Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

I had to share this all of you because it struck me as somewhat funny.  I do believe it to be a fun way to see the progress of construction on a convention center site and a great way to follow along.  The Irving Convention Center has a web cam that you can follow the progress of construction.  The convention center is in Irving Texas and this is their elevator pitch on the city and why you should hold your event there:

Located immediately adjacent to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and in between Dallas and Fort Worth, Irving, Texas, (www.irvingtexas.com) boasts more than 75 hotels and more than 11,000 rooms. Las Colinas is a 12,000-acre master-planned community within the city of Irving, and is known worldwide for its quality and uniqueness. The area has a total taxable base of more than $7 billion and is home to 8,000+ companies, 30 Fortune 500 companies, plus the world headquarters of four. In the next three years, the area will see more than $4 billion in hotel, retail, entertainment, office, residential and meeting facility development.

I think that is pretty impressive for a smaller town in Texas if there is such a thing.  I may wait until they actually paint to see the paint dry but nonetheless I intend to keep an eye on it and see how it progresses.

Tags: Irving, Texas, Conventions, Trade Shows, Convention Centers

Freeman created a new exhibit concept for eight Teas city and convention visitors bureaus that received a top award at the recent American Society of Association Executives

annual meeting in San Diego.  The exhibit was named “Best In Show – First Place” in the Island Booth category. 

The island booth had eight pods containing the eight visitor bureaus within the state of Texas, all surrounding off of a center island that had a stage for live musical performances.  This also supplemented by a bar that served refreshments Texas style to participants.  The cities of Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Houston, Irving, and San Antonio, were grouped together for the exhibit. Sounds like an elaborate exhibit booth but as they say everything is BIG in Texas–well at least elaborate in Texas.  Congratulations from all of us at Convention Insider and Conventions.net to the folks at Freeman on their award.