A Tale of Two Convention Centers in Texarkana

In the race to build a convention hotel, Texarkana, Texas, has emerged as the winner over its metropolitan counterpart in Arkansas. The new Texarkana Convention Center and an attached Hilton Garden Inn both celebrated their openings this week on the Texas side of the state line. The $24 million project represents a partnership between the city and local hotel operator Daugherty Property Group. The convention center offers 25,000 sq. ft. of event space, including a 12,000-square-foot ballroom and a 6,000-square-foot outdoor plaza. The hotel features 154 guest rooms, including 25 suites.

Not to be outdone, Texarkana, Ark., is getting its own convention hotel, a Holiday Inn with as many as 150 rooms and a 22,000-square-foot event center. Work continues on the $18 million project, which broke ground a year ago. It is about three miles from the convention center in Texas. tamu.edu