Exhibitor guide · Downtown Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
716,000 square feet where fourteen city blocks of "Hell's Half Acre" used to be, an arena that hosted Elvis five times, and a longhorn cattle drive still walking through the historic Stockyards twice a day downtown.
FWCC · 1201 Houston StWhy this page exists
Fort Worth is Dallas's Metroplex neighbor with a genuinely different identity: cattle still walk down a brick street in the Stockyards District twice a day, and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has run continuously since the 1890s. The convention center itself was built by demolishing fourteen blocks of a neighborhood called Hell's Half Acre in 1968, and its arena hosted Elvis Presley five times and the Rolling Stones' 1972 tour film before city plans called for its demolition in 2020. For exhibitors it means a mid-size, straightforward downtown venue with a distinctly Texan identity next door.
This guide covers the exhibit halls, Texas right-to-work labor rules, drayage, a freight countdown, the shows on the calendar, hotels downtown and near the Stockyards, and the history of a building whose famous arena is being replaced with more exhibit space.
The building
The exhibit halls
The center has grown through three expansions since 1968, and is mid-transition again: the city confirmed plans in 2020 to demolish the original arena for more exhibit space.
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit halls | 252,226 sq ft total, grown through expansions in 1983, 2002 and 2003. | Trade and consumer shows of 200 to 500 booths | Ceiling heights and column grids vary by expansion era; confirm hall assignment. |
| 41 meeting rooms | 58,849 sq ft across the complex. | Breakouts, association meetings | Hand-carry and tabletop formats. |
| Water Garden Events Plaza | Built in 2000 on the site of the former JFK Theatre. | Outdoor receptions, activations | Weather-dependent; Texas summer heat affects outdoor events. |
| Arena (historic, in transition) | The original "flying saucer" arena from 1968; the city confirmed demolition plans in 2020 to add more than 50,000 sq ft of exhibit space and a 1,000-seat hotel in its place. | Concerts historically; future exhibit space | Confirm current construction status and any access impacts before booking near the arena. |
History
Hell's Half Acre to a flying saucer arena
Fort Worth cleared a notorious neighborhood to build its convention center, then filled the arena with some of the biggest acts in American music.
Tarrant County officials propose a convention center to compete with Dallas's; the plan is approved in 1967. Fourteen city blocks previously known as "Hell's Half Acre," a notorious red-light district, are demolished to make way for it. The Tarrant County Convention Center opens September 30, 1968, with 100,000 sq ft of exhibit space, a 28,000 sq ft arena resembling a flying saucer, 25 meeting rooms and the 3,000-seat JFK Theatre.
The arena hosts an extraordinary run of shows: Ike & Tina Turner in 1972, Elvis Presley five times between 1972 and 1976, the Rolling Stones' 1972 tour filmed in part for the concert movie "Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones," Bob Dylan's 1974 comeback tour with The Band, Paul McCartney and Wings opening their 1976 North American tour, and the Eagles across three sold-out 1976 and 1977 shows.
The exhibit hall expands to the east.
The City of Fort Worth buys the complex from Tarrant County and renames it the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The JFK Theatre is demolished to build the Water Garden Events Plaza.
Two more expansion phases add a combined 79,200 sq ft of exhibit space.
The Fort Worth City Council confirms plans to demolish the historic arena, straighten Commerce Street, build a 1,000-seat hotel and add more than 50,000 sq ft of exhibit space. Confirm current construction status before booking a show near the affected areas.
Rules of the floor
Labor and rules of the floor
Right-to-work, open booth labor
Full-time staff may build any size booth with their own tools, as at every Texas venue in this guide.
Below Northeast and Midwest rates
Plan about $90 per hundredweight where a contractor handles freight.
Fort Worth Fire Department
Covered and multilevel exhibits need plan review; flame-certified fabrics for anything covered.
Center-exclusive services
Electrical, rigging, internet, cleaning and catering are exclusive to the center or its designated providers; the show kit carries the current list.
Arena redevelopment
With the historic arena's demolition and rebuild underway, confirm current access and hall availability before booking near that construction.
Certificates
Naming the organizer and the City of Fort Worth; Purple's is on file.
Free tool
Fort Worth drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026; the show kit has the tariff. All-venue rates and a glossary on the drayage rates page.
Deadlines
Freight countdown for a Fort Worth show
The calendar
Shows at the FWCC
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo runs at the nearby Will Rogers Memorial Center, not the downtown convention center; the FWCC's own calendar covers regional trade and consumer shows.
| Event type | When | Industry | Typical attendance | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home and consumer shows | Winter, spring | Home improvement, consumer | 15,000 | Custom exhibits |
| Healthcare and professional conferences | Spring, fall | Healthcare, professional services | 5,000 | 10×20 rentals |
Attendance figures are Purple's planning ranges; confirm each event with the organizer. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, running most years from mid-January through early February and drawing over a million visitors, is held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, not the FWCC.
Logistics
Getting there and staying
- Airport: DFW International is about 25 to 30 minutes; Fort Worth Meacham is a smaller general-aviation option.
- By car: I-30 and I-35W both reach downtown Fort Worth directly.
- Nearby: the historic Stockyards District, with its twice-daily longhorn cattle drive, is about ten minutes north of downtown.
- Freight: docks serve the exhibit halls; confirm current access given ongoing arena construction.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Texas crews and regional freight for Fort Worth shows.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Fort Worth hotels | Walking distance | The standard block for FWCC shows. |
| Hotels near the Stockyards | 10-min drive | A Texas experience for client entertainment. |
| Gaylord Texan Resort | 30-min drive | An all-in-one option for the Metroplex. Venue guide. |
The city
Fort Worth in pictures
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Halls, docks, arena construction status, deadlines.
Questions
Fort Worth Convention Center FAQ
How big is the FWCC?
716,000 square feet total, including 252,226 square feet of exhibit space across 41 meeting rooms and the main exhibit halls.
Can I set up my own booth?
Yes, any size, with your own tools. Texas's right-to-work law applies here as at every venue in this guide.
Is the Fort Worth Stock Show here?
No. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, the oldest continuously running livestock show in the country, runs at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, a separate venue near the Cultural District.
What happened to the arena?
The city confirmed plans in 2020 to demolish the original 1968 "flying saucer" arena, which hosted Elvis Presley five times, and replace it with more exhibit space and a hotel. Confirm current construction status before booking.
How much is drayage?
Plan about $90 per hundredweight where a contractor handles freight.
Can I see the Stockyards during my trip?
Yes, it's about ten minutes from downtown, and features a genuine twice-daily longhorn cattle drive through the historic district.
Which airport should I use?
DFW International is about 25 to 30 minutes from downtown Fort Worth.
Where does Purple ship from?
Purple coordinates Texas crews and regional freight carriers for Fort Worth shows.
Exhibiting in Fort Worth?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a design brief, a drayage estimate and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.