With demolition halfway complete, the transformation of the Austin Convention Center is well underway—and sustainability is leading the charge. From reusing structural steel to restoring the iconic blue art glass, we’re honoring the past while building a greener, more inspiring future.
In this issue, we’re answering your top questions about the project and highlighting how reused materials are shaping the new space. We’ll also dive deeper on sustainability in upcoming blogs and social posts. Check out our blog for more stories from behind the scenes—and stay tuned for more exciting updates.
As part of Austin’s commitment to sustainability, the redevelopment has a strong focus on salvaging and repurposing materials from the existing building. Instead of sending materials to the landfill, the project team is carefully deconstructing the old Convention Center and finding meaningful ways to reuse elements.
Some of the materials include:
Structural steel: Steel from the original building is being reused to reduce waste and the need for new materials.
Pohl metal panels: The metal panels from the current Convention Center’s exterior will be cleaned, restored, and given a new role in the new design.
Jamie Carpenter’s blue art glass: The striking art will return in the new building, integrated into public spaces as a reminder of the center’s history and artistic legacy.
This reuse effort helps reduce the environmental impact of construction while preserving pieces of Austin’s civic identity. It’s one of many strategies the project is using to create a greener, more efficient, and more inspiring public space for the future.
The Austin Convention Center is critical to Austin’s tourism, hospitality, culture, and small business economy. It brings hundreds of thousands of visitors for conventions, festivals, and live events, directly supporting local hotels, restaurants, artists, and countless other businesses.
However, our current facility can’t compete with other major cities. Austin is ranked No. 13 among the largest U.S. cities, but our Convention Center is only No. 61 in size. This disparity means we have to turn away nearly half of all potential business, costing the city millions in lost revenue. So, we’re expanding! The new, larger facility will boost Austin to No. 35 in size, making us competitive with cities like Denver, San Antonio, and Boston, and better positioned to attract large-scale conventions and host multiple events at the same time. With expanded capacity, Austin can meet demand, increase visitor spending, and grow local business revenue.
In addition, the redevelopment will deliver an additional $285 million in annual economic impact—revenue that flows through local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and cultural venues—bringing the total annual economic impact of the Convention Center to $750 million.
The total estimated cost of the project is $1.6 billion, including approximately $1.2 billion for construction plus additional funds for “soft costs,” things like architectural and engineering consultants, project management, quality assurance and control, and site and building permits.
The redevelopment is paid for by the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)—a tax paid by tourists who stay at Austin hotels—Project Financing Zone revenues, which is a rebate of an increment of certain State HOT and sales taxes from hotels near the Convention Center for a period of 30 years, as well as Convention Center revenues. This ensures that tourists and business travelers cover the cost, not Austin property taxes.
By Texas law, these HOT dollars are dedicated to specific uses that promote tourism and the convention industry and cannot be redirected for general revenue purposes or general government operations. The city contributes the maximum 30% of HOT revenue allowed under state law to support Austin’s cultural arts and historic preservation programs—directly benefiting local artists, organizations, and landmarks.
This project is a major step forward for Austin’s urban environment and quality of life. The new Convention Center design:
Proactively advances the Convention Center’s goal of becoming the world’s first Zero-Carbon Certified Convention Center by recycling 80–90% of materials from the original building.
Is estimated to add an additional 1,600 jobs, $285 million in yearly economic impact, and $12 million in annual tax revenue for Austin.
Reconnects East and West Austin by eliminating barriers and restoring 2nd and 3rd Streets with pedestrian pathways and street-level activity, fostering a more inclusive, accessible downtown.
Revitalizes the southeast part of downtown Austin to be a more active destination, in combination with other exciting projects like Palm Park, Cap and Stitch, and Waterloo Greenway.
Builds on a people-first strategy that prioritizes walkability, shaded areas, and active transportation, in line with Austin City Council’s resolution to reduce car dependency and enhance the urban experience.
Integrates seamlessly with Project Connect, bike lanes, and pedestrian networks, making it easier for people to move throughout the city.
The project is currently in the construction phase. Demolition and excavation are underway—part of a 12-month process to prepare the site for foundation work and vertical construction.
Key milestones already completed include:
Facility closure and decommissioning
Conceptual and Schematic Design Phases
Transition to active construction
The project remains on schedule for a 2029 reopening.
Visit the redevelopment website at UnconventionalATX.com
Check out our blog to read a team tribute to the Austin Suite.
We’re featuring a partner of the Austin Convention Center redevelopment in every newsletter. Meet the strategic advisors.
Conventional Wisdom Corp (CW), represented by co-founders David O’Neal and Rick Schmidt, has played significant roles as part of the Austin Convention Center’s developmental history, initially as consultants to the design team of the Austin Convention Center’s 2002 expansion. CW’s involvement with the current phase of redevelopment began in 2014 by supporting market, economic, and financing studies, creating the expansion master plan, evaluating site and phasing alternatives, providing the basis for design, FF&E, and providing technical evaluation of potential facility designers.
As a strategic advisor to the Austin Convention Center redevelopment, David O’Neal brings 45 years of convention center administrative experience and insight, eight of which was as Executive Director of Orlando’s Orlando County Convention Center, a position now held by the Austin Convention Center’s previous Director Mark Tester. Throughout his career, Rick Schmidt, as an architect and an MBA, has served as a strategic advisor on large, complex projects including the 328 public assembly venues worldwide in CW’s portfolio.
Mr. O’Neal and Mr. Schmidt’s combined experience has provided the Austin Convention Center with an unparalleled level of understanding on technical details related to convention facility management, governance, staffing, operations, sales, marketing, systems, and project delivery options. They are skilled in translating the needs of the facility’s operators into clear direction for the facility’s design team members from a position of first-hand experience.
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Reimagining the Austin Convention Center of the future.
