The project is ambitious, and promises to change the dimension of Dallas on the chessboard of major events. Beyond the MICEThe 'Master Plan' devised by Texas officials is set to transform Downtown Dallas and even the destination as a whole, by forging more links between its conference centre and the rest of the city. This will be achieved by creating no less thana new district, the Convention Center District.
The convention centre will naturally be the epicentre of this area. The current Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBH) will therefore be extensively transformed, modernised and, above all, considerably enlarged. Rosa Fleming, Director of Convention and Events Services for the City of Dallas, explains: " The new convention centre, scheduled for completion in 2028, will significantly enhance Dallas' urban landscape and offer 75,000 m² of exhibition space40,000 m² of storage space meetingA 9,000 m² ballroom, and a walkable entertainment district with new retail, hotel, restaurant and entertainment, residential and office space. In fact, it's an economic development engine for downtown Dallas.".
The Master Plan for the new convention centre includes a vast atrium opening onto the heart of the future convention centre. Convention Center District. The building will be dominated by a rooftop with terrace, including a vertiport. An adjoining tower will house a new hotel focused on MICE customers, and a pedestrian walkway should link KBHCCD to the Dallas Memorial Auditorium and the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. New walkways should also make it easier for visitors to get to and from the Omni and Hyatt Regency hotels. The project also includes an effort to transportwith the creation of a multimodal hub to link the area to other strategic centres in Dallas.
The future dimensions of the KBH have already convinced some organisers, according to Jennifer Krsanac, who is in charge of meetings at the North American Spine Society: " The expansion of the convention centre will allow us to consider Dallas as a destination for our future annual meetings. Without the new extension, the convention centre would not offer our meeting sufficient space and adequate flow for attendees. I look forward to following this project and its positive impact on the city of Dallas and the future of the meetings industry." .
All of which adds to the ambitions of local MICE managers, as confirmed by D. Bradley Kent, Vice President and Sales Director of Visit Dallas: " This new building and the surrounding developments are exactly what our customers need and have been asking for. Dallas is already a destination of choice for meetings and conventions, thanks to the accessibility of two major airportsThe new center and Convention Center District will strengthen Dallas' competitive position and put us on par with other destinations that have already invested in their buildings. The new centre and Convention Center District will strengthen Dallas' competitive position and put us on par with other destinations that have already invested in their buildings.".
Construction of the new hub, estimated at 3 billion dollars, is due to start at the end of 2024. It is due to open in 2029, or even 2028. Those in charge of the project estimate that the new convention centre should almost double the number of visitors to the infrastructure each year.
