ORLANDO, Fla. – (December 17, 2019) The Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) has approved the architectural and engineering design services contract with Populous + C.T. Hsu, a Joint Venture, for the Orange County Convention Center’s (OCCC) North-South Building Expansion. The total contract award amount is $38,389,062. The decision was made at the Dec. 17 BCC meeting.

The OCCC and Populous + C.T. Hsu, a Joint Venture received approval from the BCC to move forward on contract negotiations in August.

“We are well on our way to embark on this historic expansion for the Orange County Convention Center,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “With Populous + C.T. Hsu, a Joint Venture on board, the OCCC will continue to be known as one of the greatest global destinations for conventions and tradeshows.”

In July 2018, the Orange County BCC approved a $605 million Capital Improvement Project for two proposed Campus Master Plan projects. Those projects are the Convention Way Grand Concourse and the Multipurpose Venue. The Convention Way Grand Concourse and the Multipurpose Venue expansion will bring total exhibit space at the OCCC to 2.3 million square feet.

The Multipurpose Venue brings an additional 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space in the South Building. Overall, the South Building will have a total of 675,141 square feet of exhibit space for a grand total of 1.15 million square feet of exhibit space in the North-South Building. The Multipurpose Venue will also incorporate connectivity between the North and South concourses.

The Convention Way Grand Concourse expansion includes an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space and an 80,000 square foot ballroom along with a new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.

“As the OCCC continues to build for the future, we look forward to elevating the North-South Building and providing even more space and flexibility for our clients,” said OCCC Acting Executive Director David Ingram. “Populous + C.T. Hsu, a Joint Venture’s invaluable expertise and knowledge will be paramount as we begin on one of most complex construction initiatives ever undertaken by the OCCC.”

In October, the OCCC welcomed Kenneth Champion as its Capital Project Administrator for the expansion. Champion will oversee the daily management of the project through its life cycle at the OCCC.

These ventures will vastly improve the OCCC’s North-South Building, create greater flexibility in booking events, and will keep North America’s second-largest convention center at the forefront of the convention industry. The expected completion of both projects is the fourth quarter of 2023.

AECOM, a premier, fully integrated global infrastructure firm, was contracted by the OCCC to provide owner’s representative services for the North-South Building Expansion. AECOM began supporting the program in January.

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About Populous
Populous is a global architectural design firm specializing in creating environments and venues that draw communities and people together. With more than 3,000 projects, Populous has received more than 250 global design awards for work in 34 countries. Populous has 600 employees spanning four continents. www.populous.com

About C.T. Hsu + Associates
C.T. Hsu + Associates is an Orlando-based architectural planning and design firm named 2006 “Firm of the Year” by the American Institute of Architects, Florida Association. Established in 1984, the firm focuses on a mix of mid to large scale projects, using a multidisciplinary approach that ranges from urban planning and design to architecture and interiors.  www.cthsu.com  

About AECOM

AECOM is built to deliver a better world. We design, build, finance and operate critical infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations. As a fully integrated firm, we connect knowledge and experience across our global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, our work is transformative, differentiated and vital. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM had revenue of approximately $20.2 billion during fiscal year 2018. See how we deliver what others can only imagine at www.aecom.com and @AECOM.

About the Orange County Convention Center

The Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in North America and provides approximately $3 billion in economic impact to Central Florida annually. In recent years, the Convention Center has averaged nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and tradeshows that attract more than 1.5 million attendees to the region each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center, visit www.occc.net.