The city may not move forward with the next steps in the Austin Convention Center expansion until an agreement is reached with current holders to rework some terms of roughly $163 million in hotel bonds. A memo discussed at Monday’s meeting of the Tourism Commission outlines why the request for qualifications for vendors on the […]
Austin Convention Center
This city department operates the downtown convention center and associated events.
Posted inPlanning
Downtown Commission wants financing plan, study on convention center expansion
With the city expected to begin entering into engineering and design contracts next spring related to a revised expansion of the Austin Convention Center, the Downtown Commission has asked for a detailed financing plan and market analysis for the public to review in advance of contract approvals. At last week’s meeting, the commission voted 4-3 […]
Posted inPlanning
Convention center plans meet resistance from Downtown Commission skeptics
The Downtown Commission will consider asking City Council not to move forward with any new plans to expand the Austin Convention Center, with commission members asking city staff for more information to justify the project. Staffers gave an update on the expansion plans at this week’s Downtown Commission meeting, outlining the new scope of the […]
Posted inAustin
Council OKs new direction on convention center reconstruction
The city will move ahead with another attempt to remake the Austin Convention Center, following the decision in April to abandon a planned westward expansion and reconstruction that would have been completed in two phases. Earlier this month City Council unanimously approved two largely procedural resolutions related to the convention center and plans now to […]
Posted inCity Hall
Report raises questions about convention center finances
In the wake of Covid-19, revenue at the Austin Convention Center dropped from more than $35.8 million in Fiscal Year 2019 to about $12.8 million in FY 2020, according to a special review of convention center finances conducted by the Office of the City Auditor, at the request of members of the City Council Audit […]
Posted inPublic Health
Alternate care site opens in Austin as area hospitals reach capacity
The Covid-19 alternate care site at the Austin Convention Center is now open as the county’s interim health authority warned overwhelming the area’s hospital system is “inevitable” at this point. “Patients will be referred here directly from hospitals; this is not a site where individuals can show up and receive care for Covid-19,” Dr. Mark […]
Posted inCity Council
Convention center expansion moves forward
After a long day considering various different topics, City Council voted 10-0-1, with Council Member Leslie Pool abstaining, to authorize staff to move forward with negotiations to purchase two expensive blocks to the west of the Austin Convention Center for the purpose of starting expansion. Pool said she was abstaining because she was concerned about […]
Posted inCity Council
Negotiations in the works on convention center expansion
Although the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to have serious economic impacts on the Austin Convention Center for several years, people will still want to gather for face-to-face meetings, according to an expert hired to advise City Council on the planned expansion of the convention center. Tom Hazinski of HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment told Council […]
Posted inAustin
Buses will take Hurricane Laura evacuees back home Friday, Austin says
Some Hurricane Laura evacuees who came to the Austin area can return home, Central Texas officials said just after 4 p.m. Thursday. Many evacuees in the area came from Galveston, which is no longer under a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuation mandates have also been lifted in other counties near the Gulf Coast including Hardin, Chambers […]
Posted inAustin
Study weighs market impact of convention center expansion, predicts rebound from Covid-19
A new market analysis finds that the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center would bring more than 1,700 jobs to the city and add $306 million in annual economic impact from the local events and tourism industry. The market viability study and planning update from HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Consulting of Chicago looked at […]
Posted inPlanning
Tourism Commission hears latest on convention center progress, homelessness funds
City staffers are engaged in talks with the owners of two and a half blocks of property located west of the Austin Convention Center in an attempt to learn what kinds of sales, leases or other property agreements can be executed to move forward with an ambitious expansion of the facility. The Tourism Commission received […]
Posted inTravis County
Eckhardt offers the city Palm School in exchange for expo center, hotel tax
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt says that she and her colleagues on the Commissioners Court are willing to give away the Palm School to the city of Austin. But they want a couple of big things in return. In a letter to City Manager Spencer Cronk, Eckhardt proposes the county transfer ownership of the historic […]