Rose Complex construction progress forging ahead

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) -Work continues on the new conference center at the Tyler’s Rose Complex.

“Right now, behind us you see a lot of the brick work and that is what is really enhancing the arches which are an architectural feature of the building,” says deputy city manager, Stephanie Franklin.

Franklin says all the architectural details are starting to be added to the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center at the Rose Complex.

The 50,230 square foot facility replaces the iconic Harvey Convention Center.

“Inside it will be completely state of the art and transformed into a much better, more efficient convention center,” says Franklin.

Franklin believes it will be a beautiful representation of a doorway into the historic Rose Complex.

She says before, Harvey Hall didn’t have an efficient layout to allow for break out rooms, but that changes with the new conference center.

“This really has the better break out rooms, it has a larger more efficient catering kitchen, and it just has that relationship between the two buildings that it didn’t have before,” says Franklin.

Franklin says the new conference center will increase tourism and community engagement, especially with the addition of a 3.5 acre park for outdoor activities. Two of the larger events to be held at the Rose Complex will be the Tyler Rose Festival as well as Mistletoe and Magic by the Junior League of Tyler.

“So, it adds an outdoor element of programming, and then you know, professional conventions, and other community events that happen here.”

The price tag is around $27 million -- paid for primarily by the hotel occupancy tax.

The city of Tyler plans on hosting a community-wide celebration and ribbon cutting for the conference center in March.

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