Future of The District

The District is a public or governmental entity. In 1959, the Idaho Legislature passed legislation allowing for the creation of auditorium districts in Idaho. Upon passage of the legislation, a district was formed in Boise by voters for the purpose of building a civic facility for the community.

As a governmental entity the District’s mission is to develop spaces for community engagement that facilitate the greatest positive benefit for our community. The District is authorized by Idaho Statute to build, operate, maintain, market and manage public auditoriums, exhibit halls, convention centers, sports arenas, and similar facilities.

The District built Boise Centre, Idaho’s largest convention center in 1990. In 2024, Boise Centre generated $50.8 million in local economic benefit by drawing thousands of visitors who spend monies in hotels, restaurants, bars, breweries, shops, transportation, recreation activities and entertainment.

Through a public-private partnership in 2021, the District invested $9.6 million to purchase the land and building for the Idaho Central Aquatic Center.

The District receives its revenue from a 5% room tax paid by travelers and collected by hotels, motels and other lodging properties within the District’s boundaries. Residents inside the District do not pay any taxes or fees to fund the District and its entities unless they choose to stay in a hotel, motel or other lodging property.

The District commissioned a study to better understand opportunities for future investment— whether through expanding existing facilities or developing new spaces. These findings will help board members articulate their vision for the District’s future and identify priorities for investment.

With limited resources, the District must be prudent in balancing current business and operations needs with future programming.

Yes, the public may attend District board monthly board meetings either in-person or via Zoom. Note, the  meetings are open to the public but are not considered public forums; public comment is not usually taken at these meetings. Meeting schedule.

(April 2026) The District has taken the first step in securing a downtown parcel in proximity to the current Boise Centre for future development that could have a transformational impact on the region. The 4.13-acre property at 11th & River is large enough to accommodate a 100,000 square foot exhibition hall, multi-use event center, or indoor sports facility — all of which independent feasibility studies identified as in-demand in our community.

This site is within walking distance of Boise Centre in the growing River Street neighborhood, near hotels, restaurants, breweries, bars, shops, cultural centers, and the Greenbelt.

(April 2026) Boise Centre will remain open and will continue to operate as usual with no changes for the near future. All reservations, contracts, and commitments will be honored in full.

A key benefit of this land purchase is that it allows the District to plan for growth without disrupting or closing Boise Centre — the new parcel is just a 7-minute walk south along 9th Street.

(April 2026) The District is paying earnest monies, down payments, and broker fees with existing cash reserves. Payment of the larger sums due at closing will be discussed closer to that time. Thanks to conservative fiscal management, the District currently has approximately $31 million for future projects and is projected to have $33.9 million by the end of 2026.

(April 2026) There is no current development timeline. The District is purchasing the parcel as a foundation for future success. In the coming months, further study and exploration will be conducted to determine  the best use of the site and to consider potential funding options

Construction on any project would not begin for a few years. Updates will be shared in our regular District board meetings and on the Future of the District page.

(April 2026) Following the presentation of an independent Market and Feasibility Study in October 2025, the District’s exploratory committee began evaluating potential sites for future investment in and around Boise Centre. The committee met with numerous landowners, developers, and civic leaders over the course of approximately 12 months.

In November 2025, a local developer approached the District about a privately held downtown property that was not yet publicly listed. The exploratory committee evaluated the site against multiple criteria, including size, proximity to Boise Centre, access to hotels and downtown amenities, and potential to support a range of future development scenarios.

After several months of discussions with the seller, the District’s board approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the 11th & River property at a Special Board Meeting on March 31, 2026.

(April 2026) The District will share updates during their regular monthly meetings, which the public can attend in-person or online. Meetings schedule.  The meetings are recorded and can be viewed at a later date.

The public may submit a comment or sign up for newsletter updates on a form towards the bottom of this webpage.

(April 2026) Boise Centre is already a significant economic driver for the region — generating tens of millions of dollars annually in visitor spending and supporting hundreds of local jobs. Independent analysis by Johnson Consulting confirmed that a larger, more competitive Boise Centre would mean more events, more visitors, and a measurably stronger economic return for the Boise community.

A more competitive facility helps Boise attract the kinds of events — conventions, conferences, trade shows, and indoor sports competitions — that bring visitors who stay in local hotels, dine in local restaurants, and experience what makes Boise exceptional.