Melanie Granado Named GM At Caney Pines Convention Center In Texas

Melanie Granado was named general manager of the new Caney Pines Convention Center in New Caney, Texas.

Granado is the first general manager, and first woman, to lead the Caney Pines Convention Center, the 210,070-square-foot facility scheduled to open in December and operated by Oak View Group, Pollstar‘s parent company. The convention center will be the third largest in the Houston area and the seventh largest in Texas.

With oversight of day-to-day operations including scheduling, finance, advertising, sponsorship and hospitality, Granado is relocating to New Caney from the OVG-managed Hilliard Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she most recently served as Assistant General Manager. She previously held leadership roles as OVG Hospitality General Manager and Vice President of Convention Center Sales & Operations.

Already on the job, Granado talked to Venues Pulse about the market and future of the soon-to-open, 6,000-cap meeting and event space.

Venues Pulse: With so much on the horizon, what are you looking forward to most?

Melanie Granado: My career has been rooted in convention centers, and I love convention centers. I’ve looked at it as sales with a mission because convention centers bring economic impact back to the communities they’re in. That’s kind of the heart of where I’ve lived and what I like. I’ve had the opportunity to work on the sales side and hospitality, operations and management, and I’m so excited to open a new building.

Pulse: Texas is experiencing huge growth in this segment with massive renovations across the state. What does it mean to build a center from the ground up?

Granado: To have a new product in a Texas convention center market right now is a big deal, and I’m really excited to be on the front lines of it. The East Montgomery County Improvement District along with OVG, put a lot of thought into this venue and what meetings now – in 2026 and beyond – need state of the art rooms and AV and meeting space. It is a neat venue, with outdoor space, with indoor space, with pillar-free expo space. There was a lot of thought put behind what this center will look like in five years when East Montgomery County is a destination.

Pulse: With a capacity of 6,000, how does the facility fit into the greater convention center ecosystem and what opportunities come with that size space?

Granado: I’m excited because right now I’m getting to see all of the sales pipeline. So, everything from nontraditional sports to graduations, community events, medium to large-size expos. With a 55,000-square-foot expo hall, an exhibit space with multiple air walls, it is such a multi-purpose venue that we’re going to see it used for so many different options – from conventions that need expo – and we have 14 breakout spaces, which is a great number. That against our comp markets, this is going to be a really great destination.

Pulse: How does it feel coming in as the first female GM?

Granado: Incredible! I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have strong women leaders that showed me that I could strive for a leadership position. Within OVG, the SVP of Convention Centers, Shura Garnett, offered me someone to watch, navigate challenges, find creative solutions and help me see that this was possible. And her example encouraged me that I could grow and take on bigger challenges and pursue opportunities like this one at Caney Pines Convention Center.

Pulse: You’ve also developed great relationships in the community including the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas, the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber. How do you plan to engage in New Caney?

Granado: My role in management of an OVG facility goes beyond the four walls of the venue. It is to become part of the community in which my venue exists. So, I will be joining the chambers, and I’ve already sent in my interest form for East Montgomery County Pathway to Leadership classes. So, I am part of the community and understand the community from the inside out. I want to be part of. part of this community and know everything I can about it.

Pulse: What is your management style?

Granado: It’s simple: Leading by example and building strong teams. Especially with this convention center – knowing that it’s brand new – company culture and team culture is big to me. I’m culture focused in creating inclusive spaces and having mentorship available to anyone striving for a leadership role.

Pulse: What do you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months?

Granado: I hope that Caney Pines Convention Center becomes more than just a beautiful facility. I want it to become an economic driver in the community. I want it to be an asset to East Montgomery County. I want to build relationships with local businesses and meeting planners in the Texas and national markets. And I want to build a strong team ready to welcome everyone we could possibly welcome to this venue.