Billions of dollars of construction will materialize into a number of convention center projects located in major U.S. cities this year.

 

Dallas

In downtown Dallas, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, named in honor of the former U.S. Senator from Texas, will break ground in late 2024 on a $1.2 billion, 2.5 million- square-foot convention center as part of the city’s long-term master plan that involves relocating transit routes. The multi-firm project teams known as Inspire Dallas won the construction contract for phase one ($71 million) of the convention center expansion. The team is led by developers Matthews Southwest, Kaizen Development and general contractor Azteca Enterprises.

It includes 28 subcontractors, 75 percent of them local Dallas businesses and more than half of them minority/women-owned firms.

Dallas voters authorized a 2 percent increase in the city’s portion of the hotel occupancy tax to be devoted to funding the convention center expansion. The 10-year master plan – which aims to revitalize downtown Dallas surrounding the convention center – will be funded with a project financing zone.

The planned expansion includes 800,000 square feet of exhibit space, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms and 170,000 square feet of ballroom space.

Dallas city officials say the existing convention center will remain operational throughout the build, which is anticipated to reach completion in 2029.

 

Indianapolis

A Signa by Hilton hotel is part of the plans in downtown Indianapolis as the city moves forward toward a construction start of its convention center expansion.

The city’s $625 million project includes the 40-story, 800-room hotel directly across from its existing, to-be-expanded Pan Am Plaza near Lucas Oil Stadium.

Construction is estimated to begin in mid-2024.

AECOM Hunt is the general contractor, in association with Gary, Ind.-based Powers & Sons Construction, Zurbuch Consulting, PR firm Veteran Strategies and WBE/MBE advisor Barbara Holder Consulting Services.

The project architect is Indy-based RATIO Design.

The project team anticipates completion of both the hotel and the convention center expansion by mid-2026.

 

St. Louis

Ben Hur Construction Co. is working toward an early 2024 completion of the America’s Center Convention Complex expansion in downtown St. Louis.

The $240 million project, designed by architect CVC Team, includes a 72,000-square-foot exhibit hall, outdoor gathering space and more than twice as many loading docks for exhibitors to use.

Ben Hur was the lone bidder on the project in the spring of 2022.