As the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is hard for meeting planners to ignore when considering a destination for their next event. From expanding infrastructure to new meeting venues, this area is adding new reasons to top planners' lists.
"As a progressive city with Southern appeal, Dallas offers unparalleled amenities including hotel room rates at a fraction of the cost, compared to other major metropolitan areas," says Phillip Jones, president and CEO of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Just three hours from each coast, doing business in Dallas is clearly a good business decision."
He points out that the city is home to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) -- the longest light rail in the country -- and two major airports with more domestic nonstop flights than any other U.S. city. Next year will see the expansion of the Dallas Streetcar into the Bishop Arts District (with a stop at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center) as well as the completion of the Margaret McDermott Bridge.
A fast-growing destination for business travelers, Dallas has invested billions of dollars in new development, including top-notch restaurants, cultural attractions, and more than a dozen downtown hotels currently in the works.
In the next three years, the city will add almost 2,500 rooms to its inventory. Among these is the historic Statler Hilton hotel, which after a more than $175 million redevelopment will be reopening as a 159-room property with fine dining, a black-box theater, and additional luxury residences. The 326-room Westin Dallas Downtown hotel, with more than 31,000 square feet of meeting space, also opened late last year.
This year is also seeing the addition of a number of new attractions to the Cedars/Southside district, including new dining and entertainment options such as Glass Half Full Taproom and the eight-screen Alamo Draft House theater.
For those looking to stay close to the airport, the Hyatt Regency DFW offers 92,000 square feet of flexible function space with cutting-edge A/V equipment, oversized guest rooms, and an infinity-edge pool (and a short drive to both the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth).
Speaking of Fort Worth, that city is also expanding its meetings attractions. January 2017 will see the opening of Stockyards Courtyard by Marriott, which will offer a pair of event rooms, in the heart of the city's historic Stockyards. The Fort Worth Worthington Renaissance Hotel will be reopening this year after renovating all 504 of its guest rooms.
One of the newest event spaces catching planners' eyes is the Mopac Event Center, which can accommodate up to 300 attendees in a space that combines rustic and industrial elements to create a modern Texas feel. Other Texas-centric venues are Kent & Co.'s The Space, an urban event venue in the heart of the Southside as well as Wild Acre Brewing's new 5,000-square-foot brewery located in a historic brick warehouse. This past April, the city launched the Fort Worth Ale Trail (with nine craft breweries, such as Panther Island Brewing, Martin House Brewing Company, and Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. -- the city's oldest and largest craft brewer), an ideal activity for groups looking for a way to explore the city's suds.
"Major convenience, world-class attractions, and flexible meeting spaces make Fort Worth a natural fit for events of all kinds," says John Cychol, vice president of meeting sales for the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau. "From strolling Fort Worth's vibrant Sundance Square to exploring world-class museums, enjoying contemporary Texas cuisine, or watching the cattle drive in the historic Stockyards, the authenticity of the city makes visitors feel at home. And keeps them coming back."
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This article appears in the November 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.