FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – December 13, 2023 – Balfour Beatty announces the
topping out of Broward County Convention Center’s East Expansion and
Hotel during a public ceremony on Dec. 13. Balfour Beatty teammates and
industry partners, along with local officials, attended the event where
the placement of two uppermost steel beams were placed atop the
400,000-square-foot East Expansion Building and the 29-story Omni Fort
Lauderdale Hotel.
As part of Matthews Southwest’s $1 billion multi-phased Greater Fort
Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center project [4], the campus’
east expansion and new hotel is the second phase of construction
executed by Balfour Beatty. The stand-alone East Expansion Building
features ballrooms, exhibit space, and a kitchen that will service the
entire 1.5 million-square-foot convention center. Additionally, a
801-room hotel operated by Omni Fort Lauderdale [1] will be delivered
with additional meeting and ballroom space, multiple restaurant options,
amenity deck, rooftop bar, and an array of luxury amenities.
“Congratulations to our team and industry partners for reaching another
major milestone during the delivery of The County’s convention center
expansions,” said Scott Skidelsky, Balfour Beatty president in the
Southeast. “From topping out two buildings today to successfully
completing the project’s West Expansion phase on time and under budget
last Fall, these achievements are a true testament to our team’s
diligent work, collaboration, and ongoing commitment to excellence. We
are honored to celebrate our teammates’ success and look forward to
continued progress on the project.”
The construction of the East Expansion Building and Omni Hotel follows
the completion of the convention center’s first phase: The West
Expansion Building. [5] Balfour Beatty also exceeded The County’s
required 30% Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) participation goal on
this phase of construction awards contracts to small and local
businesses.
“This is the beginning of a legacy. These projects stand as a testament
to the dedication of those of us here today and to those who came before
us. This hotel and convention center will be a source of pride in our
community. I believe it is a true example of the power of collaboration
as we work together to achieve more,” said Broward Mayor Nan Rich.
“The topping-out of the Omni Hotel and Convention Center Expansion is an
important milestone in this transformational project in Broward County.
This project will bring new opportunities, create thousands of jobs, add
to our quality of life, and bring a source of new revenue to enhance the
successes of our economic engines at Port Everglades, Fort
Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Visit Lauderdale, and our
County as a whole,” said Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero.
Additionally, over the last two years, Balfour Beatty’s teammates have been
executing the project’s multi-phased work while working around the
convention center’s continuous operations as well as working adjacent to
two active Broward County port terminals serving two different cruise
lines.
“This is an exciting milestone for the Broward County Convention Center
expansion and the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel. When it opens, the
expanded convention center and hotel will take full advantage of the
amenities of this scenic location on the Intracoastal Waterway and offer
a vibrant new destination for visitors and residents alike to enjoy,”
said Matthews Southwest President Jack Matthews. “We are happy to be
working with Omni once again and appreciate the collaborative
partnership with Broward County, as well as our talented hotel and
convention center architects and design-build team, including Nunzio
Marc DeSantis Architects, Fentress Architects, and Balfour Beatty. We
look forward to seeing this beautiful new project come to fruition.”
“Omni is committed to delivering elevated hospitality experiences that
are inspired by the true spirit of the destination, and we look forward
to welcome guests to experience the unique and compelling Omni Fort
Lauderdale Hotel,” says Kurt Alexander, President of Omni Hotels &
Resorts.
Construction is ongoing for the convention center’s East Expansion and
Omni Hotel. The second phase of the project is scheduled for completion
in late 2025.
