For Association & Corporate Meeting Planners, and Tradeshow Professionals. Includes: 2014 Prime Site & Top Destination Winners; Leading Edge Interviews with: Doug Gehret, Michael Lyons; Planner Perspectives: Making Association Meetings More Social, Virtual Networking, Medical Meetings In Transition; Religious Meetings: In Conversation with Kathy Kolander, President, Prosessions, PhotoView: RCMA Emerge Conference 2014, What It Takes for Planners and Hoteliers to Be Kosher Ready; Historic Ships: Decked Out for Corporate Events; Destination Spotlight: Philadelphia; F&D International: St. Croix, Q&A With Morgan Tomlinson, Masterplan, Inc., Aruba, Switzerland, Q&A With Lynne Schueler, The Principal Financial Group
PLANNING BY THE RULES Keys to success in today’s highly regulated medical meetings industry Judith R. Johnson, CMP President and CEO, Rx Worldwide Meetings, Inc. Planner Perspectives: 44 2014 Prime Site & Top Destination Awards 62 BEDROCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 152 Madison Ave., Ste. 802, New York, NY 10016 TM SuperBook For Association & Corporate Meeting Planners & Tradeshow Professionals FACILITIES DESTINATIONS & PHILADELPHIA: Lorenz Hassenstein New GM of the SMG-Managed Pennsylvania Convention Center 54 Aruba 146 St. Croix 138 Switzerland 150 2014
Transcript
Planning by the Rules
Keys to success in today’s highly
regulated medical meetings
industryJudith R. Johnson, CMP
President and CEO,Rx Worldwide Meetings, Inc.
Planner Perspectives:44
2014 Prime site & top Destination awards 62BEDROCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.152 Madison Ave., Ste. 802, New York, NY 10016
TM
superbook For Association & Corporate Meeting Planners & Tradeshow Professionals
FaCIlItIEsDEstInatIOns &
PhilaDelPhia:lorenz
hassensteinnew GM of the sMG-Managed
Pennsylvania Convention Center
54
aruba 146
st. Croix 138
switzerland 150
2014
SMG MAKES IT EASY
Visit MeetPHL.com to see for yourself why—now more than ever—Philadelphia is a great place to make a great meeting.
START with the state-of-the-art Pennsylvania Convention Center located in the walkable, bustling downtown of one of America’s most popular cities.
ADD 12,000 hotel rooms, 46 million potential attendees within a short drive and SMG, the nation’s most experienced meeting facilities manager.
MIX IT ALL TOGETHER with the experience and dedication of our hardworking team, the cost certainty and overall value we offer and the attention to detail we place on creating unforgettable experiences.
AND WHAT DO YOU GET?PHILADELPHIA, a Modern Renaissance City where great meetings have always been made.
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SUPERBOOK For Association & Corporate Meeting Planners & Tradeshow Professionals
FacilitiesDestinations & TM
2014 Awards of Excellence Prime Site & Top Destination Winners: The Best of The Best..62 ELITE Awards Ballot.. .......................................................................30 2014 Prime Site Meeting Hotel Awards Ballot... ...........................61 2015 Awards of Excellence Ballot... ................................................74 Upfront ....................................................................................... 12-28 Destination Watch, Conference Center Watch, Supplier Showcase Leading Edge: Doug Gehret, Michael Lyons
Columns Looking Ahead...................................................................................2 Viewpoint ...........................................................................................6 Caffin’s Corner..................................................................................10 Planner Perspectives Making Association Meetings More Social, by Tim Hendrickson et al ...................................................................................................40 Virtual Networking, by Sharla Warren ............................................42 Medical Meetings In Transition, by Judith R. Johnson .................44
Religious Meetings In Conversation with Kathy Kolander, President, Prosessions .....46 PhotoView: RCMA Emerge Conference 2014 ..............................47 What It Takes for Planners and Hoteliers to Be Kosher Ready ....51
Offsite Venues Historic Ships: Decked Out for Corporate Events ........................48
F&D International St. Croix ..........................................................................................138 Q&A With Morgan Tomlinson, Masterplan, Inc. .....................144 Aruba ..............................................................................................146 Switzerland .....................................................................................150 Q&A With Lynne Schueler, The Principal Financial Group ....154
Directory: F&D Sites & Cities ........................................................77 A-Z Index ........................................................................................76 Ad Index .......................................................................................145
Hot List Expanding Convention Centers ...................................................156
Facilities & Destinations is published four times a year by Bedrock Communications, Inc., 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Telephone: (212) 532-4150. Fax: (212) 213-6382.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Bedrock Communications, Inc., 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 802, New York, NY 10016. Printed in U.S.A.
ON THE COVERAs head of Rx Worldwide Meetings, Judith Johnson has her finger on the pulse of the medical meetings industry, including its latest
regulatory challenge: complying with the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. The first round of federal reporting concluded this March, and for many planners, it’s no longer business as usual.
As a “man on the street,” I can tell you that in New York City, tourism — business and leisure — has been on the rise. Frequently, tourists make it difficult to cross the street in Times Square, where I begin my commute
home from work. My background in accounting, though, has taught me to rely on more than just observation, and a Wall Street Journal piece (Dec. 10, 2013) confirmed the trend I discerned from crowded sidewalks.
The article noted that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made tourism a large focus of his administration, and in 2013, 53.4 million people visited New York City, an increase of 54 percent since Bloomberg took office 12 years ago. Of note, 11.4 million of those visitors traveled from outside the U.S. “The reputation and the appeal of New York City on a global basis continues to be unbelievably strong,” states George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. Indeed it has been, with the estimated economic impact of tourism in 2013 at $58.7 billion. Smart money believes the boon will continue, and hotel construction throughout the city is trying to meet the increased demand. Soon-to-open properties include The Park Hyatt overlooking Central Park and the SLS Hotel New York in the NoMad area.
Reports of a thriving hospitality industry also pour in from around the globe. Meet Puerto Rico’s Milton Segarra shared news with us of major investments in the island’s hotel market, including a private investment of over $400 million in luxury properties, as well as a new Hyatt Place and Courtyard by Marriott under construction near the Prime Site Award-winning Puerto Rico Convention Center.
Across the Atlantic, signs of a recovering MICE industry are becoming more pronounced as well. VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit reports increased interest in Scotland as a meetings destination. Several highlights were noted during a recent media get-together in New York City: The newly constructed Edinburgh International Conference Centre produced a record £50.4 million economic impact for the city; new hotel construction in Dundee includes that city’s first five-star property; and direct flights to Scotland from international destinations have increased.
Similar reports issue from the continent. Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board, stated that tourism has “developed strongly,” with over 71.6 million overnight stays by international visitors recorded in 2013. And the Switzerland Convention & Inventive Bureau recorded increased tourism from the United States in 2013, construction of new properties by U.S. hotel groups, as well as the opening of the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne. (See our feature on Switzerland, page 150.)
Rounding out the globe, the Middle East and Australasia appear to be enjoying more robust tourism. Abu Dhabi’s Tourism and Culture Authority announced an 18 percent increase, and Australia reported that a total of 508,700 Americans visited the country in 2013, up 6.2 percent from the prior year. Singapore and Macau have also cited growth.
As I pen this article during the spring holiday season, I am excited to see these promising signs. Amplifying the good spirit, I will close with the hope that increased international tourism — of which business travel and meetings is part and parcel — supports global peace and prosperity by fostering new contacts and understanding between people and nations.
