Fort Worth is ever evolving. With explosive growth over the past 20 years, the city has maintained its local presence, casual scene and laid-back atmosphere, according to Tamara Musch (MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter).
“There’s truly something for everyone—from taking in a cattle drive in the Stockyards, viewing fine art at one of the many museums, dining in amazing local restaurants to shopping in local boutiques, Fort Worth offers plenty for all walks of life,” says Musch, the corporate event sales manager for Stockyards Station.
She says that Fort Worth is the perfect blend of cowboy culture and sophistication.
We have a variety of venues that can suit meetings from 10 to 10,000,” Musch says. “And our proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport makes Fort Worth a great location for attendees from all over the world.”
In fact, Fort Worth tends to fly below the radar in spite of it currently being the 15th-largest U.S. city and one of the nation’s fastest-growing large cities, says John Cychol (MPI At Large), FCDME, CTA, vice president of meeting sales for Visit Fort Worth.
And meeting and event planners have many choices for their corporate and social events because of the increase in new and recently renovated venues.
“Fort Worth’s charming and casual pace offers a high degree of intimacy for meeting attendees,” he says. “The downtown hotel package is compact, and the properties’ location to the Fort Worth Convention Center is convenient and walkable.”
Musch recommends selecting a venue that has the most to offer—what is the best “one-stop shop?”
“When I’ve personally hosted events, nothing is more frustrating than having to coordinate load in/load out between half a dozen vendors and the venue,” she says.
Musch says to also be on the lookout for venues that can offer multiple activities without having to bus out to a different venue (e.g., day meeting, historic highlight walking tour, cocktail hour, dinner, etc.).
“During my time in the event industry, I have seen a shift (especially in the last 10 years) of having corporate meetings and events be more experience based,” she says. “Gone are the days of staying inside of a hotel ballroom for three days on end and never getting to experience the city you are in.”
Meeting planners, Musch says, are working closely with city visitor bureaus to give their attendees a taste of the local culture.
“The authentic, yet modern western culture of Fort Worth always captivates planners,” Cychol says. “Visitors can witness the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive and view Michelangelo’s very first painting—all in one day. It’s truly a remarkable city where one can enjoy everything from western flair and cowboy cuisine to high-end art museums and a vibrant nightlife scene.”
With that in mind, let’s look at a few of Fort Worth’s latest developments.
Dickies Arena
The 14,000-seat Dickies Arena is scheduled to open in November. Located on the Will Rogers Memorial Center campus, the venue will play host to concerts, sporting events and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
“There is an immense loyalty to the beloved Will Rogers Memorial Center, and what’s special about Dickies Arena is that it will be a state-of-the-art facility, but maintain the art deco architectural influence of Will Rogers and be a complement to our western heritage,” Bill Thornton, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, told Construction Equipment Guide (CEG).
Dickies Arena will be available, too, for conventions, meetings and private events. Planners can expect event space sizes ranging from 685 square feet to 91,315 square feet.
“Although in the region we have AT&T Stadium in Arlington and American Airlines Center in Dallas, Fort Worth needed our own state-of-the-art venue,” Thornton told CEG. “We are looking forward to arena events attracting residents from the North Texas region and visitors from the entire Southwest to our cultural district, where the arena is situated, and introducing them to all we have to offer in Fort Worth.”
Magnolia Avenue
A new hotel and residential property had its groundbreaking in March 2018. The planned 138-room boutique hotel will be in Fort Worth’s Near Southside district along Magnolia Avenue, which is located five-plus minutes by car from downtown.
“This project represents the next stage of Magnolia Avenue’s regeneration and builds on the enormous progress that has been made there since the early 90s,” architect Michael Bennett said in a statement. “This will be a hotel like none other currently in the Fort Worth market and will showcase all that the Near Southside has to offer.”
The hotel will feature a restaurant and bar, a courtyard between the hotel lobby and the restaurant, a rooftop lounge with event space and 3,600 square feet of ground-level meeting and conference space. The hotel will be completed in late 2019.
“Visiting Magnolia Avenue in the Near Southside is a great way to experience, and taste, the local food scene,” Cychol says. “Mom-and-pop restaurants and shops are prominent along with a booming brewery and distillery scene.”
The Stockyards
An Autograph Collection property will debut in 2020. As part of the redevelopment of Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards, the four-star Hotel Drover will feature 200 guest rooms, 15,000 square feet of meeting space and an upscale barn for special events.
“The redevelopment of the Stockyards National Historic District will enhance the area’s offerings like never before,” Cychol says. “A staple tourism driver for the city is undergoing a positive enhancement, and we are excited to share it.”
Musch says she’s personally most excited about the Mule Alley restoration.
“Once completed, it will breathe new life into buildings that had been otherwise forgotten for decades and preserve the history and beauty of the Stockyards for future generations,” she says.
The US$175 million renovation and ground-up development project is a public/private partnership with the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County that has been meticulously designed over several years.
