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Word from the CVBs Plans for Our Convention Center Hotel A convention center hotel has been one of the most important issues facing the City of Fort Worth over the past several years. The City of Fort Worth's dramatic expansion and renovation of the Convention Center has created great new opportunities for the community to once again be competitive in the important field of meetings and conventions. Both out-of-town meeting planners and local citizens have found the expanded Convention Center to be both attractive and functional. The missing ingredient has been a convention center hotel, as well as renovation of the nearby large hotels. It appears that through City leadership the convention center hotel need is now going to be addressed. After careful discussions with the Omni Hotel Company, the City government has unveiled an excellent plan that provides for private ownership of a convention center hotel that would be located adjacent to the renovated Convention Center. Meeting planners select cities for various reasons, and the size and features of the local convention center and the availability of excellent hotel space are always the two key features. The convention center hotel, along with renovation of nearby hotels, will have a dramatic impact on Fort Worth and on its downtown. Many years ago, the Convention Center was placed in its current location to revitalize the south end of downtown. Now with the Center's renovation and the relocation of I-30 further to the south, the convention center hotel plan offers many redevelopment opportunities for this important part of our community. Keep your eye on the south end of downtown Fort Worth over the next few years because this entire area will be going through a dramatic as well as attractive revitalization. Arlington = Fun Central It's already time to think about heading back to work and school...but not before one last FUNtastic weekend in FUN CENTRAL, Texas! Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor are still open daily until August 22. That means you can still ride the Titan, soar with Superman, visit the pineapple under the sea with SpongeBob SquarePants 4D, splash down with the summer's best and wettest storm, the Tornado, and leisurely enjoy hundreds of rides, attractions and shows for a truly memorable family experience. A few days at Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor will give everyone in the family something great to remember when the school bell rings and the commute starts again. For those who love America's pastime, the red hot Texas Rangers are offering up some really exciting reasons to spend more time in Arlington. The All-Star Game MVP Alfonso Soriano and the other four Ranger All-Stars - Hank Blalock, Michael Young, Francisco Cordero and Kenny Rogers are appearing nightly in a display of firepower that rivals the home run fireworks. Catch the return of the New York Yankees August 10-12 or the Cleveland Indians August 16-18, the Minnesota Twins, August 23-26 and the Baltimore Orioles August 27-29. Also, while you are in town, visit the Country Peddler Show August 13-15 and the Sports Collectibles & Memorabilia Show and Quilter's Guild Show August 27-29, all at the Arlington Convention Center. Make it a FUN CENTRAL summer! Log on www.arlington.org for hotel, attraction and calendar of event information. You'll Find Excitement In Grapevine in August Whether you like Cowboy music, Elvis tunes, 50s rock and roll, or "Red Neck Tenors" - Grapevine is sure to get your toes tapping throughout the month of August. The historic Palace Theatre, 300 S. Main Street, is the site for these great August musical performances. Don't miss the Grapevine Opry's "Great American Cowboy" show August 7. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 817-481-8733 for tickets. August 13, "Three Red Neck Tenors in Concert" take the stage as part of the Classic Chevrolet Concert at the Palace. Call 817-410-3100 for tickets. The "This Is Elvis" show is always one of the Grapevine Opry's sellouts! Don't miss this tribute to "The King." Call 817-481-8733 for tickets. Equally popular is the Grapevine Opry's "Fabulous 50s Jukebox." The days of poodle skirts will return on August 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace. Call 817-481-8733 for tickets. Prefer more action and manly activities? Then don't miss the Fall Hunting Classic at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World on August 5-8. For the girly-girls, Grapevine has "Isis and the Star Dancers Belly Dance Seminar" at the Grapevine Convention Center on August 20, 21 and 22. Come take a lesson and get a costume, too! Call 817-410-3459 for details! For kids and the young at heart, a fabulous collection of 15 Mickey Mouse statues will be on display at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center on Lake Grapevine in honor of Mickey's 75th birthday. The exhibit titled, "Celebrate Mickey: 75 InspEARations" features a collection of six-foot high Mickey statues weighing 700 pounds each one that artists, actors, athletes, performing artists and painters have used to create unique works of art in tribute to Mickey and his birthday! The exhibit will be displayed from August 28 through October 23. FREE. Call 817-778-1000 for more information. Grapevine has a song in its heart and something fun for everyone in August! Call 817-410-3185 for a complete calendar of events, or visit www.grapevinetexasusa.com. Grand Prairie-Right In The Middle Of Dallas/Fort Worth Although summer vacation draws to a close the end of August, there is still plenty of fun to be had in Grand Prairie. The weather is perfect for a day at the lake, swimming, fishing, boating, and picnicking. August 14 is National Marina Day and Lynn Creek Marina on Joe Pool Lake offers boat rides, boat show and exhibits. Youngsters can enjoy Splash Factory, an interactive water playground. Reflecting its global connection, the Palace of Wax, owned by Ripley Entertainment, is now called Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax. New wax figures include four characters from the "Lord of the Rings." Three more figures will be added before summer's end. Ripley's Believe It or Not! has brought back the popular Ripley's Theater. On August 7, Lone Star Park hosts Anand Bazaar, an event celebrating