Austin Convention Center Expansion Under Construction Downtown

The Austin Convention Center expansion at 500 E. Cesar Chavez St. is under construction. The City of Austin is developing the project, designed by the LMN/Page joint venture. It spans 1,358,099 square feet, with completion set for December 31, 2028.

The project delivers 620,000 square feet of rentable event space and 70,000 square feet of outdoor event areas, including an east-west Paseo along 2nd Street and a multi-purpose outdoor space for live music and community events.

Sustainability features include an all-electric kitchen and HVAC system, with ILFI Zero Carbon certification targeted. A public art program will feature 10 local artists.

The city-owned site sits in downtown's convention district, bounded by Red River Street and steps from the 2nd Street retail corridor. Rezoning cleared the way for construction.

Correction, Oct. 21, 2026: An earlier version of this story said the expansion broke ground at 201 Red River St. and gave its size as 1,437,569 square feet on two floors. Work began after the center closed in April 2025, the project is at 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., and its state filing lists 1,358,099 square feet.