Dallas City Council Approves Plan For New $4 Billion Convention Center And District

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas City Council is going forward with its plans to replace the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center with a new 2.5 million square foot building and several new amenities.

The plan would not only include a new convention center, but a convention district. Eventually maybe even a deck park that would connect to the Cedars neighborhood - something businesses here say they would benefit from.

Four years ago, Monica Greene opened a new restaurant in Dallas' Cedars neighborhood after seeing its potential.

"This is an entertainment district with Gilley's, and we have other venues here that play music," Greene said.

But she says with everything it has to offer, she's noticed one deterrent.

"There's a psychological barrier for people to come to this area. The highways that you have to cross in order to get here."

Today's vote from the Dallas City Council was music to her ears.

Council members approved a plan to build a $2 billion convention center west of Lamar Street. An additional $2 billion will be going towards redevelopment projects, one of which being the deck park over I-30 connecting to the Cedars.

City projections show compared to the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center, the project could nearly double annual attendance, yield 50 to 100,000 jobs, and create $30 to $50 billion in total spending over 30 years. A 2% increase on city hotel tax would have to be approved by voters to fund the project.

Council member Cara Mendelsohn was the lone Councilmember to oppose the plan. "We really don't know what's going to happen in the future with conventions. COVID-19 changed travel, it's changed the workplace."

But Greene believes they could thrive if they become more of an all-encompassing experience for visitors by offering not only space for conventions, but for retail, dining, entertainment and hotels as well.

"There are problems with the convention center. The way it was designed, the COVID-19 has not helped... all of those things. I think there is a new way to look into conventions and convention centers," she said.

And if you're wondering when all this will be complete, don't expect it to be any time soon. Right now, some city officials are estimating the project could take at least five years.