December 13, 2023

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 the 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, 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 will be delivered with additional meeting and ballroom space, multiple restaurant options, amenity deck, roof top 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. Balfour Beatty also exceeded The County’s required 30% Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) participation goal on this phase of construction awarding 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 teammates have been executing the project’s muti-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 welcoming 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.