Yldefonso Rodriguez Sola, Assistant Director, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
In an interview with Invest:, Yldefonso Rodriguez Sola, assistant director at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, noted a growing shift toward corporate events, enhancing hotel bookings and economic impact. “Corporate business drives more hotel room nights,” he said. He emphasized the center’s role as an economic engine and the need for long-term investments like the possible Convention Center expansion project to stay competitive.
What have been the most significant changes at the convention center over the past year?
Many things. What’s wonderful about this industry is that every day is different. Our clients change constantly, and we adapt accordingly. Internally, we’ve restructured our operations and scheduling to better serve those clients.
One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen is growth in corporate events. San Antonio has traditionally excelled in the association market — that’s been our bread and butter. But now we’re making real strides in attracting corporate business. These events often have higher budgets and drive more hotel room nights, which benefits both our revenue and the city’s overall economic impact.
We’re also seeing growth in larger associations and other types of meetings. So, while associations remain close to heart, we’re expanding in multiple directions.
How does the convention center contribute to San Antonio’s tourism and hospitality economy?
It can be hard to explain to those outside the industry because they might just see a big building. But we’re an economic engine. The city supports this facility because it acts like a magnet, pulling in revenue, job opportunities, and visitors who wouldn’t otherwise be here.
We measure our success not only by internal revenue but primarily by hotel room nights. During large events, we can fill 3,000 to 10,000 hotel rooms in a single night. That has a ripple effect across the city — restaurants, rideshare drivers, retail — all benefit.
Tourism and hospitality are the third-largest industries in San Antonio, and they’re deeply woven into the city’s identity. San Antonio stands out in Texas for preserving its historical core and offering a strong cultural experience. That, along with our compact downtown — where hotels, the convention center, and attractions like the River Walk are all within walking distance — makes us competitive.
Clients have shifted. They’re less focused on keeping attendees inside the venue the whole time and more on giving them a rich experience. San Antonio delivers that.
With downtown investments like the possible expansion of the Convention Center, how will your ability to attract major events be affected?
We’re in a highly competitive environment. Cities all over the country — not just major ones — are investing in their infrastructure and convention capabilities. For example, cities like Nashville and Oklahoma City have completely reinvented themselves, and Dallas is planning a new convention center. If we stop investing, we fall behind.
It’s about staying competitive long-term. We can’t just rest on what we have now. We need to think 10 or 20 years ahead. The expansion of the Convention Center and similar investments are essential for maintaining and improving our product.
The convention center acts as San Antonio’s living room. It’s often the first experience many executives and business leaders have with the city. That impression matters. If it’s positive, it could lead to business relocations, new investments, or talent attraction. Cities that don’t grow become stagnant, and I think San Antonio understands that.
How are you approaching workforce challenges in tourism and hospitality?
Post-COVID, we’ve seen a generational shift. Many of our long-tenured employees opted for early retirement, which opened the door for a younger workforce.
Most of our staff — including cleaning crews and event setup teams — are city employees, which is unique. That gives us more control and stability, but it also means we need to adapt to the expectations of a new generation. They might not value pensions or long-term benefits the same way older employees did.
We’re focusing on creating a more flexible, fulfilling work environment. We emphasize internal promotion and career growth — you don’t need a college degree to succeed in hospitality. Many people work their way up over time. We want to keep that culture strong while attracting and retaining new talent with the right mix of support and opportunity.
What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?
Our focus is on reinvention. With the potential expansion on the horizon, we’re thinking about what our clients will need 20 years from now and how we can deliver it.
The 2016 expansion brought in a whole new category of events we hadn’t served before. We’re looking to do that again — increase the number and quality of events, especially those that bring high revenue and hotel room nights.
Overall, the outlook is positive. We’re surpassing pre-COVID numbers in both revenue and hotel bookings. We’re surpassing the half-million mark in hotel nights generated annually, and we believe there’s still more room to grow.
If you look at cities like Atlanta, they’ve created synergies by clustering top-tier facilities together. That kind of strategic development makes you a top choice for event planners. We want to replicate that and ensure San Antonio remains top of mind.
