Convention Center Expansion

[Novacek]

Travis county wants their cut.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/loca...ncToY2ydxzELJ/


I'm sure the northeast park soccer field sells lots of hotel rooms <sarcasm>


How about Austin raises rates 2% in the city limits, and TC raises its tax on the hotels in unincorporated travis county (since that's all they ever seem to spend money on).

[brando]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Travis county wants their cut.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/loca...ncToY2ydxzELJ/


I'm sure the northeast park soccer field sells lots of hotel rooms <sarcasm>


How about Austin raises rates 2% in the city limits, and TC raises its tax on the hotels in unincorporated travis county (since that's all they ever seem to spend money on).

I think it's very very likely that the county will try to use that money to build a new arena and expo center at the Travis County Expo Grounds. The current proposal is big enough to attract top end events like the Erwin center currently does. It would not be big enough to host a NBA or NHL team but I don't think that is a problem. It also creates a new hotel district close to that facility and the county currently is preserving land for hotel/restaurant use.

That would require a county wide vote though. The other option for expanding the convention center would be taking some of the bonds spent for the last expansion and applying it to a new one but that would also require a vote for City of Austin residents.

I would vote for both.

[KevinFromTexas]

The design commission is meeting on this one on May 22 for the Hilton skywalk.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=277064

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by brando

I think it's very very likely that the county will try to use that money to build a new arena and expo center at the Travis County Expo Grounds. The current proposal is big enough to attract top end events like the Erwin center currently does. It would not be big enough to host a NBA or NHL team but I don't think that is a problem. It also creates a new hotel district close to that facility and the county currently is preserving land for hotel/restaurant use.

It would be one thing if they had decided they wanted to do that, then sat down and needed to figure out how to pay for it.

But according the the various reports, it seems to be the exact opposite. They don't want to miss their chance at their "cut", so they're throwing things against the wall to see what sticks.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...sioners-court/

I might vote for the former, but I'd vote against the later.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by Novacek

It would be one thing if they had decided they wanted to do that, then sat down and needed to figure out how to pay for it.

But according the the various reports, it seems to be the exact opposite. They don't want to miss their chance at their "cut", so they're throwing things against the wall to see what sticks.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...sioners-court/

I might vote for the former, but I'd vote against the later.

That was a good article -- it really put the County's reasoning into more perspective. That is, the city might unilaterally max out the HOT tax, and the County -- which hasn't been engaged up till this point, will lose out completely. AND look like asses.

My bet is that the Mayor/Council bundles a more complete Palm Park rehab into the ACC reno package (parts of which are already included in the proposed plan) and the County gets a public "win," in exchange for their support for ACC expansion itself.

#POLITICS

[We vs us]

CC expansion moves forward. Not clear from the article but I think City Council approval is the next big step.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...ention-center/

EDIT: related >>> http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...l-lead-to.html

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by We vs us

CC expansion moves forward. Not clear from the article but I think City Council approval is the next big step.

https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...ention-center/

EDIT: related >>> http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...l-lead-to.html

I never thought this project would have any trouble moving forward - until it reached City Council. Let the politics begin.

[brando]

Originally Posted by The ATX

I never thought this project would have any trouble moving forward - until it reached City Council. Let the politics begin.

Yea, it faced a lot of opposition. Ora Houston wanted to use the money to build a new arena in her district just like the courthouse. Gallo was concerned about traffic IIRC and there was just a lot of other skepticism. Community value was emphasized. There was also a few citizens who were extremely against it.

These recommendations would be a pretty big adjustment and really eat into the value of the expansion unless they make the building taller to accommodate multiple floors of retail and apartments. I understand the former but I think the latter is silly. I knew they already planned on having 1st floor retail but it sounds like more is being recommend which I don't think is an awful idea. Losing a lot of those sit down restaurants would be a big loss for the area. Apartments would also add a tremendous burden on traffic in the area which is already heavy.

The preferred plan didn't plan on closing any street access. They wanted to preserve Trinity for future right of way for rail which I'm sure will be built in the year 2300.

The entier projet seems like a no brainer. Although, I would be a huge proponent in doing whatever it takes to also build a new arena and expo center at the Travis County Grounds. It just makes too much sense. You already own the vast amount of property that can accommodate your parking needs. They are currently sitting on undeveloped land next to the grounds for future hotels, retail and restaurants. The arena would not be big enough to accommodate a NBA or NHL team would it would be big enough to get major concerts.


Who knows what will happen with the council. I'm hoping that Houston is replaced next year and Tovo's seat is filled by a progressive instead of a neighborhood interest. Although, I could see her running for Mayor against since she will be at her term limit.

