Officials with the East Montgomery County Improvement District and Oak View Group named Melanie Granado as the general manager for the upcoming Caney Pines Convention Center in New Caney, via a Sept. 16 news release.
Career history
Per the release, Granado most recently served as the assistant general manager at the Oak View Group-managed Hilliard Center in Corpus Christi. Prior to that, she served as sales manager for Visit Corpus Christi and director of sales at the Ortiz Center in Corpus Christi.
"Melanie is an outstanding, results-driven professional with tremendous experience in convention sales, hospitality and strategic planning," said Greg O'Dell, president of venue management for Oak View Group, in a statement. "She continues to demonstrate her ability to lead cross-functional teams, drive revenue growth and create meaningful opportunities for the communities she serves. We're confident her experience and leadership will help create exciting opportunities here in New Caney and the surrounding East Montgomery County region."
In her new role, Granado will oversee day-to-day operations, including:
Scheduling
Operations
Finance
Advertising
Sponsorship
Hospitality
Quote of note
"It's truly an exciting time in New Caney, and I'm excited to step into the role of general manager at Caney Pines Convention Center," Granado said in a statement. "The convention center will be a true catalyst for connection and growth throughout the region: a place where businesses, organizations and community members can come together to share ideas and build partnerships. We want to attract new meetings and conventions while creating experiences that strengthen our community and make the Caney Pines Convention Center a premier meeting destination."
In case you missed it
EMCID's board of directors approved Oak View Group to manage and operate the convention center in June, as previously reported by Community Impact. The convention center's name—Caney Pines—was announced in September.
"We look forward to working closely with Melanie and leaning on her incredible insight and expertise as we prepare to open Caney Pines Convention Center," EMCID President and CEO Frank McCrady said in a statement. "This project is about building lasting opportunity for the community, and we're grateful to partner with Oak View Group as we prepare to welcome the world to New Caney and East Montgomery County."
Stay tuned
Caney Pines Convention Center is scheduled to open in December in Valley Ranch's Entertainment District. The 210,070-square-foot facility will be the third largest convention center in Houston and the seventh largest in Texas, per the release.
The center is anticipated to host a myriad of events, including weddings, graduation ceremonies, business meetings, trade shows and youth sports tournaments. Event bookings for 2027 are already underway.
