Austin Convention Center Redevelopment Begins, Impacts SXSW, Hotels

The Austin Convention Center will close on April 1 for a $1.6 billion redevelopment, significantly impacting the city's event landscape, including the upcoming SXSW festival. This year's SXSW, running from March 7-15, will be the last in the current facility before the three-year construction project begins, which aims to expand the center's size and improve its functionality. Despite the disruption, Tiffany Kerr, CMO of Visit Austin, views this as an opportunity to redefine the city’s marketing strategy and meeting approach, including a shift towards a 'campus-style' model for events. The redevelopment is expected to enhance the center's integration with the downtown area, promoting community engagement and connectivity. As Austin continues to grow, the addition of new hotel rooms—over 10,000 in the last five years—highlights the need for expanded meeting space. However, the projected loss of 400,000 hotel room nights annually poses challenges that the city is working to address strategically.