The Texas Construction News staff writer
DALLAS – Work is pressing ahead on the $3.7-billion Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) expansion, with major site preparation and demolition activities advancing this month.
The project, which broke ground in mid-2024, aims to transform the downtown district by replacing aging infrastructure with a modern, connected convention hub.
As of July 2025, the city successfully decommissioned Sections D, E, and F of the existing facility to clear the footprint for the new western expansion. Current work is focused on site enablement and utility relocation, preparing the ground for the heavy structural phase scheduled for 2026.
Key updates:
- Status: Sections D, E, and F have been decommissioned; demolition and site prep are active.
- Financing: The project is supported by a financing strategy that included a bridge loan approved earlier this year, with long-term bonds set to be issued in 2026.
- Future Design: The Master Plan includes 800,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, a 105,000-square-foot ballroom, and a reconnected street grid to link downtown with the Cedars neighborhood.
- Completion: The new facility is targeted to open in 2029.
“The expansion… is more than the renovation or reconstruction of the convention center. It is an opportunity to re-envision downtown Dallas,” city officials stated in earlier project updates.
Residents and visitors can expect continued construction traffic adjustments around the convention district as the project enters its next intensive phase in the new year.
