Las Vegas Convention Center embarks on $600M renovation of its legacy campus

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has kicked off a $600m renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s (LVCC) legacy campus, with a ceremonial groundbreaking held Tuesday. The update aims to upgrade the North, Central, and South Halls, bringing them in line with the renovations done to the $1 billion West Hall in 2021.

Key features of the renovation include a new outdoor plaza and indoor lobby at the South Hall, a climate-controlled interior concourse between the North and South Halls, and a Grand Lobby between the North and Central Halls. The renovation is expected to finish in 2025, and the construction will seek to minimize disruption to scheduled trade shows. 

The LVCC is represented by Miller Project Management Group, which oversees the construction of the project, while Klai Juba Wald is serving as the architect of record. A joint venture comprised of the Hunt Construction Group and the Penta Building Group serves as the contractor.

The project will be funded through the LVCVA’s general fund, bonds, and proceeds from the sale of a 10-acre Riviera parcel. Las Vegas has been the US' number one trade show destination for nearly three decades, and the LVCVA is committed to remaining first "for another three decades," according to Steve Hill, the LVCVA’s President and CEO. “This renovation will provide our customers with an experience that will make them want to come back year after year.”

The convention sector continues to significantly contribute to Southern Nevada’s economy, with nearly 15m square feet of meeting and event space throughout the destination. In 2022, Las Vegas hosted nearly five million convention attendees, whose spending during their stay directly supported an estimated 38,000 jobs, $2.1 billion in wages, and $7.5 billion in economic impact.

The renovation of the LVCC was set in motion in 2016 during the special session of the Nevada Legislature. Senate Bill No. 1 (SB1) was put in place to help fund the creation of the West Hall and the renovation of the LVCC’s existing campus, along with Allegiant Stadium. 

While construction of the $1 billion West Hall moved forward, the renovation of the legacy campus was delayed due to the pandemic. In August 2022, the LVCVA Board of Directors approved design and construction plans for the remaining projects.

Construction work on the project actually began before the groundbreaking ceremony, in early April 2023, with roughly 600 onsite construction workers building new executive offices and a new boardroom. 

Steve Hill was joined by LVCVA Board Chairman Jim Gibson at the 30-minute groundbreaking at the South Hall plaza entrance on the east end of the Convention Center. Prior to the groundbreaking, the board held a meeting where it got the first look at its $463.4 million 2023-24 fiscal year general fund budget, a 5.8 percent increase over the current fiscal year’s financial plan. 

The LVCVA is projecting record revenue of $448 million, mostly from room taxes that are increasing as a result of rising visitation and higher room rates.