Billy Bob's Texas is an icon in Fort Worth. The music hall is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a bash. Billy Bob’s is located in the historic Stockyards which just celebrated its 130th anniversary.
"It's really interesting,” Pennsylvania visitor Karen Kishbach said. “Makes me wonder what it was like many years ago."
It also makes some wonder how the area survived during a pandemic.
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"So, we were very fortunate to keep building and renovating and restoring," Stockyard Heritage Development marketing vice-president Ethan Cartwright said.
He said construction, which's been in the works for the past two years, may have slowed some but didn't stop during the pandemic.
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That's a positive sign to out of state visitors.
"Good foresight with developers and that kind of thing,” Pennsylvania visitor Tim Kishbach said. “A lot of people are here so, looks like things are getting a little more back to normal."
Cartwright explained some of the new development.
"The restoration of Mule Alley and the introduction of new dining and restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options,” Cartwright said. “So, we've completed that and we'll be mostly complete by the end of this year. And the opening and building of hotel Drover which officially opened a few days ago."
Stockyards Heritage Development has also taken over the Cowtown Coliseum. Plans are to bring in even more sporting events to the facility.
The tourism all of this draws in is good for the Stockyards and all of Fort Worth.
"Given the year we all just had to see that growth and development is remarkable and nice to see," Kishbach said.