– David Korn Chief Operating Officer, Facilities Media Group
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Our Convention Center has everything you could possibly want or need to ensure a successful event. Surrounded by lush rainforest and endless turquoise water, you’ll never look at meetings the same way again. Contact us at 1.800.875.4765 MeetPuertoRico.com
Escape the conventional.
A 600,000 sq. ft. convention centerwith a 152,700 sq. ft. exhibition hall,a 39,500 sq. ft. ballroom, and 15meeting rooms that can blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,on a tropical island. In the Caribbean.
6 Facilities & Destinations 2014 sUPeRBooK
At the closing general session of this year’s asae Meeting & exposition, taking place in Nashville, Aug. 9–12, renowned economist
Noreena Hertz will enlighten attendees as to “How to Make Smart Decisions in a Complex World.” A professor at University College London, Hertz is the bestselling author of the similarly titled Eyes Wide Open: How to Make Smart Decisions in a Confusing World, which aims to help people make better choices in the midst of the Information Age’s data overload and proliferation of opinions on almost any issue.
Like many other fields, meeting planning is becoming more complex (perhaps even confusing at times), and planners often have to decide how to adjust their practices to comply with new regulations or take advantage of new technology. We hope
vIEwPOINt
SMARt PLANNING DECISIONS
– George seliEditorial Director, Facilities Media Group
this issue of the F&D SuperBook will provide some decision-making guidance in two areas that are not exactly known for their simplicity.
One is the increasingly regulated medical meetings industry, where the Physician Payments sunshine act has recently taken effect and requires careful tracking of value transfers to healthcare provider attendees. In her column (page 44), Judith Johnson, CMP, President and CEO of Rx Worldwide Meetings, inc., reflects on this challenge.
The other area of growing complexity is the integration of social media tools and face-to-face meetings. While much has been written on this topic, it bears revisiting in order to stay current on the latest tools and approaches, as discussed by three experts from smithBucklin, as well as Sharla Warren, CMP, VP, Conference Services with eventPower (page 40).
And speaking of making decisions in a complex situation, we can’t forget that religious-meeting planners often have to take into account multiple demographic factors. Attendees may be elderly, on a tight budget, observant of strict dietary laws, and so on. Two features in this issue address such concerns: a Q&A with Kathy Kolander, who plans the annual convention of the lutheran Women’s Missionary society (page 46), and a look into the planning of kosher and halal meal functions (page 51).
Today’s planning world is indeed more complex in some areas, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. With that trend come opportunities to navigate complexities and thereby demonstrate one’s value to employers and clients. Making a “smart decision” about a social media strategy or expense-tracking system often takes much time and research, but it can also have a lasting, positive impact on an organization’s events.
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20 1 4PRIME SITEWINNERS
SMGCongratulations To Our Twenty-Nine Prime Site Winners
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Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI)
Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT)
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center (Savannah, GA)
SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH)
Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA)
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Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ)
Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC)
To inquire about SMG managed facilities call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com
Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL)Century Center (South Bend, IN)Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO)Cox Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK)David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh, PA)DeVos Place (Grand Rapids, MI)Direct Energy Centre (Toronto, Ontario)Greater Columbus Convention Center (Columbus, OH)Hampton Roads Convention Center (Hampton, VA)Jackson Convention Complex (Jackson, MS)Kansas Expocentre (Topeka, KS)Knoxville Convention Center (Knoxville, TN)McCormick Place (Chicago, IL)Meadowlands Exposition Center (Secaucus, NJ) Mobile Convention Center (Mobile, AL) Moscone Center (San Francisco, CA)Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center (Syracuse, NY)Palm Springs Convention Center (Palm Springs, CA)Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA)Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico)Reliant Center (Houston, TX)Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI)Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT)Savannah International Trade & Convention Center (Savannah, GA)SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH)Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA)TD Convention Center (Greenville, SC)Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ)Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC)
Broward County Convention Center r
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Hampton Roads Convention Center
McCormick Place
Palm Springs Convention Center
Rhode Island Convention Center
Shreveport Convention Center
Century Center
DeVos Place
Jackson Convention Complex
Meadowlands Exposition Center
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Salt Palace Convention Center
TD Convention Center
Colorado Convention Center
Direct Energy Centre
Kansas Expocentre
Mobile Convention Center
Puerto Rico Convention Center
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center
Wildwoods Convention Center
Cox Convention Center
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Knoxville Convention Center
Moscone Center Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center
Reliant Center
SeaGate Convention Centre
Wilmington Convention Center
20 1 4PRIME SITEWINNERS
SMGCongratulations To Our Twenty-Nine Prime Site Winners
Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Century Center (South Bend, IN)
Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO)
Cox Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
DeVos Place (Grand Rapids, MI)
Direct Energy Centre (Toronto, Ontario)
Greater Columbus Convention Center (Columbus, OH)
Hampton Roads Convention Center (Hampton, VA)
Jackson Convention Complex (Jackson, MS)
Kansas Expocentre (Topeka, KS)
Knoxville Convention Center (Knoxville, TN)
McCormick Place (Chicago, IL)
Meadowlands Exposition Center (Secaucus, NJ)
Mobile Convention Center (Mobile, AL)
Moscone Center (San Francisco, CA)
Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center (Syracuse, NY)
Palm Springs Convention Center (Palm Springs, CA)
Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA)
Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Reliant Center (Houston, TX)
Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI)
Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT)
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center (Savannah, GA)
SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH)
Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA)
TD Convention Center (Greenville, SC)
Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ)
Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC)
To inquire about SMG managed facilities call 1.866.BOOK.SMG or visit smgworld.com
Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL)Century Center (South Bend, IN)Colorado Convention Center (Denver, CO)Cox Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK)David L. Lawrence Convention Center (Pittsburgh, PA)DeVos Place (Grand Rapids, MI)Direct Energy Centre (Toronto, Ontario)Greater Columbus Convention Center (Columbus, OH)Hampton Roads Convention Center (Hampton, VA)Jackson Convention Complex (Jackson, MS)Kansas Expocentre (Topeka, KS)Knoxville Convention Center (Knoxville, TN)McCormick Place (Chicago, IL)Meadowlands Exposition Center (Secaucus, NJ) Mobile Convention Center (Mobile, AL) Moscone Center (San Francisco, CA)Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center (Syracuse, NY)Palm Springs Convention Center (Palm Springs, CA)Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA)Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico)Reliant Center (Houston, TX)Rhode Island Convention Center (Providence, RI)Salt Palace Convention Center (Salt Lake City, UT)Savannah International Trade & Convention Center (Savannah, GA)SeaGate Convention Centre (Toledo, OH)Shreveport Convention Center (Shreveport, LA)TD Convention Center (Greenville, SC)Wildwoods Convention Center (Wildwood, NJ)Wilmington Convention Center (Wilmington, NC)
Broward County Convention Center r
David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Hampton Roads Convention Center
McCormick Place
Palm Springs Convention Center
Rhode Island Convention Center
Shreveport Convention Center
Century Center
DeVos Place
Jackson Convention Complex
Meadowlands Exposition Center
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Salt Palace Convention Center
TD Convention Center
Colorado Convention Center
Direct Energy Centre
Kansas Expocentre
Mobile Convention Center
Puerto Rico Convention Center
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center
Wildwoods Convention Center
Cox Convention Center
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Knoxville Convention Center
Moscone Center Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center
Reliant Center
SeaGate Convention Centre
Wilmington Convention Center
10 Facilities & Destinations 2014 sUPeRBooK
Caffin’sorner
It was very gratifying to see the reaction to the first installment of our ELITE awards in the latest Planner Guide issue. We recognized 15 convention center
executives (based in North America and the Caribbean) who have made a strong impact on their industry and local economies by fostering the success of the facilities
they represent. Our remaining three issues of 2014 will each feature ELITE Awards focusing on a different market segment. Please cast your vote on page 30.
