Dallas go ahead for new $2bn convention centre

The Dallas City Council has given the go ahead, 9 February, to the demolition of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center with a new $2bn, 232,250sqm venue to be built in its place. The decision comes following a long campaign for a new centre, with the existing building considered by many event professionals to be obsolete compared to venues in other cities competing for meetings and event business. Omar Narvaez chairman of the transportation and infrastructure committee at Dallas City Council, that has been reviewing options for the building, has said the old centre is falling apart and in the wrong place “It’s time to replace the convention centre,” he said. “We’re a top 10 city in the country and our convention centre is now not up to par with smaller size cities.” The recommended alternative is for a new building sited west of Lamar Street. Demolition of the old centre would make room also for new parks and development under the $4.2bn plans being considered. Not all are in agreement on the City Council and council member Cara Mendelsohn said there wasn’t sufficient demand for meeting space. “What we haven’t done is really ask our residents if this is their priority and this is their interest,” she said. The new plans would include a convention district and possibly a deck park. City projections show that, compared to the existing Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center, the new project could nearly double annual convention attendance, yield up to 100,000 jobs, and create $30 to $50 billion in total spending over 30 years. A 2% increase on city hotel tax would, however, have to be approved by voters to fund the project. The 9 February City Council vote does not signal any quick solution and heralds only the start of the design phase. Some are estimating actual construction of the new facility is expected to take up to six years. Photo courtesy of Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center