The Austin Convention Center rebuilds to April 2025

(For the future of downtown Austin, the reimagined Austin Convention Center will introduce for the first time a walkable, culturally rich area with 620,000 square feet of event space and outdoor gathering areas associated with Waterloo Greenway. Render the courtesy of the Austin Convention Center.)

The project includes 620,000 square feet of event space, aiming to be the world’s first zero-carbon certification conference center

Author Mark Hebert, Exhibition City News, Austin Convention Center News Materials

Downtown Austin will undergo a major transformation. The city’s long-awaited reconstruction of the Austin Convention Center is moving forward, with the building officially beginning in April 2025. The $1.6 billion project will expand the facility’s rental activity space to 620,000 square feet while reshaping the surrounding area into a more walking, viable, connected and sustainable destination.

“The reconstruction of the conference center will create an important downtown amenities and city connector,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. “By emphasizing openness and accessibility at the street level, the design of vibrant plazas and pedestrian-friendly pathways, this transformation will increase connectivity and inclusion, creating a more accessible and engaging downtown experience for residents and visitors.”

The new renderings of the facility show a vast modern design that includes an open-air terrace, outdoor event spaces, and flexible gathering areas that blur the boundaries between the interior and the exterior. This is part of a broader initiative called “Unconventional ATX” that aims to retain the city’s creative identity as it builds development for the future.

Sustainability is at the heart of the program. The center is designed to operate with 100% renewable energy and uses low-carbon materials including salvaged components and mass wood roof structures. The city’s goal is ILFI zero carbon certification, which will make the Austin Convention Center the first zero carbon certification conference center in the world.

In a city known for its creativity, the project also includes a record $17.7 million for public art investments, weaving local culture into new spheres.

The redevelopment is led by project control, working with Square One and Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB). The team brings extensive experience in large-scale civic development, including the Convention Centers in San Antonio and Dallas.

The last event in the current facility will end in March 2025. After that, the construction begins, Austin moves into the next chapter – inertia, sustainability, and obviously its own.