Speaking of awards, this issue of the F&D SuperBook features the 21st version of the Prime site and top Destination awards. I have been with the Facilities Media
Group since its inception, and it is satisfying to see our Awards of Excellence gain prominence in the meetings industry. Association and corporate meeting planners chose the venues and cities listed in our 2014 awards of excellence section (page 62) as featuring superior service, staffs, technological capabilities, food and beverage, accessibility, and just overall quality.
Our Awards of Excellence continues later this year in the Planner Guide, which will include the 2014 Prime site Meeting Hotel awards. Planners, please take the time to cast your vote either via the ballot on page 61, or at Facilitiesonline.com.
In the meantime, look for our 2014 F&D Mid-Market Review issue later this summer, and our new Conference issue this fall. See you at the shows.
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SEC FanFest – 31 Gifts – HIMSS – FIRST Robotics – International Auto Show – MGX – Coverings – International Dairy Deli – Kitchen & Bath – Super Show – WrestleMania Axxess- MLB All-Star Fanfest 2000 – NBA All-Star Fanfest 2003 – American College of Cardiology
–– International Builders Show – COMDEX – National Business Aviation Assn.– American Academy of Ophthalmology – International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions – World of Concrete – National Association of Broadcasters – SHOT Show – American
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12 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
The Marriott Marquis Washington, DC opened on May 1. Featuring 1,175 rooms and 49 suites, the hotel is connected to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and houses over 105,000 sq. ft. of function space that includes 54 breakout rooms and the 30,000-sq.-ft. Marquis Ballroom.
Opening in May, the 221-room Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel offers eight meeting rooms, including a ballroom with a capacity of 256 attendees.
Four Points by Sheraton Charleston recently completed a $15 million renovation to transform the Charleston House Hotel into the newest addition to the Four Points portfolio. Offering views of the Kanawha River, the 176-room hotel is Starwood’s first property to open in West Virginia and offers 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
The Hilton Minneapolis recently completed a $13.5 million refurbishment of its 821 guestrooms and suites.
Destination Marketing Association International will celebrate its 100th anniversary at the organization’s 2014 Annual Convention, July 21-23 at Aria Resort and Casino. DMAI will mark 100 years by “Celebrating the Journey, Advancing Destinations” and “deliver some of the most advanced research and insights ever shared in its 100-year history,” says Michael Gehrisch, President and CEO of DMAI. The convention will feature more than 40 education sessions and presenters such as Welby Altidore, Director of Creation, Cirque de Soleil; leading filmmaker Bryan Smith of Reel Water Productions; and graffiti artist Erik Wahl.
UpFront Destination WatchLas Vegas
In February, the 634-room Downtown Grand Las Vegas opened its 3,000-sq.-ft. Grand Parlor, which can accommodate up to 200 attendees in an “industrial chic” ambience.
Las Vegas has been named the No. 1 tradeshow destination for the 20th consecutive year, based on the Trade Show News Network’s “2013 TSNN Top 250 Trade Shows in the United States." The list ranks shows held in the U.S. last year by net square footage. Las Vegas hosted 53 of the largest shows on the list, encompassing 20,113,046 net sq. ft., or 31.2 percent of the total space for all 250 shows.
14 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Fort LauderdaleGreater Fort Lauderdale has seen 50 consecutive months of tourism growth, with a record-breaking 13.1 million visitors in the past year. Year-end 2013 proved to be a milestone for the destination, with hotel occupancy rounding out at 74.7 percent, up 3.2 percent over 2012. In addition, 2014 started with the highest occupancy rate on record for the month of January (83.2 percent), an increase of 3.8 percent over 2013, making it the second highest occupancy rate in Florida.
As part of Sands Cares, Las Vegas Sands’ new global corporate citizenship program, Clean the World, will receive a donation of $1 million in this year, the largest corporate gift in the nonprofit's history. LVS and Clean the World, which aims to turn waste into life-saving hygiene products, have partnered since 2011, and this year LVS will underwrite and provide team member volunteer time to build thousands of hygiene kits for distribution to homeless shelters and resource centers in local communities where LVS operates. LVS will also support the building of 100,000 hygiene kits specifically earmarked for disaster relief efforts around the world.
In March, the 308-room Hilton Arlington Hotel completed a $10 million, property-wide renovation that includes its 11,000 sq. ft. of function space.
Scheduled for completion this summer, the Hilton Austin’s $21 million upgrade covers its 800 guestrooms, as well as its suites and executive lounge.
The new 444-room Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort begins welcoming guests in Au-gust. The hotel offers 37,750 sq. ft. of function space (including a 14,000-sq.-ft. ballroom), a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, and a 17th floor, rooftop steakhouse with private dining for 35 guests.
Construction is anticipated to begin next year on the Omni Louisville Hotel, a 600-room property that is part of a $261 million down-town development plan. Scheduled to open in 2017, Omni’s first hotel in Ken-tucky will offer 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification as well as AAA Four Diamond status.
UpFront Destination Watch: Las Vegas YOUR BUSINESS IS WORTH $1 MILLION, & WE’VE GOT THE MONEY TO PROVE IT.
For information about booking your next event, contact our sales team at 1.888.222.3683 or visit us at meetinac.com
The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority is proud to be accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of the Destination Marketing Association International.
Here’s how the Atlantic City $1,000,000 Incentive Program works:
• This program is available to new group or meeting business, or to groups and meetings that have not met in Atlantic City for three years, with arrival dates from 2013 through 2016.
• The event must generate at least 1,000 room nights at an Atlantic City property.
• Priority is given to midweek, non-summer arrivals and departures.
• The program is for groups using the Atlantic City Convention Center or individual properties.
accva_ad.indd 1 12/5/2013 2:23:00 PM
YOUR BUSINESS IS WORTH $1 MILLION, & WE’VE GOT THE MONEY TO PROVE IT.
For information about booking your next event, contact our sales team at 1.888.222.3683 or visit us at meetinac.com
The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority is proud to be accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of the Destination Marketing Association International.
Here’s how the Atlantic City $1,000,000 Incentive Program works:
• This program is available to new group or meeting business, or to groups and meetings that have not met in Atlantic City for three years, with arrival dates from 2013 through 2016.
• The event must generate at least 1,000 room nights at an Atlantic City property.
• Priority is given to midweek, non-summer arrivals and departures.
• The program is for groups using the Atlantic City Convention Center or individual properties.
accva_ad.indd 1 12/5/2013 2:23:00 PM
16 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Leading Edge: Doug GehretGeneral Manager Hilton OrlandoDoug Gehret, a 20-year veteran of Hilton Hotel Corporation, opened and served for six years as General Manager of the Hilton Austin prior to becoming GM of the 1,417-room Hilton Orlando, which debuted in
September 2009. Since arriving in Orlando, he has become a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, and is active on the CFHLA Governmental Affairs Committee. Gehret is also highly involved in the local community beyond the hotel industry. He is Chairman of the International Drive Executive Transportation Committee and is a member of the International Drive Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee.
