„ On Oct. 19, City Council will vote to move forward a pair of expansive contracts with firms that would plan and build the new civic convention center complex.
That facility outline would nearly double the convention center’s current rentable square footage. At the same time, the building’s overall footprint and impact on the surrounding area would be reduced by moving exhibit halls and loading docks underground.
The new multistory center is expected to span more than 1 million square feet and feature:
- 360,000 square feet of exhibit space
- 184,000 square feet of ballroom or flexible exhibition space
- 180,000 square feet of meeting space
Alongside the transformation of the center itself, other proposals tied to the project include:
- Reopening Second and Third streets through the convention center block
- Adding new outdoor and community spaces around the building
- Integrating the complex with Project Connect’s future light rail line
- Developing an adjacent high-rise project through a public-private partnership“
