The rolling open spaces of the Panhandle Plains are true Americana, birthplace of Buddy Holly and the Texas stretch of Route 66. Frontier ranch heritage is alive and well in Abilene, Wichita Falls, Lubbock and Amarillo.
Big Bend Country in West Texas is home to the stark beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert with its cacti and tumbleweeds, the peaks and valleys of Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend national parks, plus the majesty of the Rio Grande. Its cities of El Paso, Midland and Odessa are urban alternatives.
Although they’re spread across a vast area, the cities of the central and western part of Texas have two things in common: a dedication to authentic Southern hospitality and the goal of offering planners the best value for their money.
Abilene
The city of Abilene prides itself on friendliness. Bustling with three universities and Dyess Air Force Base, the city’s historic downtown and several developing neighborhoods offer a warm welcome to meetings.
"In Abilene, a meeting is more than an event, it’s a happening," says Nanci Liles, executive director of the Abilene CVB. "Historic venues fill our downtown area and give breakout rooms a whole new meaning. Off-premise functions at Frontier Texas! or area ranches make meetings memorable and add a feel of our Western heritage."
The latest news in Abilene is a brand-new university conference center that increases the city’s capacity for midsize meetings.
"The Hunter Welcome Center at Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a beautiful welcome and conference facility encompassing 57,000 square feet," Liles says. "Hotel development has created a 25 percent increase in hotels, including growth near ACU, and the modern conference center is a new opportunity for event and meeting planners."
The center, which opened in 2009, can welcome groups as large as 1,880 for receptions.
Other large event venues are Abilene Civic Center, which can accommodate as many as 1,800, and Taylor County Expo Center, which offers a 30,000-square-foot coliseum and a 45,000-square-foot outdoor arena.
Insider Insights - Central and West Texas
The historic downtown offers a number of attractions that double as off-site venues. Grace Museum, actually three museums housed in a 1909 building, can accommodate groups as large as 200. The 1,199-seat Paramount Theatre is a 1930 movie palace in Spanish-Moorish style. The elegant ballroom at the Elks Art Center can host groups as large as 150.
When it’s time to unwind, attendees will enjoy bowling and miniature golf at Primetime Entertainment Complex, where groups of 300 are welcome. Abilene Zoo, home to 160 species, is also a popular attraction.
Abilene positions itself as a meetings destination where planners get their money’s worth. To that end, the CVB is offering a couple of deals designed to attract more meetings in 2011.
The Abilene CVB will underwrite the rental cost of the civic center if the event can’t be accommodated at a hotel. The CVB will also underwrite 50 percent of meeting space fees at any historic downtown venue for meetings booked in 2010 and held in 2010 or 2011. To qualify, the meeting must not be able to be accommodated at a hotel, and 70 percent of attendees must be from out of town.
Smaller functions can find deals at meetings-friendly properties such as MCM Elegante Suites and Hilton Garden Inn.
Wichita Falls
North of Abilene near the Oklahoma border, Wichita Falls works hard to live up to its promise of hospitality, from citywide free parking to budget-friendly accommodations to the smiles on the faces of its residents.
"Wichita Falls is a growing city with numerous attractions, but we have not lost sight of that hometown feel," says Lindsay Greer, director of the Wichita Falls CVB. "People will greet you on the streets, you’ll find it’s easy to get around, and we’re just a hospitable city. The CVB always strives to offer groups assistance with their meeting needs, whether through sponsorships, discounts on attractions and outings, or assistance from our volunteers with registration or greeting delegates. Plus, we can plan lots of unique outings for your group, from wine tasting and golf to a historical tour around the city on one of our modernized vintage trolleys."
Wichita has been enjoying a boom in hotel growth that is making it more appealing than ever as a small meetings destination.
"Wichita Falls has just recently opened several new hotels within minutes of our convention center," Greer says. "One of these properties is the Courtyard by Marriott, complete with The Bistro dining and lounge area and innovative amenities. We are also proud of the new Holiday Inn Express, located on the same property as the beautiful Wellington Banquet and Conference Center. These, along with several other newer properties, make the perfect setting for smaller group meetings."
The banquet center, which opened in September 2009, offers 9,300 square feet of meeting space and a 2,300-square-foot outdoor terrace with a stone fireplace.
