After 12 Year Wait, Three Rivers Convention Center Expansion to Begin

For a number of years, Kennewick and Benton County have been seeking ways to expand the Tri-Cities Convention Center. Now, it is set to begin this December.

  Public-private venture will add space

According to the City of Kennewick and the Three Rivers Convention Center, (TRCC) this project was first envisioned about 12 years ago.

June 4th the City Council unanimously approved the plan, which will add 60K square feet to the Convention Center. According to the plan:

"This will be completed with a public-private partnership between the City of Kennewick, Kennewick Public Facility District, and A1 Pearl Development Group. Construction is set to begin at the end of December 2024, marking 12 years since the proposition was initially conceptualized."

It will add nearly 70K square feet of meeting rooms, lobby, and support space, and allow the facility to attract larger events, even some happening at the same time. The new space will also allow such activities as volleyball, basketball, gymnastics and more.

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City and Convention Center Officials say it's much needed as there are some convention and trade shows that had outgrown the space provided by the TRCC. This expansion will allow them to return to the Tri-Cities.

Because of the public-private partnership, this expansion will be completed without having to raise taxes, say officials. The expansion is expected to provide an additional $26.4 million in additional earnings for the city, including $6.9 million in taxes from sales tax and hotel-motel tax revenue.

 Between 2015 and 2017, three times voters were asked to vote on a sales tax increase for a project called The Link that would have renovated the Toyota Center and The TRCC, but each of them were rejected.