monarch

Downtown land deals could make room for massive overhaul of George R. Brown Convention Center https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/houston-convention-center-expansion-renovation-grb-19594039.php Houston City Council on Wednesday authorized operators of the George R. Brown Convention Center to acquire nearby land — by eminent domain if needed — for a multimillion-dollar expansion of the downtown facility. Despite the city’s OK, Houston First, a quasi-governmental group that operates the convention center, said it hopes to buy the 2.7 acres south of the GRB from multiple owners. Most of the land, bound by Clay, Hamilton, Bell and Jackson, is owned by a subsidiary of a Taiwanese state-owned oil company, said Houston First CEO Michael Heckman. Details of the planned expansion haven’t been released, but it would be the first significant renovation since 2016 for the 1.8 million-square-foot center. “If you look around the country in the way that cities are investing in products, it’s absolutely necessary. Dallas is underway with a $4 billion complete redo of their convention center and areas surrounding,” Heckman said. “(George R. Brown) is 37 years old, and we are in a competitive environment.” After more details are released this year, Houston First expects to break ground on the project in 2025. The first phase would be ready for the Republican National Convention in 2028, which is scheduled to be held in Houston. In addition to a complete renovation, the project could include a large additional building to the south of the center, on the land Houston First hopes to buy, for exhibition halls, ballrooms and parking, according to a City Council agenda item. “This is complete transformation and enhancements of the district. It will look a lot different in five to six years,” Heckman said. The project could include moving the Rustic, a restaurant, bar and music venue that leases space from Houston First, to another site nearby, Heckman said. The Rustic’s owners, Free Range Concepts, are aware they could be asked to move, Heckman said. A Free Range Concepts spokesperson said the Rustic is six years into a 20-year partnership with Houston First, and that it looks forward to being an “anchor of the new convention center campus.” The project was made possible by passage last year of Senate Bill 1057, which was authored by then state Sen. John Whitmire, Houston’s current mayor. It allows the city and Houston First to receive a portion of state hotel occupancy taxes collected within a three-mile radius of the convention center. The incremental tax revenue is expected to tally $1.8 billion over 30 years. Houston First could then issue a bond against that money to shore up additional funding for the renovations. “It was really a generational opportunity that this legislation was passed last year, and now that we’re getting into the planning … it’s really exciting,” Heckman said.

^^^ @hbg.50 BEST POST of today.

^^^ TEXAS T&F is gearing up for the new SEC. HOOK'EM!

^^^ you asked? i've answered. the city of Houston harbors waaaaaaay too many CONSERVATIVES running and owning lucrative and very important business initiatives. i find it amazing that both austin and dallas would have had their respective renderings/concepts out by now... right?

^^^ WOO HOO! this particular "SHASTA" harbors a small bit of "VITAMIN C". however, IS HE REALLY "CAFFEINE FREE....?

^^^ gorgeous. HOOK'EM!

^^^ is the ONLY word that can TRULY describe today's TEXAS/SEC celebration. rumors are now circulating from fans throughout the 40 acres... that it's very close to a MILLION fans in attendance throughout today's events. heck, for all that I witnessed in person, I can believe it. HOOK'EM!

^^^ now introducing... MR. WORLDWIDE himself, PITBULL! HOOK'EM!

^^^ TEXAS is everywhere. HOOK'EM!