ARLINGTON

Recently opened on Aug. 9, 2018, Texas Live! is a new $1 billion-plus entertainment and dining district located between Globe Life Park and AT&T Stadium. Venues include the 30,000-square-foot, 5,000-capacity Arlington Backyard for open-air events. Slated for 2019, the anchoring $150 million, 302-room Live! By Loews hotel will offer 35,000 square feet of flexible group space. This includes the Grand Event Center, featuring a 1,500-capacity grand ballroom, 1,500-square-foot outdoor terrace and Revolver Brewing.

DALLAS

Slated for summer 2019, the tour-capable Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance is building a new 55,000-square-foot permanent home in downtown’s historic West End.

In 2019, the anticipated Virgin Hotels Dallas will also debut. This $80 million lifestyle hotel in Dallas’ Design District will offer 200 rooms, event venues that include the brand’s flagship Commons Club, F&B outlets and a rooftop terrace with pool.

Following a three-year, $255 million update, the landmark 1956 Statler Hilton reopened in October 2017 as the 159-room Statler Dallas. Blending Mid-Century Modern homages with advanced technology, the Hilton-flagged property offers 33,000 square feet of group space, including the regal Grand Ballroom.

FORT WORTH

Located at the Will Rogers Memorial Center Complex 10 minutes from downtown, the $450 million Dickies Arena  is scheduled to open in November 2019. Offering expansive outdoor and exhibition space, the 14,000-seat multipurpose venue will host the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, concerts and NCAA tournaments beginning in 2022.

The new $1 billion TEXRail rail project, linking downtown Fort Worth with DFW International Airport, is now in operation.

FRISCO

The 110-room Hotel Indigo Frisco opened in spring 2018 with two meeting rooms for up to 50 people.

The 185-room Drury Inn & Suites Dallas Frisco opened in fall 2017, offering six meeting rooms, the largest accommodating 180 attendees theater-style.

Opened in summer 2017 at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, the 300-room Omni Frisco Hotel offers 24,000 square feet of versatile space, including a 400-capacity outdoor event terrace.

GRAPEVINE

Slated for late 2019, construction began in March 2018 on Grapevine Main, a $105 million development in Grapevine’s historic downtown. Part of the new TEXRail commuter line, the project incorporates a 19th century-style five-story rail station with food hall and event space; 21-room Hotel Vin, an Autograph Collection by Marriott property; and 38,000-square-foot outdoor event plaza accommodating 3,500 guests.  

Unveiled in May 2018, the new 303-room Vineyard Tower at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center (www.marriott.com) boosts total resort inventory to 1,814 guest rooms. The expansion includes 86,000 square feet of new meeting space, increasing total resort space to approximately 490,000 square feet. Highlights include 30,000 square feet of carpeted breakout space, the new 30,000-square-foot Tate Ballroom and a large outdoor terrace overlooking Lake Grapevine.

IRVING

Over a decade in the making, Irving’s visionary three-phase convention district is almost complete. With the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas as its cornerstone, the complex officially opened the Toyota Music Factory in April 2018. Soft-launched in fall 2017, this $200 million development features the Live Nation-operated Pavilion, an indoor/outdoor amphitheater with versatile 2,500-seat, 4,000-seat and 8,000-seat configurations. Plus it offers some 25 restaurants; a 50,000-square-foot event plaza; and officially opened in May 2018, an eight-screen Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Set to open in January 2019, the $113 million, 350-room Westin Irving Convention Center Hotel at Las Colinas is the crowning component. Adjacent to the convention center, the full-service property will offer 16,000 square feet of space, including a grand ballroom, three banquet rooms and two boardrooms.

The convention district is also getting a retro-styled boutique from the internationally recognized Houston-based Valencia Group. Slated for fall 2018, the 152-room Texican Court, steps from the convention center, will offer 3,500 square feet of indoor meeting and event space. The hotel’s design is inspired by the theme song from the epic 1966 Clint Eastwood spaghetti western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

MESQUITE

The 96-suite TownePlace Suites Dallas Mesquite is a new extended-stay option across from the Mesquite Convention Center.

