Visit Fort Worth’s annual meeting was a send off for the convention center arena and its retiring leader.
Harrison Mantas
hmantas@star-telegram.com
In one of the last major events in the Fort Worth Convention Center “Flying Saucer” before its demolition, Visit Fort Worth’s annual meeting featured plenty of memories from the arena’s glory days.
From videos showing concert footage of Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson to a live band playing renditions of songs by the Beastie Boys and Marvin Gaye, Friday’s meeting served as a send-off for both the arena and Visit Fort Worth’s outgoing CEO Bob Jameson.
“I would only get up this early for Bob Jameson,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker joked in remarks ahead of Jameson’s annual address.
Parker highlighted Jameson’s 41-year career in the hospitality industry, calling him one of Fort Worth’s greatest visionaries.
“He understands more than anyone what makes a strong city that’s built on partnerships and incredibly bold ideas,” she said.
Parker also used time in her speech to recognize outgoing Fort Worth school district Superintendent Karen Molinar and former Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens, who died in February. She called both women key leaders central to the city’s success.
Jameson thanked the gathering for the recognition and called his 13 years at the helm of Visit Fort Worth, “an honor and a blessing.”
“The work that our team undertakes is all about you,” Jameson said, speaking to about 1,000 hoteliers, restaurateurs and government leaders in attendance.
“Our responsibility is to promote your exciting endeavors. To tell your stories, and you have provided us with an incredible number of stories to share,” he said.
Jameson highlighted a doubling in the number of visitors, jobs, and economic impact from Fort Worth’s hospitality industry over the last decade.
While Jameson noted those milestones are important, he expressed more excitement for what’s coming to the convention center.
Phase one renovations of the new south entrance wrapped up in December. Work on phase two is scheduled to begin in October with demolition of the flying saucer expected sometime in early 2027.
Phase two of the convention center will add 74,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and double the amount of meeting room space.
It’s expected to cost $700 million, which will be funded by bonds supported by the city hotel taxes, according to the presentation.
“By 2030, this new convention center will finally reflect the quality that our community deserves,” Jameson said.
Jameson thanked the city for its partnership, and his team at Visit Fort Worth saying their jobs are to make the city a better place through supporting its tourism industry.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.