A petition effort could delay or halt Austin’s $1.6 billion convention center redevelopment, following a submission of more than 20,000 signatures by the citizen group Austin United PAC. The group seeks to put the project to a public vote or postpone it for seven years, while advocating that tourism-related funds be redirected toward music, arts, and outdoor attractions instead of convention business.
City officials have confirmed receipt of the petition and are verifying signatures in a process expected to take about a month. If enough signatures are validated, the measure may appear on the May ballot.
The move comes six months after demolition and construction began on the new convention center. City officials report that demolition is complete and excavation is underway as scheduled. The planned expansion would increase rentable space by 70 percent with an anticipated reopening in spring 2029. City leaders argue this will make Austin more competitive for major events and increase tourism revenue.
Opponents of the project, led by environmental attorney Bill Bunch—who also heads the Save Our Springs Alliance—question whether public funds should be used for such a large-scale redevelopment given fluctuations in the convention industry. “Austin United PAC is confident its petition will clear the 20,000 verified-signature threshold,” Bunch said, adding that entries were pre-screened to remove ineligible voters.
The PAC claims that including debt service could bring total costs up to $5.6 billion, far higher than the city’s estimate of $1.6 billion which includes inflation and contingency costs.
If approved for the ballot, this measure could introduce uncertainty into one of downtown Austin’s largest projects—a development already influencing real estate expectations among developers and hotel owners who see it as key to future hospitality and mixed-use growth.
