AUSTIN, Texas — Residents hoping to block a $1.6 billion expansion of the Austin Convention Center may be getting one step closer to their goal.
A petition against the expansion from the Austin United PAC received 21,000 signatures, according to a report from the Austin American Statesman, more than enough needed to leave its fate up to voters in a May 2026 election.
The next step is for the Austin city clerk to validate the signatures, which will take about 30 days to complete.
Austin United PAC says the money it would take to build the expanded convention center should be put towards the city’s culture, arts and parks funding.
“By giving these huge amounts of money to a convention center, our culture, history and parks continue to fight for pennies, leaving Austin as we know it to disappear and degrade,” a statement from Austin United PAC’s website reads.