Despite local hoteliers fears that the new Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine would suck all their business away, the "giant sucking sound from the west" the Dallas hospitality community expected has yet to be heard.
less than nine months after it opened, the Gaylord complex appears to be performing well beyond its developer's expectations -- without stealing business from the competition.
"It certainly has increased the level of competition, but it's also brought more attention to the area," said Phillip Jones, chief executive of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau.
"Clearly, we'd like to have all their room nights in Dallas, but in retrospect it's been a positive development for the area."
Washington, D.C., hoteliers, take heart from Dallas' experience as the new Gaylord National Convention Center and Resort on the Potomac goes up.
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