T SEEMS LIKE FORT WORTH NEVER stops growing. Already the 17th-largest city in the United States, the “City of
Cowboys and Culture” continues to add new hotels, attractions, and more, enhanc- ing its reputation as one of the nation’s premier meeting destinations. When it comes to accommodations, Fort
Worth’s pedestrian-friendly, safe downtown has seen nothing less than a transforma- tion. New construction and renovations have doubled the number of guest rooms to 2,300, allowing the city to host larger meetings than ever before. A new con- vention-center headquarters property, the recently opened Omni Fort Worth Hotel, has 614 rooms and nearly 68,000 square feet of meeting space. The 294-room Hilton Fort Worth and 504-room Renaissance Worthington Hotel have both completed extensive renovations, while the Embassy Suites Hotel Fort Worth–Downtown offers 156 two-room suites along with meeting spaces that are ideal for smaller events. Now open less than a block from the Fort Worth Convention Center, the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa offers 430 guest rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting space. The number of new restaurant seats downtown — 1,500, to be exact — almost rivals the number of new hotel rooms. Now welcoming guests are Shula’s 347 Grill (Sheraton), Ruth’s Chris Steak House (Hilton), Bob’s Steak & Chop House (Omni), and Grace (Carter & Burgess Building). There’s more to come: Saviano’s and Frankie’s Sports Bar, both in down- town’s Sundance Square, will open within the next few months. Following a $75-million expansion and renovation, the Fort Worth Conven-
14 convene at a glance
Convention facilities: The Fort Worth Convention Center has 253,226 square feet of exhibit space, 41 breakout rooms, a 28,160-square-foot ballroom, and a 13,500- seat arena.
Hotel rooms: 13,000 citywide, 2,300 downtown
Attractions: Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Bass Performance Hall, Billy Bob’s Texas, Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Fort Worth Herd, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth Zoo, Kimbell Art Mu- seum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, Sid Richardson Museum, Stockyards Championship Rodeo, Stockyards National Historic District, Sundance Square, Texas Motor Speedway
For more information: John Cychol, Vice President of Meeting Sales, Fort Worth CVB, 111 W. Fourth Street, Suite 200, Fort Worth, TX 76102; phone: (800) 433-5747 or (817) 336-8791; website: www.Fort Worth.com
bRing ’eM in: The high-tech, multi-functional Fort Worth Convention Center spans a 14-block area in the heart of downtown.
Growth Galore in ‘City of Cowboys and Culture’
tion Center now accommodates groups in 253,226 square feet of exhibit space, 41 breakout rooms, a 28,160-square-foot ballroom, and a 13,500-seat arena. Its dock facilities have been expanded, and the public events plaza now links the Fort Worth Water Gardens to the convention center’s new grand entrance. Fort Worth’s downtown has become known as one of the country’s most lively urban settings. The 35-block Sundance Square entertainment district is home to a collection of restaurants, live-music clubs, theaters, shops, exciting nightlife, and the beautiful Bass Performance Hall, one of the top 10 opera houses in the world. Elsewhere in the city, the legendary
RoUnD ’eM Up: Texas Longhorns driven by Texas cowhands provide a glimpse into the past. Created as part of the city’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1999, the Fort Worth Herd has become a twice-daily event along East Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards District.
Stockyards National Historic District has unique attractions like the Fort Worth Herd daily cattle drive. Top country-music performers play the stage at Billy Bob’s Texas, the “World’s Largest Honky-Tonk,” and live rodeo takes place every weekend at Cowtown Coliseum, home to the world’s original indoor rodeo. Shopping for hand- crafted cowboy boots, hats, clothing, and souvenirs is abundant in the Stockyards. World-class museums beckon visitors
to the park-like Cultural District, which is linked to downtown by new development along West Seventh Street, including restau- rants, nightlife, entertainment, and more in a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban village.