Houston Closes Polk St for $2B Convention Center Expansion

In a 14–1 vote, Houston City Council approved the permanent closure of Polk Street and adjacent lanes to accommodate a major expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center. The 15-year, $2 billion project is positioned as a preparation for large events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Republican National Convention.

The deal is pitched as fiscally neutral: it aims to generate $20 billion over 30 years without tapping general-fund dollars. But the process drew criticism over perceived lack of transparency, weak community engagement, and possible harm to connectivity.

Council Member Joaquin Martinez, who initially delayed support, switched after securing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve public communication and mobility planning. Still, local advocacy groups such as “People for Polk” say they were excluded from early discussions.

Concerns loom large:

• Loss of street connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users
• Business impacts in the East End
• Delayed delivery of promised infrastructure (like a “cap park” over streets)

This vote shifts the burden onto upcoming planning and engineering phases. The final street abandonment resolution depends on appraisals, traffic studies, and community input over the coming months.

If managed well, the expansion could reframe Houston’s downtown as a national convention hub. But if mismanaged, it risks alienating neighborhoods and fracturing urban fabric—a tension planners know well.

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