Houston (August 27, 2025) – The George R. Brown Convention Center transformation project announced earlier this year will result in a 30% increase in events held at the facility annually and create more than $20 billion in additional spending over the next 30 years according to an analysis from nationally recognized destination real estate development advisory firm Hunden Partners.
Phase one of the project, which includes a new 700,000-square-foot building dubbed GRB South and a 100,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza, will increase the number of citywide equivalent meetings and conventions by 62% and reduce “dark days” at the facility by 66%, according to the analysis. The expansion is also expected to result in more than 337,000 additional group hotel room nights booked annually in the CBD and help raise the occupancy rate in the submarket by nearly 5%. Phase one of the project is slated for completion in mid-2028.
“These economic impact numbers are outstanding and what they mean are more jobs, income and opportunity for Houstonians,” said Mayor John Whitmire. “Great cities have great downtowns. This initiative ensures our place as a top-tier convention city. But just as important it will be an economic engine for our entire destination, and in particular for downtown and the East End, generating new opportunities for restaurants, retail, entertainment and more and pumping billions of dollars into our city in the years ahead.”
The transformation project is being funded through SB 1057, a bill authored by then-Senator John Whitmire that passed the Texas Legislature in 2023. The measure gives Houston First access to the state’s portion of incremental Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenue growth within a three-mile radius of the GRB for 30 years, estimated to total nearly $2 billion. The funding mechanism, similar to those benefiting current convention center improvements in Dallas and Fort Worth, involves no new taxes or general fund dollars from the city.
The Hunden report estimates that roughly $6 billion in additional earnings or payroll tied to new jobs will be realized over the 30-year period as a result of the expansion. Local hotels are expected to see $5.6 billion in additional hotel room revenue and local governments $740 million in incremental local tax revenue from the project over the next three decades.
A key recommendation of the Hunden report is that a new 800-room hotel be built near the GRB. The new property would help maximize the opportunities from the major meetings the expanded convention center can then serve. Such a hotel should be a full-service upper upscale property with sufficient meeting space and amenities needed to complement the convention center and the broader campus, according to Hunden.
“Phase one of our master plan, the GRB South Building, will enable Houston to compete for and win the type of high-value conventions and events that have tremendous economic benefits to a destination,” said Michael Heckman, President and CEO of Houston First. “The Convention District Transformation project has always been about helping build Houston’s economic future and this study makes it clear that it delivers on that promise.”
With peer destinations around the country from Dallas to Phoenix expanding their convention centers, Houston is looking to keep pace to meet the changing needs of the meetings industry. According to data from travel industry research group Skift, the global meetings industry is expected to grow from $971 billion in 2024 to more than $1.9 trillion by 2032 as demand for in-person meetings accelerates. Additionally, 82% of meetings industry professionals surveyed say they are highly optimistic about the future of the sector.
Chicago-based Hunden Partners is a global leader in the analysis of complex public projects that transform communities and drive economic growth. The firm’s leadership has studied major convention center, headquarters hotel, and mixed-use developments, such as the expansion of the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Miami Beach Convention Center, and the Colorado Convention Center expansion in Denver.
“Our analysis shows that this project will amplify Houston’s position as a premier meetings and events destination for decades to come,” said Hunden Partners CEO and President, Rob Hunden. “With a projected $20 billion in new spending and billions in new payroll, the George R. Brown Convention Center transformation project ensures Houston’s competitive positioning nationally and globally.”
“With GRB South and the new pedestrian plaza, we’re doing much more than growing a venue,” said Houston First Board Chair Jay Zeidman. “We’re building on the walkable district that Houston First has worked to create in recent years and establishing a new hub where locals and visitors can converge.”
About Houston First Corporation
Houston First Corporation (HFC) is a local government corporation and the destination marketing organization for the country's fourth largest city. In addition to serving as operator for the George R. Brown Convention Center and some of Houston's most prominent art, entertainment, and event venues, HFC is focused on promoting the city's vibrancy and rich tapestry of culture. By harnessing the city's collective energy, ambition, and creativity, including its diverse culinary scene, world-renowned performing arts, medical and space innovation, and elite filming locations, HFC is solidifying Houston as a premier national and global destination. For the latest news and info regarding HFC, visit www.houstonfirst.com
About Hunden Partners
Hunden Partners is the leading advisor in destination real estate development. As experts in placemaking, the firm partners with clients to curate and build a legacy through places that locals love to live in and visitors love to experience. Through evidence-based insights, deep placemaking expertise, and comprehensive pre-development advisory, Hunden Partners moves bold ideas toward practical, fundable outcomes to bridge the space between vision and reality.
Services include tourism planning and strategy; market assessment, financial feasibility, and economic impact analyses; and development implementation for specialty assets such as arts and entertainment venues, convention and expo centers, hotels, mixed-use districts, and sports facilities ranging from youth tournament complexes to major league arenas and stadiums.
The company’s clients include cities, states, universities, DMOs, authorities, and private developers. Hunden has conducted more than 1,200 studies and contributed to the development of over $25 billion in planned or completed projects worldwide. For more information, visit https://hunden.com.
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Contact:
Laura Jones
DPWPR
ljones@dpwpr.com
A.J. Mistretta
Houston First Corporation
aj.mistretta@houstonfirst.com
