County of Broward issued the following announcement on Dec. 17.
County Mayor Michael Udine hosted a bond-signing ceremony on Friday, December 17, 2021, to finalize the funding needed to complete the highly anticipated Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center expansion. The Tourist Development Tax Revenue Series 2021 Bonds are being issued with an approximate par value of $487 million, providing the remaining funds to complete the expansion of the Convention Center. Putting these signatures to paper signifies the County is ready to accommodate all future needs of the travel industry here in Greater Fort Lauderdale.
The first phase of the expansion debuted on October 27, 2021, at the 62nd Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The newly expanded 350,000 square-foot exhibit hall was used to host the indoor portion of the boat show and was the first event in the center since construction began in December 2019.
"After years of planning and unavoidable delays from COVID-19, we are excited to be on the path to completion," said County Administrator Bertha Henry. "We expect the convention center to create more than 1,000 jobs and boost the local economy by more than $100 million annually."
The remainder of the project is expected to be completed in 2025 with waterfront ballrooms, meeting rooms and kitchen facilities. It will also include an expansive outdoor waterfront plaza and 800 upscale hotel rooms interconnected with the convention center (to be financed separately).
"The convention center expansion continues Greater Fort Lauderdale's transformation to an upscale, cosmopolitan, diverse tourism and meetings destination," said Stacy Ritter, President and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. "When the project is complete, we will be a top contender in the national convention landscape."
"We'd like to thank the many government, industry and community leaders who have worked diligently to make this project a reality," said Broward County Mayor Michael Udine. "The convention center symbolizes the growth of Broward's infrastructure which will bring jobs to residents and opportunities for visitors. Years of careful planning have brought us here, and we are celebrating continued progress and success as we pursue the finish line."
The official closing will take place on Tuesday, December 21st.
Original source can be found here.
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