Mayor Reed: City has acquired old Advertiser building and plans to double convention center

Mayor Steven L. Reed said the city has taken possession of the old Montgomery Advertiser building and is planning an expansion to double the size of the convention center, a project he said is intended to support larger conferences, concerts and sporting events.

"It's really to expand our convention center and double the size of it," Reed said, adding the upgraded facility would serve as "a downtown arena" for concerts and indoor events. He said the project will help position Montgomery City to host visitors interested in the area's civil-rights history and related programming.

Reed described plans to improve the venue's technology and aesthetics and said the expansion could spur hotel development downtown. "It'll also probably bring online another 2 more, 4 star hotels, full service hotels," he said. On timing, he said, "we plan to break ground, by the end of this year." Reed also described donor recognition ideas such as bricks and plaques.

The mayor said investors and partners will be in town soon to discuss a vision for further growth and development; he told the host those investor meetings are scheduled for roughly two weeks from the conversation. Reed emphasized the city is trying to stay "legally compliant" while planning development work.

The conversation did not include funding sources, specific project budgets, procurement timelines, or formal approvals required from council or other bodies. Reed described the acquisition and the plan in programmatic terms but did not present ordinances, contract numbers or vote tallies. Community members and businesses could expect more details when the city unveils formal plans.