he cost of updating and expanding the Baltimore Convention Center could run to nearly $1 billion, a new analysis has found.
The Maryland Stadium Authority offered that figure as part of a presentation outlining options for renovating, modernizing and expanding the decades-old convention center during a meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was part of ongoing discussions by the 22-person Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority Task Force, which is charged with studying the future of the site and the surrounding area.
The least expensive option would involve renovating and modernizing the center’s east and west side at a projected cost of $740 million to $774 million, said Al Tyler, the stadium authority’s vice president of economic development. The high-end of the possible options would involve adding 100,000-square-feet of flexible space above the center, something the center’s Executive Director Mac Campbell says is “critical.” The cost of that addition coupled with other renovations could range from $890 million to $930 million.
