The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs on Jan. 9 reviewed an interim report from the Vermont Convention Center and Performing Arts Venue Task Force and heard a request to extend the panel’s statutory meeting limit so it can complete a final report due in November 2026.

"The enabling statute limited the task force to six meetings," said Nick Grimley, deputy commissioner at the Department of Economic Development and co‑chair of the task force. "January will be our sixth meeting. We're asking for a technical correction to allow the task force to continue meeting through the final report deadline in November 2026." Grimley said the task force has met since July 2025 and provided a progress update in an interim report delivered in November.

Grimley and consultants told the committee the task force reached an early point of consensus: convention centers and performing arts venues have distinct market dynamics and infrastructure needs and should be evaluated separately. "Convention centers really depend on close proximity to hotel capacity and airport access," Grimley said, while performing arts venues tolerate longer travel distances for attendees and have different scheduling and operational needs.

Jeff Lawson, who leads Hello Burlington’s feasibility work, told the committee downtown Burlington’s hotel inventory is expected to increase roughly 50% between 2025 and 2027, pushing the area above a commonly cited 1,000‑room threshold that makes supporting larger convention infrastructure more feasible. Lawson identified candidate locations for deeper study — including the Macy’s building downtown, the L.L. Bean building and a University Mall parcel in South Burlington — but said Hello Burlington has not completed site selection work.

Committee members pressed task force leaders on statewide balance and permitting. "We can't forget the rest of Chittenden County and our resort communities," said Senator Bob Mintz Hills, and he urged the task force to avoid centering discussion only on Burlington. Members also asked for coordination with other legislative work on county‑level governance and permitting to reduce regulatory obstacles.

Grimley said the task force will continue to evaluate site and scale options, funding and governance models, and coordinate with external feasibility studies. The committee did not take any formal vote at the hearing; Chair (unnamed) said staff would pursue technical language with House Commerce and consider incorporating an extension into the committee’s economic bill.