The San Francisco Convention and Visitor's Bureau has started preliminary discussions with possible developers about the expansion of the Moscone Center to 680 Folsom Street in downtown San Francisco. The expansion would include a 150,000 square foot addition to the current 650,000 square foot space as well as housing, hotel and office space. The possible new addition would consist of a below ground convention center with access to the existing Moscone Center South by way of an underground connecting corridor across Third Street.
This potential project is crucial to San Francisco's hospitality and tourist industry, the city's largest employer, which is closely connected to events hosted at the convention center. City officials are concerned that San Francisco is losing events that expect a very high attendance due to the limited space of the current convention center. The talks regarding the expansion of the convention center are part of a planning effort to finish the Third Street corridor and expand Yerba Buena Gardens. This city wide plan also includes the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art and a possible new Mexican Museum of Art on Mission Street. The expansion of the Moscone Center and other organizations in San Francisco are vital to city tourism and will help to keep San Francisco's reputation as a tourist and hospitality destination prominent.
