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THE PERECT BLEND OF WESTRN CULTURE AND MEETING AMENITIES BY SONYA STINSON Visitors to Fort Worth can experience the quintessential Texas cowboy culture and the contemporary entertainment scene side by side. From the Stockyards National Historic District to the shops, restaurants and live theater and music venues in Sundance Square, Fort Worth serves up a Texas-sized menu of things to see and do. Meeting groups will find sizable accommodations at the Fort Worth Convention Center, which offers more than 230,000 square feet of flexible event space at its sdowntown facility. The cur- rent specs include a 28,000-square foot ballroom, dozens of meeting rooms, a large exhibit hall and an arena that holds up to 13,000 people. A major expansion and modernization underway through 2029 will bring a host of enhancements to the convention center. Phase I of the project, targeted for completion in early 2026, will feature new food and bever- age facilities, six additional loading docks and road work in preparation for a new convention center headquarters hotel. The convention center is just 30 min- utes from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and two blocks from Fort Worth Central Station, the city's Amtrak and Greyhound bus depot. TEXRail provides commuter rail transportation between the airport and downtown. At least 15 downtown hotels are within walking dis- tance of the convention center. Altogether, there are more than 4,000 hotel rooms in the city's walkable down- town area. Those who prefer to ride than walk can hop on a free Molly the Trolley to reach hotels and area attractions. The 37-block Sundance Square enter- tainment district, just a three-minute stroll from the convention center, showcases both the historical western architecture of Lonestar State and modern design. Along with shopping, dining and live entertain- ment, Sundance Square is the site of the Sid Richardson Western Art Museum and Bass Performance Hall, which offers rentable space for meetings and other events. Other unique event venues in the downtown/Sundance Square area include the historic Ashton Depot, Century Hall and the Chateau at Forest Park. Groups can also rent space for meetings in the Jubilee Theatre, which is considered one of the premier African American theaters in the Southwest, as well as take in one of its live musical, drama or comedy per- formances. The Fort Worth Water Gardens, one of the city's most iconic attractions, is only steps away from the convention center. Outside the downtown core lie several other districts and neighborhoods well- worth exploring. Visitors to the Stockyards can shop, dine and witness the world's only twice-daily cattle drive. Nighttime entertainment options in the old cattleman hangout include western- style saloons and the enormous Billy Bob's Texas entertainment center. The Cultural District, a few miles west of downtown, is home to several art and history museums, as well as restaurants, nightlife and other attractions. The Near Southside, known as the city's most eclectic district, features an assortment of shops, galleries, restau- rants, live entertainment venues, craft breweries, pubs and more. A number of the visitor attractions in these areas—such as the Cultural District's Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Japanese Gardens, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and Fort Worth Zoo and the Near Southside's Thistle Hill, a museum that was once the home of a Texas cattle baron—offer accommodations for groups seeking unique and memorable settings for offsite events. Fort Worth Connvention Center photo credit: Fort Worth C,C FORT WORTH AREA GUIDES • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Omni Fort Worth 618 Worthington Renaissance 504 Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown 431 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Fort Worth Convention Center Total Meeting Space 60,000 sq. ft. Largest Hall 56,508 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 28,160 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 38 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Fort Worth (817) 336-8791 https://www.fortworth.com/ B M & T ••• January/February 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 49