BY: ANNA KAMINSKI
Kansas Reflector
LAWRENCE — Government, university and community leaders commemorated the opening Wednesday of a state-of-the-art convention center at the University of Kansas, which is equipped with amenities meant to draw thousands of annual visitors and generate revenue to pay off the university’s large-scale development project.
More than 100 people milled about the center’s grand entrance hall and conference rooms to hear Gov. Laura Kelly, university chancellor Douglas Girod and three others praise the teamwork and vision behind the University of Kansas Conference Center. They predicted a future of economic and community prosperity before cutting a ceremonious red ribbon held by the university’s mascots, Big Jay and Baby Jay.
The center is part of the project to revamp the school’s football stadium and northern campus entrance to create the Gateway District. The project could cost up to $808 million, and it relies heavily on state and local incentives, along with funding from the Republican-led Kansas Legislature and private donors to subsidize development.
The conference center is expected to be among the first steps in producing a return on those public and private investments.
“Not only will this facility benefit the greater Lawrence community, but it will also attract out-of-state visitors, spurring significant economic activity,” said Kelly, a Democrat. “Today marks a major step towards completion of the first phase of the university’s Gateway District project.”
The 55,000-square-foot center is the first of its kind in Douglas County. Kelly said the conference center has “required an intense collaborative effort.”
It is adjoined to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and the center’s visitors can access a patio that puts them at eye-level with players and coaches. Conference center users can also access stadium amenities, including the digital scoreboard, meeting rooms and various offices, said Girod.
The university envisions galas, weddings, conventions, trade shows and other large social events as potential uses for the center, said Girod. Event bookings already stretch into 2027, he said.
“As a result of this design, it really positions us to host all kinds of events, bringing out-of-town visitors into our community,” Girod said, “and that’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, to generate additional economic activity to the city, county, state and beyond.”
Girod said he hopes the new center will attract events from around the world. An estimated 400,000 people visit Lawrence annually. KU’s Rock Chalk Park soccer complex on the western edge of the city is currently under consideration for hosting a team base camp for the 2026 World Cup.
The conference center isn’t a typical one, in large part because of its location, Girod said.
“Right in the heart of Lawrence, right at the foot of the hill, right at the base of campus, right at the gateway of our campus, and, of course, as part of our stadium,” he said.
The Legislature allocated $35 million to the project in 2022 from American Rescue Plan Act funds. It received $50 million in grant funding in 2023 from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which required a three-to-one match of private funds. The city of Lawrence approved in August a $95 million package of incentives, including the city’s first Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds, which allow the city to finance the project with nearly $86 million in bonds. Once built, the development’s revenues and sales taxes will pay off the bonds.
Now that phase 1 is complete, the roughly $300 million phase 2 is expected to begin once KU’s football season ends, said Girod.
The second phase is expected to begin with renovations to the east side of the football stadium and construction of a parking garage and a 150-room hotel. A roughly 440-bed student housing complex, outdoor event plaza and retail, restaurant and office space are expected to follow, extending use of the area beyond football season.
Nearly 1 million people are predicted to visit the Gateway District annually once the project is complete in 2030, according to a feasibility study submitted to the city of Lawrence. Developers expect the district to produce a net economic output of $84.9 million and more than 1,600 full-time jobs.
“Today marks a shift in what is possible in Lawrence,” said Kim Anspach, the executive director of Explore Lawrence, the city’s tourism arm.
Capacity often restricted the city’s ability to host and grow events, she said. The center helps create a “steady rhythm of activity,” which helps support the year-round stability of the local economy.
The center is not a one-time boost, Anspach said; it’s a foundation.