Meet on Campus: Texas Tech Venues to Consider for Your Next Event

Home to Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas bleeds Red Raider spirit through and through. When planning your next event, consider one of the many ideal venues on campus to give your attendees a truly authentic Tech experience. From large conventions to small meetings, and all of the minute details in between, consider these Texas Tech venues as the meeting place for your next gathering! 

In 1925, guests arrived at the newly provisioned President’s House, inadvertently kicking off a party that has lasted (on and off) for nearly 100 years. Over time, the President’s House blossomed into the world-class McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center, where thousands of events have brought a steady stream of visitors to the historic venue. The classic architecture provides a fitting aesthetic for upscale events. This dynamic space has a lot to offer, with à la carte rental options scalable to your guest list. A grand ballroom, outdoor courtyard, and reception areas provide ample space that is customizable.

Turn the courtyard into a silent auction hall for your benefit, transform a reception area into a happy hour cocktail lounge or talk to the planning staff at the Alumni Association for additional ideas. Reserve the entire center and enjoy the plush grand ballroom, which seats for 550 guests or standing room for 700.  For smaller events, the ballroom can easily be divided into more intimate rooms, ensuring a space that is perfectly tailored to your needs. We recommend reserving time for networking outdoors. The Anders East Lawn and Gazebo is the perfect setting underneath the picturesque West Texas sky. 

The McKenzie-Merket is a popular space best reserved months in advance, but rest-assured it’s worth the wait!

For a space that offers traditional West Texas hospitality and state-of-the-art facilities, consider the Frazier Alumni Pavilion. This space, which was recently renovated, allows planners the freedom to customize and decorate a beautiful, unique venue with views of the Jones AT&T Stadium. 

In the pavilion, natural light pours across bright wood grain from floor-to-ceiling windows, and fire dances in an oversized hearth. The pavilion hosts numerous weddings, but it’s also a memorable spot for a conference, retreat, dinner or networking event.

With room for up to 500 guests to sit and enjoy a banquet or 550 to mingle among cocktail tables, it’s ideal for small and mid-sized crowds. Dance floors, stages and spaces for bands or other performers are just a few of the exciting additions that take your event to the next level. The option to expand the venue with outdoor tents – that can be air-conditioned – is often used to boost capacity by five or six tables.

The Kent R. Hance Chapel is a great option for smaller groups of up to 250. If it seems like an unconventional choice, keep in mind this multipurpose, nondenominational chapel, named after former Chancellor of Texas Tech University, Kent Hance, isn’t a conventional church. It opened a few years ago and has become a popular option for weddings, community meetings, student organizations and more. The quality engineered acoustics, gorgeous stained glass windows and unique Spanish architecture make an impression. The chapel is an ideal size for small company retreats and special guest speakers. It also features small gardens with seasonal plantings. If you need more space, you can combine several alumni association spaces for a multi-location event all within close proximity.

With near nine million antiquities, pieces and works, the Museum of Texas Tech University  is a jaw-dropping addition to any visitor’s itinerary in Lubbock. Permanent collections of 21st-century Southwestern art, artifacts dating back to World War II and the Ice Age and rotating exhibits attract patrons from around the world. The museum is also another option for events with abundant possibilities for seating arrangements, performers, music, technical set-ups and receptions. Its Helen DeVitt Jones Sculpture Court transforms into a great ballroom option, and the Helen DeVitt Jones Auditorium is ideal for lectures. The artwork on display and by-request piano performers can give an event a highbrow feel.

Organization’s interested in hosting an event here must be a Texas Tech affiliate organization or a nonprofit to use the space.

Texas Tech is an insta-worthy location that will take each event to the next level. While visiting campus, encourage your attendees to peruse the public art collection at Texas Tech, which was named one of the top ten in the U.S. by Public Art Review. 

Want to learn more about hosting a meeting or event in Lubbock? Be sure to check out our website at visitlubbock.org/meet.