“My father, who passed away in 2014, would be so moved to see the care and thoughtfulness being poured into this new chapter in the Stockyards’ history. This is not just real estate development—it’s so much more,” Brad Hickman, son of Fort Worth Stockyards supporter and benefactor Holt Hickman and president of Hickman Investments, one of the organizations involved in the project, said in a statement. “This is a long-term investment, but more importantly a long-term commitment to revitalize an icon without changing the essence of what has always made it special.”
Taking inspiration from the Stockyards’ history, the developers plan to present a redevelopment that honors the popular destination’s heritage.
“The Stockyards present a unique challenge, but also a rare opportunity,” Craig Cavileer, executive vice president of Majestic Realty Co./Stockyards Heritage Development Co., said in a statement. “We knew from the moment we first visited the district over 20 years ago that this was a rare gem…a place people from all over the world visit for a taste of Texas and the West. Not just the animals and the buildings, although they’re a huge part of it, but the freedom, spirit and character of the cowboys, cowgirls and cattle culture that shaped Texas into what it is today. That’s a tall order as a developer, but also an inspirational one. We have never taken it lightly.”
The Foundry District
This hip new neighborhood in west Fort Worth is an extension of the Cultural District and is home to a collection of local murals, more than 40 businesses, an outdoor event space and dining.
Some of the area’s recent and upcoming openings include Meyer & Sage, with boutique catering and cooking classes, and the 6,500-square-foot Blackland Distillery, with a tasting room and a full-menu cocktail bar.
“We experienced a food renaissance over the last 15 years, the craft beer renaissance is still upon us and consumers are now paying more attention to spirits as the cocktail returns to prominence,” Markus Kypreos, Blackland’s founder, said in a statement. “But today, the public has more sophisticated palates. We’re going to push the envelope in terms of the distillation process with practical scientific methods to create unique spirits, while maintaining a refined flavor and taste.”
Other Notable Developments
The Sinclair hotel (part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection) will open in Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth in May. This restored boutique hotel will offer 164 guest rooms, The Wicked Butcher restaurant and 444 square feet of meeting space.
The 16,000-square-foot FOODHALL at Crockett Row opened in Fort Worth’s Cultural District in December. It features several dining options from notable chefs, such as Abe Froman’s of Fort Worth (Chef Victor Villarreal), Butler’s Cabinet (Chef Joshua Harmon) and Knife Burger (Chef John Tesar). There are several options at Crockett Row for planners to book private events.
The Fort Worth Zoo is undergoing a $100 million expansion, and one of its first stages includes the newly opened African Savanna. Using 10 acres of existing zoo property, visitors can walk through and see giraffes, ostriches, zebras and other animals in one location. There is also an elevated deck for giraffe feeding, an underwater hippo viewing area, restaurants and event space for up to 1,000 attendees.
River East, a 276-acre, mixed-use space three miles west of downtown, is in development. According to the Fort Worth CVB, it “will include residential, restaurants and entertainment along the Trinity River. River East will also be home to Crystal Springs on the River, a new outdoor amphitheater and entertainment center with restaurants, live music venues, shops and access to the Trinity River.”
Located 10 minutes by car from downtown is the recently opened Whiskey Ranch distillery. Housed on the Glen Garden Country Club golf course where Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson once played, Whiskey Ranch offers planners group tours, a bar and tasting room and the Oak Room, which can accommodate up to 175 seated guests for events.
The Story Never Ends
Cychol says the work of telling Fort Worth’s story is never done, and that it’s the people who make the place.
“The hospitable nature of the residents has often been cited as one of the most memorable parts of a visitor’s stay,” Cychol says. “I love the ‘small town’ feel and how everyone is excited to collaborate in an effort to elevate the city. One of the greatest things about Fort Worth is how convenient it is to get around. My wife and I love walking from our home in the Near Southside to any number of nearby restaurants for brunch or dinner.”
SIDEBAR
Tried-and-True Options
While not necessarily new, the following options provided by Visit Fort Worth are worthy for planners to consider when planning events in the city.
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden offers multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for events.
Fort Worth Blackhouse is unique for events and meetings in that it’s actually someone’s home. The owners open their house for event rentals, cooking demos, fashion shows and other types of events, making it a great option for a cocktail hour with food and drink inspired and produced by local chefs and mixologists.
The city’s history of aviation comes to life for events at the Vintage Flying Museum, the Fort Worth Aviation Museum and the C.R. Smith Museum.
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art will have renovations complete this spring. They offer rentable event space.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Kimbell Art Museum have auditoriums available for meetings and screenings along with group event spaces.
The Fort Worth Zoo’s MOLA (Museum of Living Art) can be a fun twist on culture in a creepy-crawly kind of way for up to 175 attendees.
The Bass Performance Hall is available for special events, evening receptions and more.
Working with the Fort Worth Opera, Fort Worth Symphony and local art collectives can help incorporate the city’s culture into an event. All organizations are open to events and pop-ups. For example, with notice, the Fort Worth Opera could arrange Opera Shots, a cocktail hour serenaded by opera singers.
