Major cities across the country are pouring money into their convention districts in the hope of landing new business meetings, trade shows and events — and all the money that comes with them. Houston just hit the motherlode. The group charged with running the George R. Brown Convention Center will have $2 billion to spend on upgrades over the next 30 years. A recently signed state law will steer hotel-occupancy tax to the convention project.

The law allows the incremental revenue to be used not just for improvements to the George R. Brown Convention Center but also for the potential development of new hotels and venues within the convention district. The Houston Business Journal says city officials have not yet decided how the new revenue will be used. Houston First, the group charged with heading up the improvements, expects to begin creating a vision for the convention district later this year.