Improving Mobility in Orlando: Later this year we’re starting construction on dedicated bus lines to improve traffic flow around the convention center, which is especially important when you have 40,000+ delegates coming in for a convention. The International Drive Executive Transportation Committee has also been involved in consolidating the toll plazas from two to one coming from the airport into International Drive. And the Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee has been focused on making Orlando more pedestrian friendly; it’s a destination where people want to be outside. So we’ve added a lot of crosswalks, additional lighting and beacons for pedestrian safety.
Group Service Philosophy: At the Hilton Orlando we’re committed to [the success of a meeting] beginning with the sales and pre-planning process. So I’m very involved with site inspections and I travel a decent amount with our
sales team to get out in front of our clientele, because if you develop a strong relationship it helps bring confidence to what’s going to occur onsite. Candidly, it’s one of my favorite parts of my job, getting to know what a planner is looking for and finding out what we can do to exceed expectations.
New Outdoor Meeting Space: At the end of October we opened our $2.5 million Promenade, which offers about 50,000 sq. ft. of outdoor event space that is really dramatic and unique to the market. It’s right outside of our ballroom space, and has been used very heavily since we debuted it. And one of the things that’s great about the layout of our building is that while we have a $40 million resort component, it is on one side of the building and the meeting space is on the other side. So you’re not getting the leisure customer walking through the meeting space. We’ve found that increases the flow and productivity of a meeting.
Hotel Partnerships: In my 20 years in the industry, the Orlando market is as close a hotel market as I’ve worked in from a camaraderie perspective. And we are currently partnering with the Hyatt Regency Orlando [the 1,641-room former Peabody Orlando, also connected to the Orange County Convention Center] on an initiative called the Orlando 3000, which is intended for groups that use more than 1,600 rooms but fewer than 3,000 [see www.Orlando-3000.com]. These groups don’t need convention center space but look to meet in a hotel setting, and many of them are going to Las Vegas today because we don’t have the hotels that can accommodate that number under one roof. Well, we feel that with the connectivity of the Hilton and Hyatt though the convention center, as well as a combined 3,000+ rooms, we can offer the logistical convenience and one-stop shop those groups need.
UpFront
Hogwarts Express, debuting at Universal Orlando Resort this summer, transports guests between London in Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The experience is designed to replicate the train ride between the Muggle and wizarding worlds in the Harry Potter books and movies; passengers will be able to see the British countryside and various Harry Potter characters along the way.
Destination WatchOrlando
The Oregon Convention Center shares its community's concern, respect and responsibility for the natural environment. We are proud to lead our industry in green building and results-driven sustainable practices. This is a commitment upheld by our administration, our partners, and our entire staff – a commitment that has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED
®) program at the Platinum
Level.
We offer an extensive waste recycling and recovery program that includes pre- and post-consumer organic waste, complete menus featuring locally- grown and organic food items and a host of facility features including storm water management and the most modern innovations.
Our goal is to maintain OCC’s industry leadership as the preferred venue for green meetings. To learn more, consult with one of our experienced representatives to find ways to make your next event greener.
777 NE MLK Jr Blvd • Portland OR 97232 • 800.791.2250 • 503.235.7575 • WWW.OREGONCC.ORG
A S E R V I C E O F M E T R O
Oregon Convention Center
"Green" comes in many different colors.
Platinum, for one.
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The Oregon Convention Center shares its community's concern, respect and responsibility for the natural environment. We are proud to lead our industry in green building and results-driven sustainable practices. This is a commitment upheld by our administration, our partners, and our entire staff – a commitment that has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED
®) program at the Platinum
Level.
We offer an extensive waste recycling and recovery program that includes pre- and post-consumer organic waste, complete menus featuring locally- grown and organic food items and a host of facility features including storm water management and the most modern innovations.
Our goal is to maintain OCC’s industry leadership as the preferred venue for green meetings. To learn more, consult with one of our experienced representatives to find ways to make your next event greener.
777 NE MLK Jr Blvd • Portland OR 97232 • 800.791.2250 • 503.235.7575 • WWW.OREGONCC.ORG
A S E R V I C E O F M E T R O
Oregon Convention Center
"Green" comes in many different colors.
Platinum, for one.
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18 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
UpFront Destination Watch
Leading Edge: Michael LyonsExhibition Director, AIBTMMichael Lyons is Exhibition Director for Reed Travel Exhibitions, responsible for the management of AIBTM (The Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition). He has held senior-level posts with Carlson Wagonlit Travel, EGR International and McGettigan
Partners (now Maritz), and was the President and CEO of GEP Philly, a major DMC in the Philadelphia area. Lyons discusses AIBTM’s past show in Chicago and upcoming show in Orlando, at the Orange County Convention Center, June 10-12.
Highlights of AIBTM 2013: We had a 182 percent increase in corporate meeting planners that attended [over the previous year], which we’re really thrilled about. I think the show itself is gaining momentum year after year. People are more familiar with the show and recognize the value of attending. In addition, the Refresh Zone was a huge success, with a 93 percent positive response. Our hunch was that when you’re on the tradeshow floor, those are long days and it’s nice to go to an oasis and relax. We had 21 different vendors from the Chicago area that participated. Allied PRA will be the official DMC of AIBTM and they will be hosting the Refresh Zone at AIBTM 2014 in Orlando.
This Year’s Show: The main goal for us is to deliver a wide range and diversity among the buyers that attend the show, because our exhibitors have different needs and they want to appeal to and have meetings with incentive planners, or government planners, or association planners, etc. So we have to make sure we have a very good demographic to help make their experience successful.
Showcasing Technology: We are enhancing what we now call the Innovation Zone; last year we called it the Future Events Experience. It’s an area where attendees can explore the latest, greatest meeting technology and see presentations by suppliers. We also have a Technology Village on the tradeshow floor, with all the tech companies side by side, and that keeps growing every year.
New Initiatives: We’re working on giving the [U.S. Travel Association’s] Meetings Mean Business Coalition the opportunity to have a press conference at AIBTM. It’s our intent to continue to shine the spotlight on their activities. We’re also trying to appeal to many of the niche planner organizations. So we’re co-locating the International Medical Meeting Professionals Association [attendees can take the Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate Program on June 9, and IMMPA will host an education session during AIBTM’s Education Day on June 10]. SITE too will have an education session and we’re co-locating their CIS (Certified Incentive Specialist) program on June 9. [Editor’s Note: In February, IAEE and AIBTM announced a renewed partnership to offer a Hosted Buyer program for IAEE members to attend the event as well as an education session in the AIBTM Learning Theatre.]
Welcome Reception: Our welcome reception will take place at Pointe Orlando, which we feel many planners have not experienced. Right there you have B.B. King’s Blues Club, Tommy Bahama Restaurant, The Pub and Cuba Libre Restaurant, and we’ve [rented out] all four of them. So the entire area will be reserved for us exclusively, including the courtyard area.
SMG commenced management of the Branson Convention Center as of April 1, 2014, and appointed Marc Mulherin as the Center’s new General Manager. The BCC offers 113,725 sq. ft. of event space, including a 47,172-sq.-ft. exhibit hall.
Branson
Whether it’s 5 miles of powdery white beaches outside — the East Coast’s largest FREE beaches, or 260,000 square feet of flexibly accommodating meeting/event space inside, the Wildwoods Convention Center offers plenty of room for groups to roam!
