Corporate meetings, galas, wedding ceremonies and receptions can be held at the Ruthe Jackson Center in Grand Prairie, Texas, an event center with a column-free ballroom of more than 8,500 square feet, a board room for 18 at the table, a conference room of 2,310 square feet and a walled garden for outdoor ceremonies. It sits in the middle of the Dallas and Fort Worth area, a few minutes from DFW Airport.
Seminars and company events
The center sells corporate events alongside weddings and social parties. The Board Room is set up for executive meetings: a granite conference table seats 18 in leather chairs, with perimeter seating for 10 more, a 90-inch wall monitor, data ports, teleconferencing, Wi-Fi, a coffee bar and a mini fridge. The Conference Room, at 2,310 square feet, has a built-in screen and sound system and suits a training session or a business meeting followed by a reception. Larger company functions, galas and award dinners move into the Ballroom, which has its own screen and audio system. Birthday parties and other social events use the same rooms.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings range from about 50 guests to a reception that fills the Ballroom. Ceremonies take place in the Private Garden, an enclosed space within stone walls with landscaped paths, water features and a fountain. The Bridal Suite has mirrors, lighted vanities, a private powder room, a coffee bar and a mini fridge, and its doors open directly onto the garden aisle. The Board Room can be turned into a groom's suite with mirrors, wardrobes and a poker table, so both parties have a private room on the day.
Rooms and capacities
The Ballroom is the largest room, with over 8,500 column-free square feet, a movable wall to divide it, acoustical panels, three seven-foot crystal chandeliers and an arched window. The Board Room seats 18 at the table and 10 around the walls. The Conference Room covers 2,310 square feet. The site does not publish a maximum guest count for the Ballroom or the Conference Room, so organisers should ask for capacities by layout with their request.
Catering
The site mentions catering staff at events but does not set out whether catering is provided in-house or by approved outside caterers. Ask for the catering and bar policy at the enquiry stage, together with the event hours.
History and setting
The center is named after Ruthe Jackson (1921 to 2013), a Grand Prairie civic leader for more than 50 years. She served on the city council and as mayor pro tem for several terms, sat on the Dallas County school board and helped found 16 of the more than 30 civic and charitable groups she belonged to. She was also an environmentalist and local historian, and the first Texan to receive the Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Environmental Award.
Getting there
The address is 3113 S Carrier Parkway, Grand Prairie, Texas 75052. The center is minutes from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and close to Interstate 20, Interstate 30 and State Highways 360 and 161, which makes it reachable by car from both Dallas and Fort Worth. Site tours can be booked through the venue before a contract is signed.
