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B M & T ••• May/June 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 46 For more information contact Visit Austin at (866)GO AUSTIN, (512) 474-5171 or www.austintexas.org. ccc DALLAS ccc Meeting Planners need more than an event, they need an elevated experience that will keep attendees as entertained as they are informed. Dallas is the perfect city to help achieve both. The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas has one million sq. ft. of exhibit space, 724,526 sq. ft. of which is con- tiguous. Other features of the Center are: 403, 310 sq. ft. of col- umn free exhibit space; 65,124 sq. ft. of ballrooms, all three of which can be subdivided into four sections; a 21,290-sq. ft. arena with 9,816 seats; and flexible outdoor space. The facility is one of the largest in the nation and connects to the 1001- room Omni Dallas Hotel via skybridge. With more than 20 vibrant entertainment districts, each with its unique vibe and attractions, even the most diverse of groups will be pleasantly surprised by the number of ways they can fill their free time. Don't miss the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center when it honors MLK with a weekend-long celebration every January. The festivities begin with the MLK Celebration Fair, a college, health and career fair hybrid held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. The MLK Candlelight Ceremony is an evening event featuring a keynote speaker and vigil honoring Dr. King. The weekend ends with the MLK Parade through South Dallas featuring marching bands, dance teams and colorful floats. All events are free to attend. There's always something exciting happening in Dallas. When meetings for the day are done, make sure to include Dallas' African-American cultural attractions on your itiner- ary, everything from the African-American Museum, Freedman's Cemetery Memorial and The Bishop Arts Theatre Center, to taking the Civil Rights Self-Guided Tour and visiting The Black Academy of Arts and Letters and Remembering Black Dallas. Dallas boasts six professional sports teams consisting of The Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers, Stars, Wings, and FC Dallas — no wonder si.com named Dallas one of the best sports cities in the U.S. Visitors will find everything from wild game to BBQ to Southern Classics in Dallas' 12,000 restaurants, along with plen- ty of iconic establishments by award-winning celebrity chefs. Dallas has more than 80,000 total hotel rooms with more than 13,000 of those in downtown. No matter the occasion, you can pick from a variety of budget, boutique and luxury hotels to meet the needs of your group. The 68-acre Dallas Arts District is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the U.S. From the Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center to the Meyerson Symphony Center and Wyly Theatre, there's no shortage of visual and per- forming arts to experience. If you love the outdoors, Dallas has more than 200 golf courses (and more than 284 days of sunshine to try them all). Dallas is less than a three-hour flight from most destinations in the U.S., and its two major airports support more than 2,200 daily flights. Visitors can take the DART light rail from both air- ports to Downtown Dallas. To get around the city, the DART bus service, plus the free McKinney Avenue Trolley and D- Link bus, connect to popular neighborhoods and attractions. For more information: VisitDallas — DallasDelivers.com or (800) 232-5527 ccc FORT WORTH ccc The City of Cowboys and Culture welcomes business and leisure travelers from around the world to experience the great American West and rich arts and culinary treasures this desti- nation has to offer. Within walking distance of thousands of downtown Fort Worth hotel rooms, a variety of incredible restaurants and fab- ulous shopping, and offering 253,226 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 38 meeting rooms, the Fort Worth Convention Center is the perfect venue for your next event. Fort Worth has a proud place among America's most pro- gressive cities. Each year, diverse communities come together for multicultural events that celebrate the city's rich heritage. Explore the varied offerings of Fort Worth's famous African-American cowboy on cow drive to the Ft. Worth stock yard Dallas Entertainment District T E X A S G O L D S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N