Venue Updates: New Center in Owensboro, Ky., Headquarter Hotel in Irving, Texas, Houston CC Upgrade

January 27, 2014

With construction projects stalled for several years during the recession, things are picking up speed again with hotel builds, upgrades of existing centers and new centers opening up.

The Irving (Texas) Convention Center at Las Colinas has been greenlit for a Westin Hotels & Resorts-branded new headquarter hotel.

The 350-room, full-service headquarter ICCLC Westin will be located adjacent to the convention center and connected by sky bridge.

“With the bond sale for the entertainment elements anchoring the south end of the Convention Center complex scheduled for next week, this announcement of the headquarter hotel flag to be a Westin could not be better timed,” said Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director, Maura Allen Gast.

The $90 million headquarter hotel project, which will include 20,000 square feet of meeting space, will be led by Mortensen Development.

Vaughn Construction has been hired as general contractor for a project to build a new garage and improve the exterior of Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center.

Houston First, which operates the convention center, previously named Griffin Partners as project developer and WHR as the architectural firm. The chief goals of the project are to connect the convention center more closely to Discovery Green across the street, add a more recognizable grand entrance to the building and improve interior circulation. 



“A new grand entrance to the GRB will be one of the lasting imprints of this project,” said Luther Villagomez, Houston First’s COO for convention facilities.

He added, “We’re not yet ready to reveal full details on this project, but, rest assured, it will give the GRB a striking new signature façade and a natural point of entry to the building.”



The new garage will be located on the north end of the building across from the site of the new Marriott Marquis, which is scheduled for groundbreaking in April. 

The Global Spectrum-managed Owensboro (Ky.) Convention Center is all set to open its doors to business.

The new facility currently is under final stages of construction and scheduled to open in this month in revitalized downtown Owensboro, Ky.

The multi-purpose facility will feature a 45,000 sq. ft. exhibit hall and an additional 47,000-plus sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space, which includes two ballrooms.

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