New Entertainment District Expands Irving’s Meetings Offerings

Author: Sarah Beauchamp       

Irving, Texas is about to offer a lot more as a prime location for meetings and conventions. The Southwestern destination is currently developing the third phase of a 40-acre mixed-used entertainment district in the heart of Las Colinas Urban Center — the city’s international business district. The new visitor’s district houses the Irving Convention Center; the recently opened Toyota Music Factory, a mega entertainment complex with dozens of trendy restaurants, bars, and live music; and the soon-to-open 350-room Westin Irving Convention Center Hotel at Las Colinas.

Rise and Shine at the Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas Hotel

Opening late 2018, the $113-million convention center hotel will offer 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, cocktail lounge, and coffee bar. The 12-story hotel will be perfectly positioned between the convention center and entertainment complex.

The headquarter hotel represents the “crowning piece in Irving’s vision for a distinctive, pedestrian-friendly visitor’s district,” according to Maura Allen Gast, executive director of the Irving CVB. “The Irving Convention Center was the initial anchor; the Irving Music Factory with its Live Nation amphitheater and collection of restaurants is the second piece; and the hotel is the third.”

Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas

The convention center itself includes a 50,000-square-foot, column-free exhibit hall and 20,000-square-foot ballroom. The 275,000-square-foot facility’s vertical design creates interesting spaces for networking and allows attendees to move fluidly throughout the building. It’s adjacent to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and near Dallas’ Love Field. The venue can be reached via nonstop flights from more than 170 destinations worldwide, including all major North American cities. And attendees are able to get to and from the convention center easily, with the recently opened Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Orange Line, connecting the airport to downtown Dallas.

Eat, Drink, Rock ‘N Roll at the Toyota Music Factory

The Toyota Music Factory opened in September 2017 and sits adjacent to the Irving Convention Center. This all-in-one dining and entertainment destination features 250,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, in addition to a state-of-the-art 8,000-seat, indoor-outdoor Live Nation concert hall and amphitheater known as the Pavilion. The campus also includes a 50,000-square-foot outdoor plaza with daily live entertainment and a restaurant open 24 hours a day — perfect for special events and networking activities. Plus, there are more than 20 restaurants. Attendees can enjoy a beer at the Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Grill, or grab a Teriyaki Twist bowl at the healthy fast-casual spot, Freshii.

“This easily accessed, pedestrian-friendly 40-acre district will provide a wide range of entertainment and dining options to fill free nights on the convention schedule,” Gast said, “as well as to provide an excellent venue for opening or closing night events.”

Take a Stroll on the Canal

On the edge of Lake CarolynGables Water Street is a $100-million residential lakefront development with 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. Water Street is sure to be a go-to place for attendees to spend leisure time, whether going for a stroll along the lake after a delicious meal, trying stand-up paddle boarding along the canal, cruising on a gondola, or enjoying a day at the spa.

Texas It up at the Texican Court

A kitschy boutique-style hotel, The Texican Court is also slated to open this year, giving visitors to Irving’s Las Colinas Urban District another hotel choice within walking distance of the Irving Convention Center. The hotel’s design will feature Spanish mission–style architecture with the subtle layer of Texas, making it uniquely Texican architecture. With a more intimate, laid-back feel, the property will offer 152 retro-inspired guest rooms in addition to meeting space, including three distinct courtyards, each with its own style, and featuring a reception area, pool, and fire pits.

Give Your Attendees More Than a Meeting

Access is easy; folks are friendly; service is superior — and Texas hospitality simply can’t be beat. Add a new center for food, music, and culture, and you’ve got a top-notch destination with plenty of options for lodging, nightlife, and innovative off-site events.

“The final piece is nearly here,” said Chris Hillman, Irving City Manager. “With tremendous work and vision, this development will soon become a spectacular reality. These centrally located 40 acres will become a high-energy site, full of activity — people, music, entertainment, restaurants, retail, and an upscale hotel.”

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