Cranes!

When was the last time a major hotel was built in the immediate Fort Worth area? We've had some re-development, such as the Courtyard Marriott downtown, but nothing like this in my memory.

Omni Hotels brings Fort Worth a great hotel and the ability to attract larger and better conventions. Currently, we are attracting conventions in the lower levels of medium size and competing with Grapevine and Arlington to get them. Dallas is in another category. The really big shows go to Las Vegas, San Francisco, Hawaii, Chicago, New York, and until Katrina, New Orleans. The Omni, directly across from the Convention Center, helps a lot in our category.

The Omni will have around 600 rooms. Add to that, the old Plaza Hotel, soon to be Sheraton with 400 rooms and a $50 million renovation and we're getting close to respectable. Plus, River Plaza on University and I30 has a planned $110 million hotel/shopping/office complex. Completion date: 2010.

I haven't seen this many cranes in Fort Worth for years. 7th Street, center-city downtown, Trinity river downtown and Arlington's Dallas Cowboy's Stadium has a crane or two as well.

Not bad for a recession-like economy. Somebody's betting on growth.

----------------------------------------------------

Another question: Lancaster Boulevard downtown looks great, but I thought we were getting more of a promenade look. Where's the promenade?