Exhibitor guide · Grapevine, Texas
Gaylord Texan Resort: the exhibitor's guide
180,000 square feet of exhibition space under a Texas-themed atrium, three ballrooms, 1,814 rooms, and a location thirty minutes from both Dallas and Fort Worth. The all-in-one convention resort for the Metroplex.
Hero photo: "gaylord-texan-grapevine-texas" by GrapevineTxOnline.com, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Source
Why this page exists
The Gaylord Texan is what a convention resort looks like when it is built as one project rather than assembled piece by piece: 180,000 sq ft of exhibition space, three ballrooms up to 50,000 sq ft, and 1,814 rooms, all under one Texas-Hill-Country-themed roof near DFW Airport. For a Metroplex show that wants everything on one property with a golf-resort feel, this is the Texas answer to Gaylord's other convention hotels in Nashville, Orlando and National Harbor.
This guide covers the exhibition space and ballroom complex, a booth converter for carpeted-floor logistics, Texas right-to-work labor rules, drayage through the resort's contractor, a freight countdown, the kinds of events that book the property, hotels and DFW-area transit, and the history of a resort opened by the Gaylord Entertainment Company two decades ago.
The building
The exhibition space and ballrooms
Everything runs on one level: exhibition space, pre-function areas, meeting rooms and ballrooms, all connected without stairs or elevators.
| Space | What it is | Typical use | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibition hall | 180,000 sq ft of dedicated exhibition space, on the same level as the rest of the meeting complex. | Exhibit halls of 150 to 400 booths | Concrete floor; forklifts and heavier builds by arrangement. |
| Texas Grand Ballroom | 50,000 sq ft, the largest of the resort's three ballrooms. | General sessions, galas, exhibit hall overflow | Carpeted; freestanding structures, floor protection under heavy pieces. |
| Lone Star and Longhorn Ballrooms | 32,200 and 3,200 sq ft respectively. | Breakouts, banquets, smaller general sessions | Carpeted rooms for secondary functions. |
| 70 breakout rooms | Across the meeting complex. | Breakouts, hospitality suites | Hand-carry and tabletop formats. |
| 40,000 sq ft outdoor event lawn | An outdoor special-event space on the property. | Receptions, sponsor activations | Weather-dependent; Texas heat affects summer outdoor events. |
| Docks | Dedicated loading access for the exhibition hall. | All exhibit freight | Confirm dock hours and configuration with the resort. |
Free tool
Resort floor booth converter
Tick what your usual booth includes. The converter shows what changes moving onto the Gaylord Texan's floors, and when a purpose-built rental beats converting a custom exhibit.
History
A Texas-themed convention resort
The Gaylord Texan is one of a small family of purpose-built convention resorts, each themed to its region, that Gaylord Entertainment built to compete for the group meetings business a standalone hotel cannot capture alone.
The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center opens April 2 in Grapevine, near DFW International Airport, welcoming more than 12,000 guests in its opening days. It joins Gaylord Entertainment's family of theme-district convention resorts alongside the original Gaylord Opryland in Nashville.
The resort establishes itself as the Metroplex's answer to a full-service convention destination: golf, spa, a water park and 1,814 rooms alongside the exhibition and ballroom complex, all under Texas Hill Country theming.
Marriott International acquires the Gaylord Hotels brand's management from Ryman Hospitality Properties, which retains ownership of the real estate; the Gaylord Texan continues operating under the combined Marriott-Gaylord banner.
The resort remains one of the largest convention hotels in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, drawing on its position 30 minutes from both downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth and minutes from DFW Airport.
Rules of the floor
Labor, exclusives and resort rules
Right-to-work, open booth labor
Texas's right-to-work law applies at the Gaylord Texan as at every venue in this guide: full-time staff may build a booth of any size with their own tools.
Resort contractor
Material handling runs through the resort's designated contractor; plan about $100 per hundredweight.
Exhibition hall versus ballroom
The dedicated exhibition hall takes heavier builds; the ballrooms are carpet-only with floor protection under heavy pieces.
Resort exclusives
Electrical, rigging, internet, audiovisual and catering are exclusive to the resort or its providers; the show kit carries the current list.
Texas and local fire code
Flame certificates for fabrics and carpet, covered booths by approval, permits for cooking and vehicles.
Texas summer heat
The outdoor event lawn and any outdoor activations need a heat plan from roughly May through September.
Certificates
Naming the organizer and Ryman Hospitality Properties; Purple's is on file.
Free tool
Gaylord Texan 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 Gaylord Texan event
The calendar
Events at the Gaylord Texan
The resort books conferences, corporate meetings and incentive programs rather than public trade shows. These are the kinds of events Purple builds for on the property.
| Event type | When | Exhibit format | Typical booths | Purple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National association conferences | Spring, fall | Exhibit hall | 150–400 | 10×10 rentals |
Booth counts are Purple's planning ranges from resort-show experience; the resort diagram sets the maximum.
Logistics
Getting there and staying
- Airport: DFW International is about 10 minutes; the resort is one of the closest convention properties to the airport in the Metroplex.
- By car: State Highway 26 and State Highway 121 both reach Grapevine directly from Dallas or Fort Worth.
- Freight: dedicated exhibition hall dock; confirm hours with the resort.
- On property: golf, a water park, a spa and multiple restaurants mean staff and attendees rarely need to leave.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Texas crews for Gaylord Texan events.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Gaylord Texan Resort | The venue | 1,814 rooms on site; the block is inside the conference contract. |
| Grapevine and DFW airport hotels | 10-min drive | Overflow blocks near the airport. |
| Downtown Dallas hotels | 30-min drive | For attendees splitting time between the resort and the city. Dallas venue guide. |
| Downtown Fort Worth hotels | 30-min drive | Equally close from the other side of the Metroplex. Fort Worth venue guide. |
Resources
Free resources you can link to
Embed the booth converter
Cite the numbers
One-page cheat sheet
Exhibition hall, ballrooms, docks, deadlines.
Questions
Gaylord Texan FAQ
How big is the exhibition space?
180,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space, plus a 50,000-square-foot Texas Grand Ballroom and two smaller ballrooms, all on one level.
Can I set up my own booth?
Yes, any size, with your own tools. Texas's right-to-work law applies at the Gaylord Texan as at every venue in this guide.
How close is it to DFW Airport?
About 10 minutes, one of the closest major convention properties to the airport in the Metroplex.
Is it closer to Dallas or Fort Worth?
Almost exactly in between: about 30 minutes from downtown Dallas and 30 minutes from downtown Fort Worth.
How much is drayage?
Plan about $100 per hundredweight through the resort's designated contractor.
Can I bring a forklift onto the exhibition floor?
By arrangement; the dedicated exhibition hall takes heavier builds than the carpeted ballrooms.
What is on the property besides meeting space?
Golf courses, a water park, a spa and multiple restaurants, all under the resort's Texas Hill Country theming.
Where does Purple ship from?
Purple coordinates Texas crews and regional freight for Gaylord Texan events.
Exhibiting at the Gaylord Texan?
Send us the event and the room. You get a resort-spec 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.