What’s the deal with SXSW when the Austin Convention Center closes for reconstruction?

Grace Reader
·2 min read
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — For annual South by Southwest attendees, upcoming events may look a little different in years to come as the Austin Convention Center stares down a complete rebuild. Following SXSW next year, the convention center will close for reconstruction.

The city plans to close the convention center for that project after SXSW in 2025 and reopen the new building before SXSW in 2029.

According to Visit Austin, SXSW has confirmed that it will stay in Austin during that time period, the event would just look different. The exact details of where events will be held instead of the convention center are not yet public.

“We are certainly able and ready to support SXSW organizers when it comes to sourcing venues or vendors, but given they are very well established, legacy event, they manage and oversee those decisions and bookings on their own,” a spokesperson for Visit Austin said.

“While we’re excited about the prospect of reimagining SXSW for a few years, we look forward to returning to the new convention center in 2029 for an improved SXSW experience,” Michele Flores, the event’s chief logistics officer for SXSW, wrote in a release last year.

What’s happening with the convention center?

The rebuild will cost $1.6 billion and be funded by convention center revenue and its allocation of the hotel occupancy tax. In 2019, city council approved an increase of the hotel occupancy tax rate of 2% for the expansion project, KXAN has previously reported.

“So this project will not be funded by property taxes or by the citizens of Austin. This will be completely funded by the convention center’s allocation of the hotel occupancy tax,” said Trisha Tatro, director of the Austin Convention Center.

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Moving forward, Austinites will be given the opportunity to weigh in on design options for the new convention center. The building won’t be expanding outside of its current footprint but will be taller, according to city staff.

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