• Modern amenities
• State-of-the-art communication services
• Catering/concession services
• Adjacent to Wildwoods world- famous boardwalk and 5 miles of FREE beaches
• Over 8,000 hotel rooms nearby
• Convenient on-site parking for over 700 vehicles
spaces wide open
wildwoods convention centeranything’s possible.
To schedule your next event, call us at 800-992-9732 or visit us at WildwoodsNJ.com/cc
20 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
UpFront
This spring, the Algonquin Resort in New Brunswick, St. Andrews-by-the Sea, New Brunswick, Canada, completed a renovation of its 233 guestrooms and public spaces to reflect the hotel’s original Victorian style. The property offers 19,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts has expanded its luxury portfolio in South Korea with the unveiling of the new 170-room JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul in February. The new hotel is the second JW Marriott to open in Seoul and the first hotel in the city to receive LEED Gold certification. It offers 10,570 sq. ft. of meeting space and a Grand Ball-room that can accommo-date up to 750 guests.
After recently acquiring the 116-hotel Protea Hospitality Group, based in South Africa, Marriott Interna-tional, Inc. has become the largest hotel company in Africa, and nearly doubled its presence in its Middle East and Africa region to more than 160 hotels and 23,000 rooms. Marriott’s
Destination WatchQuebec City
Not only has Québec City, Canada, recently completed an expansion to its convention center (see Hot List on page 156), but it also boasts several hotel improvement projects in its downtown, along with a milestone for the Hilton Québec.
• This year, the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is completing a $75 million upgrade of its 611 rooms and suites, expansion of The Fairmont Gold floors, transformation of the main lobby, and the addition of a new luxury spa.
• Last fall, the Courtyard Québec City Downtown became the full-service Québec City Marriott Downtown, after a two-year, $3 million renovation. The 111-room property offers 3,500 sq. ft. of meeting space.
• The 571-room Hilton Québec is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with numerous promotions, including a $40 per person special meeting package for business guests.
• The Delta Québec has completed renovations to its 377 guestrooms, outdoor pool terrace area and Club floor lounge. Guestrooms feature a color palette inspired by the Canadian landscape and new SmartDesks. In addition, the hotel has redesigned its 5,760-sq.-ft. ballroom and added a new fitness center. The Delta Québec is currently undergoing the final stage of its renovation project, which includes a lobby redesign, expected to be completed by the end of June 2014.
One of the redesigned ModeRoom guestrooms at the Delta Québec.
Continued on page 22
CATCHTHE SUITESPOT
The “suite” spot is where the perfectly sized venue exceeds expectations. Where fl exible exhibit space meets quick access around the city. It’s where once business is done for the day, you’ll enjoy a city full of things to do by night. Amazing food. Live music. An artistic culture. Unexpected discoveries. All within walking distance. That’s why when you’re planning your next event, catch the “suite” spot otherwise known as Greater Des Moines.
UpFrontnew Protea portfolio consists of 10,148 rooms in seven African countries including South Africa.
The 260-room Hilton Santa Fe has opened in Mexico City with 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
The InterContinental San Juan, Puerto Rico, has completed a $22.25 million renovation that includes its 398 guestrooms, 18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and common areas.
Palladium Hotel Group is rolling out free Wi-Fi ser-vice brand-wide, starting with the Grand Palladium Riviera Maya in Mexico. This service will be implemented at all Grand Palladium and The Royal Suites resorts across the Caribbean, Mexico and Brazil, and in most of the brand’s portfolio in Spain later this year.
The W Amsterdam, the brand’s first in the Nether-lands, is scheduled to open in Autumn 2015. The 169-room hotel will be located on Dam Square in the heart of the city, behind the Royal Palace. Features include over 5,100 sq. ft. of meeting space and a rooftop restaurant.
Destination Watch
According to the Global Business Travel Association’s latest GBTA BTI Outlook – China, the country’s total business travel spend is projected to grow 16.5 percent in 2014 — more than double the rate of China’s GDP growth. Throughout 2015, GBTA expects business travel spending to continue to pick up the pace, increasing 17.8 percent to $309 billion USD. “Given our current projected growth in business travel in the two markets, we expect China to surpass the U.S. in spending as early as next year,” the GBTA stated. China’s travel infrastructure is being en-hanced accordingly: The nation’s largest airports have doubled in size over the last decade while new airports are being built, including Beijing’s second international airport, slated to open in 2018.
China
Conference Center WatchBenchmark Hospitality International, Inc. has recently introduced Benchmark Conference Centers, a designa-tion that classifies properties that are purpose-built with personally tailored service, locally sourced and highly customized cuisine, ample bandwidth and property-wide WiFi, together with Four Diamond lodging and other value-added features. Each BCC offers an all-inclusive Bench-mark Conference Plan and conforms to the requirements of the International Association of Conference Centers, though IACC membership is not a prerequisite. Third-party audits ensure BCC guest satisfaction performance meets or exceeds 94 percent. Currently the following proper-ties hold the designation: Bonaventure Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL; Chaminade Resort & Spa, Santa Cruz, CA; Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs, CO; Downtown Conference Center, New York City; Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Chicago, IL; Edith Macy Hotel & Conference Center, Briar Cliff Manor, NY; Hotel Contessa, San Antonio, TX; Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center, Scottsdale, AZ; Stonewall Resort, Roanoke, WV; The Chattanoogan Hotel, Chattanooga, TN; The Heldrich, New Brunswick, NJ; The Inn at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Tokyo Conference Center Ariake, Tokyo, Japan; Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan.
Continued from page 20
24 FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS 2014 SuPERBOOk
UpFront
In January, Convene at 101 Park Avenue, part of the Convene network of conference centers, debuted in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal area. The 20,000-sq.-ft. venue is the company’s fourth location in New York and first street-level conference center. Seven specialized rooms serve groups of up to 160 participants, who can take advantage of Convene signature elements including its Nourish café, built-in technol-ogy and in-house catering. Room sizes, before being combined, range from 293 sq. ft. to 897 sq. ft. When combined, the largest space, the Park Hub, has 1,466 sq. ft.
TJ Fimmano, President of IACC-Americas (and General Manager, Dolce Hotels & Resorts at GE Crotonville), presents the Mel Hosansky Award for Distinguished Service to Peter Stockmann, Chairman and COO of 3P Business Solutions, at the association’s 33rd annual conference, March 19-21 in Los Angeles. The Mel Hosansky Award is IACC-Americas’ highest honor, and Stockmann earned it through his “reinvention or re-mastering of the IACC-Americas Annual Conference many times over,” said Fimmano, “including this year’s event, which garnered the largest attendance in five years.” A major contributor to IACC’s education committees in particular, Stockmann “has visited more IACC properties in the Americas and around the globe than anyone in IACC’s 33-year history,” Fimmano added.
Conference Center Watch
26 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
UpFront Supplier Showcase: Tradeshow F&B
The Direct Energy Centre, Canada’s largest consumer trade facility, kicked off the 2013
holiday season with the country’s largest gift show, the One of a Kind Christmas Show and Sale. More than 800 artisans filled 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space to showcase their creations, making this show the largest craft show for consumers in all of North America.
Events were spread over a 10-day period with at-tendance topping out at 10,000 per day on week-days and 18,000 daily on each of the four weekend days. Ovations Food Services, the exclusive cater-ing and concessions provider at the Direct Energy Centre, knew the challenge would be to keep many of the attendees at the venue for meals, instead of leav-ing as they have done in years past.
