TYLER, Texas — City officials are working tirelessly to get the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center at the Rose Complex ready for its grand opening on Thursday.
It's a project that took 30 years to come to fruition. City leaders decided it was time for a change after Harvey Hall's long run in East Texas.
"Harvey [Hall] served many good years and has a place in everyone's heart in this community," said Tyler Deputy City Manager Stephanie Franklin. "It was time to look at something more state-of-the-art."
The conference center features upgraded design amenities with multiple conference rooms. The rooms are named after some of the roses in the legendary Tyler Rose Garden.
"It really is surrounded by many of our cultural attractions," Franklin said. "The building lays out for modern conferences; the lighting and sound system are all upgraded and state-of-the-art. It has wonderful catering kitchens, so you have the opportunity to bring in catering for the events."
City officials believe with the new upgrades they've added to the center, it'll become one of the main attractions for visitors.
While the conference center hasn't officially opened, it's already taking reservations for events -- the first being hosted by the Women's Symphony League of Tyler.
"The first event will be the East Texas Symphony Ball," Franklin said. "The event will be the inaugural event in terms of users who have rented the building, so that will be the following Saturday after the grand opening."
Franklin said the grand opening will not only celebrate a new facility, but it will be dedicated to the community that has helped shape it into what it is today.
"Our contractor and all the subcontractors have worked tirelessly, even over the Easter weekend, to get this ready for Thursday," Franklin said. "It's something our community can be proud of and I hope they can see the value of what this facility will bring to them."
The grand opening is set for Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will feature a ribbon-cutting along with fireworks at dusk.
To learn more about the grand opening, click here.