HOUSTON — Texas’ convention industry is in a state of flux, from the state capital to its biggest city.
In Houston, a $2-billion, 700,000-square-foot expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center is expected to increase events at the facility by 30% annually. Phase One will connect it to the Toyota Center and add two exhibition halls totaling 150,000 square feet; the largest ballroom in Texas (between 60,000 and 80,000 square feet); and a 50,000-square-foot multipurpose hall with doors that open to a new Central Plaza. Known as GRB Houston South, it is scheduled to open in May 2028.
Also, work has begun on the $1.6-billion Austin Convention Center redevelopment. The project will significantly increase the facility’s space, from the existing 365,000 square feet to 620,000 square feet and include 70,000 square feet of outdoor event space. It’s part of UnconventionalATX, an urban redevelopment project designed to create a walkable, sustainable and globally competitive convention space in the heart of downtown. The goal is to have it ready in time for the 2029 Spring festival season.
“The new expanded facility is already generating interest from meeting and event professionals,” Trisha Tatro, Director of the Austin Convention Center, said. “We have more than 78 groups holding definite and tentative dates between 2029 and 2039. Forty percent of these groups could not have been accommodated by the previous building due to their size. These groups alone represent an estimated economic impact of more than $500 million.”
Related. Los Angeles Convention Center Expansion and Modernization Project Breaks Ground
In Dallas, renovation plans for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center stretch back to February 2021. After widespread research and a multitude of town halls, public meetings and city council votes, Dallas voters overwhelmingly approved the $3.7-billion plan, which includes 750,000 square feet of exhibit space, 180,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a 105,000-square-foot ballroom and a renovated arena and theater. It is scheduled to reopen in early 2029.
Meanwhile, just 30 miles away in nearby Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Convention Center is also undergoing an overhaul which, like the others, aims to revitalize its downtown. The first phase, set for completion in 2026, adds a new southeast entrance, new food and beverage facilities and space for a future privately developed convention hotel. The additional 195,000 square feet of function space is expected to be completed in 2030 and will expand the center’s ability to host mid-size regional and national events.
The impact of all these major cities renovating their centers at the same time will be mixed, Tarika Jain, Senior Associate, Convention, Sports & Entertainment at HVS, wrote in an August 2025 report. “Our experience suggests that market share within Texas is unlikely to shift dramatically in the long term. Even after expansion, each city will retain its proportionate relative scale, helping preserve existing regional positioning.”
Meanwhile, in the short term, some conventions have been forced to move as the centers undergo partial or full closure. Visit Austin has assisted by offering clients and event planners the option to move activities to other downtown Austin venues, such as Palmer Events Center, but larger events have had to move out of state to competing locations.
There is also a risk of losing some events altogether. “While rotating conventions may return to post-construction, other bookings may prove harder to recover if event planners find satisfactory alternatives,” Jain explained.
To learn about venue upgrades across the U.S., check out TSE’s latest Pardon Our Dust report by clicking here.
