ORLANDO, Fla. – Already the second-largest convention facility in North America, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) is about to get even bigger.
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) has approved the $38.4-million architectural and engineering design services contract with Populous + C.T. Hsu, a joint venture, for the OCCC’s North-South building expansion.
“We are well on our way to embark on this historic expansion for the Orange County Convention Center,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “With Populous + C.T. Hsu, a Joint Venture on board, the OCCC will continue to be known as one of the greatest global destinations for conventions and trade shows.”
In July 2018, the Orange County BCC approved a $605-million capital improvement project for two proposed Campus Master Plan projects, the Convention Way Grand Concourse and the Multipurpose Venue. These two projects will bring total exhibit space at the OCCC to 2.3 million square feet. Despite the expansion, the OCCC will stay second in convention space size behind Chicago’s McCormick Place.
The Multipurpose Venue brings an additional 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space in the South Building. Overall, the South Building will have a total of 675,141 square feet of exhibit space, for a grand total of 1.15 million square feet of exhibit space in the North-South Building.
The Convention Way Grand Concourse expansion includes an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space and an 80,000 square foot ballroom along with a new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“As the OCCC continues to build for the future, we look forward to elevating the North-South Building and providing even more space and flexibility for our clients,” said OCCC Acting Executive Director David Ingram.
The expected completion of both projects is the fourth quarter of 2023.
