Samarth I As SXSW bids farewell to its Austin Convention Center home, the $1.6bn redevelopment signals a new era for the iconic festival.
For a festival synonymous with innovation and disruption, it’s fitting that South by Southwest (SXSW) is about to experience a major disruption of its own. The 2025 edition, running from March 7-15, marks the last event held at the Austin Convention Center before a $1.6 billion redevelopment begins in April. The news, which was confirmed on February 25, came as a surprise to many, although whispers had circulated since mid-2024.
For over three decades, the Convention Center has been at the heart of SXSW, accommodating more than 500,000 attendees across its music, film, and interactive tracks. This year, attendees are aware that this edition is not just another festival—it’s a farewell to an era of intimate gatherings and sprawling panel discussions in the iconic halls of Austin’s cultural hub.
Peter Lewis, SXSW’s chief partnerships officer, reflected on the transition, acknowledging the festival’s deep roots in the Convention Center. “It’s bittersweet,” Lewis said, adding that while the redevelopment will bring a much-needed facelift to the venue, it also signals the end of an era that has shaped the festival’s DNA.
Despite the nostalgia surrounding the departure, the $1.6 billion redevelopment is seen as a necessary step to modernize the city’s infrastructure and support the growing scale of SXSW. With new spaces and upgraded facilities, the revamped Convention Center will likely continue to host SXSW in the future, albeit with a fresh perspective.
As SXSW moves forward into a new chapter, the redevelopment of its Austin home marks the end of an era, but the festival’s spirit of innovation is sure to thrive in its next phase.