Wichita Falls Multi-Purpose Events Center (MPEC), the city’s largest venue, can host groups as large as 2,000. Larger meetings hotels include Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, with 10,000 square feet of meeting space, and Inn by the Falls, with 6,000 square feet of function space.
The historic Wichita Theatre Performing Arts Center recently completed a $300,000 renovation. The facility is available for event rentals.
River Bend Nature Center completed an expansion project in late 2008. The attraction features a butterfly conservatory, and group meeting space includes a 6,000-square-foot covered outdoor pavilion and an 1,800-square-foot classroom space.
Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University is a suitable venue for smaller groups.
Amarillo
The north panhandle city of Amarillo combines affordability, unique attractions and a growing hotel portfolio to make an attractive meetings package.
"The unique flavor we have in Amarillo is our Western heritage coupled with our love of the arts," says Rick Matchett, director of sales at the Amarillo CVC. "Palo Duro Canyon State Park is the second-largest canyon in the United States and hosts the outdoor musical drama Texas each summer. We also have one of the best amusement parks in the state, Wonderland Park, and we dare anyone to try and eat the 72-oz. steak at the famous Big Texan Steak Ranch. What makes Amarillo memorable and special is the mild weather, the beautiful skyline and the friendliest people on Earth. You may be a stranger when you arrive, but you’ll be a friend when you leave."
Growth on the horizon includes a new Courtyard by Marriott later this year, located near the convention center and Historic Polk Street, and a full-service Holiday Inn with 3,000 square feet of meeting space scheduled for 2011.
Amarillo Civic Center is the top event venue, with 340,000 square feet of function space. Meetings hotels include the Ambassador and the Holiday Inn Amarillo.
In Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Pioneer Amphitheatre, home of Texas, is available for rental. The outdoor theater is carved out of rock and can seat more than 1,500. Group tickets for the show are 10 percent to 15 percent off for 20 or more.
Amarillo Botanical Gardens offers an auditorium that can seat 250 as well as another space that can host 75.
The recently renovated American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum and Sunset Art Gallery are two other potential off-site locations offering distinct local flavor.
Matchett sees a bright future for Amarillo as increased value brings more meetings to the growing city.
"I see our area continuing to grow as a meetings destination because of our growth with new hotels," he says. "As the economy rebounds, the larger markets’ pricing will increase, which will help Amarillo to attract meetings based on our affordability. The trend in the meetings market is that everyone is looking to get the most for every dollar without sacrificing efficiency of services."
Lubbock
The thriving regional hub city of Lubbock features 4,800 hotel rooms, easy access by car or plane, and a number of diverse attractions sure to appeal to any group.
"Lubbock offers true West Texas hospitality and the conveniences of a large convention city with small-town charm. Meeting planners enjoy the ease of getting around the city with less traffic and stress," says Abie Cox, director of communications at Visit Lubbock. "Lubbock is the home of Texas Tech University, Buddy Holly, unique shopping and dining, and a legendary ranching and music heritage. Lubbock is also known for being the ‘Hub City of the South Plains,’ the cotton capital of Texas, the center of a flourishing wine industry and home to a major health care center."
Recent developments have included significant additions and improvements to the city’s meeting space inventory. Overton Hotel and Conference Center, which offers 303 guest rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space, opened in July 2009. A new Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites was added in March 2010, La Quinta Inn and Suites North is currently expanding, and the 2,803-seat City Bank Auditorium is kicking off a renovation project this summer.
Larger venues include the 300,000-square-foot Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, the 15,000-seat United Spirit Arena and the Arena Concourse, with a 31,900-square-foot floor. Holiday Inn Park Plaza, Holiday Inn Hotel and Towers and Lubbock Regency are among the city’s largest meetings hotels.
Planners can bring some green into the mix with a meeting at American Wind Power Center. This dynamic museum preserves and displays 150 rare windmills and other wind power artifacts.
The National Ranching Heritage Center and the Buddy Holly Center are also well worth a group visit.
Midland
Midland, along with nearby Odessa, are conveniently located on Interstate 20 between Fort Worth and El Paso.