The creative and efficient answer? Two temporary, pop-up style res-taurants constructed right on the show floor. Café Soleil and OAK Bistro both offered full-service a la carte menus with Café Soleil serving patrons in a 120-seat space in the main facility lobby and OAK Bistro feeding guests in a cozy 80-seat pop-up directly on the show floor. When these 200 seats overflowed, hungry shoppers could leave their cell number with Ovations and be called when their table was ready, allowing them to keep shop-ping instead of standing in line.
The pop-up restaurants were a big hit with show attendees as well as a big success for Ovations. “This show created a unique opportunity for Ova-tions in that guests stayed in the facility an average of four-and-a-half hours, compared to the just two or three hours they spend at other shows,” said Ovations General Manager Bradley Fletcher. “At-tendees wanted an opportunity to sit down and enjoy a full-service meal at the show, and these restaurants provided that opportunity."
Pop-up Restaurants Add Fresh Flair to The Direct Energy CentreBy John LaChance
Chef Dilup Attygalla, Ovations’ Executive Chef at the Direct Energy Centre, created bistro-style menus including fresh paninis, carved sandwiches, fresh soups, and a selection of entrees, with the clear crowd favorite being the Lobster Mac n Cheese. Food was prepared in the venue’s main kitchen and then assembled in finishing kitchens in the pop-ups using equipment purchased by Ova-tions specifically for the event.
Ovations served over 5,000 meals and 40 cases of wine at the two pop-ups, including four perma-nent concession stands and eight portable locations that were also available to serve guests.
This innovative approach to meet-ing a very large but temporary need generated positive comments from clients and guests. Show manager Hanna O’Donovan expressed how much the restaurants were integral to making the show a singular event by saying, “Ovations’ restaurant concept was creative and inviting. They helped create a whole new ele-
ment to our show.” Other show owners were very impressed with the pop-up concept and execution, and requested similar concepts be put into play at their respective events.
One key to successfully executing a concept such as this one is knowledge of event demo-graphics. Not all audiences are a good fit, but groups such as the One of a Kind Show, a largely female audience who appreciated the opportunity to sit, visit and enjoy a full-service experience as part of their day, fit perfectly with this concept. Exhibitors working the show floor were also loyal customers, taking advantage of the chance to sit and enjoy a served meal to break up the long hours spent on their feet.
John LaChance is Senior Vice President, Ovations Food Services.
Attendees wanted an opportunity to
sit down and enjoy a full-service meal at the show.
Like the hush of anticipation moments before the crowd arrives, our meeting in Little Rock will never be forgotten. The elegant reception hosted within the Clinton Library’s inspiring spaces. Exchanging handshakes and smiles as we rode the River Rail electric streetcar to the evening’s diversion. Filling the Statehouse Convention Center’s ballroom with applause during our awards ceremony. Just ranked #1 in “America’s 10 Great Places to Live” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, and an Editor’s Choice in Outside magazine’s “Best Towns of 2013,” one thing’s clear – Little Rock is on a roll. It has a new Southern style that is uniquely its own, and we experienced it all there. We experienced it all in Little Rock.
26 FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS 2014 SuPERBOOk
Like the hush of anticipation moments before the crowd arrives, our meeting in Little Rock will never be forgotten. The elegant reception hosted within the Clinton Library’s inspiring spaces. Exchanging handshakes and smiles as we rode the River Rail electric streetcar to the evening’s diversion. Filling the Statehouse Convention Center’s ballroom with applause during our awards ceremony. Just ranked #1 in “America’s 10 Great Places to Live” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, and an Editor’s Choice in Outside magazine’s “Best Towns of 2013,” one thing’s clear – Little Rock is on a roll. It has a new Southern style that is uniquely its own, and we experienced it all there. We experienced it all in Little Rock.
28 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Zerista, a major provider of native mobile and web applications for events, recently revealed its newest platform, Meeting Hub — a communication and collaboration app for modern B2B events that is accessible across mobile devices and on personal computers. “No matter how many systems event producers are using to manage an event behind the scenes, Zerista Meeting Hub makes it feel seamless for everyone, creating a real-time window into events across every device those people might use,” explains Eric Olson, Zerista CEO. Among the new mobile release’s biggest innovations are a configurable home screen that allows meeting organizers to create a dynamic information hub for an event with live updates, an event newsfeed, a social feed and a real-time gamification leaderboard.
UpFront
Experient, a Maritz Travel Company that provides integrated meeting and event solutions, recognized two of its supplier
ACCESS and Amstar have announced a strategic partnership. Together, the two DMCs will cover 53 destinations ranging from as far south as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, north through Mexico, and continuing up into key locations throughout the United States. Amstar’s 17 destinations are now avail-able to clients of ACCESS Destination Services. And the addition of ACCESS’ destinations to the Amstar map yields an additional 36 locations served by the ACCESS offices across the U.S.
partners with the 2013 Supplier of the Year award during the Experient annual confer-ence in Las Vegas, March 11-14. Suppliers of the Year are chosen by a committee composed of representatives from across the company, and nominated by Experient employees based on outstanding quality, value, service, integrity, innovation and deliv-ery. Chosen were Maggie Brown, National Sales Partner Intermediary Group Sales with Hilton Worldwide, and Dan Sundt, Chief eX-perience Officer at CXO Marketing. Brown was recognized for her excellent customer service, outstanding character and ability to effectively resolve challenges. Sundt was chosen for his creativity and strategic think-ing, as well as his longstanding commitment to excellence with both Experient clients and strategic events.
900 Greenbr ier Circ le , Chesapeake, VA 23320 757.382.2500 • chesapeakeconference.com
Versatile 39,000 Square Feet Of Function Space
Just 15 Minutes From Norfolk International Airport And Two Minutes From Interstate 64
Ample Free Parking
A Variety Of Delicious Meal Options, Including Concessions, Tailored to Meet Your Needs
State Of The Art Audio Visual Equipment & High Speed Dedicated Internet
FREE WIFI
Friendly And Highly Skilled Staff To Assist With Planning, Coordination And Execution For Any Type Of Event
It All HAppens Here!
A meeting industry profes-sional’s job is multifaceted. To truly shine, it takes a broad skill set, the kind of network that only comes with many years of experience, and oftentimes industry-specific advanced education. CVB executives must thoroughly know cities and the latest marketing techniques, planners must deliver memorable meetings and incentives on tight budgets, and tradeshow managers must be adept at myriad ways to maximize ROI for their attendees and exhibitors. On top of these “musts,” some professionals even find time to con-tribute to their field by participating in meeting industry as-sociations, giving talks, writing articles in trade publications
C A S T Y O U R B A L L O T F O R
Facilities & Destinations’E L i T E A w A R d S
and more. Beginning with our recent Planner Guide, Facilities & Destinations honors our industry’s overachievers with thenew ELITE Awards.
We encourage our esteemed readers to make nominations
for CVB Executive of the Year, Convention Center Executive of the Year, Meeting Hotel Executive of the Year, Association Meeting Planner of the Year, Corpo-rate Meeting Planner of Year and Tradeshow Manager of the Year. Who among your colleagues and business partners is making an especially strong contribution to today’s vibrant meetings industry? Cast your vote today.
