Convention Centers

Entertainment District in East Bay Area City Scrapped Due to Economic Uncertainty
A developer has changed its mind about a plan to bring a soccer stadium and convention center to the city of Concord in the East San Francisco Bay Area.

Hotels Could Play a Critical Role in Containing Coronavirus in Crowded Cities
Some cities are leasing entire hotels to provide rooms for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to infected people, to allow for safe and supportive isolation away from family or household members who risk being infected.

Another State (Ohio) Gets It Right
Washington and California have been praised for early efforts to mitigate community spread of the novel coronavirus, resulting in relatively low rates of infection, hospitalization, and ultimately, death. Add Ohio to the bunch.

Infrastructure Funding Deal for New Orleans Requires Major Politicking
Infrastructure funding has been the subject of major negotiations between politicians at the state of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans.

Arizona Event Venues Don't Seem to Make Fiscal Sense, But City Leaders Say They’re Worth the Losses
Convention and arts centers are costly and lose lots of money, but cities still build and advocate for them.

Seattle's Hotel Boom Could Go Bust
Seattle has added 2,550 hotel rooms since the beginning of 2017, with another 3,000 on the way by 2021.

Arlington to Build Nation's Largest eSports Arena
At 100,000 square feet, the Esports Stadium Arlington will become the largest eSports stadium in the country.
Should San Diego Imitate Indianapolis by Building a Downtown Stadium?
In the debate over two ballot initiatives in San Diego that would facilitate a combined convention center and stadium project, proponents have pointed to Indianapolis's Lucas Oil Stadium as a successful example. But is it?
Parking Shortage Tied to Convention Center Woes in Cleveland
The idea that there isn't enough parking around Cleveland's FirstMerit Convention Center, site of the 2016 Republican National Convention, is likely debatable, but local officials are looking for solutions to the problem regardless.

Seattle Residents Angling For New Cap Park Over I-5
As Seattle’s Convention Center expansion moves forward, community members want the public benefit discussion to focus on a new downtown park over I-5.
Convention Center Arms Race Heats Up in Texas
Four major cities in Texas are either considering or constructing convention center upgrades.
New Designs for Los Angeles Convention Center Expansion Revealed
New renderings for Populous & HMC Architects winning proposal give a close-up look at the new-and-improved Los Angeles Convention Center.
Ped-Friendly Proposal for Houston’s Downtown Convention Center
In anticipation of the 2017 Super Bowl, Houston First Corp. is seeking approval of a project to improve the city's convention center and “reshape the once-moribund East End of downtown into a dynamic new focal point of the city.”
Cut-Throat Competition to Lure Conventions Pits City Against City
With the convention industry still hobbled by the effects of the recession, and a glut of convention space across America hungering for events, cities are going to extreme lengths to attract the expected injections to their local economies.
Why do Designers Continue to get Convention Centers Wrong?
As cities across America continue to pour public funds into limited use venues in their downtowns, American Dirt looks at why such venues, and convention centers in particular, refuse to engage with their surrounding streets or neighborhood.
Cities Fight Over Shrinking Convention Pie
Despite a dramatic decline in the number of, and attendance at, conventions nationwide, cities across America are investing their limited resources in building and upgrading convention centers. Fred A. Bernstein explores the irony.
Proposed Stadium Needs More Than Football
Plans to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles hinge on more than football. A major element in making the idea work financially for the city is to make it an attractive site for conventions and conferences.
Strip Malls Lose Customers During Special Events, Heavy Traffic
Houston Rodeo is actually hurting some businesses around Reliant Center.
Convention Centers Can Be "Deadly, Single-Purpose Monoliths"
Robert Campbell argues that Boston's planned expansion of the convention center should be mixed-use and urban in nature.
Convention Centers Not Living Up to Expectations
In this article from Next American City, Josh Stephens looks at the role convention centers play in cities, the high hopes cities have for them, and the often poor returns they offer.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research