 Fort Worth, TX—How best to gauge the success of a convention center renovation and a revitalization project of its surrounding downtown area? When a major association books the destination for its annual convention. Fort Worth, Texas recently received this affirmation when the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) selected this Texas city to host its annual convention, the 2010 RCMA World Conference and Exposition.
One of the largest conventions in the meetings industry, the RCMA annual meeting represents 4,700 room nights and approximately $3.9 million in economic impact. In the past few years, Fort Worth has improved its downtown area, which includes restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, more than 2,000 hotel rooms (there are more than 11,000 hotel rooms city-wide) and other attractions all within walking distance the state-of-the-art Fort Worth Convention Center, which spans 14 city blocks and underwent a $75 million renovation/expansion in 2003.
 “Fort Worth was our choice for 2010 for three reasons,” said DeWayne Woodring, executive director, RCMA. “It can easily and comfortably accommodate our meeting, it offers a variety of things to do and see in downtown, and most importantly, they have a proven track record for hosting successful religious conventions. It’s already proving to be a rewarding partnership.”
According to Woodring, delegates who attend RCMA’s international annual meeting book an estimated 17,000 conferences and meetings for 13 million attendees each year. Hosting an annual meeting has been shown to eventually generate 175,000 room nights for the host city.
 The city’s improvements, unique culture and accessibility are touted by Fort Worth hospitality officials as the major draw for its growing meeting business and the main reason for its selection by the RCMA. “For meetings of all types and sizes, our city is a first-rate destination,” said David DuBois, CMP, CAE, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Fort Worth’s distinctive blend of cowboys and culture, our vibrant downtown—with its high-tech convention center, quality hotel properties and wide variety of restaurants and entertainment options—continues to attract the attention of meeting professionals worldwide. They are impressed with the city’s pedestrian-friendly, safe downtown, our array of attractions, and quick access to DFW International Airport.”
 Founded in 1972, RCMA is a professional, nonprofit, interfaith organization with nearly 3,400 members who plan and manage meetings, conferences, conventions or assemblies for religious organizations. Winning the RCMA annual convention—a prize sought after by nearly every major convention center in the U.S.—is a key accomplishment achieved by the concerted effort of a CVB team. “When we originally bid for the 2010 meeting, we were competing against many other cities,” admitted DuBois. “The success of securing this meeting didn’t just happen; it required an enormous amount of work on the part of our entire staff, city leaders and community partners.”
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