New Tourism Developments in Fort Worth
Tourism in Fort Worth, Texas - now the 19th-largest city
in the United States (population: 618,600) - is booming, bringing
approximately 8.7 million visitors and contributing nearly
$1.2 billion in direct spending annually to the city's economy.
Major developments include new attractions, events, facilities
and infrastructure improvements, and their addition further
expands the city's appeal as a premier destination in the
state of Texas. Further developments are in the works as well.
Omni Fort Worth Hotel - Convention Center Headquarter Hotel
Opens 2008
Omni Hotels has completed negotiations with the City of Fort
Worth to construct a 600-room first-class property adjacent
to the Fort Worth Convention Center and hopes to break ground
by the end of 2005. The plan calls for Omni to build a $90
million, 15- to 21-story Texas-themed hotel with 48,000 square
feet of meeting space, two restaurants, a ballroom, and other
first-class amenities. A new convention center headquarter
hotel will complement the $75 million renovation and expansion
at the Fort Worth Convention Center, which opened May 2003.
Sid Richardson Collection of Western Art - renovation and
expansion
Opens July 2006
The Sid Richardson Collection of Western Art, which boasts
more than 60 paintings by premier Western artists Frederic
Remington and Charles M. Russell, will close temporarily from
June 19,2005 to July 2006 to make way for renovation and expansion
of its building. Plans for the transformation, designed by
David M. Schwarz of Washington, D.C., call for an extensive
facelift to the museum, including a more pedestrian-friendly
facade, reconfigured gallery space, creating an enlarged museum
store, and an additional 1,800 square feet of ground-floor
space, creating a group entrance, education facilities and
visitor amenities. The celebrated museum is located in downtown's
Sundance Square and welcomes more than 50,000 visitors annually
from around the world. During the building's remodeling, a
substantial part of the collection will be displayed for approximately
one year at the Amon Carter Museum in the Fort Worth Cultural
District.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing - Department of the Treasury
Western Currency Facility Public Tour & Visitor Center
Opened May 2004
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) produces the nation's
paper currency, or banknotes, in only two cities: Washington,
D.C. and Fort Worth, Texas. A new public tour and visitor
center opened at the Fort Worth facility, similar to the popular
D.C. tour, which incorporates a free 45-minute tour, two floors
of interactive exhibits and displays telling the history of
paper currency and the production process, and a retail sales
shop. The tour facility is designed to accommodate approximately
1,000 visitors per day.
Texas Civil War Museum
Opens October 2005
The Texas Civil War Museum's new 16,000-square-foot facility
will be located in northwest Fort Worth and will house one
of the largest private collections of Civil War artifacts
in the nation. Items included in the collection are prized
flags, uniforms, guns, swords, and personal items used by
both Union and Confederate soldiers from Texas and around
the nation.
International terminal & Skylink at Dallas/Fort Worth International
Airport
Opened July 2005
A new two-million-square-foot consolidated International Terminal
D provides DFW's fastest growing passenger traffic segment
with a world-class facility. All international arrivals and
departures, regardless of carrier, will be consolidated into
this one terminal, and is expected to welcome 32,000 passengers
daily. In addition, the world's largest airport high-speed
train, called Skylink, will transport visitors quickly between
all DFW terminals, keeping the average ride time to five minutes.
The bi-directional Skylink operates on train tracks that are
an average of 50 feet above ground. The new terminal and Skylink
are components of a $2.7 billion Capital Development Program.
Sam & Harry's - Upscale independent steakhouse
Opens Late Summer 2005
Sam & Harry's, the upscale independent steakhouse that has
become an institution in its native Washington, D.C., will
open its first location outside of the nation's capital at
the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in downtown Fort Worth.
The Renaissance is situated in the historic Sundance Square
district. Sam & Harry's has received numerous awards and commendations,
including listings in Gourmet magazine's "Top Tables" and
National Restaurant News' "Fine Dining Hall of Fame."
Montgomery Plaza retail development
Opens Fall 2005
A revival of the eight-story Montgomery Ward building and
warehouse, a 1928 Mission Revival-style structure located
along West Seventh Street between downtown and the Cultural
District, is transforming this historic landmark into an urban
retail center. The $50 million development will be anchored
by SuperTarget and will include major retail and restaurant
tenants, and luxury apartments.
