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New & Notable Developments in Austin | Meetings & Conventions
Austin's hospitality sector is seeing significant developments, including a $30 million refresh of the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center's meeting space, and a recently completed $30 million renovation of guest rooms and meeting spaces at the JW Marriott Austin. The Driskill Hotel is also undergoing a full restoration with an estimated completion by summer 2026, aiming to offer more flexibility for meetings and events. These hotel improvements are crucial as the Austin Convention Center remains closed for redevelopment until 2029.
Business
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A new 185-room Tru by Hilton hotel is opening downtown Austin on Guadalupe Street, featuring a stunning rooftop bar. The hotel is currently seeking a Director of Sales to develop group and convention business, indicating new hospitality infrastructure supporting the convention market.
SXSW 2026 saw numerous brand activations and events spread across Austin, utilizing hotels such as the Hilton Austin Downtown, JW Marriott, and Omni Austin Hotel Downtown as key session anchors. This highlights the significant role of hospitality venues in accommodating major city-wide events and their associated business activities.
Houston's convention and hotel industry is experiencing a boost, attracting events that might typically go to Dallas or Austin. This is due to both cities' convention centers undergoing significant renovations or complete closures, positioning Houston to capture displaced convention business.
Hyatt has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of 21 hotels, including the Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas. This strategic move adds approximately 2,000 rooms to Hyatt's offerings and aims to leverage its global infrastructure and loyal customer base. This hospitality news is relevant to the broader trade show and convention market in Austin.
The City of Austin announced over $24 million in Cultural Funding Awards for 2026, investing in local artists, musicians, cultural spaces, and heritage projects. These programs are primarily supported through Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue, highlighting the city's commitment to its creative community and the economic impact of tourism-related taxes.
Industry
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The City of Austin is hiring a Dispatcher II for the Austin Convention Center, an essential employee position responsible for dispatching security and non-security personnel. This role involves monitoring Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and managing maintenance service requests, contributing to the continuity of essential operations at the convention center.
The Omni Austin Hotel Downtown is actively seeking a Director of Catering and Convention Services, a key leadership role responsible for planning and directing catering sales and conference services activities. This position requires extensive experience in upscale hotel catering and conference services, with a focus on enhancing guest experiences and maximizing profitability.
The PCMA Foundation's annual Visionary Awards, presented by Visit Austin and the Austin Convention Center, will be held on May 7 in Washington, D.C., to recognize business events industry changemakers and benefit the PCMA Foundation.
Visit Austin and the Austin Convention Center are presenting the PCMA Foundation's 2026 Visionary Awards, a black-tie event recognizing business events industry changemakers. While the awards ceremony will be held in Washington D.C., Austin's involvement highlights its leadership and commitment to advancing the industry.
Visit Austin and the Austin Convention Center are set to present the PCMA Foundation's 2026 Visionary Awards on May 7 in Washington, D.C., a black-tie event celebrating industry changemakers. The awards ceremony supports the PCMA Foundation, which annually invests over $1 million in the business events community through scholarships, research, and education. This highlights Austin's active role and support within the business events industry.
Shows
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This listing from Encore EventNow highlights upcoming events at the Fairmont Austin, including various SXSW 2026 Expo components like XR Experience, International Innovations, and Emerging Tech, scheduled for March 2026. It also lists the 2026 Intuitive Connect event for April 2026.
SXSW 2026, held March 12-18, adapted to a condensed timeline and decentralized venue strategy following the Austin Convention Center's demolition. Despite these changes, brands actively participated with immersive experiences across various Austin locations, including sessions anchored at hotels like the Hilton Austin Downtown and JW Marriott.
SXSW 2026 adapted to the demolition of the Austin Convention Center by scattering its events across downtown Austin, utilizing hotel ballrooms, pop-up venues, and brand activations. The festival felt more like a city-wide trade show, with many attendees engaging with the events without purchasing a badge. This year's setup highlighted the festival's ability to transform the city into its venue, even in the absence of its traditional central hub.
The Commerce Roundtable, a trade show focused on the DTC and e-commerce ecosystems, is scheduled for Spring 2026 in Downtown Austin. The event anticipates over 350 attendees and more than 18 keynote speakers, offering high-impact, actionable insights.
SXSW 2026 navigated the absence of the Austin Convention Center by scattering events across downtown hotels and pop-up venues, creating a city-wide trade show experience. The article also notes leadership changes at SXSW, with Hugh Forrest stepping away.
Venues
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The Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD) has begun an expansion to provide a larger, more efficient facility, nearly doubling the available rentable space. This project is expected to generate an additional $285 million in yearly economic impact, provide nearly $13 million in additional annual tax revenue, and support over 1,600 additional jobs. The expansion is designed to transform the southeast corner of downtown into a community-centric destination.
The City of Austin is redeveloping and expanding the existing Convention Center to deliver a larger, more efficient facility on a smaller footprint. This project aims to create a more active and community-friendly event space in downtown Austin, nearly doubling the available rentable space. The expansion is a result of nearly a decade of study, all supporting the need for a larger center to meet growing event demand.
The Austin Convention Center is undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment project, starting in April 2025, to create a larger, more efficient, and community-friendly facility. The new center will increase rentable square footage to 620,000 square feet and aims to be the world's first zero-carbon-certified convention center, with reopening expected in early 2029. The project is funded by Hotel Occupancy Tax and convention center revenue, with an estimated annual economic impact of $700 million.
The Austin Convention Center is undergoing a massive $1.6 billion redevelopment, involving the demolition of the old facility and construction of an entirely new venue. The project, named Unconventional ATX, aims to nearly double the rentable space to 620,000 square feet and is expected to open in September 2029, with a goal to be the world's first zero-carbon certified center. Funding for this ambitious project is sourced from the Hotel Occupancy Tax, convention center revenue, and Texas' Project Financing Zone.
The Austin Convention Center is undergoing a $1.6 billion top-to-bottom reconstruction and expansion, known as Unconventional ATX, with the new facility expected to open in September 2029. The project aims to nearly double the rentable square footage and become the world's first zero-carbon-certified convention center. However, the closure of the old center has led to a 15% decrease in downtown hotel occupancy and reduced foot traffic, impacting local businesses.
