Reviewing the Convention Center Arena Study thread seems to show a planning disconnect between Dickies and the CC Arena, not surprising I guess and hopefully that sort of initiative blindspot will diminish to very little under the mandate to cease the 20th century marketing plan for the city.
Visit Fort Worth is absolutely right to place so much importance on convention center renovation, but it's unclear to me why expansion plans for the convention center facility seem to be chasing the same strategy that have failed or are in the middle of failing every city in the country -- potentially wrecking the neighborhood to host meetings.
If Dickies Arena had been built adjacent to the convention center, then treading that water would be appropriate. But the big arena is a couple miles away so the focus of the convention center, in my opinion, should become less convention and more community. Fort Worth's single greatest, under exploited demographic of tourism lives within the metropolitan area. A big new ~1,000 room CVB "Headquarters" hotel certainly is in order, but that one needs to go to the Cultural District.
The Arena needs to stay, and as mention elsewhere should have the capability to open to General Worth Square. With upgrades, expansion and retrofits geared mostly to what North Texas residents are missing ought to be the intent of the Fort Worth Convention Center.
--re: Cultural District 'HQ' hotel. That part of town has a ridiculous absence of hotel rooms. Special events at the new arena can generate enough adjacent-preferred hotel use to almost support a giant hotel, everything else within walking distance can make profitable hotel attract others. The museums and the stock show are the most potent draws Fort Worth has beyond North Texas. The livestock barn I guess would only function as barns.... ummm but I don't see why they cannot actually working the 11 months when judging is not going on --- it's a new attraction with benefits. Half way petting zoo, all the way farm producing breakfast. I dont know something like that... but the rest of the collection of exhibition facilities including the football field, Casa Manana should renovate and upgrade to host some of the conventions and trade shows now currently under the approach of the convention center (it's the same sort of neglect with Dallas Fair Park. Here in Fort Worth is one of the best collections of Art in the South Central US, a beautiful skyline view, tons of exhibition space and the fleeting style & fashion of the day leaves it underutilized most of the year). The HQ hotel is specifically built to enhance the Will Rogers art deco architecture while serving as a landmark on the horizon.
That's more of what I mean.... Tourists from within North Texas are the primary target for the Fort Worth Convention Center. The rest of downtown already hangs off the Main Street shoulders, this will simply make stronger shoulders.
Getting hardline transit to circle through the primary attractions almost seems insurmountable.