"Midland, Texas, is a warm and inviting city that is truly an oasis in West Texas," says Christopher M. Havins, convention sales manager at the Midland CVB. "Our friendly city features over 185,000 square feet of meeting space, several unique museums, delicious food and exciting music and nightlife. Midland brings together everything you would want in a modern city without the inconvenience of traffic congestion."
In the past three years, Midland has added eight new hotels for an increase of 2,700 rooms. Downtown revitalization projects have also improved the pedestrian experience around the convention center.
Midland Center offers 12,500 square feet of column-free exhibit space. Centennial Plaza, located adjacent to the center, is a beautifully landscaped amphitheater. Midland County Horseshoe Arena provides 35,000 square feet of space for trade shows and conventions.
Larger meetings hotels include Hilton Midland Plaza and Clarion Hotel and Conference Center.
The Petroleum Museum can host groups as large as 500 against a backdrop devoted to the geology and industry that made this part of Texas famous.
The world-renowned American Airpower Heritage Museum and Commemorative Air Force Museum are dedicated to preserving World War II artifacts, including the world’s largest collection of nose art. The 40,000-square-foot museum is available for event rentals.
Museum of the Southwest, which is housed in Turner Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, can accommodate groups as large as 1,500 for events. The museum boasts a collection of more than 12,000 works of art with a focus on early contemporary Southwestern and Native American pieces.
Odessa
Oil put Odessa on the map, but Shakespeare and an eight-foot rabbit make the "City of Contrasts" entirely unique. TV’s popular Friday Night Lights is based on a book chronicling the winning Permian Panthers football team in 1988 in Odessa.
In the next two years, Odessa will be opening a number of new hotels as well as an exciting new events venue. A new Hilton Garden Inn and a Super 8 are slated for completion in 2010, as well as a La Quinta Inn in 2011. In 2012, the Wagner-Noel Performing Arts Center will open as a joint project between the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) and private investors.
Meetings properties in Odessa include MCM Grande Hotel and Fundome, MCM Elegante and Best Western Garden Oasis.
The 42-acre complex at Ector County Coliseum offers an 8,000-seat arena and 145,000 square feet of exhibit space.
The Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest is a replica of Shakespeare’s legendary theater of the Elizabethan era. The octagonal 410-seat facility is the home of the Southwest Shakespeare Festival and is available for rentals. A nearby replica of Ann Hathaway’s cottage can host groups of 100.
Other attractions include the world’s largest statue of a jack rabbit; a Stonehenge replica on the UTPB campus; and the 550-foot wide Odessa Meteor Crater, located 10 miles west of the city.
El Paso
Located in the westernmost corner of the state on the Rio Grande, just across the Mexican border from Ciudad Juarez and against the state border with New Mexico, El Paso is a striking mountain city.
"El Paso is a unique city with over 400 years of colorful history," says Pifas Silva, communications manager at the El Paso CVB. "We are very different from other parts of Texas and provide a different experience for meeting delegates. With over 8,000 hotel rooms and an international airport with more than 60 daily flights, the city is easy to get to, and El Paso is in the midst of its Downtown Plan, a downtown revitalization project."
Doubletree El Paso Downtown/City Center opened recently to add 200 guest rooms and seven meeting rooms to the city’s inventory. The long-anticipated opening of the boutique property Artisan Hotel was finally celebrated in March 2010. The hotel has 76 guest rooms and is located in downtown El Paso.
El Paso Convention Center is the city’s largest meeting space, with over 120,000 square feet and a new shade canopy completed in March. Judson F. Williams Convention Center offers 80,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space and 17 breakout rooms. Other choices include the 2,500-seat Abraham Chavez Theater, the recently renovated Historic Plaza Theatre, which seats 2,000, and the outdoor McKelligon Amphitheatre, which seats 1,500.
Larger meetings hotels include Camino Real Hotel, Hilton El Paso Airport, El Paso Marriott and Embassy Suites.
El Paso is within driving distance of the state’s two spectacular national parks: Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. The city’s history can be explored with visits to its many carefully preserved Spanish missions, and plentiful golf courses and wineries offer great group outing options.
Kelly Crumrin is a freelance writer who hopes to one day canoe the Rio Grande through Big Bend National Park.