WEST REGION• Arizona, Glendale, University of Phoenix Stadium Exhibit Hall• British Columbia, Penticton, Penticton Trade & Convention Centre• Colorado, Loveland, First National Bank Exhibition Building• Colorado, Pueblo, Pueblo Convention Center• New Mexico, Clovis, Clovis Civic Center• New Mexico, Las Cruces, Las Cruces Convention Center• Utah, Provo, Utah Valley Convention Center• Washington, Everett, Edward D. Hansen Conference Center
MIDWEST REGION• Iowa, Des Moines, Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center• Iowa, Des Moines, Hy-Vee Hall• Kansas, Overland Park, Overland Park Convention Center• Missouri, St. Charles, Saint Charles Convention Center• Ohio, Cincinnati, Duke Energy Convention Center• Ohio, Cleveland, Gerald H. Gordon Conference Pavilion, Cleveland State University
EAST REGION• Maine, Bangor, Cross Insurance Center • Massachusetts, Springfield, MassMutual Center• New Jersey, Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Center• New York, Niagara Falls, Conference Center Niagara Falls• Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
SOUTH REGION• Florida, Miami Beach , Miami Beach Convention Center• Florida, Palm Beach, Palm Beach County Convention Center• North Carolina, Durham, Durham Convention Center• Kentucky, Owensboro, Owensboro Convention Center• Oklahoma, Enid, Enid Event Center • Texas, Corpus Christi, Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center• Texas, Corpus Christi (Robstown), Richard M. Borchard Exhibition Complex• Virginia, Richmond, Greater Richmond Convention Center• Virginia, Roanoke, Roanoke Special Events Center
Exceptional
SuccessfulVenues
Events
for
Book With Us Today!
®
Global Spectrum focuses on establishing a lasting partnership with our venue owners and event organizers. When you book with Global Spectrum you can be assured of the same personalized service, innovative ideas and solutions, and professional staff at each and every venue.
Personalized. Innovative. Professional.
Let Global Spectrum work for you! Call 888.456.2599 or email [email protected]
Global Spectrum Convention Centers
Global-Spectrum.com
®
WEST REGION• Arizona, Glendale, University of Phoenix Stadium Exhibit Hall• British Columbia, Penticton, Penticton Trade & Convention Centre• Colorado, Loveland, First National Bank Exhibition Building• Colorado, Pueblo, Pueblo Convention Center• New Mexico, Clovis, Clovis Civic Center• New Mexico, Las Cruces, Las Cruces Convention Center• Utah, Provo, Utah Valley Convention Center• Washington, Everett, Edward D. Hansen Conference Center
MIDWEST REGION• Iowa, Des Moines, Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center• Iowa, Des Moines, Hy-Vee Hall• Kansas, Overland Park, Overland Park Convention Center• Missouri, St. Charles, Saint Charles Convention Center• Ohio, Cincinnati, Duke Energy Convention Center• Ohio, Cleveland, Gerald H. Gordon Conference Pavilion, Cleveland State University
EAST REGION• Maine, Bangor, Cross Insurance Center • Massachusetts, Springfield, MassMutual Center• New Jersey, Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Center• New York, Niagara Falls, Conference Center Niagara Falls• Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
SOUTH REGION• Florida, Miami Beach , Miami Beach Convention Center• Florida, Palm Beach, Palm Beach County Convention Center• North Carolina, Durham, Durham Convention Center• Kentucky, Owensboro, Owensboro Convention Center• Oklahoma, Enid, Enid Event Center • Texas, Corpus Christi, Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center• Texas, Corpus Christi (Robstown), Richard M. Borchard Exhibition Complex• Virginia, Richmond, Greater Richmond Convention Center• Virginia, Roanoke, Roanoke Special Events Center
Exceptional
SuccessfulVenues
Events
for
Book With Us Today!
®
Global Spectrum focuses on establishing a lasting partnership with our venue owners and event organizers. When you book with Global Spectrum you can be assured of the same personalized service, innovative ideas and solutions, and professional staff at each and every venue.
Personalized. Innovative. Professional.
Let Global Spectrum work for you! Call 888.456.2599 or email [email protected]
Global Spectrum Convention Centers
Global-Spectrum.com
®
Exhibit Hall: 45,000 sq. ft.
Ballroom: Two 13,000 sq. ft.
Total Meeting Space: 92,000 sq. ft. (includes both ballrooms)
Breakouts: 14
Hotel Rooms: 270 rooms located within one block. Over 1,100 within 5 mile radius
Western Kentucky’s newest, premier meeting space - the Owensboro Convention Center - is a full-service meeting facility nestled in vibrant Daviess County, Kentucky, overlooking the scenic Ohio River in historic downtown Owensboro. The multi-purpose center boasts 92,000 sq. ft. of meeting space consisting of a 44,000+ sq. ft. exhibition hall, and 48,000+ sq. ft. of additional ballroom and meeting space. The new events center opened in January of this year.
Exhibit Hall: 502,000 sq. ft
Ballroom: 75,500 sq. ft. encompasses 4 separate spaces
Breakouts: 70
Meeting Space: 127,000 sq. ft.
Hotel Rooms: 3,000 walk-able
Airport: Miami International is #1 in US for International Freight and #2 for International Passengers
LOCATION...LOCATION...LOCATION Spanning four city blocks of palm tree lined streets and located in the heart of the electrifying and historic South Beach/Art Deco District, the Miami Beach Convention Center is truly an event planner’s paradise. With white sandy beaches and warm ocean waters just a few blocks away, terrific Lincoln Road shopping, award-winning restaurants and an exciting nightlife scene, Miami Beach is the choice for your next meeting, convention or trade show!
Exhibit Hall: 45,000 sq. ft.
Ballroom: Two 13,000 sq. ft.
Total Meeting Space: 92,000 sq. ft. (includes both ballrooms)
Breakouts: 14
Hotel Rooms: 270 rooms located within one block. Over 1,100 within 5 mile radius
Western Kentucky’s newest, premier meeting space - the Owensboro Convention Center - is a full-service meeting facility nestled in vibrant Daviess County, Kentucky, overlooking the scenic Ohio River in historic downtown Owensboro. The multi-purpose center boasts 92,000 sq. ft. of meeting space consisting of a 44,000+ sq. ft. exhibition hall, and 48,000+ sq. ft. of additional ballroom and meeting space. The new events center opened in January of this year.
Exhibit Hall: 502,000 sq. ft
Ballroom: 75,500 sq. ft. encompasses 4 separate spaces
Breakouts: 70
Meeting Space: 127,000 sq. ft.
Hotel Rooms: 3,000 walk-able
Airport: Miami International is #1 in US for International Freight and #2 for International Passengers
LOCATION...LOCATION...LOCATION Spanning four city blocks of palm tree lined streets and located in the heart of the electrifying and historic South Beach/Art Deco District, the Miami Beach Convention Center is truly an event planner’s paradise. With white sandy beaches and warm ocean waters just a few blocks away, terrific Lincoln Road shopping, award-winning restaurants and an exciting nightlife scene, Miami Beach is the choice for your next meeting, convention or trade show!
MassMutual CenterConvention Center & Arena Springfield, MA
Ideally located at the gateway of New England, Springfield, Massachusetts is situated in the center of it all. To help reach more attendees, Springfield is at the crossroads of two major interstate highways and Bradley International Airport, is just 20 minutes from the MassMutual Center. Before, during and after events, attendees have unlimited opportunities to discover a rich array of historical sites, cultural attractions and entertainment choices.