India's Independence Day with food, entertainment, shopping, games and fireworks. Open to the public with admission fee. Lone Star Park is open daily for simulcast racing year round. NOKIA Live has a full house during August-August 6, John Fogerty; August 7-8 the return of The Wiggles; August 10, American Idol; and August 19, Hillary Duff. Traders Village hosts a Latino Family Fun Day August 8. All events will be in Spanish featuring music, food, and entertainment. Log on to www.gptexas.com or call 972-263-9588 for more information. Granbury's 30th Annual Old Fashioned Fourth Sizzling Summer Fun in Granbury, Texas! Experience our 30th Annual Old-Fashioned Fourth of July, reminiscent of yesteryear, set for July 2, 3 and 4th.Stroll through hundreds of arts and crafts markets on the historic downtown courthouse square where you can shop for hand-crafted treasures. The smell of festival food and the sound of children's laughter enjoying pony rides, giant slides and many other family activities will beckon you to come join the fun. Relax on the shores of Lake Granbury Friday evening and watch the Lighted Boat Parade. A hometown parade, garden tractor pull, car show, and a concert featuring Eddy Raven highlights Saturday's activities. How about some baseball?! Granbury's latest addition, the Granbury Generals Texas Collegiate League, will play Saturday and Sunday nights. Summertime fun continues on Sunday with old-fashioned games, an ice cream freeze-off and a Ranch Rodeo. Topping all of this is one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the state. It takes place at dusk over the sparkling waters of Lake Granbury. Pack up the family and come early – there is something for everyone. Granbury's Old-Fashioned Celebration is the place to celebrate this 2004 4th of July weekend. For event information contact 817-279-1111 or go to www.granburychamber.com. For accommodations and other information contact the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-950-2212 or www.granburytx.com. The Granbury Rose Welcomes You Aboard! You want it fun, you want it unique, you want it memorable? -then you want the Granbury Rose Riverboat. This elegant, new 225-passenger riverboat just arrived in Granbury and now cruises year-round with fabulous food and professional live entertainment making any event in your life smooth sailing. Lazy, relaxing evenings on board the "Rose" create the perfect setting for a truly memorable experience for those seeking romance or just a chance to get away from it all. Choose the Scenic Cruise and experience the beauty of Lake Granbury with abundant wildlife and delightful vistas. The hopeless romantic or the aspiring astronomer can gaze in wonder at a blanket of stars in the endless Texas sky on our Moonlight Cruise. Work got you down? Family reunion lurking in your future? You've tried the picnic thing. Why not opt for a Breakfast Brunch or Dinner Cruise for a not so "run of the mill" gathering of friends or family. If mystery and intrigue are your game, "The Wind is Gone" Murder Mystery Cruise offers "whodunit" fun for those wanna be sleuths. Laughter and fast action prevail as you mingle with unusual characters and watch for clues. Great fun; super for groups! Whatever venue suits your mood, the friendly Captain and crew of the new "Granbury Rose Riverboat" will make your next voyage on Lake Granbury unique and memorable. Call today for information on departure location, cruise schedules and rates. Contact Granbury Rose Riverboat Tours at 817-279-0204 or visit our website at www.granburyrose.net. A Fall Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza Denton's Main Street gears up for fall with Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. Held on the historic Courthouse Square in Denton, this family-oriented event offers a wide variety of activities throughout the day with free admission. The festival celebrates the vibrant town square that is nationally recognized as a Great American Main Street Community. Come find that special "object d'art," have family heirlooms appraised, enjoy strolling entertainment or check out the dream machines lining the square. The Chalk Art Fest will return to this year's festival and cash prizes will be awarded in the professional artist category. The exhibition is open to all ages and levels, from children to professional artists. Chalk is provided, and pre-registration for the professional artist competition is required prior to the event. Featured festival activities will include a classic car show, juried art show booths, Chalk Fest, live-painting performances, strolling entertainment, and a special Kid Zone. The popular "Attic Treasure Appraisals" are provided by appraisers with various specialties in antiques and collectibles. Arts, Antiques & Autos is the ideal way to spend a Saturday. For information or directions, call (940) 349-8529 or visit www.dentonmainstreet.org. A Brontosaurus & a Tyrannosaurus-Rex Are at Home in
Glen Rose Glen Rose is well known as the "Dinosaur Capital of Texas" and home of Dinosaur Valley State Park. One of the most popular parks in the Texas state parks system, Dinosaur Valley offers a glimpse back in time with some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world and two dinosaurs that tower over visitors. The Glen Rose dinosaurs have served as a backdrop for thousands of photographs over the years and are also one of the most popular attractions with children. The dinosaurs on display were not the same dinosaurs that made the Glen Rose tracks, but they are still a popular attraction. A gift from the Atlantic-Richfield Oil Company, the dinosaurs were built as part of a display for the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York City. The original exhibit at the World's Fair consisted of 14 dinosaurs and they were sculpted by Louis Paul Jones and at a cost of more than $2 million. The Glen Rose dinosaurs are a 70-foot long Brontosaurus and a 50-foot tall Tyrannosaurus-Rex. The original dinosaur exhibit traveled 65,000 miles around the country and was viewed by more than 32 million people. Dinosaur Valley State Park offers a variety of activities including hiking, biking, swimming, camping and dinosaur exhibits. For more information call 1-888-DINO-CVB or www.glenrosetexas.net. Current
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