Convention Center Expansion Updates

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Merits of the argument...

I struggling to conclude that the "facts" outlined in the letter were worthy of true merit. There are many other factors which were ignored as they would contradict their organization's argument. All of the "facts" were not portrayed in the document - on purpose.

Numbers have and always will be skewed in an attempt to provide "merit" to one's argument.

I love it how they imply that the City of Austin is going to *invest $1.2 billion in "attracting tourists." It's about attracting more conventions. Reclaiming those conventions who have gone elsewhere because Austin's center was too small - at the same time as attracting new, larger conventions to the city. In turn, those people are exposed to Austin and in some cases, may consider Austin as a business expansion point or a new HQ. I believe it to be an economic driver. Not the driver...but, a driver.

Let's face it, if Austin never had a convention center - it would be nowhere near the city we see today! Oh, crap...that's their underlying point. If you don't build it, they won't come.



*They make it sound as if the city is going to provide the capital for the whole thing. It's going to be mostly financed by those renting hotel rooms (a slight increase in the HOT). Furthermore, this $1.2 billion will not exist should there be no CC expansion. Hotels will fight and refuse to assess these taxes should these specific funds not be used in a manner in which could increase their business.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

I struggling to conclude that the "facts" outlined in the letter were worthy of true merit. There are many other factors which were ignored as they would contradict their organization's argument. All of the "facts" were not portrayed in the document - on purpose.

Numbers have and always will be skewed in an attempt to provide "merit" to one's argument.

I love it how they imply that the City of Austin is going to *invest $1.2 billion in "attracting tourists." It's about attracting more conventions. Reclaiming those conventions who have gone elsewhere because Austin's center was too small - at the same time as attracting new, larger conventions to the city. In turn, those people are exposed to Austin and in some cases, may consider Austin as a business expansion point or a new HQ. I believe it to be an economic driver. Not the driver...but, a driver.

Let's face it, if Austin never had a convention center - it would be nowhere near the city we see today! Oh, crap...that's their underlying point. If you don't build it, they won't come.
.

SPOT ON! Imagine no SXSW... as usual people fail to see the big systemic picture. Residents are not funding this. The redesign will open up the downtown grid in that sector benefiting all of us (traffic/pedestrians etc).

[We vs us]

Oh absolutely. Just to be clear, I think the arguments here against expansion are completely baseless, predicated solely on Sanders' outdated critique of an industry that neither he nor this group have made any honest attempt at understanding. It's just, soup to nuts, nothing but bad faith.

Not that there's not a discussion worth having about a convention center's place in an active, urbanist city -- but lucky for us the council (via the UT study and all the action since) actually seems to be trying to have it. There's a lot of active stewardship going on at the city level, and I have to applaud them for it.

But this group? Just the worst.

[freerover]

Statesman says Bill Busch from save our springs is behind it. So sick of his crap.

[We vs us]

One of the galling things to me is that the anti-expansion group is so narrowly focused on the CC expansion itself, while the city has this ever widening view of what an expansion should be a part of, which includes renovations of Brush and Palm Parks, two Cap Metro lines, a potential I-35 cap, the Palm School, Rainey infrastructure development, the Mexican American Cultural Center, additional solutions to our homeless crisis, etc. It's clear that Adler's initial downtown puzzle formulation has finally paid off -- it's forced everyone to think of the CC expansion as part of a whole, and incidentally set the stage for leveraging the HOT $$ -- which has to be spent on the CC itself, by law -- for much bigger things. It's taken longer than people in my industry wanted, but in the end we're going to see benefits in all corners of the district.

The anti-expansion folks aren't just the bad faith crew, they're also narrow minded and seemingly incapable of understanding just how a grand a bargain we have the potential of striking.

[ILUVSAT]

Dell World (aka Dell Technologies World) conference left Austin because they outgrew the current convention center space offering.

Other "perennial" conferences left because they too, outgrew the available space.

[The ATX]

I feel like this is going to be a bigger political fight than the MLS Stadium.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by The ATX

I feel like this is going to be a bigger political fight than the MLS Stadium.

It would pretty much have to be. The MLS stadium was but one entity. One animal. The convention center covers all kinds of different industries and can potentially be a jobs engine by bringing companies here from multiple industries. The convention center isn't just allowing those companies to showcase themselves, it's a way of Austin showcasing itself to them.

[freerover]

I think the mistake the petition makes is not just stoping at expansion. It guys the convention center and it’s marketing arm of funding. It’s an attack on the service and business industry.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Dell World (aka Dell Technologies World) conference left Austin because they outgrew the current convention center space offering.

Other "perennial" conferences left because they too, outgrew the available space.

Very true. Dell World is one of those marquee losses that you can illustrate your case with.... but there are plenty of non-marquee events that outgrow us, too. As just one example: we’re in the midst of trying to bring a medical association back to Austin in 2028 (they had a great annual meeting here in 2018 and filled up the CC plus most of the downtown hotels ... and on the strength of that event was entertaining a rebook). However they were in Nashville this year and had great growth (in — coincidentally — Nashville’s bigger center) ... and have now tabled our contract until we can get a better expansion timeline under our belts. And they’ve been very upfront in saying that if the expansion doesn’t happen they’ll have to go elsewhere, based on size alone.

