Museums & Attractions
- The 80,000-square-foot Nature Research Center wing is planned to open in April at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Featuring a three-story multimedia space displaying breaking science news, the addition will allow researchers to engage visitors, who can also become “citizen scientists” and conduct their own experiments. The museum is available for private event rental and can accommodate up to 1,550 guests. For more information, visit www.naturesearch.org.
- Dolly Parton plans to open a $50 million waterpark in Nashville in partnership with Gaylord Entertainment. The currently unnamed development will cover approximately 114 acres. The new waterpark is expected to break ground by early 2013 and could open as soon as summer 2014.
Destination Dispatch
- Earlier this year officials unveiled the 2025 master development plan for Houston’s 1.2 million-square-foot George R. Brown Convention Center. The long-term expansion plan includes three new hotels, located near each corner of the convention center property, with the goal of adding 2,000 rooms within walking distance. The Hilton Americas Houston, which opened in 2003, will anchor the fourth corner. For more information, visit www.houstonconventionctr.com.
- Landmark Restaurant at the Warwick Dallas Hotel reopened with new decor, a refreshed menu and an expanded wine selection. The 184-room Warwick offers 6,400 square feet of meeting and banquet space and recently upgraded its bar and guest rooms. For more information, visit www.warwick
dallas.com.
Tech Update
- Now available on iTunes, the Mississippi Blues Trail app allows users create custom trip itineraries and explore the rich musical heritage of the blues. Notable sites include roadsides, train depots, cemeteries, clubs and churches. Quick Response codes placed along the trail provide instant access to an interactive timline, videos and blues information. For more information, visit www.visitmississippi.org or www.msbluestrail.org.