Panhandle Plains
AbileneVisitors.com; Facebook.com/AbileneTX; @VisitAbilene
According to Visit Abilene vice president Robert Lopez, Abilene represents the frontier spirit of Texas. “Our niche lies in combining heritage-rich experiences with modern meeting convenience,” he says. “Our storied past gives rise to a flourishing Downtown Cultural District, filled with museums and inspiring public art, including the world’s largest collection of storybook sculptures. Meeting attendees experience an authentic, welcoming community with enriching moments they can’t find anywhere else. In Abilene, meetings go beyond the agenda to create lifelong memories.”
Abilene’s newest property, the 200-room DoubleTree by Hilton Abilene Downtown Convention Center has 11,000 square feet of function space. It is directly across the street from Abilene Convention Center, which recently completed exterior renovations and offers more than 80,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, including a 2,000-person-capacity ballroom and multiple breakout rooms. Downtown’s revitalization is expected to be completed early this year, bringing new lighting, public art, and pedestrian-friendly amenities.
Frontier Texas, an interactive museum and visitors center in downtown, recently expanded to include new indoor space for after-hours receptions and parties, in addition to 75,000 square feet of outdoor event space.
The 175-room MCM Eleganté Suites Abilene has 12,000 square feet of recently renovated meeting and event space. Taylor County Expo Center, adjacent to Abilene Zoo and Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center, includes an 8,000-square-foot hall and a coliseum with 30,000 square feet of exhibit space, plus a stage, a covered pavilion, and additional function space.
