The implementation of the $4 billion KBHCCD Master Plan will be the largest public investment in the city’s history.

As the prime consultant for the plan, we led a cross-discipline effort and managed a team of 15 sub-consultants to deliver a plan for more than a world-class meetings and events center. The KBHCCD Master Plan delivers a powerful economic development engine primed to benefit surrounding communities and the entire region.

The plan upgrades the convention center, originally opened in 1973, to a state-of-the-art convention facility – one of the largest in the country – that uniquely integrates four related workstreams: Area Plan, Transportation Plan, Multimodal Station Feasibility Study and Market and Funding.

Community engagement

Stakeholder and public engagement were essential to shaping and advancing the KBHCCD Master Plan.

We implemented a structured and proactive process to gather input, build consensus and ensure the plan reflected the needs and aspirations of the Dallas community. Our team conducted outreach to elected officials, local leaders, community groups, trade organizations, chambers of commerce and more, with two advisory task forces providing industry-specific expertise and institutional knowledge.

Public involvement was integrated at key decision points, using a mix of traditional and innovative tools, such as virtual meetings, online surveys, live polling and multilingual materials, to maximize participation and collect meaningful feedback.

Our engagement informed project goals, alternatives and the selection of the preferred plan, ensuring the final vision was robust and community driven. Throughout the planning process, public input was collected through workshops, open houses and digital platforms, allowing stakeholders to review and test recommendations and results. This iterative approach helped build consensus and transparency and ensured that the plan addressed the diverse needs of the community and region.

“Establishing an engagement process that connects with multiple audiences at the right time, including elected officials, business leaders, community leaders and the public, brings them into the planning process, keeps them informed and strengthens support,” Baer said. “It’s not my plan. It’s the client’s and the community’s plan. Ensuring stakeholder engagement every step of the way is critical.”

Transportation investments also have been identified to improve accessibility to the district and throughout the greater Dallas region. An important goal of the transportation plan was to improve access to the Convention Center district for visitors and its employees, many of whom reside in neighborhoods with limited transit options.

A multimodal station is proposed at the historic Eddie Bernice Johnson (EBJ) Union Station where Amtrak, Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail, TRE commuter rail, Dallas Streetcar and local buses can connect, increasing multimodal opportunities that have been proposed for EBJ Union Station.

Improvements in the street network will enhance the connectivity between Union Station and the new district. Planned improvements included extending existing streets and bike/pedestrian corridors and a new deck park bridging the depressed I-30 to South Dallas.