New Leader To Spearhead $606M Phase 2 Expansion of Fort Worth Convention Center

Cynthia Sanchez Serrano

Cynthia Sanchez Serrano, CEM, CVP, has been named as the new director of the City of Fort Worth Public Events Department. In her new role, she will lead the $606 million Phase 2 of the Fort Worth Convention Center’s $701 million expansion and modernization project.

Sanchez Serrano will continue as general manager of the convention center until the end of this year. She was promoted to deputy director of the department in 2025, after previously serving as assistant director and operations manager.

She succeeds Mike Crum, who steered the construction of Phase 1 of the project to its successful delivery in December. Crum will remain with the city in a part-time advisory capacity for the next several months as deputy director, swapping roles with Sanchez Serrano effective this Saturday.

“Mike committed five years to us to lead the convention center expansion and other transformative projects, and due to pandemic delays, stayed an extra year to make sure they were launched,” said Fort Worth City Manager Jay Chapa.

“Cynthia’s 26 years of experience and dedication to our city team, tourism partners ,and clients will provide steady leadership as we continue with Phase 2 of the center’s transformation and transition management of Will Rogers Memorial Center to the private sector,” Chapa added in a statement.

Rendering of part of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

Plans for Phase 2 include tower-topped ‘transparent structure’

Design plans for Phase 2 of the Fort Worth Convention Center expansion and modernization were presented Tuesday to the city council, following the December ribbon-cutting for the $91 million Phase One project.

Phase 2 will feature a new, flexible convention building in place of the 1968 arena, and will modernize the existing building that hasn’t been significantly renovated since the previous expansion in 2003, the city said.

Rendering of part of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

A key part of Phase 2 will be transparent, 4-story structure topped by a central tower at Main and 9^th Streets, reflecting the Tarrant County Courthouse on the north end of Main Street. There will also be a plaza with native prairie green space connecting to General Worth Square and terraces for outdoor events with expansive downtown views.

Flexible spaces and “Texas-inspired design” inside the structure will enable Fort Worth to host larger conventions or two large events simultaneously, the city said. Once complete, the expanded and modernized facility will feature a total of 257,268 square feet of exhibit hall space, 60,917 square feet in meeting room space, 74,033 square feet in ballroom space, and 16 loading docks.

Mayor lauds city’s ‘Modern West brand’

“Branded carpet” will be part of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said the Phase 2 expansion positions Fort Worth to not only attract more conventions and meetings, }but also to deepen engagement with downtown businesses and residents.” “As a key part of the transformation of the southeast quadrant of downtown, the new center will anchor a hub of economic growth and higher-education partnerships,” she added in a statement, “and its beautiful design will showcase the Modern West brand that has helped make Fort Worth a stand-out destination among our peer cities.”

Bob Jameson, president and CEO of Visit Fort Worth, noted that focus group input from the center’s current and prospective clients—along with the impacts of Texas A&M’s Fort Worth campus under construction across Commerce Street, downtown residential development, and post-pandemic tourism trends—point to at least a near-doubling of convention business for the city on the project’s completion.

Rendering of a ballroom, part of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

“Our customers shared their feedback, and we responded,” Jameson said. “From flexible space configurations that allow for more breakout sessions to ceiling heights required for sports competitions, the expansion and renovation will provide modern amenities and an authentic Texas experience attendees are seeking. Even within the ballroom, guests will immediately feel that they’re in Fort Worth, Texas.”

1968 arena to be flattened in early 2027

To make way for the new Phase 2 building, the 1968 downtown convention center arena will be demolished in early 2027. Mobilization for demolition will begin in summer 2026, the city said, with the final event in the arena planned for September 2026.

Completion of Phase 2 is slated for early 2030. The center will continue to remain operational during construction.

The need for the convention center arena has been lessened in recent years with the advent of Dickies Arena as the premier arena for Fort Worth. In 2023, Billboard Magazine’s Mid-Year Touring Report placed Dickies Arena near the very top of the world’s top-grossing venues for arenas seating 10,000 to 15,000.

Rendering of southeast entrance of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

More on the project’s look

The architectural look of the full expansion draws from downtown Fort Worth’s material palette and civic character, the city said. Brick, limestone, copper, steel, and patina finishes ground the design in the city’s urban fabric while introducing a contemporary interpretation of “The Modern West.”

Interior spaces will feature leather, mesquite wood, blackened metal, and exposed structural steel, complemented by warm tones and custom patterns that nod to local culture, including carpet designs and ballroom ceilings inspired by Texas sunsets, cattle brands and the city’s longhorn logo.

Rendering of part of the $606M Phase 2 development of the Fort Worth Convention Center. [Image: City of Fort Worth]

Convention Center design is led by Atlanta-based architecture, interior design, and planning firm TVS and Fort Worth-based Bennett Partners.

The Construction Manager at Risk joint venture of AECOMHunt, Byrne Construction, and EJ Smith Construction will continue for Phase 2, following the team’s successful completion of Phase 1. Project management is overseen by Broaddus & Associates and Elements of Architecture, local companies “with deep knowledge of Fort Worth’s character, community partners, and city government procedures,” the city said.

Keep stakeholders that have helped shape the expansion include Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., the Downtown Design Review Board, and a city advisory committee composed of elected officials, business leaders, and community representatives.