Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1459281
B M & T ••• March/April 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 36 OKLAHOMA From urban hot spots like Oklahoma City's Bricktown Entertainment District and Paseo Arts District to entertainment hubs like Tulsa's Blue Dome District, nightlife is never hard to come by in Oklahoma. Take the time to ride a water taxi along the downtown canal or enjoy the nightlife havens nestled within the area's famous art deco architecture. Expansion and ren- ovations to the OKC Airport completed a few years ago have made traveling by air to OKC easier than ever before. Downtown Oklahoma City offers a number of hotels that are just steps away the Cox Convention Center. Tulsa, Oklahoma's second-largest city is a haven of Southern comfort and cosmopolitan style. T- Town is home of the highly-rated Tulsa Zoo, while the city's Arkansas River trails and outdoor recreation areas offer outdoor respites from all the urban excitement. OREGON The Northwest state of Oregon features rugged rocky coastlines, dense forests, fun cities, mountains, deep canyons, as well as desert in its southeastern part. As the harbinger of America's westward expansion, the Oregon Trail was the initial pathway to the Pacific for fur traders and gold seekers. Though forest has taken over most of the trail, it continues to attract history seekers and nature buffs. As the second-largest airport in Oregon, the Eugene Airport generates over 740,000 trips annually, with service to Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Honolulu, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle. The Eugene Airport is only 15 minutes from down- town which is well-known for being bike- friendly, has an excellent public bus system and has been designated a Gold Level "Walk Friendly Community." DALLAS The city of Dallas is well known for it's vast African-American community that is central to the city's cultural experience, while the world-famous River Walk is one of the top visitor destinations in Texas and a cornerstone of San Antonio's robust meetings industry. Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas is one of the nation's top convention cen- ters. The KBHCCD is one of the largest in the nation and connects to the 1,100-room Omni Dallas Hotel via skybridge. In additional to housing 1 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, the facility boasts 724,526 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, 403,310 total sq. ft. of column-free exhibit space, 65,124 sq. ft. of Ballrooms (all 3 ballrooms can be divided into 4 sections), a 21,290 sq. ft. arena with 9,816 seats, flexible outdoor space, 88 meeting rooms, 9 pre-function lobbies (210,475 total sq. ft.), a 1,750-seat theater with dressing rooms, 4,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, and seven new restaurants right outside the front doors No matter the occasion, Dallas is ready with more than 80,000 rooms and your pick of budget, boutique and luxury hotels. And no TEXAS When thinking of great beach destinations, Texas doesn't always spring to mind; Barbecue, boots, big hats, but not Bikinis. However, Texas' Gulf region expands over 600 miles of coastline, lined with seaside towns, incredible views and beaches. Where there are beach- es, music can't be far away. Austin, Texas bills itself as the "Live Music Capital of the World" and has nearly 200 live music venues around the city. When traveling to Austin, it's delightful to find your- self being entertained with live music while walking through the ter- minal at Austin's airport. Austin has the music, but no other city boasts such an unmistakable mix of preserved Western heritage and unrivaled artistic offerings as Fort Worth. Downtown Oklahoma Cherry Blossoms blooming in Waterfront Park, Portland