KTAW
Bill Oliver
November 23, 2023 

College Station city staff continues to work on the specifications to hire a consultant to study what should go into a future convention center.

For the second time in three months, the city council has given staff direction.

Councilwoman Linda Harvell was the first to say that the convention center study should not include a city owned hotel.

Harvell and councilman Mark Smith were also opposed to a city owned hotel.

Councilman Dennis Maloney, who agreed with Harvell to not include a hotel in the convention center study, was also among those calling for the study to include possible locations. Maloney said one possible site is the former Macy’s store building, which the city owns.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Cunha called for a needs assessment and brought up paying for a convention center in College Station with money from hotel occupancy tax revenue.

According to background information presented by the city, the study will take seven months to complete once a consultant is hired.