Austin Convention Center Department render

A rendering of the new Austin Convention Center now under construction.

Construction has begun on the new Austin Convention Center., with city leaders hosting a groundbreaking event on April 16, 2024, according to kxan.com.

"Today is the official closure of the Austin Convention Center. We are unveiling Unconventional ATX, which is the new Austin Convention Center project," said Trisha Tatro, director of the Austin Convention Center Department.

Construction management is being overseen by the JE Dunn/Turner joint venture, according to an Austin Convention Center press release. Demolition is expected shortly, followed by initial construction.

The city of renderings of the facility earlier in 2025. City leaders said the project will add green space and make the area more walkable.

"The redevelopment of the Convention Center will create a vital downtown amenity and urban connector," said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. "With a design that emphasizes street-level openness and accessibility, vibrant public plazas, and pedestrian-friendly pathways, this transformation will enhance connectivity and inclusivity, creating a more accessible and engaging downtown experience for residents and visitors."

The $1.6 billion project will nearly double the rentable square footage, increasing from 365,000 sq. ft. to 620,000 sq. ft. (including 70,000 sq. ft. outdoors) of rentable space, according to a city press release from February.

"We took about half of our leads that we got, and we put them right in the trash can because we were either sold out or too small," said Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Visit Austin. "Now we're going to be much more competitive."

The city calls the project Unconventional ATX. It is being funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax and Convention Center revenues, so no property taxes are going toward the project.

A reopening of the convention center is expected in 2029, according to kxan.com.

‘Architectural and Sustainable' Design

The new convention center will be the world's first zero-carbon-certified convention center (International Living Futures Institute), according to the city, kxan.com reported.

A city press release said the center's design "reimagines traditional event spaces" and prioritizes accessibility, flexibility and sustainability.

Kxan.com reported that the design intends to enhance connectivity with surrounding districts. Those include the Waterloo Greenway, Palm District= and Project Connect initiatives. By reopening Third Street for multimodal traffic and transforming Second Street into a pedestrian-friendly corridor, it will prioritize public access and multimodal transit.

"There will be retail and open green spaces for not only the community to celebrate and enjoy and partake in but also our visitors," Tatro said.

Art installations, interactive exhibits and artist-driven spaces that "celebrate Austin's diverse creative community," will be highlighted at the center. There will be a $17.7 million investment in public art, according to a convention center release.

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