Fort Worth Convention Center, Convention center and arena in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, United States

The Fort Worth Convention Center is a convention complex in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, built on land cleared from over 14 city blocks once known as "Hell's Half Acre." Its arena, likened to a flying saucer, sits under a shallow pale-grey dome ringed by a dark rim and topped by a small hub with thin vertical masts. Below the roof a band of dark glass runs between pale columns above a lower concrete wall, and the base is fronted by vertical glass doors and dark panels.

The convention center opened in 1968 and has shaped Fort Worth's event scene ever since. A major expansion in 2003 added modern facilities and established it as one of the top event venues in the southwestern United States.

The arena's saucer-shaped form made it a Fort Worth landmark, and its stage hosted Ike & Tina Turner in 1972, Elvis Presley across 1972-1976, and the Rolling Stones, whose June 24, 1972 shows were filmed for Ladies and Gentlemen. U2's 1987 Joshua Tree concerts there supplied footage for Rattle and Hum. The city held a farewell event for the arena in September 2026 before its planned 2027 demolition.

The complex occupies over 14 city blocks in downtown Fort Worth, on the site of the former Hell's Half Acre district. The arena, which resembles a flying saucer, is scheduled for demolition in 2027, so check which halls and entrances are in use before an event. Commerce Street is being straightened as part of the redevelopment.

The arena under the shallow dome was long nicknamed the "flying saucer" for its shape. It hosted the 1992 Davis Cup final, where the United States beat Switzerland, and the Rolling Stones filmed part of Ladies and Gentlemen there on June 24, 1972. A farewell event was held in September 2026 before its planned demolition in 2027.