Fort Worth debuts new entrance, kitchen in $700M Convention Center expansion
The first phase of the Fort Worth Convention Center expansion project opened Dec. 8, giving visitors their first glimpse at the new entrance and coffee bar facing Commerce Street as well as the new loading docks and kitchen areas.
The $95 million phase one work was completed on budget and ahead of schedule, said Mike Crum, director of the city’s Public Events Department. It’s part of a two-phase effort to enlarge and modernize the convention center, which opened in 1968. The total cost of the project is expected to exceed $700 million. Phase two construction will begin next year and should conclude in 2030.
While the convention center’s capacity will vary during construction, it will remain open while work is being done.
As part of this first phase of work, Commerce Street was straightened to make way for additional parking, retail, restaurants and a hotel, all of which will be part of the second phase.
The new Commerce Street entrance overlooks the Fort Worth Water Garden with three-story floor-to-ceiling windows. The Beltbuckle Brew coffee bar and seating area is tucked in one corner. The carpet in the entrance is bespoke, incorporating colors from a Texas sunset along with cattle brand and longhorn designs.
Behind the scenes, the loading dock area was rebuilt with an additional four docks to alleviate traffic congestion during events. Upstairs is a much-expanded kitchen, where Chef Brent Hines and his team prepare specialty meals for convention goers.
The new kitchen is sprawling, especially compared to the original one, said Hines. It includes rows of stoves, ovens and warming boxes and a large smoker for briskets and other barbecue offerings. It’s enough space and equipment to cook for thousands of convention attendees.
Bob Jameson, president and CEO of Visit Fort Worth, said the convention center as it stands today isn’t big enough to meet demand. The expansion project, he said, will allow the city to attract more visitors and compete with cities like Dallas, Austin and Houston, all of which are rebuilding or renovating their convention centers.
Half of the $95 million spent on phase one was funded in large part by federal dollars authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act, a spending program aimed at helping communities recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. The rest of the money came from taxes generated through tourism and visitor spending.
According to Visit Fort Worth, 11.5 million people visited Fort Worth in 2024, which generated $251 million in state and local tax revenue. All told, tourism spending brings $3.5 billion to the local economy, according to a release from Fort Worth’s Public Events Department.
Mayor Mattie Parker cut the ribbon to officially open the new space. During her remarks, Parker said the renovated convention center will help Fort Worth compete with other Texas cities to draw visitors.
