The City of Austin has always been a top player in the meetings and hospitality industry and remains so. Even now, as the world awaits the reopening of a new and revitalized convention center, one that will set a benchmark for other centers to follow, other venues and facilities within the city continue to meet the demand for group space, as they have always done. In fact, you could say that in this City of Live Music, as it is often referred to, “the beat goes on.”
Two cases in point are the Palmer Center and the AT&T Conference Center. Both are thriving, as follows.
Palmer Center
November’s been a great month for the Palmer Events Center, a multi-purpose venue in proximity to Butler Park. As it reports, “We are in close proximity to a strong cluster of hotels with 11,000 guest rooms. Our venue features a flexible floor plan with 125,000 gross square feet. Its two column-free exhibit halls provide 70,000 square feet of space, and its covered outdoor canopies offer an additional 50,000 square feet of space, as usual.”
For November 2025, Palmer has hosted, or will host, five events. These include the Settlement Club Garage and Estate Sale, the Government Innovation Showcase, A Christmas Affair, the City-Wide Vintage Sale, and Big Ole Queer Market.
For instance, the Settlement Club Garage and Estate Sale kicked off at the Palmer Events Center with a preview party, followed by three days of shopping from Nov. 7 to 9. Notably, the proceeds from this event went to the Settlement Home for Children.
Similarly, the Junior League of Austin’s A Christmas Affair returned to the center and, once again, featured more than 200 vendors from across the country selling gifts, clothing, home décor, jewelry, and more. “Notable here is that this is the Junior League of Austin’s largest fundraiser, funding the organization’s mission, programs, and outreach, allowing it to continue empowering women in the community.”
For more information about The Palmer and its varied events, visit: palmereventscenter.com
AT&T Hotel & Conference Center
Another popular group venue in Austin is the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, located on the University of Texas’s campus in the downtown area. According to one official statement:
“The AT&T Hotel and Conference Center is proving an exception to any downturn the city might be experiencing due to the (convention) center’s temporary closing. That is, despite the fact that the city is operating with a reduced inventory of meeting and event space, its AT&T Hotel and Conference Center is holding its own and has even picked up the pace in various ways.”
In fact, recently, the AT&T Center reported that bookings for Fall 2025 were up 13 percent year-over-year, “showing resilient group demand.” Furthermore, to offset the impact of the convention center closure, “the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center has strengthened its partnerships within the University Hotel Collection, expanding opportunities for groups to utilize additional meeting and event spaces across the University of Texas campus. This collaboration, paired with the hotel’s balanced mix of university, corporate, and leisure business, has created a resilient model that continues to drive performance even as the broader market softens. A $30 million renovation, which includes a new ballroom and refreshed meeting and guest spaces, underscores the hotel’s commitment to and confidence in Austin’s future as a leading host city for all types of groups. For more information on the AT&T facility, visit: meetattexas.com
That said, Austin isn’t missing a beat as the meetings and hospitality industry awaits the exciting transformation of its world-class convention center.
Keep an eye on F&D’s updates on that event between now and opening day.
