The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is hosting one of the last of the major conferences before a wave of construction begins this summer to prepare the venue for the FIFA World Cup and a major renovation project. With the eyes of the world set to turn to Dallas in the coming years, the cit y is embarking on an extensive renovation project to ensure the convention center meets international standards. This week, the DISTRIBUTECH conference is bringing together nearly 20,000 attendees in the energy industry from across the country and globe. The event is bringing waves of economic dollars to the area, too, with members spending money on hotels, restaurants, and entertainment across downtown during the week. “This is a great place for us to host the event,” said Stephanie Kolodziej, a representative for the DistribuTech Conference. “Texas has a lot of data centers, which is critically important for our customers and utilities around the U.S. Having such a large space and working closely with the city is vital for hosting this conference with almost 20,000 people.” A number of events are scheduled at KBHHCC until June, including the much-anticipated Fan Expo, which will bring another huge turnout to downtown. But in July, city officials say work will begin on upgrading the facility to serve as the International Broadcast Center for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These upgrades are expected to continue until January 2026, just ahead of the tournament. But the upgrades don’t stop there. Starting later this year, the convention center will undergo partial demolition to make way for a $3 billion renovation and expansion project. This massive effort aims to make the facility more competitive in hosting larger, world-class events. The project is expected to turn the surrounding area into a vibrant district, with new retail, hotels, and restaurants, along with improvements to the I-30 Canyon. City officials say that despite the demolition, selected areas of the convention center will remain operational for some events throughout the year. The full transformation of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is slated for completion in 2029, with major conferences already scheduled for that year. ...read more read less