By Jim Carchidi
December 17, 2025
Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) will begin 2026 by starting construction on 144,000 square feet of new event space at its North/South Building. The effort, dubbed the Grand Concourse expansion, will complete the facility’s original plan and significantly increase its capabilities and efficiency.
Expansion Details
The Grand Concourse expansion will enhance capacity and add an entrance at the west side of the North/South Building, facing Convention Way. Images courtesy of Orange County Convention Center
Some site work is currently under way and OCCC hosted a December 17 groundbreaking ceremony, but construction is expected to begin during the first quarter and last approximately three years. The project will deliver several key features:
- Grand Ballroom: A 100,000 square-foot event space, configurable for one or multiple gatherings, with room for up to 10,000 guests.
- Meeting Space: An additional 44,000 square feet of flex space for smaller, more intimate events.
- Connectivity: Improved site navigation and enhanced access between the North and South concourses, including a new entrance and lobby.
The addition of a 100,000 square-foot ballroom will increase capacity with the added ability to configure for multiple events.
Flex spaces beyond the ballroom will accommodate additional events and breakout sessions.
The new lobby will increase connectivity with access the North and South concourses.
Project Background and Timeline
Initial discussions about the expansion began over 11 years ago with approvals of the first bid proposal and design meetings happening in December 2019. The project was delayed nearly three years due to pandemic-related economic factors, starting in the summer of 2020. Planning resumed in 2023, and Orange County ultimately approved funding through tourism tax dollars. Final approvals for designs, construction contracts, and the project timeline were granted this year.
OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester noted the ballroom and lobby were always intended for the North/South Building, which was completed in 2003, but financial limitations caused their elimination. The current lack of flexible spaces and connectivity restricts the ability to host more than two events at once, while the OCCC West Building—located across International Drive—supports more than 15 size configurations and can host up to five events simultaneously.
“In essence, what we’re doing is finishing what we ultimately wanted to do,” Tester told The Orlando Real.
Economic and Community Impact
The entire convention center complex contributed more than $5 billion in economic impact during the 2024/25 fiscal year. The North/South Building recently hosted the 2025 IAAPA Expo, and The Orlando Home & Garden Show, AKC National Championship, and the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championship also return each year. The expansion is expected to create approximately 800 construction jobs with more economic benefits anticipated as the new spaces enable a wider range of events. Tester emphasized that convention business helps supplement county tourism revenue during slower seasons, making the Grand Concourse investment a long-term boost for local employment and tax revenue.
“If we can get an event that comes in here when visitor traffic is down, that’s the difference between people working and not working,” Tester said.
For Mark Tester's full discussion with Ken Pozek, visit The Orlando Real YouTube page.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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