I have tons of stories like that. And truth be told we have a whole list of “expansion accounts” — accounts that have outgrown us or who’d love to come here but can’t until we have 400sq ft of contiguous exhibit space (or whatever). Hard to bring that to the table convincingly in an internet discussion or a city council meeting — but suffice it to say that us industry folks aren’t trying to fib our way into more of those precious city blocks. There’s real life demand out there, and not every city our size can say that about itself.

[drummer]

Re: SOS and their views on it, here is an article on their website. I just wanted to read some of their views. Very narrow-minded and intentionally skew data (as many do) to support their claims:

https://www.sosalliance.org/latest-n...-industry.html

[the Genral]

" and to support our artists, musicians, and local business owners, who have created Austin's unique culture and who generate the bulk of the Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue"
Not sure about the accuracy of this statement, but a good strategy to win sympathizers who otherwise could care less.
"This proposed billion-dollar convention center expansion perpetuates imbalance and primarily serves a small group of special interests connected to the downtown convention center industry".
So much for looking at the big picture.
"We believe Austin can do better. We believe that investments in Austin's cultural, historic and environmental assets are better than lining the pockets of conventioneers".
We can get PAID for attending conventions??? Sign me up. What, that's the sole purpose of conventions and the CoA gets nothing in return?? I may be the dumbest person on this forum, but I would think bigger conventions = bigger $$$ for local business = more $$$ for the CoA to distribute to small business, artist and musicians. I wouldn't think the lesser conventions we get here who find the current sized CC adequate do much for filling our restaurants, bars, and small businesses on a regular basis like larger convention would if we could attract them. This is why I struggle with understanding ignorant people. I hope I'm not coming across ignorant right now. Hopefully someone else here can be more eloquent knocking down this nonsense.

[ILUVSAT]

They are parading around as if Austin has & is spending $1 billion on the expansion. And, that money should go toward other things. Well...as it has already been mentioned in here...that money doesn't exist without an increase in HOT & an increase in HOT doesn't exist without an expansion to the CC.

Fear mongers! Those who buy their tactics are simply morons.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

They are parading around as if Austin has & is spending $1 billion on the expansion. And, that money should go toward other things. Well...as it has already been mentioned in here...that money doesn't exist without an increase in HOT & an increase in HOT doesn't exist without an expansion to the CC.

Fear mongers! Those who buy their tactics are simply morons.

That was also a big part of the anti-Amazon HQ2 campaign in Long Island City which was successful. A well known politician is on video after Amazon called it quits stating that the city now has $2 billion to spend on subway improvements [since it wasn't given to Amazon].
I hope the pro-convention center forces explain how this works instead of letting the anti-CC crowd take control of the argument with a lie.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by The ATX

That was also a big part of the anti-Amazon HQ2 campaign in Long Island City which was successful. A well known politician is on video after Amazon called it quits stating that the city now has $2 billion to spend on subway improvements [since it wasn't given to Amazon].
I hope the pro-convention center forces explain how this works instead of letting the anti-CC crowd take control of the argument with a lie.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by the Genral

[I][B]... I would think bigger conventions = bigger $$$ for local business = more $$$ for the CoA to distribute to small business, artist and musicians.

Yes! And many of the local businesses benefiting from the tourist (convention) revenue are the places that hire musicians. This needs to be used as an important counter argument against the liars with the petition.

[The ATX]

This is the full U.T. report which was probably posted before. It explains the options in great detail. The chosen Scenario 5 has two phases: 5.1 and 5.2. It seems like the city is only focusing on 5.1 right now in regards to the cost.

Scenario 5 begins on page 162 in the report, but shows as page 174 in Issuu:

https://issuu.com/utsoa/docs/framewo...95123/68762342

[MichaelB]

We need "BOTH AND ' Thinking.

I see the need to move the convention center forward. It's time.

It needs to be a "New" version of thinking that feeds , encourages and FUNDS the vibe that brought people here in the first place. Kill the spirit of the city. Kill the business.

While it needs to expand ( only my opinion), Generic " Bigger is better" thinking needs to go away. Old convention centers ( which are most I've been it seems ) indeed put a big road block in the flow of a city and create " in season" zones that only flourish when there Is a convention in town and create ghost Zones when there is not.
How to build over . under, around , in and create a flow within the city is needed.
I also hope they can be as successful as the airport has been at bringing in local food and vibe in a commercial environment that avoids generic concession stand mentally as well.
I know every time I've been forced to be in one of these behemoths, the first thing we ALL do is figure out how to get away and find "local".... so something isn't being done right.

I also encourage folks on here not to get so "ANTI-NIMBY" you end up being anti-real-deal Austin. Otherwise we become the next generic city. Depth and texture people.
Depth and texture.

And I do hope most opinions are informed by frequent visits to this area of town. Seems only fair to invest time in an area we have such strong opinions about. ( it my morning bike ride today actually)

Cheers.... here's to a cool new gathering place that allows people to experience Austin.

[The ATX]

Group opposing Austin Convention Center expansion says it has enough signatures for November public vote

The question of whether an expansion of the Austin Convention Center should depend on a public vote moved one step closer July 12 to landing on this November’s election ballot after a group submitted a petition they say has more than 30,000 signatures from Austinites who want a say in the process.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/c...r-public-vote/

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Group opposing Austin Convention Center expansion says it has enough signatures for November public vote



https://communityimpact.com/austin/c...r-public-vote/

Abolish the "elected official" and put every little thing up for a public vote then. Jesus. This crap is out-of-hand!