The City of Dallas has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to engage industry stakeholders for the development of a Central Utility Plant (CUP) at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center redevelopment project in Dallas, Texas, USA.

As part of executing the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) Master Plan, the project team is exploring ways to integrate advanced, efficient, and resilient energy systems across the future convention center campus and its surrounding district. In support of this effort, Convention and Event Services (CES), in coordination with Inspire Dallas, has issued an RFI focused on energy infrastructure for the KBHCCD Master Plan, with the intention of presenting the findings to the City Council to guide decisions on proceeding toward a formal solicitation. To advance this effort, Inspire Dallas, serving as the KBHCCD Master Plan Component 1 Program Manager, partnered with City leadership, CES, and the City’s financial advisors to develop and release an RFI inviting market feedback on privately financed, designed, and operated energy infrastructure solutions. The RFI has been published on the KBHCCD Master Plan website and is intended to collect insights from industry stakeholders before staff put forward any recommendations for a formal procurement process. The RFI primarily centers on the potential development of a CUP to meet the heating and cooling demands of the convention center campus. It also examines the viability of a district energy model to serve nearby developments and surrounding areas in Downtown and South Dallas. Through this process, the City is seeking industry feedback on key aspects, including:

• CUP infrastructure to support the convention center’s thermal energy needs

• Opportunities for district energy systems serving adjacent developments

• Appropriate facility sizing and related infrastructure requirements

• Applicable energy technologies such as renewable energy, energy storage, geothermal solutions, and combined heat and power systems

Responses to the RFI will help City staff assess viable technology options, financing structures, and partnership approaches, as well as gauge the potential for private-sector involvement. Submissions are due by April 10, 2026. For more details, please visit our Business Opportunity page by clicking here.