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FORT WORTH: EASY ARRIVALS, SERIOUS CAPACITY BY JONATHAN BROWN Fort Worth gives planners what mat- ters most: reach, room, and reliability. Downtown is compact and walkable, framed by Sundance Square and the Fort Worth Water Gardens with hotels clus- tered within minutes of meeting space. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport sits about 25 miles away, and Trinity Metro's TEXRail links Terminal B to downtown in roughly fifty to fifty five minutes. That pre- dictable transfer helps attendees arrive calm and on time for opening sessions. The bureau calls downtown a ten-minute town for quick transfers. The Fort Worth Convention Center sits at the core. The building delivers more than two hundred fifty thousand square feet of exhibit space, a ballroom of rough- ly twenty eight thousand square feet, and dozens of breakout rooms. A district wide expansion is in motion while the facility remains open. Phase 2 carries a public investment of about six hundred six mil- lion dollars, targets completion in the early 2030s, and positions the neighbor- hood for stronger hotel integration and smoother loading. Program flow downtown is simple. Sundance Square Plaza can stage opening night receptions, sponsor showcases, or concerts, then funnel guests to restau- rants that handle group service. The Water Gardens next to the center offer settings for leadership portraits or morn- ing stretch sessions. Wayfinding is intu- itive, security is steady, and the walk from ballrooms to off site venues stays short even on tight turnarounds. For high production programs, Dickies Arena raises the ceiling. The bowl seats up to fourteen thousand, the event floor measures 28,915 square feet, and interior meeting areas total about 86,900 square feet. Clubs and lobbies convert into reception space for VIPs and sponsors, and an outdoor plaza gives planners another option for large- scale gatherings. On the north side, the Stockyards pair legend with logistics. Historic halls and modern restorations across Mule Alley handle board meet- ings, receptions, and mid size dinners with solid back of house. Hotel inventories match the assign- ment. Omni Fort Worth lists a ballroom and extensive junior ballrooms and break- outs. The Worthington Renaissance, Hilton Fort Worth, AC Hotel, and Kimpton Harper round out room blocks, each within an easy stroll of dining at Sundance Square. These footprints keep attendees together, shorten travel times between sessions, and support more face time with exhibitors. Context for long range planning: city materials point to removal of the old arena at the convention center, straight- ening of Commerce Street, and the potential addition of a district hotel as plans mature. For pre and post options, Grapevine's wine trail sits minutes from the airport, and pro sports across the Trinity allow quick group outings without long transfers. In the end, Fort Worth's advantage is friction control. A major air hub, reliable rail, steady highway times, and an effi- cient, walkable core remove guesswork from the show plan. Add culinary teams who understand group service, a roster of notable Black owned businesses ready for buyouts and offsites, and vendors that work fast, and you have a city built to execute. 50 B M & T ••• November/December 2025 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com Fort Worth Convention Center copy AREA GUIDES F O R T W O R T H • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS AC Hotel Fort Worth – Downtown 252 Courtyard by Marriott – Blackstone 203 Hilton Fort Worth 294 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Fort Worth Convention Center Total Meeting Space 253,000 sq. ft. Largest Hall 58,800 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 28,100 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 38 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Fort Worth – (800) 433-5747 www.fortworth.com photo credit: Fort Worth C.C.