Initial work is underway on the $115-million expansion project of the Charlotte Convention Center, according to the Charlotte Agenda.
The project will add more breakout space on the Stonewall Street side of the venue, expand accessibility to Center City amenities via a pedestrian bridge and provide more flexible breakout space in the Richardson Ballroom.
A main component of the expansion is a pedestrian bridge linking the new wing of the convention center to The Westin Charlotte hotel, the city’s largest convention center hotel with more than 700 rooms. The pedestrian connectivity is located along Center City’s convenient LYNX light rail with access to an area termed “Stonewall Corridor,” which is currently undergoing a $2.7 billion development boom.
Additional updates to the configuration of 22-year-old Charlotte Convention Center will allow for an increase in meeting rooms and soft spaces where attendees can network between sessions. The supplementary meeting room space will allow the center to house 54 individual breakout sessions at one time with capacities ranging from 50-600 people theater-style per breakout.
In total, the expansion will increase the capacity of the existing meeting level by 50,000 sq. ft. including: 26,000 sq. ft. of breakout space comprised of 15 meeting rooms; 24,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space; the ability to configure the Richardson Ballroom into four meeting rooms (7,700 sq. ft. each).
Construction is scheduled for completion in December 2020.