 In 1925, Jones hired Alfred C. Finn to design a new wing for the hotel, increasing the number of rooms to over 1,000 and creating the building's current E-shaped configuration.The Crystal Ballroom was air-conditioned in 1928, the same year that Houston hosted the National Democratic Convention.More than preparing the Rice Hotel for convention delegates, Jones lured the Democratic Convention to Houston in the first place, donating $200,000 to the cause, .