by Texas Senate Bill 1057

Houston First onstage at the George R. Brown Convention Center on a public announcement day unveiled a phased master plan to add a new 700,000-square-foot convention building called GRB Houston South, a 100,000-square-foot plaza and a later entertainment district connecting Discovery Green and the East End. The agency said the work will be funded using the state's portion of incremental hotel-occupancy tax revenue authorized in Senate Bill 1057, passed in 2023, and that the first phase is expected to open in 2028.

The announcement, presented by Houston First board leadership and CEO Michael Heckman, emphasized economic development and downtown connectivity. "Today is an incredibly proud day for me and the team at Houston First," Michael Heckman, chief executive officer of Houston First Corporation, said. He described the plan as a phased master plan that will "supercharge our convention business" by allowing multiple, simultaneous events and increasing hotel-room nights and visitor spending.

Mayor John Whitmire, who was credited for legislative leadership that helped enable the project, said the plan will change downtown Houston's connection to the East End and expand public green space. "The East End has been left out," Whitmire said. "Can you envision what this is gonna do? 45, 50 9 have divided our community. ... It will create a walkability like never before for Central Houston." He urged local leaders to support city government as the project moves forward.

Houston First identified partner firms during the announcement. The agency said it had assembled a development team led by a Houston-based global real estate manager (named during remarks as "Heinz"), architect Populous and a joint venture described as Gilbane Flint Co for construction management. Michael Heckman also thanked Carl Wu, identified in remarks as president of Opik Oil, for partnering on property acquisitions for the project.

Officials described the funding mechanism as follows: Senate Bill 1057 (2023), authored in the Senate by then-senator John Whitmire and carried in the Texas House by Representative Sam Harless, gives Houston access to the state's share of incremental hotel-occupancy tax revenue in the convention-center area for the next three decades. "This project would simply be renderings on a page, if not for Senate Bill 1057," Heckman said, adding that the funding means the plan can proceed "without burdening local taxpayers." The city and Houston First did not provide a detailed funding breakdown during the announcement.

Project scope and timeline described at the event included: a new 700,000-square-foot South building (Phase 1); a 100,000-square-foot plaza connecting to Toyota Center; later phases to modernize and reprogram the existing George R. Brown meeting spaces; and an entertainment district with restaurants, nightlife and retail. Officials said they envision a roughly 30-acre green space and a pedestrian promenade that will reconnect downtown with the East End across the reconstructed I-69 corridor. The presenters said the first phase is planned to open in 2028.

Remarks placed the project in historical and competitive context. Speakers recalled earlier expansions to the GRB, including the 2003 expansion that added about 800,000 square feet and the 2016 renovation that strengthened the center's relationship with Discovery Green and downtown hotels. Heckman said the center and related tourism efforts drew "over 54,000,000 visitors" into the city last year, a figure he used to underline the center's economic role.

No formal votes, motions or contractual awards were recorded during the announcement. Presenters described the plan, identified partners and credited legislative action that made access to state hotel-tax revenue possible, but they did not present or adopt ordinances, resolutions or contracts in the course of the event. Officials said additional steps and partnerships will follow to advance design, approvals and construction.

Next steps described at the event include advancing detailed design, site acquisitions already credited to private partners, and coordination among the city, Houston First and the stated development team. Speakers repeatedly framed the announcement as the unveiling of a vision and early-phase commitment rather than the completion of procurement or construction work.

The announcement combined ceremonial remarks with substantive project details and funding claims. Project proponents said the development will increase convention capacity, create new public plazas and an entertainment district, and drive hotel and retail investment in central Houston; they did not provide a line-item funding breakdown or a public timeline of approvals required between the announcement and construction start.

Officials and presenters who spoke at the event included Jay (board leadership of Houston First), Michael Heckman, chief executive officer of Houston First Corporation; John Whitmire, mayor of Houston; and Carl Wu, identified as president of Opik Oil. Several state officials were mentioned in remarks as having carried or supported Senate Bill 1057; Representative Sam Harless was named as carrying the bill in the House. No public comment period, public testimony, formal motion, vote tally or ordinance was recorded during the segments provided.