The City of Midland and Midland Chamber of Commerce will soon break ground on a new downtown convention center that will be funded by money generated from hotel stays.
Officials will gather at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 10 at the site of the future Midland Convention Center to celebrate the building’s upcoming construction, which is expected to be completed by summer 2019.
The new Midland Convention Center will have the ability to hold three large events at the same time with 20,000 square feet of exhibit hall space in addition to 3,000 square feet of small meeting space and a 6,000 square foot ballroom for large meetings or events. Midland Center officials have reported that the former building cause them to lose 359 events in a three-year time span due to inadequate space.
“This new Convention Center was designed with our residents in mind,” said Mayor Jerry Morales. “We are excited to realize the benefits of hotel/motel tax funds that have been raised from visitors to our community in a way that helps us continue the revitalization of downtown Midland.”
City Council approved a schematic design of the project in February 2016, and finalized the guaranteed maximum price of $33.1 million for the construction of the building in January 2017. The construction is funded by hotel-motel tax dollars, which are paid by visitors staying in Midland hotels and can only be used to promote tourism in accordance with state law. These funds cannot be used for general fund expenses, such as police equipment or street maintenance.
City staff will continue to work and communicate with downtown business owners to minimize inconvenience and disruption during construction of the project. For more information and updates about this project, please visit www.midlandconventioncenter.com.
###
Media Contact: Public Information Officer Sara Bustilloz