Make Your Meeting Connection in Grapevine
In October 1844, General Sam Houston and fellow Republic of Texas commissioners camped at Tah-Wah-Karro Creek – also known as Grape Vine Springs – to meet with leaders of 10 Indian nations. The meeting culminated in the signing of a treaty of peace, friendship and commerce, which opened the area for settlement by homesteaders and pioneers. The settlement was named Grapevine because of its location on the Grape Vine Prairie near Grape Vine Springs, both of which were named for the wild mustang grapes that blanketed the area.
It’s often been said that everything is bigger and better in Texas. Well, the city of Grapevine is no exception. Barry Lewis of the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau says Grapevine’s locations, facilities and accommodations are the biggest and the best. “Grapevine is the premier meeting destination in North Texas,” Lewis proudly notes. “Grapevine is in the perfect location, just minutes from DFW International Airport and in the center of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Our meeting facilities are some of the best and largest in the state of Texas. We offer some incredible hotels, including the two most unique hotels in the state – the Gaylord Texan Resort and the Great Wolf Lodge.”
For sheer convenience it’s hard to beat Grapevine – the city is home to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the third largest airport in the world. Approximately 2,000 daily flights and nonstop air links to 160 cities across the globe make Grapevine a truly connected city. The airport is also one of the busiest and fastest growing in the world. The fact that this centrally-located destination is at most a 4-hour flight from any city in the U.S., Mexico or Canada makes it ideal for meeting groups.
As you might expect, Grapevine offers everything from world-class accommodations to a number of affordable properties. Altogether, the city boasts 20 hotels – most offering some type of meeting space and all within 10 minutes of DFW Airport – with approximately 5,000 rooms. Upscale brands include the Gaylord Texan Resort, the Hyatt Regency DFW, Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center, Embassy Suites Outdoor World, Grand Hyatt DFW and Great Wolf Lodge, which features a state-of-the-art indoor water park. Grapevine also offers upscale rooms at the Idearc Hotel and Conference Center, Baymont Inn, Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Homewood Suites, Hyatt Place, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Super 8 Hotel, Garden Manor Bed & Breakfast and the Springhill Suites.
Grapevine currently has over 800,000 square feet of meeting space, including the newly renovated, 23,500-square-foot Grapevine Convention Center. Located just south of Historic Downtown Grapevine, the GCC is a flexible, multi-use facility.
This prototypical Texas destination offers a plethora of entertainment possibilities for SMERF meetings. “We offer a variety of activities that will enhance any meeting –outstanding shopping, a charming, historical downtown, over 200+ restaurants, great golf, public art sculptures, unique art galleries and so much more!” says Lewis.
Specifically, there are the 8,000-plus acres of recreation on Lake Grapevine, three nationally-ranked golf courses and Grapevine Mills Mall, which has over 180 stores, a variety of dining options and a number of entertainment activities all under one roof. Another exciting off-site possibility is the Grapevine Vintage Railroad, which captures the essence of the Old West. And as its name might suggest, Grapevine is a trendsetter and leader in the wine industry, with numerous award-winning wineries and winemakers.
McCowan notes that Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the U.S., and any one of Grapevine’s 11 wineries can serve as a unique and interesting offsite event venue for SMERF meeting planners.
Among the options are the Delaney Winery and Vineyards, which operates a 14,000-square-foot winery; La Bodega Winery, offering three tasting rooms, two of which are inside the DFW International Airport; La Buena Vida Vineyards, which boasts a line of award-winning champagnes and wines; and the Homestead Winery, with its tasting room in the heart of Grapevine’s Historic District.
Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau is your meeting planning partner and one-stop source. With one call (or e-mail), you have everything that Grapevine offers at your finger tips. The people at the CVB will help you locate special events venues, partner programs, entertainment, temporary staffing, transportation and much more.
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