Opponents of Austin’s convention center overhaul suffered a major blow after the city clerk ruled their petition short of the 20,000 valid signatures needed to force a ballot vote.
The decision effectively removed the most serious procedural threat to the $1.6 billion redevelopment, which kicked off in April and has already advanced deep into demolition and preconstruction, the Austin Business Journal reported.
Austin United PAC submitted more than 20,000 signatures last month in an effort to delay or derail the project. But an independent review commissioned by the city found the petition fell well below the threshold of valid signatures needed, City Clerk Erika Brady said.
The PAC’s proposal would have blocked work for up to seven years unless voters approved the project and would have redirected tourism revenue toward cultural and outdoor initiatives rather than conventions.
Activist Bill Bunch, a leader in the PAC and head of the Save Our Springs Alliance, said the group disputes the city’s determination and is reviewing the validation process. He signaled the PAC hopes to resolve the issue “amicably” but may sue if necessary. The PAC argues the true cost of the redevelopment is $5.6 billion over its financing period, $4 billion above the city’s estimate.
City officials maintain that the $1.6 billion figure, funded entirely through hotel occupancy taxes and convention center revenue rather than property taxes, is accurate to the cost of the project.
They argue the expansion is critical to Austin’s tourism economy and cultural ecosystem. The old center is already demolished, and construction of a larger, 620,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to wrap in 2029.
The new version will boost rentable space by 70 percent and is expected to generate $750 million in annual economic impact — roughly a 60 percent increase from the old center — with bookings underway.
City Manager T.C. Broadnax said the previous center was turning away nearly half of prospective events due to space constraints, costing millions in lost tax revenue and undermining programs supported by hotel taxes, including arts and live music funds.
Tourism leaders echoed the message. Visit Austin CEO Tom Noonan said delays would hurt the local hospitality workforce of roughly 148,000 residents and stall growth in hotel taxes that sustain the city’s cultural sector.
— Eric Weilbacher
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