Austin Convention Center - Austin, Texas
Covering six blocks in the heart of downtown, the state-of-the-art Austin Convention Center offers flexible special event and exhibition spaces. With more than 12,000 downtown hotel rooms within a two-mile radius, the Austin Convention Center welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually.
Convening between the shores of Lady Bird Lake and the historic Sixth Street District, the Austin Convention Center is blocks away from exciting nightlife, a variety of entertainment, food options, and regional delights. Visitors meeting in Austin can begin their cultural experience at the Austin Convention Center, just eight miles from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Location
- 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street. The Austin Convention Center is located in downtown Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World.
- Two blocks from I-35, the Austin Convention Center’s boundaries are Red River Street, East Cesar Chavez Street, Trinity Street, and East 4th Street.
Funding
- The Austin Convention Center Department is an enterprise department of the City of Austin; this means it is not funded by property taxes, sales taxes, or through transfers from the electric and water utilities.
- As an enterprise department, funding for the Austin Convention Center and the Palmer Events Center comes from contractor revenue, facility revenue (includes facility rental and parking), Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT), and a 1998 voter-approved 5% Rental Car Tax.
- From the 11% HOT collected by the City, 6.9% is earmarked for the Convention Center Fund and the Venue Project Fund to pay for Convention Center debt service and operating requirements related to the Austin Convention Center and the original expansion project, including Waller Creek.
- On Aug. 8, 2019, the Austin City Council approved an increase in the municipal HOT rate of a further 2% for a Convention Center expansion, bringing the total City HOT rate to 11%.
Parking at the Austin Convention Center
Two parking garages are located adjacent to the Austin Convention Center with accessible and alternative transportation parking options. You can catch the CapMetro Rail getting off at the downtown station just outside the doors, or secure a bicycle at musical note and bat-shaped racks.
- 2nd Street Garage (201 East 2nd Street): A 10-story, 1,000-space garage located just two blocks west of the facility, between Cesar Chavez and 2nd Street. Entrances are on Brazos and San Jacinto streets.
- 5th Street Garage (601 East 5th Street): A 5-story, 685-space garage is located northeast of the facility at Red River and 4th Street, with the entrance on 5th Street.
About the Venue
The Austin Convention Center consists of the four-story convention center, the 10-story Brazos Street parking garage, the five-story East 5th Street parking garage, and the tranquil Waller Creek tunnel flowing from the University of Texas campus to Lady Bird Lake, gracing the southeast boundary of the building.
- Convention dowtown location covering six city blocks
- Five exhibit halls, two ballrooms, 54 meeting rooms, and show offices. See individual spaces here.
- Five contiguous exhibit halls with 247,052 square feet of column-free space that can accommodate 1,289 10’ X 10’ exhibit booths
- Seven ballrooms, ranging in sizes from cozy and intimate to one of the largest in Texas at 40,510 square feet
- 17 loading docks with levelers; two docks with scissor lifts
- 21 artists’ collections are showcased and curated at the Austin Convention Center. 15 collections, which were acquired by the department as part of the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places program, showcase the region’s most accomplished artists. Iconic pieces including paintings, photographs, acrylic, ceramic, aluminum, and neon installations can be found in various locations throughout the facility.
LEED Gold Certification
The Austin Convention Center has a Gold Certification rating by the U.S. Green Building Council – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) under Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance.
The building’s green activities achieved positive outcomes for energy performance, efficient energy operations, water use reduction, responsible materials selection and waste management, and enhanced indoor environmental quality.
- Issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED designations are given to buildings that excel in environmental efficiency and resource conservation
- One hundred percent of all the electrical power is supplied by Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program, generated by wind turbines
- Fifty percent of all waste generated at the Austin Convention Center is diverted from landfills through the building’s comprehensive recycling, reuse, and composting program.
GBAC STAR Accreditation
The Austin Convention Center has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Austin Convention Center Department has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention for the facility.
High Tech Features
With Austin being a hotbed for startups and advanced technology, the Austin Convention Center provides state-of-the-art convention technology to visitors. The gigabit-rated facility offers:
- Complimentary high-density Wi-Fi, customizable to fit your needs
- Redundant high-speed Internet access (capable of bursting to 10 Gbps bandwidth)
- Single mode fiber connections throughout the facility
- In-house technology team can help create customized solutions and is available for support
- 24-hour network monitoring
- Free digital signage for wayfinding and client messaging
- Up to 20,000 wireless devices can connect simultaneously
- Distributed antenna systems from major carriers ensure cell phone coverage throughout the facility
Catering, Food & Beverage Service
Austin Convention Center Catering, the center’s food and beverage management division, is an exclusive service offering premier food and beverage preparation. The staff’s creativity is based on inspiration from its Southwest environment and culinary traditions. The catering team works with more than 30 area vendors to procure local ingredients as a basis for popular items such as street-style tacos, smoked meats, and Tex-Mex dishes.
Security
The Austin Convention Center Department employs its own exclusive 24-hour security team. The cadre of dedicated uniformed security officers is highly experienced and trained to know the nuances of the convention center building, property, and the immediate downtown area. The security team’s leadership is former City of Austin Police officers with more than 100 years of combined experience. The Austin Convention Center’s Security Division utilizes a strategic security approach that includes both physical and electronic mechanisms that will be visible during your event.
Nearby Attractions – Visit Austin!
- Daytime Attractions: Texas State Capitol Complex, Texas Governor’s Mansion, University of Texas, LBJ Presidential Library, more than 20 museums including the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Umlauf Sculpture Gardens, and the Zilker Botanical Gardens, dozens of art galleries including The Blanton Museum of Art, Lake Austin, Lake Travis, Barton Springs, and numerous hike and bike trails along Lady Bird Lake.
- Nighttime Activities: In a city where the music never stops, live music plays at more than 250 venues on any given night. The largest concentration of venues is found downtown in the Warehouse District, Rainey Street, and Sixth Street, a six-block stretch of bars and restaurants.
- Plan a trip: Visit Austin! Are you looking for a one-stop-shop to plan your unique trip while in Austin? So much to do. So much to choose. Click here.