South of Seventh – An Urban Village in the Cultural
District
In Progress
Situated adjacent to Trinity Park, a new visitor and residential
development is under construction on West 7th Street between
downtown and the Cultural District. It will include the new
Residence Inn by Marriott Fort Worth Cultural District hotel,
125,000-square-feet of specialty shopping and dining, contemporary
townhouses, and mid- and high-rise condominiums overlooking
the city's skyline. It sits across from the new Montgomery
Plaza development.
UpTown Fort Worth
In Progress
UpTown, a vibrant, active urban neighborhood that bridges
downtown Fort Worth to the banks of the Trinity River, is
under construction. Located in the northeast sector of the
Central Business District and at the historic site of one
of Fort Worth's oldest communities, the $350 million masterplanned,
mixed-use development incorporates approximately 150 acres
of revitalized real estate. Pedestrian-friendly sidewalks
and streetscapes will connect residents and visitors to urban-style
apartments, luxury condominiums, upscale townhomes, restaurants,
and service and retail shops.
Lancaster Avenue Corridor Redevelopment
Summer 2006
Lancaster Avenue, a major east-west route in the south end
of downtown, is under transformation to a grand tree-lined,
pedestrian friendly corridor. The $14 million roadway project,
where an I-30 overpass once stood until removal in 2001, is
expected to spur development of an urban village with shops
on the street level and offices and apartments on the top
floors. Lancaster Avenue will boast landscaping and a new
grassy median and may include public art fixtures.
Christian Arts Museum
Projected opening Fall 2005
A new Christian Arts Museum has been announced for the city's
Cultural District that will house a life-size wax depiction
of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. The proposed museum
will include audiovisual displays on the legacies of Jesus
Christ and his 12 disciples. The wax figures, created in the
1950s, were previously displayed in Fort Worth until 1997.
The work was one of five life-size settings of The Last Supper
shaped by artist Katherine Stubergh of Los Angeles.
Fort Worth Mercado
In Progress - Opening TBD
The 58,000-square-foot Mexican-themed market will include
shops, restaurants and a "paseo" area for cultural arts on
the ground level, as well as office space, a banquet hall,
and patios on the upper levels. This commercial center will
be conveniently located between downtown and the Historic
Stockyards, offering shopping in an authentically Mexican
environment.
Fort Worth Zoo - Australian Outback and Great Barrier Reef
Opened May 6, 2005
With this new exhibit, visitors will see a diverse collection
of Australian aquatic wildlife spanning 86 species (45 fish
species, three small- to medium-size shark species, 30 coral
species and eight invertebrate species.) Among them are clownfish,
black-tip reef sharks, angelfish, brain corals, moray eels
and sea apples. Full of interpretive graphics and the Coral
Reef Play Area, Great Barrier Reef will be fun and educational.
StoreOne at RadioShack Corporation
Opened May 20, 2005
StoreOne, located at RadioShack Corporation's spectacular
new riverfront campus in downtown Fort Worth, is a unique
retail environment and learning portal that lets visitors
touch, try and learn about the technologies of today and tomorrow.
The 10,000-square-foot flagship retail store is modeled after
the ultimate modern home of the future, featuring a family
room, home office, garage, game room, kitchen and more, offering
an assortment of consumer electronics in a fun, real life
setting. StoreOne's second floor is designed as a virtual
"retail amusement park", with an activities area and
Experience Theater with interactive seats.
Cabela's - "World's Foremost Outfitter" of hunting, fishing
& outdoor gear
Opened May 26, 2005
The popular hunting-and-fishing retailer Cabela's opened its
230,000-square-foot store, the company's second-largest, in
north Fort Worth. Cabela's stores feature educational and
entertainment attractions, mixing a décor of museum-quality
animal displays with colorful dioramas, huge aquariums stocked
with native fish and a centerpiece indoor mountain displaying
trophy animals interacting in realistic re-creations of their
natural habitats.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History - Lone Star Dinosaurs
Opened May 28, 2005
Lone Star Dinosaurs, a new 8,000-square-foot permanent exhibit
featuring Texas dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period, is not
a typical "bone show." It is unique in approach, allowing
visitors to use the skills and tools of paleontology to make
their own discoveries, proceeding through a series of environments
that begin with a quarry-like field site and ends at a computer
imaging station. The exhibit showcases five newly discovered
dinosaur species unearthed around the Fort Worth area.