PLANO

In July 2018, the Plano City Council approved a proposed four-star Radisson hotel at the award-winning Plano Event Center. Targeting a spring 2020 opening, plans call for a connected 175-room property with a full-service restaurant, meeting space and the latest technology.

Canada’s Sandman Hotel Group makes its U.S. debut with the anticipated fall 2018 opening of the 253-room Sandman Signature Plano, with 4,200 square feet of space in five meeting rooms and two restaurants.

Greater Houston

HOUSTON

Opened in March 2018, the 250-room The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston is part of a new vertically integrated, mixed-use development from Tilman J. Fertitta, chairman, CEO and sole owner of Landry’s, Golden Nugget Casinos and the Houston Rockets. Housed in a 38-story tower, the five-star property, aiming to be Texas’ only Forbes Five Star-rated hotel, offers a 16,000-square-foot, 1,200-capacity Grand Ballroom with two prefunction areas and a 3,000-square-foot, 220-capacity ballroom. Five-star amenities include private dining for 12 to 100 guests, and a forthcoming 12,000-square-foot spa.

Multiple other hotel projects include the $30 million renovation of the 378-room Omni Houston Hotel, offering 40,000 square feet of space. The new 353-room InterContinental Houston Medical Center (www.ihg.com/intercontinental) will offer 11,800 square feet of space, including a 7,800-square-foot ballroom. Both are slated for late 2018.

THE WOODLANDS

Offering four meeting rooms, the luxurious 70-room boutique Hyatt Centric The Woodlands is finalizing its full-scale $2.5 million renovation.  

SAN ANTONIO/HILL COUNTRY

FREDERICKSBURG

Slated to break ground in fall 2018, Seven Hills Resort and Conference Center will become Fredericksburg’s first full-service hotel, with 150 hotel rooms and 11 standalone units. The $76 million development will reportedly offer at least 17,500 square feet of conference space, including a 12,000-square-foot ballroom, six breakout rooms and outdoor event space.

SAN ANTONIO

With new routes from United, Southwest and Frontier among a record number of additional nonstop flights recently announced, San Antonio International Airport unveiled its new $178 million Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CONRAC), centralizing 14 rental car companies in a 1.8 million-square-foot on-site location.  

Grand Hyatt San Antonio celebrated its 10th anniversary in March 2018 by completing a $19 million renovation. Design and technology upgrades include all 1,003 guest rooms and 115,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, plus lobby, bar and corridors.

Hemisfair, site of the 1968 World’s Fair, is undergoing a phased renovation to enhance the downtown experience. Featuring a 4.1-acre play environment with F&B outlets, Yanaguana Garden is now open. Underway and slated for 2021, Phase Two includes a 200-room Curio by Hilton hotel, office space, retail, dining and cultural amenities, all steps from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

Targeting 2019, construction is underway on the $116 million Thompson San Antonio and The Arts Residences. The high-rise tower, on the River Walk facing the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, will include 167 hotel rooms and a 3,600-square-foot ballroom.

Scheduled for late 2019, a new 195-room Canopy by Hilton will offer 3,000 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant with an outdoor terrace overlooking the River Walk.

AUSTIN AREA

AUSTIN

Opened in March 2018, the 37-story, $370 million Fairmont Austin comes with 1,048 guest rooms and suites and nearly 140,000 square feet of total meeting space. Directly accessing the Austin Convention Center, venues include two 25,000-plus-square-foot ballrooms, 40,000 square feet of prefunction space and 21,000-square-foot outdoor deck.

As of May 2018, the city’s continuing hotel boom is projected to add more than 1,200 new rooms, reaching 40,655 rooms citywide by 2019 and 42,400 citywide by 2020. Multiple 2019 openings include the 245-room Proper Hotel Austin, offering 12,500 square feet of space.

Summer 2020 sees the anticipated debut of the 613-room Austin Marriott Downtown across from the Austin Convention Center, offering 60,000-plus square feet of meeting space, a rooftop pool, three bars and locally inspired restaurants.

COLLEGE STATION

Scheduled for August 2018, Benchmark Resorts & Hotels’ new 252,500-square-foot Doug Pitcock ’49 Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center opened with 250 luxury guest rooms and suites and 35,000 square feet of IACC-certified space on the Texas A&M University campus. Venues include 22 flexible meeting rooms, an 8,300-square-foot ballroom for up to 1,000 guests and a rooftop pool overlooking Kyle Field.

