Ready for an upbeat Western experience? Lubbock may be just the place.
The historic Texas city has grown from a population of 50 in 1890 to more than 295,000 today. Traditionally a farming town and still a major cotton center, today’s Lubbock offers a diverse entertainment, art and culture scene. In recent years, it has earned a reputation as one of the state’s most popular meeting destinations. With easy access, plenty of meeting space and a variety of area attractions, Lubbock appeals on multiple levels.
Meeting planners can anticipate a great experience, said Amy Zientek, director of sales for Visit Lubbock, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.
“Customer service is alive and well in Lubbock,” she said. “And you can’t top the friendliness of the people who live and work here.”
Zientek said visitors are often surprised by the amenities found in the area, even though it’s not among the state’s largest tier of cities. And there are plenty of visitors: more than 5.5 million yearly.
“If you put Lubbock in any other state, it would be a big city,” she said.
The west Texas location is an asset, she said, with good weather, attractive landscapes and ready access by air or auto. Dubbed the Hub City by locals, Lubbock is intersected by five major highways. “It’s a five-hour drive from most of the state’s big cities and well worth the drive,” Zientek said.
The city boasts more than 5,300 hotel rooms as well as plentiful hotel-based meeting space, a full-featured civic center and other attractive venues. The diverse offerings of Texas Tech University, from Big 12 conference sports to year-round cultural events, add to the area’s attractiveness. Benefiting from the inherent energy of a college town, Lubbock also offers abundant live entertainment, headlined by the thriving Depot Entertainment District.
The city and surrounding area also have a number of entries on the National Register of Historic Places, which, along with several attractions, provide visitors with a window on the region’s Old West past.
Big Event Space
The Lubbock Memorial Civic Center offers 95,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 14,000-square-foot banquet hall and smaller meeting rooms.
Located on the Texas Tech campus, the United Supermarkets Arena includes an 81,000-square-foot concourse and a 32,000-square-foot arena floor and conference center. Rooms can seat 90 persons or more, depending on the retractable wall configuration.
The City Bank Auditorium and Coliseum offers auditorium seating for 2,800, along with three meeting rooms. The coliseum has 20,000 square feet of floor space, more than 6,900 permanent seats and capacity for 1,440 portable floor seats.
The Western Experience
The National Ranching Heritage Center has seven galleries, 48 authentic ranch structures from around the Southwest and a collection of life-size bronze structures. As a combination museum and historical park, it celebrates the days of the traditional cowboy.
Lubbock Lake National Historical Park offers a look at evidence of the first settlers of the American West, going back 12,000 years. Visitors can interact with archaeologists or enjoy a night hike along a three-mile scenic trail through the Yellow House Canyon.
Mackenzie Park, a 248-acre recreation area, includes Prairie Dog Town, featuring what may be the West’s most adorable creatures.