[MichaelB]

There is a lot to consider with the expansion. Yes we need it. But it needs to be city and pedestrian friendly and not just a big blob that disrupts the flow on the street.
Looks like they are working towards that. So I'm glad.
BUT I do not want people storage warehouses to place tourists in while we all have to walk around it.
Time to do better.

[The ATX]

It looks like the Hilton to CC sky bridge is back on track:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...on-austin.html

I can just see those "upper class snobs" looking down from the sky bridge upon the poor masses waiting for their CapMetro train ride back to to Leander. Get real.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by The ATX

It looks like the Hilton to CC sky bridge is back on track:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...on-austin.html

I can just see those "upper class snobs" looking down from the sky bridge upon the poor masses waiting for their CapMetro train ride back to well to Leander. Get real.

Yeah, I don't see it as a have/have-nots thing here. It's simply a convenience factor for the hotel and the CC both...nothing more.

[smith_atx]

To get hotels to petition the state to allow an increase in the “bed tax” the City would expand the convention center. Under the mayor’s plan, the first two floors could be for stores and restaurants. Then on top of the expanded convention centers would be two towers; one for offices, the other for affordable housing.  The property taxes on the increased development could help generate income for the other projects of the mayor’s “downtown puzzle.”
Most of this would need approval from Austin’s City Council.

KXAN

[We vs us]

It's fascinating to me that this has turned into "solve the homeless problem," when it started as "fund a new convention center." All the news coverage I've read so far (Statesman, ABJ, the linked article from KXAN) pitches it as a sly play from Adler to get tourists to contribute to a relatively vague homeless solution. As a byproduct, we'll get a new ACC expansion. From a purely political perspective, it's a genius move.

It also suggests that the renderings we've seen so far would have to be changed radically. From the KXAN article:

To get hotels to petition the state to allow an increase in the “bed tax” the City would expand the convention center. Under the mayor’s plan, the first two floors could be for stores and restaurants. Then on top of the expanded convention centers would be two towers; one for offices, the other for affordable housing. The property taxes on the increased development could help generate income for the other projects of the mayor’s “downtown puzzle.”

Which would seem to indicate that somehow he'd like to add two additional towers to the rendering below -- because the the only tower in the drawing is the new Marriott.



EDIT: I take it back -- there's what looks like a functional "tower" on the north end of the rendering -- so they just need to find room for one more.

[drummer]

Points for creativity.

[the Genral]

Just noticed that the CC west expansion brings the JW closer to the center taking away some of the strategic location advantage the Fairmont had. It reduces the walk from the JW by at least a block.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Just noticed that the CC west expansion brings the JW closer to the center taking away some of the strategic location advantage the Fairmont had. It reduces the walk from the JW by at least a block.

Ding ding ding.

Marriott/JW would "share" the expansion side, while Fairmont/Hilton ("The Red River Collection") would share the old side. Not officially, of course, but practically.

White Lodging is a huge winner if the expansion goes through.

[The ATX]

Here's a CC update form Austin On Your Feet. Redeveloping the current convention center after the expansion is completed is a possibility.

http://austinonyourfeet.com/2017/09/...ter-bombshell/

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Here's a CC update form Austin On Your Feet. Redeveloping the current convention center after the expansion is completed is a possibility.

http://austinonyourfeet.com/2017/09/...ter-bombshell/

Would we be able to have more continuous exhibit space as well as compete with other cities by creating a vertical convention center by taking out the existing continuous exhibit space? I was under the impression that one of the main problems with the CC is lack of continuous space. I don't see how building a vertical expansion would solve the problem.

I agree that the area around the CC needs streetlife. At first I figured they meant redeveloping by building retail and restaurant space around the CC as in the building itself so that there would be activity when there isn't a convention going on. Actually would be a great idea to incorporate music venues as well since sound issues wouldn't be a big deal. Kinda like why they should incorporate clubs and music venues in office building projects.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Here's a CC update form Austin On Your Feet. Redeveloping the current convention center after the expansion is completed is a possibility.

http://austinonyourfeet.com/2017/09/...ter-bombshell/

I always thought that it was unfortunate that they chose to put the low-rise CC in a location unencumbered by a CVC. This would be an opportunity to make much better use of the land this time around.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by paul78701

I always thought that it was unfortunate that they chose to put the low-rise CC in a location unencumbered by a CVC. This would be an opportunity to make much better use of the land this time around.

Same here, would have liked to see a few more 400ft towers where the CVC is