FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Diana Pfaff                                                                                                       
(972) 401-7722 or (214) 236-8885 (cell)
dpfaff@irvingtexas.com

Melissa Cannon
(972) 401-7723 or (817) 648-7006 (cell)
mailto: mcannon@irvingtexas.com

Nevin Reilly
Cvent | Sloane & Company
(212) 446-1893
nreilly@sloanepr.com

                  IRVING, TEXAS RANKED IN TOP 50 MEETINGS DESTINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 
                  Placement on Cvent List reflects the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau's efforts
                        
and commitment to attract corporate events and support the local economy

IRVING, Texas (Aug. 22, 2013)... The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) announced today that it has been ranked number 37 on Cvent's list of the top 50 cities for meetings and events in the U.S. Cvent, a leading cloud-based enterprise event management platform, developed the ranking based on meeting and event booking activity in the Cvent Supplier Network.

"I'm thrilled to see Irving make this coveted list. We are honored to be ranked among the top meetings and events destination cities by Cvent, said Maura Allen Gast, ICVB executive director. 

Earning a spot on this list validates the significant effort we put into making Irving an attractive and innovative choice for corporate meetings, a critical part of not just our local economy here in North Texas, but equally as beneficial to the economic health of Texas and the entire U.S."

Irving welcomes nearly 3 million visitors annually delivering $1.4 billion in spending, supporting 12,567 jobs, generating $42.5 million in tax revenues and generating $526 in hard-to-replace tax base for every Irving household.

Since its grand opening two and a half years ago, the LEED® Silver certified, eco-friendly, copper-clad Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas (ICCLC) hosted more than 500 events, attracting more .5 million people to the city.

This fall, Irving breaks ground on an adjoining ICCLC headquarter hotel, and moves full-speed ahead toward completing its 40-acre convention and entertainment district in the Las Colinas Urban Center, set to include an indoor-outdoor amphitheater, and a cluster of restaurants and retail shops.

Cvent evaluated nearly 5,700 U.S. cities featured on the Cvent Supplier Network to create the list. Activity was tracked between July 2012 and June 2013, and ranking was then determined by a set of qualifying criteria:

Unique Request for Proposals Received
Total Room Nights
Awarded Request for Proposals
Awarded Room Nights
Percentage of Qualified Meeting Venues

See the complete list of the Top 50 Meeting Destinations here.

About Irving, Texas
Located immediately adjacent to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and between Dallas and Fort Worth, Irving, Texas, boasts more than 75 hotels and nearly 12,000 rooms.  Las Colinas, a 12,000-acre master-planned community within the city of Irving, is known worldwide for its quality and uniqueness. The city is home to 10,000+ companies, 50 Fortune 500 companies, and the world headquarters of six Fortune 500 companies.  For more information, visit irvingtexas.com.
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