Hamilton Convention Centre Commences $10M Renovation, Targeting February 2026 for Completion
Renovation to include Rooftop Garden, Wine & Coffee Bar on Summers Lane and potential Speakers’ Corner inspired Partnership with Cable 14.
HAMILTON, May 2, 2025 – Today, HUPEG and Carmens Group, a Hamilton-based hospitality, food-production and development company, announced the advancement of the $10M renovation of the Hamilton Convention Centre. Although some interior renovations have already begun, the downtown entertainment and event venue recently received building permits to allow for substantial renovations to commence, with a goal for the project to be completed by February 2026 in time for next year’s JUNOS Music Festival and Awards taking place in Hamilton.
On the renovation project, Carmen’s Group CEO and HUPEG President PJ Mercanti says,
We are delighted to share with the Hamilton community that major work will be commencing at the Hamilton Convention Centre to transform the venue into a completely refurbished event space that will be enjoyed by new convention attendees and local patrons alike. A floor to ceiling modernization with new facility features will support Hamilton’s ability to secure more regional, provincial and national conventions that will occupy hotel rooms and fill restaurant tables in the downtown core and across the entire city.
The 80,000 square foot venue received previous demolition permits in the fall of 2024 that allowed for early construction work to begin, with the newest permits to enable the renovation to accelerate. The renovation will be staggered to allow for certain event rooms to remain open while other spaces undergo substantial changes, to minimize operational disruption with many of the venue’s existing event clients including YMCA Peace Medal Breakfast, Good Shepherd Winter Wonderland, and YWCA Women of Distinction Gala. Front lobby entrance changes will result in more natural light entering the building, with new flooring, wall accessories, and ceiling investments on all three stories creating a new visual experience for guests coupled with an expansion of approximately 7,500 square feet of new event space within the facility.
The facility renovation will include a new rooftop garden that will grow herbs, spices and vegetables, coupled with exploring the addition of rooftop beehive to allow for natural honey to be produced onsite. As part of its company’s food sustainability initiatives, the convention centre culinary team in conjunction with Carmen’s Group Director of Culinary Derek Easton will create a new community garden in partnership with the City of Hamilton that will allow for seasonal food access to groups in need.
The renovation plan includes a new wine and coffee bar accessible from Summer Lane that will also be open to the public regardless of any events taking place in the facility, as well as a proposed Speakers’ Corner-inspired feature at the corner of King Street in partnership with Cable 14 to enable community engagement around civic issues and topics. Through HUPEG’s partnership with Hamilton Community Enterprises and Nerva Energy, new HVAC units being installed as part of the renovation will reduce the venue’s carbon footprint by 50%, supporting the City of Hamilton’s climate emergency goals.
The general contractor of the project is BDN Contracting, construction financing is being provided by BDC and RBC, and all procurement will be with local suppliers and trades. A new naming rights partner will be announced later in the year alongside other community partnerships and activations.