Texas Motor Speedway
Expanded event schedule - Two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races highlight
2005 season: April 17 & Nov. 6, 2005
Texas Motor Speedway, located just 20 miles north of downtown,
is one of the largest sports and entertainment complexes in
the country. The stadium, accommodating more than 200,000
fans and a 1.5-mile oval track, will feature two Cup, two
Busch, two Truck, an IRL IndyCar and IROC races in 2005 in
addition to tours and championship driving schools. Racing
facilities at the superspeedway also include a 13,000-seat
Dirt Track and an infield road course.
Renovation and construction of "The Tower"
Opened April 2005
The 37-story downtown Fort Worth landmark formerly known as
the Bank One Tower is under re-development into the tallest
residential property in Tarrant County. The $65 million renovation
will transform the former office building into 294 luxury
residential condominiums featuring recessed balconies and
a rooftop crown of lighted panels. The building's five-story
base will contain approximately 60,000 square feet of space
for shops, restaurants, and boutique office space. The Bank
One Tower was damaged by a tornado that struck downtown in
March 2000.
Trinity River Kayaking
Recently Opened
The Clear Fork of the Trinity River (near Trinity Park) is
now site of Class II and III whitewater rapids. On the once-placid
river, kayakers can now experience the thrills of rafting
along 3.5 miles of river in the heart of the city. The City
of Fort Worth has installed chutes and limestone in the Trinity
making it possible to negotiate the river for adventure sports
enthusiasts - all part of a sweeping revitalization plan underway
along the Trinity River in Fort Worth.
Trinity River waterfront master plan
Study In Progress
Planners envision a lively waterfront area at the Trinity
River in downtown Fort Worth that would include a town lake
and a host of recreational activities, as well as business,
retail and residential development. The construction of new
headquarters for RadioShack Corp. and Pier 1 Imports at the
river's edge in downtown is a catalyst to revitalization in
the area. The City of Fort Worth has recently been authorized
$110 million in federal funding for the transformational project.
Total project cost is estimated at $435 million.
Doral Tesoro Golf Club
Redesigned golf course opened Nov. 1, 2004
The Doral Tesoro Golf Club, part of the Doral Tesoro Hotel,
unveiled a $2 million redesign of the popular 18-hole championship
golf course. The redesign is by Jay Moorish and Associates,
who have designed courses for other prestigious properties.
Lined with 100-year-old oak trees, white limestone outcroppings
and situated on a former cattle ranch, the Doral's redesign
greatly improves playability while maintaining the integrity
of the challenging terrain.
Fort Worth Convention Center expansion
Opened May 2003
The $75 million expansion of the Fort Worth Convention Center
is now complete, resulting in a dramatically improved and
enlarged facility. A new $2.7 million events plaza links the
renovated Convention Center to the famed Fort Worth Water
Gardens. The Fort Worth Convention Center features 253,226
square feet of exhibit space, 1,200 on-site parking spaces,
41 breakout rooms, a 28,160 square-foot ballroom and a 13,500
seat arena.
Fort Worth Bowl
Late December 2005
Post-season collegiate football returns for the popular Fort
Worth Bowl match up at Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus
of TCU. Division 1-A football teams representing the Big 12
Conference and Conference-USA play for the Bowl's championship
title during this nationally televised (ESPN) event.
Casa Mañana Theatre renovation
Opened October 2003
Originally built in 1958, Casa Mañana is a professional theater
landmark in Fort Worth providing live productions for adults
and children. Now a $3.2 million renovation has transformed
the structure into a 21st-century theater, creating a new
11,400 square foot steel-and-glass lobby to accommodate capacity
crowds, and a stage and audience chamber featuring a modified
thrust/proscenium stage configuration. It houses approximately
1,100 seats. The notable geodesic dome roof, for which the
structure is well known remains intact.
Oscar Monnig Meteorite Gallery at TCU
Opened February 2003
Meteorites from one of the nation's largest collections are
now on permanent public display in Texas' first meteorite
museum on the Texas Christian University campus. Housed in
the Sid W. Richardson Science Building, the gallery features
many of the 1,000 specimens Monnig collected over a 50-year
span. The facility was designed by Gallagher and Associates
in Washington, D.C., designers of the Smithsonian Museum of
Natural History's Janet Annenburg Hooker Gem and Mineral Hall.
