DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - A gaming organization based in Sweden is expecting 40,000 people for a convention this weekend at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
DreamHack says the event would be the biggest gaming convention in the Western Hemisphere.
Organizers say Arlington's eSports arena and the eSports organization at the Star in Frisco show North Texas has become a hub for gamers. In turn, they say businesses are seeing a potential for profit.
"This has a ton of mainstream appeal; it has a social buy-in, if you will," says DreamHack's Justin Varghese.
"It's a very exciting city, and it's a city with great allusions for the future," says Tina Klintmalm, who works with the Swedish consulate in Dallas. "Look in the business world in Dallas. There are companies from all over the world, and we have several Swedish companies in the area. I am very happy for this, and I'm very proud of the work they do."
Varghese says DreamHack attracts more than just gamers. He says developers use the convention to meet with companies and try new technology.
"In here, you'll find a woman who is using [virtual reality> to help stroke patients regain movement," he says. "We have a ton of initiatives highlighting the social good gaming creates."