Renovations on the Cook Convention Center could get underway in 2018, as Friday the mayor outlined the plan for the $175 million project in his weekly newsletter.
Mayor Jim Strickland said the convention center will be expanded and transformed into a “modern showplace” that will grow its status as a “major economical engine” and be a “game-changer” in the tourist industry.
Some of the planned features of the renovation include:
-A glass concourse on the western side of the building overlooking the river, skyline, and Bass Pro Shop.
-Hotel-quality finishes throughout
-Upgrades to meeting rooms, the main exhibit hall, way-finding technology, and the parking garage.
-Cosmetic and back-of-house upgrades in the Cannon Center.
Funding for the project comes from hotel/motel taxes, as well as revenue from the Downtown Tourism Development Zone.
A construction team will be chosen over the next few months, and the mayor says the goal is to have 30 percent minority participation on the project.
The convention center and the Cannon Center will remain open throughout the construction , which is scheduled to completed by late 2019.
More details on the future convention center can be found here.