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Opened June 2002
The only museum in the world dedicated to honoring and documenting
the distinguished women of the American West includes three
permanent galleries, traveling exhibits, a multi-purpose theater,
a research library, a retail store, and the Cowgirl Hall of
Fame. The $21 million, 33,000-square-foot museum designed
by David Schwarz honors women from a wide range of backgrounds,
including Georgia O'Keeffe, Dale Evans, Patsy Cline, Sacajawea,
Willa Cather, and Annie Oakley.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Opened December 2002
Designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, the new Modern
is the second-largest contemporary art museum in America,
next to New York's MoMA. Hailed as one of the most significant
architectural projects in the nation, the design embodies
the pure, unadorned elements of a modern work of art with
massive planar walls of concrete and immense cantilevered
cast-concrete roofs. The new Modern offers 53,000 square feet
of exhibit space and 11 naturally landscaped acres, including
a 1.5-acre reflecting pond.
Water Gardens Events Plaza
Opened April 2002
Outside the Fort Worth Convention Center's new grand entrance,
a $2.7 million, 55,000 square foot Events Plaza links the
Center to downtown's landmark Fort Worth Water Gardens, a
unique urban park designed by Philip Johnson. The outdoor
Events Plaza can be either tented, accommodating 600 people
for a seated dinner, or open-air, providing a unique function
space for several thousand.
Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC)
Opened January 2002
The newly constructed ITC brings together all forms of public
transportation– commuter rail, regional train service,
buses, taxis– for visitors and residents of Fort Worth.
The 31,000-square foot facility, designed to echo the city’s
past, blends with the surrounding downtown buildings. The
ITC houses the Trinity Railway Express (rail from Dallas to
Fort Worth), Amtrack, The T bus service, and taxis.
Trinity Railway Express
Opened December 2001
Visitors traveling between Fort Worth and Dallas now find
this 35-mile trip between two of Texas' largest cities as
easy as stepping onto a train. The TRE ride from "Cowtown"
to "Big D" takes about one hour. Two locations in downtown
Fort Worth provide passenger service: the new ITC and the
historic T&P Station. Public transportation is available upon
arrival at the ITC to shuttle visitors throughout the city.
Amon Carter Museum expansion
Opened October 2001
As one of the great museums of American art, the Amon Carter
opened its doors to a new facility described by the museum's
famed architect, Philip Johnson, as "by far the best building
plan we have ever done.." Central to this expansion is the
addition of almost 20,000-square-feet of new gallery space,
enabling four times more art to be on view. With one of the
largest and most important collections of American photography,
as well as holdings of iconic American paintings and sculpture,
the new Amon Carter Museum building provides a magnificent
showcase for its collection.
Texas Wild! exhibit at the Fort Worth Zoo
Opened June 2001
What's the best way to see the entire state of Texas in one
day? Visit the new $40 million landmark Texas Wild! exhibit,
at the top-ranked Fort Worth Zoo. Texas Wild! is an 8-acre
exhibit that walks visitors across Texas' varied regions -
Pineywoods & Swamps, Mountains and Desert, Hill Country, Brush
Country, High Plains & Prairies, Gulf Coast - and includes
such Texas residents as swift foxes, ocelots, white-tailed
deer, bobcats, red wolves, bats, spiders, and Pecos Pup fish.
As it spotlights the state's endangered species, Texas Wild!
also highlights conservation successes and challenges in the
Lone Star State. A turn-of-the-century 1890s Texas Town is
also a special feature.
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
Recently Opened– Features the Sterquell Wagon Collection
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is the newest permanent attraction
to open in the Stockyards National Historic District. Housed
in the restored horse and mule barns along Exchange Avenue,
the new museum pays tribute to the top cowboys and cowgirls
in Texas. Included at the museum is the Sterquell Wagon Collection,
featuring more than 60 beautifully renovated antique wagons.
Also on view is the "John Justin Trail of Fame," a display
of boots made by the famous Justin Boot Co. of Fort Worth.
Fire Station No. 1– 150 Years of Fort Worth
Opened– Fall 2001 After Major Refurbishment
Downtown's historic Fire Station is once again serving the
city with a permanent exhibit, "150 Years of Fort Worth".
