Irving chamber touts recruitment and retention wins as city proclaims Travel and Tourism Week

Beth Bowman, president and CEO of the Irving Chamber and Irving Economic Development Partnership, told the City Council on May 7 that her office’s semiannual efforts have generated major business activity across the city.

Bowman said the chamber’s recruitment work since October produced 20 new “wins,” translating to about 700,000 square feet of leased commercial space and approximately $78 million in capital investment tied to new tenants. She said retention work protected roughly $230 million in existing capital investment, preserved more than 2,200 jobs and produced 15 retention wins.

“Retention is definitely the name of the game,” Bowman said, adding that Irving’s ability to respond to employers quickly — and to coordinate among elected officials, staff and business partners — has helped keep companies in the city.

Mayor Rick Stoer used the meeting to read a proclamation declaring May 3–10, 2026, National Travel and Tourism Week in Irving and highlighted figures the city’s visitor organization presented about tourism’s local impact. The proclamation recited staff numbers showing roughly $4.1 billion in direct visitor spending, about 4.5 million visitors annually, support for 25,000 jobs and about $85.5 million in local tax revenue.

Mora, speaking for the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, reviewed marketing and pipeline data and discussed near‑term hotel market impacts from the World Cup. ICVB staff said digital campaigns and partnerships — including an Expedia arrangement staff said led to strong hotel bookings linked to targeted ads — remain central to driving room nights and visitor spending.

ICVB officials also warned that aging hotel inventory and concentrated, lower‑priced product on Irving’s 183 corridor create long‑term fiscal risk. The bureau proposed tools to encourage hotel reinvestment, identify ways to grow weekend demand and keep hotel development standards high to avoid a downward pricing spiral.

Why it matters: The chamber’s figures and the bureau’s hotel analysis affect the city’s economic strategy and revenue outlook. Council members pressed staff on competition from neighboring cities, and chamber leaders emphasized continuing outreach to site selectors and corporate decision‑makers.

What’s next: Bowman said the economic development partnership will continue tracking KPIs and engaging with the council; ICVB officials expect to return with a strategic plan proposal and budget placeholder this summer.