In my 28-year career as an employee with the City of Waco, I cannot remember a more exciting time of continuous economic development than we are experiencing now. The successes of today are the results of the efforts of a great number of community leaders, volunteers and city staff throughout the years that have had a passion to make Waco an even better place to live.
Perhaps one of the most significant achievements to celebrate is the development happening in the heart of downtown Waco. With the exception of the construction of Heritage Square at the start of this decade and the construction of the Hilton & Mariott a few years earlier, we are seeing the first development on empty commercial blocks since the 1953 tornado. The historic square, which was the center of downtown business activity, is now being revived with $80 million in private and public investment dedicated to a three-block area in the heart of the City.
Construction has begun on the Waco Town Square, which is now home to the new $4 million Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce building, and will be succeeded by 17 acres of mixed use development featuring retail, restaurants, office space and loft-style residential space. The foundation is already being laid for the Austin Avenue Flats, and work will begin soon on the student housing complex next door to the Courtyard Marriot.
Complimenting this project is the $16 million complete renovation of the Waco Hilton, which is absolutely outstanding; and the $17.5 million renovation of the Waco Convention Center, which is a pivotal piece of the downtown redevelopment. The design plans for the convention center have been unveiled and are exceptional in that they allow us to take advantage of the breath-taking views of our Brazos River corridor.
The convention center improvements are being funded by the $63 million bond package approved by voters last May. This is historically significant, because it was the first city-bond package to pass in 40 years. I believe our citizens saw the critical infrastructure needs of our community and were willing to invest in their city's future as many private investors were also doing. I appreciate the service of the dedicated citizens who served on a capital needs assessment committee to select the projects for the bond election.
While much attention is focused on downtown development, there are other exciting projects happening throughout our community. We are seeing significant investment at the I-35/ Loop 340 intersection with the Central Texas Marketplace and new $184 million campus for Hillcrest Health System at Legends Crossing. These retail centers are extremely important for our sales tax revenues by providing quality shopping opportunities for our citizens here and drawing customers from other regions in central Texas.
Finally, we have much to celebrate in our tourism sector. Expansion projects are planned or under way at several area attractions including the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum, Dr Pepper Museum, Cameron Park Zoo, and Texas Sports Hall of Fame; and work will soon begin on the $3.2 million Waco Mammoth education center. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame is nearing completion on the new headquarters for Texas Rangers Company ("F") and a Public Safety Education Center, funded by the Texas legislature; and renovations are planned for Knox Hall, which is being funded by the bond package. The Dr Pepper Museum is renovating the Kellum Rotan building, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame is building a new exhibit to honor the Southwest Conference. Thanks to generous donations from Jim & Nell Hawkins the $3 million Asian Forest Expansion project will be built at the Cameron Park Zoo; and Paul & Jane Meyer provided the lead gift for the Waco Mammoth center, which will protect a valuable resource as well as provide a new jewel in our crown of tourist attractions along the Brazos by providing new recreational and educational opportunities.
These successes are the results of exceptional community leaders, volunteers and great public and private partnerships. I look forward to celebrating the completion of all these great projects.