This captivating exhibition traces the history of Fort Worth
from pioneer to present times in the heart of the magnificent
downtown City Center complex.
FORT WORTH HOTEL DEVELOPMENTS
Convention Center Headquarter Hotel - Omni Hotels
Opens 2008
Omni Hotels has completed negotiations with the City of Fort
Worth to construct a 600-room luxury property across from
the Fort Worth Convention Center. The plan calls for Omni
to build a $90 million, 15- to 21-story, Texas-themed hotel
with 48,000 square feet of meeting space, two restaurants,
a ballroom, and other first-class amenities. The city expects
to finalize plans in early 2005. A new convention center headquarter
hotel will complement the $75 million renovation and expansion
at the Fort Worth Convention Center, which opened May 2003.
Holiday Inn North and Holiday Inn South - Allegiance Hospitality
Corp.
June 2005
Allegiance Hospitality Corporation of Charlotte, NC, acquired
two Holiday Inns in Fort Worth and plans $10 million in capital
improvements with an emphasis on redesigning the hotels for
business travelers. The hotels' exteriors and interiors will
be fully renovated, with a significant investment in luxury
and technology upgrades. A new brand affiliation for both
properties is anticipated as well. Each property has 247 guest
rooms, a restaurant and bar, and more than 12,000 square feet
of full-service conference facilities. They are situated at
points north and south of downtown Fort Worth along I-35W.
Residence Inn by Marriott Fort Worth Cultural District
Opened April 2005
Residence Inn by Marriott constructed a 150-suite project,
with one- and two-bedrooms and full kitchens, located in the
new South of Seventh development between Downtown and the
Cultural District. The hotel will provide complimentary high-speed
internet access in every room and breakfast served daily.
The hotel will feature a SportCourtTM which can be used for
basketball, volleyball or tennis, a meeting space for up to
45 people and a guest library with seating for casual gatherings.
AmeriSuites Hotel in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards
Opened June 2005
A $7.1 million AmeriSuites hotel property is open in the heart
of the Stockyards National Historic District, adjacent to
Stockyards Station and the Visitors Information Center on
East Exchange Avenue. The five-story, 102-room hotel is constructed
in a Western architectural style.
Courtyard by Marriott Blackstone Renovation
Completes in June 2005
The historic 203-room Courtyard by Marriott Blackstone-Downtown
Fort Worth is undergoing a $1.5 million renovation to update
the look and feel of this popular hotel. Renovations of the
20-story property will include a complete turnover of all
"soft goods," such as bedding, comforters, carpeting and chairs.
It opened originally in 1929 as the city's first skyscraper
and was visited by every U.S. president from Harry Truman
to Richard Nixon.
Renaissance Worthington Hotel Renovation
Completed December 2004
An $8 million enhancement to this popular Sundance Square
hotel brought a sophisticated Western elegance to each of
the 504 guest rooms and suites. Public areas and meetings
spaces were also restyled.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott University Centre Hotel
Opened May 2004
A four-story, 145-room SpringHill Suites is now open near
University Drive and I-30 in Fort Worth, in close proximity
to Texas Christian University, the Cultural District, and
downtown.
Radisson Plaza Hotel Fort Worth renovation
In Progress
The Radisson Plaza is currently undergoing extensive and complete
renovations to its guest rooms and public spaces. For information
about the renovations to the Radisson Plaza contact Stan Kennedy,
Vice President of Operations at the Radisson Plaza Hotel Fort
Worth, at 817-870-2100 x 3202.
Doral Tesoro Hotel & Golf Club
Formerly the Westin Beechwood
A 286-room, full-service, luxury hotel and conference center
providing 22,000 square feet of meeting and event space and
a 9,000 square foot ballroom. The property, adjacent to a
new championship golf course, is located across from Texas
Motor Speedway
The Ashton Hotel
Recently Opened
Ideally located in downtown on Main Street in the original
1915 Fort Worth Club, plus an adjoining annex dating to 1890,
the fully renovated Ashton opened with 39 beautifully appointed
guest rooms and suites. The hotel also offers a contemporary
restaurant, piano bar, Afternoon Tea service, and meeting
space. It is a member of "Small Luxury Hotels of the World."
(Updated: August 10, 2005 – Share/Comm/Tourism Developments)
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