The Dallas City Council approved a plan to demolish the Kay Bailey Hutchison Dallas Convention Center and build a new $2 billion convention center as part of a possible convention district just west of Lamar Street.
The 2.5-million-square-foot building is projected to nearly double the annual attendance at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center, yield 50 to 100,000 jobs, and generate $30 to $50 billion in total spending over 30 years.
To fund the project, voters would have to approve a 2% increase in city hotel tax.
While the majority of the City Council voted for the plan, Council Member Cara Mendelsohn was opposed to it, according to CBS 11 News. “We really don’t know what’s going to happen in the future with conventions. COVID-19 changed travel; it’s changed the workplace.”
On the other hand, Monica Greene, who runs a restaurant in the Cedar neighborhood of the city, said that she believes the convention center could thrive if it is branded as an all-encompassing experience for visitors. If the new convention center is not limited to only space for conventions but also offers space for retail, dining, entertainment, and hotels, the venture will work, Greene said.
“I think there is a new way to look into conventions and convention centers,” Greene said.
City officials estimate that the project will take at least five years.
The City Council also approved an additional $2 billion for other redevelopment projects, including the deck park over I-30 that connects to the Cedars.
