In the state capital of Texas, the good news for convention and exhibition planners is that a new convention center more than twice the size of the existing facility will be ready for action by mid-2029. The flip side: Austin won’t have a convention center between March 2025 and then.
But to keep big groups coming to the city, three hotels close to the center have formed the Austin Red River Collection as an alternative for citywide events.
Set within five blocks of each other, the Fairmont Austin, Hilton Austin, and Hotel Van Zandt will coordinate bookings so that citywide groups have access to sufficient meeting and event space, guest rooms, and food and beverage options. Through ARRC, planners have access to 2,168 hotel rooms and 245,000 square feet of meeting and event space, as well as multiple restaurants and banquet options, nightlife and live-music venues, and health and wellness facilities.
The Fairmont has 140,000 square feet of the collection’s total event space, including four ballrooms; the Hilton has 95,000 square feet, including two ballrooms; and the Hotel Van Zandt has 13,000 square feet. The distance between the Fairmont and the Hilton is two blocks; between the Hilton and the Van Zandt, three blocks; and between the Fairmont and the Van Zandt, five blocks.
The Austin Red River Collection “is a response to the challenges our city will face during the convention center’s redevelopment, and it’s a testament to our community-focused commitment to elevating the group-travel landscape,” says Chris Guse, general manager, Hotel Van Zandt.
The annual South by Southwest conference and festival has been held in Austin for 37 years, using the convention center for much of its activity. Michele Flores, chief logistics officer for South by Southwest, commented in a recent news release that “we’re excited about the prospect of reimagining SXSW for a few years, and we look forward to returning to the new convention center in 2029 for an improved SXSW experience.”
