Hill Country
VisitAustin.org; @VisitAustinTX
When it comes to meetings and conventions, Austin is continuously evolving, says Steve Genovesi, executive vice president of Visit Austin. “In Austin, there is no shortage of one-of-a-kind meeting spaces and world-class hotels. Our downtown showcases the best of the city. Within a few walkable blocks, you will find legendary live music venues, some of the best restaurants in the country, and outdoor adventure on the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail. Our expert team is always available to help planners create authentically Austin events, from local vendors to Austin musicians playing throughout your event.”
Genovesi says the big news is the redevelopment and expansion of the Austin Convention Center. “Currently, Austin Convention Center has 376,000 square feet of rentable space. The expansion and redevelopment target is to nearly double the amount of rentable space, allowing the center to remain competitive in the marketplace. The current project timeline estimates building closure, demolition, and construction activities will begin this coming April, with the new, larger facility reopening in 2029.”
Newly opened just last year, CitizenM Austin offers 344 guest rooms, while EVEN Hotel Austin Uptown Near the Domain features a 1,457-square-foot ballroom. An adjacent sister property, Cambria Austin Uptown Near the Domain, has 6,500 square feet of flexible space. Two new venues also opened in 2024: the Holey Moley Golf Club, for teambuilding and social events; and Assembly Hall, with a 5,500-square-foot main hall, 1,000-square-foot meeting room, and 2,000-square-foot courtyard.
According to Visit Austin, there are 50,801 guest rooms citywide, including 15,296 guest rooms downtown. The largest event hotels include the 1,048-room Fairmont Austin, with 27 meeting rooms in 138,815 square feet of event space; 1,012-room JW Marriott Austin, with 120,000 total square feet of function space, including a 30,000-square-foot ballroom, 23,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and 42 meeting rooms; 801-room Hilton Austin, with 41 meeting rooms in 112,183 square feet of space with a theater seating 3,410; and 600-room Austin Marriott Downtown, with 27 breakout rooms in 60,000 square feet of function space. AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, located on the University of Texas at Austin campus, has 297 guest rooms and 53 meeting rooms in 85,000 square feet of event space, including an amphitheater seating 300. The 448-room Hyatt Regency Austin, situated on Lady Bird Lake just across from downtown, has more than 45,000 square feet of flexible event space. Just north of downtown, the 492-room Renaissance Austin Hotel has 24 event rooms in 73,628 square feet of function space. Palmer Events Center offers 145,000 square feet of event space with a theater capacity of 5,172 people.
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, a few miles west of downtown, has 493 guest rooms and 76,192 total square feet of event space, with several outdoor lawn venues. The resort features four 18-hole golf courses, a 33,000-square-foot fitness center, and a full-service spa. Set on 405 acres along the Lower Colorado River east of the city, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa has 491 guest rooms and 300,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event spaces with a riverside amphitheater seating 600, along with award-winning golf, horseback riding, and a full-service spa.
