The city of Dallas is one step closer to a new convention center. A measure was approved on Wednesday, giving the green light to begin demolition along Lamar Street. This also paves the way for what will be the international broadcasting center during the FIFA World Cup games.
The city of Dallas is another step closer to a new convention center. A measure was approved Wednesday, giving the green light to begin demolition along Lamar Street.
This also paves the way for what will be the International Broadcasting Center during the FIFA World Cup games.
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WATCH HEREThe grand vision and master plan were laid out for the future of downtown Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in 2021. It’s coming to fruition one strategic step at a time.
City leaders took another step in that direction this week. The council approved $1billion bridge loan for the new Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center expansion project. $259 million are allocated for construction services to soon begin demolition along either side of Lamar Street.
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SIGN UP Outgoing council member Omar Narvaez witnessed the project go from an idea to action.
“It was probably four years ago, five years ago that the talk became real,” said Narvaez.
He’s part of the current council that gave the green light on funding for demolition to begin west of Lamar Street, splitting the convention center, with one side soon to become a hub for one of the world's most talked-about events.
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“Everything behind me right now is where the International Broadcast Center that FIFA will be moving into at the beginning of January, they’ll get started,” he said.
Visit Dallas Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Walker said some 64 conventions are on the books for the new center already.
“That represents 1.6 billion in economic impact with another 109 conventions just waiting in the wings,” Walker said.
As for the east side of Lamar, she called it a game-changer.
“With the IBC being in our own backyard, that really gives us the opportunity to tell the Dallas story of today, and why we are a thriving emerging global city," she said.
Transformation is on the way.
“The entire globe of reporters and folks that are calling the matches and everything, they are all going to be in this building for everything. So, 24/7, this place will be rocking and rolling and moving,” said Narvaez.
Information on the Kay Bailey Hutchison master plan is available online.
