Business

IRAPUATO The area's reputation for agriculture goes back to the seventeenth century, when it became an important supply center to the mining industry. From there, it went on to specialize in fruit cultivation, particularly strawberries, for which it has earned the title "Strawberry Capital of the World", and it now occupies an important position in the agricultural and textile industries. Besides its modern 1,800-seat convention center, Irapuato possesses attractive recreational areas, two professional golf clubs, the Sergio León Chavez soccer stadium (a World Cup venue), a bullring and a Charro (horsemanship) arena, which is home to the World Charro Congress. There are 525 rooms available in the three-to-five-star range, all with high-quality restaurant service and some hotels offering conference and event space. Irapuato is an important venue for events such as Expo Fresas (strawberries), Expo Agroalimentaria for the agri-food industry, Expo Megapecuaria for the agriculture and livestock sector, and the Commercial Economics Fair, as well as wide variety of sporting events, such as the Nauticopa. IRAPUATO CONGRESS AND CONVENTIONS OFFICE Escuela Médico Militar 60. Tel. (4) 624-5500 Expo Agroalimentaria: www.expoagroalimentariagto.com.mx Mega Expo Pecuaria: www.expopecuaria.com