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Old Posted Nov 16, 2015, 7:23 PM
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Originally Posted by We vs us View Post
I think there're some worthwhile caveats for convention center updates/rebuilds/etc on a generalized level, but at the same time I also believe the value proposition is highly specific to the market in which it's being considered. I've worked within several mid-size convention packages in my career and I have to say Austin's in an amazing place right now. We're one of the hottest destinations in the country, and all of our major metrics (ADR, RevPar, Occupancy) track that. It's pretty much us and Nashville and Portland for places that people want to visit and meet in.

Some upsides: we're walkable, we're friendly, the Center and the hotel package is relatively convenient. We have Sixth Street. Town Lake for natural beauty and recreation. Really stupendous food. And we have that thing, that snap, that people really want right now. As a guy who sells this place to out of towners, I've really had a hard time articulating what that snap actually is, but it's real and people across the country know it. I have a theory that it's mostly about youth culture and that we're like the Millenial Homeworld and people like that . . . but I'm still working on it.

Anyway, we're in a really rare position to take advantage of that crazy demand. IMO it can go one of two ways -- we can acknowledge the demand, ride it, and let it subside over time. Or embrace it, lock in one of the drivers of that demand, and see where it takes us.

IMO, the business of Austin now is very much one of hospitality and tourism. It's the side product of being an awesome city
Well said. I'm all for the expansion and am thankful that the proposed expansion will not be a complete dead zone in between conventions unlike the current CC.
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