Kay Bailey Hutchinson to be demolished

The convention center in downtown Dallas is set for demolition as the City Council set their eyes for a new convention center according to a CMW article from February 11 which reports, 

“The Dallas City Council has given the go ahead, 9 February, to the demolition of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center with a new $2bn, 232,250sqm venue to be built in its place.

Omar Narvaez chairman of the transportation and infrastructure committee at Dallas City Council, that has been reviewing options for the building, has said the old centre is falling apart and in the wrong place “It’s time to replace the convention centre,” he said. “We’re a top 10 city in the country and our convention centre is now not up to par with smaller size cities.”

The decision comes following a long campaign for a new centre, with the existing building considered by many event professionals to be obsolete compared to venues in other cities competing for meetings and event business.

Demolition of the old centre would make room also for new parks and development under the $4.2bn plans being considered.”

Further, research shows that the new convention center will likely double annual attendance in the convention and provide additional jobs for over 30 years according to a Kera News article from February 9. They say, 

“It would make room for new parks where residents and tourists can explore and increase access to downtown from South Dallas.

“We are able to open up Northern downtown to South Dallas with a new deck park, with new potential for economic development, with thousands of jobs that are people desperately need,” said Council Member Omar Narvaez, who led the committee that came up with the plan.

He said a new convention center will transform downtown Dallas and attract new visitors.

“This is a huge step for us to invest in a tool that will support economic development in our city,” Mayor Pro Temp Chad West said.

Despite said research and green signal, Council member Cara Mendelsohn disagreed with the new project as it lacks concrete idea and research especially in regard to the public’s opinion since it is the people who will pay for the entire project.