Maude Cobb Convention Center renovations completed

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - Longview’s go-to center for events and conventions has a brand new look.

The Maude Cobb Convention Center is the venue of choice for events ranging from gun shows to galas, and next year it will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The overhaul happens to coincide with the landmark year for the center, but this was not always the plan according to manager Gai Bennett.

Bennett said that the capital improvement project was funded for 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it back to 2022. The work began in August, and lasted until September, during which time the center was shut down.

According to Bennett, the center now has a new glass air-wall storefront, new LED lighting, a new surface floor, and new wiring and conduits. A new lighting control system also allows the center to go from very bright lighting for technical shows and events which require high visibility, to a low ambient light for galas and the like.

The project cost a total of $1.17 million, making this the largest facelift the center has ever undergone. Bennett said that visitors since the completion have had nothing but praise for the new look, making the expense worth it for the community gathering place.

Find out more about the center on their website.

Copyright 2023 KLTV. All rights reserved.