People enter the arena floor during a farewell event for the Fort Worth Convention Center arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Hundreds of spectators entered and exited the Fort Worth Convention Center’s doors Sunday afternoon for the arena’s final event, each person following one of seven colorful painted lines representing a piece of the building’s past.
The community gathered for a shared cause: to celebrate and honor the convention center’s impact on Fort Worth’s history and welcome its future.
A framed photo of Elvis Presley’s concert in June 1974 is seen during a farewell event for the Fort Worth Convention Center arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
An exterior view of the Fort Worth Convention Center arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Tickets from various concerts including The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top are seen on display during a farewell event for the Fort Worth Convention Center arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
The event, named “It’s Goin’ Down,” was held before the arena’s planned demolition in early 2027 to make way for the second phase of a $701 million expansion and modernization. From iconic concerts and religious gatherings to sports events and political campaigns, the center has done it all in its 58 years of operations.
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People of all ages lined up inside for custom balloon animals and photo opportunities, taking their pick between statues of a giant silver cowboy boot, a lion and a longhorn. Others weaved through the crowd and stopped only to take a bite of brisket nachos or skim 10 giant historic boards that formed a maze in the arena’s center.
Andra Bennett, with the convention center’s public events department, said Sunday’s turnout exceeded staff expectations and was a true testament to the nostalgia of the arena. The event space has meant so much to many people, she said, and it has played a role in milestone events and generations of memories.
People walk between historical displays on the arena floor during a farewell event for the Fort Worth Convention Center arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
“For generations, the Fort Worth Convention Center has been more than a destination for visitors,” one exhibit read. “It has been a gathering place for the people who call Fort Worth home.”
Charley Loftin, Robert Rodriguez and Larry Cathcart sat just outside the arena’s main entrance after they’d wandered through the exhibits to the sounds of Emerald City Band’s covers of Maroon 5 and Ella Langley.
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Loftin went to his first show at the arena in the 1970s, and as a Fort Worth native, he said he’d been coming there since he was about 12 years old. Cathcart’s first time at the convention center was more than a decade ago for an Elton John performance.
Attending a concert or event at the center was “one of the biggest things in town,” Loftin said.
People look to the names of all the music acts that played at the Fort Worth Convention Center arena during a farewell event for the arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
As he chatted with his friends, Rodriguez laughed and smiled, recalling the excitement of lining up outside to buy concert tickets, some he remembers being as cheap as $9.
Loftin said he can still imagine the smell of cigarette smoke wafting toward the arena’s ceilings as the night’s performance came to an end. A different era, Rodriguez said, like a snapshot in time.
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“Back then, there was no social media, no internet stuff, all the social things [revolved around] hanging out here and getting to meet people,” Loftin added, gesturing toward the space in front of the arena.
People walk outside the Fort Worth Convention Center arena during a farewell event for the arena on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
When asked about the center’s demolition, Loftin said it was sad in a way. But he noted that the center was old, and the new development plans displayed during the event looked great.
The interior of the new arena, Bennett said, has been “thoughtfully designed” to incorporate Fort Worth’s history and Western heritage, including carpet with subtle cattle brands and Texas sunset colorways and LED lights that look like lassos. It’ll also include more breakout rooms, terraces for outdoor events and a 40,000 square foot ballroom.
Many left the event having said goodbye to the 1968 convention center, but they didn’t leave empty-handed.
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They carried neon yellow frisbees, holographic magnets of the center’s interior, and handheld fans with neon letters on the blades that spelled out “arena farewell.” Some even bought custom-made commemorative T-shirts and stickers.
And all of them had made memories that would last a lifetime.