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Cedar Falls To Have Two Convention Centers

Courtesy Cris Bro Hospitality
An expansion of the Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls will add rooms and create meeting space for 700 people. The city is also in the planning stages for a convention center that could host gatherings of 1000 people.

In less than a year, the Cedar Falls will likely have two convention centers.

Chris Bro Hospitality Monday broke ground on an expansion to its existing Hilton Garden Inn.  The project will add 92 rooms and include meeting space for 700 hundred people.  A second proposed development just a mile away includes a new hotel and banquet seating for one thousand.

Cedar Falls Tourism Bureau spokesperson Becky Wagner says the new development will compliment a second proposed development just a mile away.

“We’re excited to have two convention centers,” she said. “They’ll help each other bring in other, larger events and hopefully keep everybody from the hotels down to the shopping in the community.”

Cedar Falls Mayor Jim Brown says he believes there’s room for both.

“I let the experts in the private industry decide that,” he said. “What these folks see Cedar Falls doing in planning and moving forward with are economic growth, the university and different events. I’ll let them battle that part out, but as far the city, it’s great to have that capital being spent where that capital is treated well.”

Plans for the second project by Open Door Hospitality have yet to be presented to the Cedar Falls city council. The group has acquired a vacant lot just off Highway 20.

Pat Blank is the host of All Things Considered