The project to expand the Broward County Convention Center and add a Headquarters Hotel in Fort Lauderdale has officially begun after years of planning.
When completed, the expanded Convention Center will comprise over 1.2 million sf, which will include 350,000 sf of contiguous exhibition space, a new 65,000-sf waterfront ballroom, new technology, new dining concepts, enhanced water taxi access, and a waterfront plaza with public access. The County expects the new flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces to attract more convention business thanks to the mix of accommodations, meeting space, and amenities.
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The new 800-room hotel will be located on the Intracoastal Waterway with views of the Atlantic Ocean. It will add over 73,000 sf of meeting space, an 11,000-sf spa and fitness center, and expand entertainment, retail, and dining spaces.
The new structures are designed to be LEED Gold certified and will be the centerpiece of the $1.3 billion resilient Convention Center district enhancement project. The Convention Center expansion and the Hotel are expected to follow a schedule of construction activities into 2023.
Fentress Architects, Stantec, and Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects are designing the project. Balfour Beatty is the project’s general contractor.
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