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B M & T ••• November/December 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 39 TEXAS CITIES TOP OF MIND FOR SAVVY PLANNERS BY BUCK SAMUELS When you think of Texas, most people conjure up images of Barbecue, boots, big hats and cowboys. But the Lone Star State offers much more, especially for meeting and incentive planners, including top-of-the-line accommodations and world-class high tech convention facili- ties. He are a few examples. ••FORT WORTH•• The City of Cowboys & Culture is the 16th-largest city in the United States and part of the No. 1 tourist destination in Texas, welcoming 8.8 million visitors annually. Fort Worth is comprised of seven primary entertainment districts each offering distinct dining, shopping, entertainment and cultural amenities. Within walking distance of 2,622 of Fort Worth's 13,477 hotel rooms, a vari- ety of delicious restaurants and fabulous shopping, and offering more than 250,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 13,500-seat arena, nearly 60,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and an impres- sive 28,160-sq. ft. ballroom, the Fort Worth Convention Center is the perfect venue for your next event. In only a few days you can enjoy a range of experiences: from NASCAR rac- ing to rodeos, world-class museums to cowboy cuisine, boutique shopping to a Top 5 zoo, biking to horseback riding. Be sure to block out enough time to explore the 35-block Sundance Square entertain- ment and shopping district, where both locals and visitors go for food, fun, live theater, shopping and big events such as the Main Street Arts Festival. Nestled inside the heart of one of the most pre- mier and walkable downtown settings in the United States is the newly developed 55,000-sq. ft. Sundance Square Plaza. The European-style plaza features a per- manent stage for concerts and movies; stunning water features; four 32-ft. tall Teflon umbrellas; restaurants, a high-end cigar bar, shopping and much more. Downtown Fort Worth is only 17.5 miles from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport offering 149 direct domestic connections, allowing you to reach any major city in the U.S. in less than four hours. ••DALLAS•• Dallas is a city with many sides. That's what makes it such a great place to meet in and visit. From shopping and sports to arts, culture and southwestern cuisine, there's something here for everyone. Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas is one of Trade Show Executive Magazine's top 10 convention centers. The KBHCCD is one of the largest in the nation and connects to the 1,100-room Omni Dallas Hotel via sky- bridge. The facility boasts 1 Million sq. ft. of exhibit space, 724,526 sq. ft. of which is contiguous and 403,310 of which is column free. KBHCCD also features 88 meeting rooms, 65,124 sq. ft. of ball- rooms (all 3 ballrooms can be divided into 4 sections), a 21,290 sq. ft. arena with 9,816 seats and a 1,750-seat theater. With more than 13,000 Downtown Dallas area hotel rooms (4,000 within walking distance), and 12 recently opened properties, Dallas has an accom- modation type and price point for every preference and budget. Area wide there are over 80,000 sleeping rooms and 35 new hotel projects are in the works, Dallas has more than 20 vibrant enter- tainment districts, each with its own per- sonality and a unique mix of attractions, flavors and entertainment options. So take a closer look at some of Dallas' most popular neighborhoods – from fam- ily-friendly offerings to vibrant nightlife to world-class arts to professional sports, you can do it all in Dallas! With a central North American loca- tion that puts you within 4 hours of any major city in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, it's no surprise that DFW International Airport is one of the world's busiest and fastest growing. With 1,800 flights daily to more than 170 destina- tions worldwide, DFW is one of the world's most convenient airports. AREA GUIDES • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Omni Ft. Worth Hotel 614 Sheraton Ft. Worth Hotel & Spa 429 Hilton Ft. Worth 294 DFW Airport Marriott South 291 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Fort Worth Convention Center total exhibit space 253,226 sq. ft. meeting rooms 41 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Fort Worth CVB – (800) 433-5747 www.fortworth.com Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce (817) 871-6538 T E X A S Fort Worth Stock Yard, a must for good food and enterainment when you visit Fort Worth Photo Credit: Fort Worth CVB