Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/12999
ed in the United States and conve- niently located near the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, travel- ers who stay in Plano are within a 30-minute drive to most major attractions, sporting, adventure and entertainment venues throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Plano Centre provides more than 33,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space that comfortably accommo- dates up to 5,000 people. Plus, 21,600 sq. ft. of carpeted, column- free exhibit hall. Plano offers everything corporate and business travelers are looking for – fine dining, exceptional shop- ping, nearby sports venues, top- notch public golf courses, inviting day spas, a variety of interesting and entertaining attractions and much more. Southfork Ranch, located in Plano, is home to the infamous Texas ranchers, the Ewings, from the tele- vision series Dallas. Still open to the public, Southfork offers tours of the iconic mansion and grounds, along with an extensive array of meeting rooms perfect for family reunions. Plano is also the “Hot Air Balloon Capitol of Texas,” hosting the Plano Balloon Festival each September since 1979. Coming soon to Plano is a groundbreaking new African- American Museum, which will showcase African-American history at its finest. A unique mosaic mural dedicated to African-American his- tory is also on display deep in the heart of the city. Plano’s convention center has just updated its Wi-Fi for faster free con- nectivity. Exciting is Plano’s new Group Assistance Program (GAP). The Plano CVB understands that the economy has made it hard for many of its partners to do business, so they have established the GAP plan to help first time meetings to Plano. This program will help in covering some of costs (up to $5,000) based on the number of rooms their event brings into Plano. Plano believes this is a great way for them to partner in Black Meetings & Tourism May/June 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 29 Balloons is big in Plano Photo Credit: Plano CVB bringing one of their upcoming meetings to Plano. For more information: www.-planocvb.com or (972) 941-5844. Bring your next meeting to one of these fair Texas cities. Attendees will not only have meetings in excellent facilities and stay in top accommodations, but experience exciting festivals, historical attractions and the best birding in the nation. No matter what their desires are, they’ll find it “big” in Texas. Contact the Texas State Office of Tourism at (512) 936-0101.