ROUND ROCK

In May 2018, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions broke ground on its fourth U.S. resort. Set on 350 acres, the $550 million project, slated for late 2020, will include 990 guest rooms and at 223,000 square feet, America’s largest indoor waterpark. The 220,000-square-foot convention center will include a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, 16 meeting rooms and 50,000 square feet of outdoor space.  

BEAUMONT

Following a $12 million renovation, the Holiday Inn East Medical Center recently reopened with 161 refreshed rooms and suites. Plus, the property offers versatile new meeting spaces, including the 200-capacity Neches Room.

GALVESTON

Built in 1866, the Carr Mansion reopened in July 2018 as an eight-room B&B following an extensive renovation. This treasured local landmark is available for meetings and private events.

In February 2018, the historic Tremont House unveiled The Quarters, its new $1.2 million extended-stay property. Located across the street in the 1858 Berlocher Building, the property’s 14 luxurious one- and two-bedroom suites target guests planning five-day to month-long occupancies.

The Tremont House’s sister property, Hotel Galvez & Spa, recently completed a $300,000 pool area
renovation.

PORT ARANSAS

Port Aransas is taking steps toward developing a 21,000-square-foot, 2,000-capacity conference center with a 200-room hotel, full-service restaurant, retail and more.

WEST/CENTRAL TEXAS

ABILENE

With an estimated construction period of 18 months, groundbreaking is scheduled for early 2019 on a 206-room headquarters hotel with 18,000 square feet of meeting space adjacent to the Abilene Convention Center.  

Slated for fall 2020, the phased redevelopment of the Taylor County Expo Center will support larger meetings, concerts and equestrian and livestock events.

AMARILLO

Opened in September 2017 across from the Amarillo Civic Center Complex, the 226-room Embassy Suites Downtown Amarillo offers nearly 19,000 square feet of versatile meeting space, include a 10,000-square-foot ballroom.

In spring 2017, Amarillo’s iconic Big Texan Steak Ranch opened its new group-capable Starlight Ranch Event Center featuring live music, dining, a zipline, a giant maze and more.

EL PASO

November 2018 will see the anticipated relaunch of the former Camino Real Hotel as the 350-room Hotel Paso Del Norte by Marriott following a $100 million renovation. Directly across from the El Paso Convention Center, the property will offer a grand ballroom, junior ballroom and breakout rooms. Plus, a rooftop pool/lounge area, full-service spa and three restaurants.  

Slated for August 2018, the new $18 million, 151-room Courtyard El Paso Downtown/Convention Center has 765 square feet of meeting space in two rooms.

The 131-room luxury boutique Plaza Hotel—Conrad Hilton’s first high-rise hotel, a 19-story Art Deco-style tower from 1930—is targeting spring 2019 for a  $78 million transformation.

Another El Paso heirloom, the historic Bassett Tower, relaunched in June 2018 as the 89-room Aloft El Paso Downtown with three meeting rooms.

LUBBOCK

Targeting an early 2020 opening, the $155 million, 218,000-square-foot Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will include a 2,200-seat concert hall, 425-seat studio theater and 6,000-square-foot multipurpose space.

MIDLAND

On target for September 2019, the new state-of-the-art, 75,000-square-foot Midland Convention Center will include 20,000 square feet of exhibit space; 3,000 square feet of meeting space; 6,000 square feet of ballroom space; and an outdoor plaza.

ODESSA

Set to open in June 2019, the $77 million Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center will offer 217 hotel rooms and 78,000-plus square feet of conference space, including an 18,000-plus-square-foot grand ballroom. Plus, it features an open-air plaza and connection to the newly refurbished adjacent Ector Theatre. 

SOUTH TEXAS

CORPUS CHRISTI

Now open, the 105-room Aloft Corpus Christi offers 2,000 square feet of event space.

MCALLEN

Scheduled for late September 2018, a new 150-room Radisson-flagged hotel is ideally situated near historic Quinta Mazaltan, the city’s wing of the renowned group-capable World Birding Center.