Two-Year Convention Center Renovation Underway

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Earlier this week crews began to tackle the major facelift, demolishing the center's administration building on the corner of 15th and K streets. It's here that a new entrance to the new convention center will rise.

So what's to come? A brighter future for the City of Sacramento. The new center, which will better connect midtown restaurants and hotels, will also include meeting rooms, exhibit halls, and more lobby and kitchen space.

With this project, not only will Sacramento become a destination city that visitors will remember, but it will lead to a booming economy.

"For visit Sacramento it means we are able to go after different kinds of conventions than we've been able to book in the past," said Mike Testa, President of Visit Sacramento, "The ability to book two conventions in the building at the same time, the ability to grow some of our existing conventions."

The demolition of the convention center is just one of three major steps for the C3 Project, a project that was approved in September 2018.

The Community Center Theater and the Memorial Auditorium will also be transformed under C3.

The area will be a bit congested during construction. Specifically, 15th Street from J Street to K Street will be reduced by one lane.

As for when the convention center will open, they are hoping October 2020.