The East Montgomery County Improvement District (EMCID) today announced Caney Pines as the name of its new convention center, as the venue enters the final phase of construction and moves closer to becoming a regional destination for tourism and community opportunity.
Groundwork and site preparation began in January 2025 and have steadily progressed over the past 19 months. Construction on the 210,070-square-foot venue, led by SpawGlass, remains on schedule, with a grand opening celebration planned for December. The EMCID Board of Directors approved the name Caney Pines, which reflects the area’s rich history rooted in the logging industry, forested woodlands, natural beauty and wildlife while honoring the area’s first settlement, the community known today as New Caney.
Caney Pines Convention Center, the third largest in Houston and the seventh in the state, will be a premier destination for events and celebrations like graduations and weddings, business meetings, trade shows, youth sports tournaments and more. Caney Pines is situated in the Valley Ranch Entertainment District, part of the larger Valley Ranch retail, office, entertainment, restaurant and mixed-use development spanning 2.55 million square feet, and complemented by more than 2,000 single-family homes and 1,000 multifamily residences.
With an exhibition hall for more than 6,000 attendees, space that can be divided into up to seven smaller rooms, two signature meeting rooms with views of Valley Ranch to the east, west and south and a terrace, the venue will offer flexible settings for events of every size. When completed, the $159 million project will employ 13 management-level positions and approximately 50-75 part-time positions, including event staff, operations, culinary, banquet staff, housekeeping and parking attendants.
“Every construction milestone brings us one step closer to creating a venue that will serve future events, residents, attract visitors and strengthen East Montgomery County’s economy for decades,” said Frank McCrady, President and CEO of EMCID. “This project is about building lasting opportunity for the community.”
The convention center is expected to generate $1.73 billion in net new spending within the boundaries of the district, and $775 million in net new earnings over the next 30 years.
- The Caney Pines Convention Center also features:
- 55,000-square-foot ballroom/exhibition hall
- 20,000 square feet of meeting space
- 40,000 square feet of pre-function space
- 5,109 square foot commercial kitchen
- 11,000 square feet of outdoor patio space
- 811 space attached parking garage
With completion on the horizon, event bookings for 2027 are already underway. Click here to inquire about booking: Caney Pines Convention Center Booking Inquiries.