Palm Beach CountyConvention Center West Palm Beach, FL
Conveniently located in downtown West Palm Beach, just minutes from I-95, Florida’s Turnpike and Palm Beach International Airport, the Palm Beach County Convention Center is in the center of it all. Nearby attractions include CityPlace, a $600 million shopping, dining and entertainment complex; the nationally acclaimed Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts; Palm Beach’s famous Worth Avenue; South Florida’s beautiful beaches; and a wide variety of dining options - ranging from casual waterfront to sophisticated chic.
Exhibit Hall: 100,000 sq. ft. Ballroom: 22,000 sq. ft. Breakouts: 19Total Meeting Space: 21,000 sq. ft. Hotel Rooms: 3,000 in a
3 mile radiusAirport: Palm Beach International and Ft. Lauderdale International
MassMutual CenterConvention Center & Arena Springfield, MA
Ideally located at the gateway of New England, Springfield, Massachusetts is situated in the center of it all. To help reach more attendees, Springfield is at the crossroads of two major interstate highways and Bradley International Airport, is just 20 minutes from the MassMutual Center. Before, during and after events, attendees have unlimited opportunities to discover a rich array of historical sites, cultural attractions and entertainment choices.
Palm Beach CountyConvention Center West Palm Beach, FL
Conveniently located in downtown West Palm Beach, just minutes from I-95, Florida’s Turnpike and Palm Beach International Airport, the Palm Beach County Convention Center is in the center of it all. Nearby attractions include CityPlace, a $600 million shopping, dining and entertainment complex; the nationally acclaimed Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts; Palm Beach’s famous Worth Avenue; South Florida’s beautiful beaches; and a wide variety of dining options - ranging from casual waterfront to sophisticated chic.
Exhibit Hall: 100,000 sq. ft. Ballroom: 22,000 sq. ft. Breakouts: 19Total Meeting Space: 21,000 sq. ft. Hotel Rooms: 3,000 in a
3 mile radiusAirport: Palm Beach International and Ft. Lauderdale International
Book With Us Today!Global Spectrum Convention Centers
Congratulations to the following buildings that were named Prime Site Award Winners:
H Atlantic City Convention Center
H Duke Energy Convention Center
H Durham Convention Center
H Greater Richmond Convention Center
H Hy-Vee Hall
H Las Cruces Convention Center
H MassMutual Center
H Miami Beach Convention Center
H Overland Park Convention Center
H Owensboro Convention Center
H Palm Beach County Convention Center
H Saint Charles Convention Center
Exhibit Hall: 178,159 sq. ft.
Ballroom: 30,550 sq. ft.
Meeting/Banquet Rooms: 36 258 Fixed-Seat Lecture Hall & 1540 covered parking spots adjacent to the center
Hotel Rooms: 650 Adjacent to the center & thousands more nearby
durhamconventioncenter.com
“We’ve had so many compliments about the Academy, and we have you to thank. You were wonderfully professional and never made me feel like my questions or requests were silly, redundant, or bothersome. Thank you so much for everything. I plan to recommend the DCC to colleagues. Please share our appreciation with the wonderful DCC staff – everyone from servers to tech people were just top notch.”
Duke Engage, Kathy Sikes, Senior Assistant Director for
Student Programs and Outreach stcharlesconventioncenter.com
Saint Charles Convention CenterSt. Charles, MO
Durham Convention CenterDurham, NC
Exhibit Hall: 35,700 sq. ft. Grand Ballroom: 16,200 sq. ft. Breakouts: 17Total Rentable Space: 85,000 sq. ft.Attached Hotel: 296 roomsParking: 1,200 complimentary
Grand Ballroom: 14,000 sq. ft. Jr. Ballroom: 11,000 sq. ft.(devisable into 8 sections)
Board Rooms: 2Meeting Rooms: 4Newly RenovatedNew Kitchen & Culinary Program
“Our 1249 attendees agree that the St. Charles Convention Center (SCCC) was a fabulous place to meet and we received tremendous accolades. This proves that when committed and experienced staff join forces, and are supported by their executives, a meeting planner can accomplish great things for their group. The convenient way your facility is laid out and the seamless connection with Embassy Suites was the reason we chose SCCC. However, your service and your people are the reasons we’d return again and again.” Meeting Planner – Pioneer Network
Greater Richmond Convention Center Richmond, VA
The Greater Richmond Convention Center is the largest meeting and exposition facility in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Affordability, flexibility and exceptional customer service make it the perfect location for government and corporate events, conventions, trade shows, consumer shows, galas, sporting events and more.
richmondcenter.com
C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R
Book With Us Today!Global Spectrum Convention Centers
Congratulations to the following buildings that were named Prime Site Award Winners:
H Atlantic City Convention Center
H Duke Energy Convention Center
H Durham Convention Center
H Greater Richmond Convention Center
H Hy-Vee Hall
H Las Cruces Convention Center
H MassMutual Center
H Miami Beach Convention Center
H Overland Park Convention Center
H Owensboro Convention Center
H Palm Beach County Convention Center
H Saint Charles Convention Center
Exhibit Hall: 178,159 sq. ft.
Ballroom: 30,550 sq. ft.
Meeting/Banquet Rooms: 36 258 Fixed-Seat Lecture Hall & 1540 covered parking spots adjacent to the center
Hotel Rooms: 650 Adjacent to the center & thousands more nearby
durhamconventioncenter.com
“We’ve had so many compliments about the Academy, and we have you to thank. You were wonderfully professional and never made me feel like my questions or requests were silly, redundant, or bothersome. Thank you so much for everything. I plan to recommend the DCC to colleagues. Please share our appreciation with the wonderful DCC staff – everyone from servers to tech people were just top notch.”
Duke Engage, Kathy Sikes, Senior Assistant Director for
Student Programs and Outreach stcharlesconventioncenter.com
Saint Charles Convention CenterSt. Charles, MO
Durham Convention CenterDurham, NC
Exhibit Hall: 35,700 sq. ft. Grand Ballroom: 16,200 sq. ft. Breakouts: 17Total Rentable Space: 85,000 sq. ft.Attached Hotel: 296 roomsParking: 1,200 complimentary
Grand Ballroom: 14,000 sq. ft. Jr. Ballroom: 11,000 sq. ft.(devisable into 8 sections)
Board Rooms: 2Meeting Rooms: 4Newly RenovatedNew Kitchen & Culinary Program
“Our 1249 attendees agree that the St. Charles Convention Center (SCCC) was a fabulous place to meet and we received tremendous accolades. This proves that when committed and experienced staff join forces, and are supported by their executives, a meeting planner can accomplish great things for their group. The convenient way your facility is laid out and the seamless connection with Embassy Suites was the reason we chose SCCC. However, your service and your people are the reasons we’d return again and again.” Meeting Planner – Pioneer Network
Greater Richmond Convention Center Richmond, VA
The Greater Richmond Convention Center is the largest meeting and exposition facility in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Affordability, flexibility and exceptional customer service make it the perfect location for government and corporate events, conventions, trade shows, consumer shows, galas, sporting events and more.
richmondcenter.com
C O N V E N T I O N C E N T E R
40 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
When you see someone at an event engrossed in a mobile device or tablet, do you assume the person is distracted, clearly inattentive to the
topic at hand? It could be that a plugged-in association meeting attendee may not only be paying close attention, but getting more out of the meeting experience than device-less participants. The way we pay attention is transforming and, for better or worse, social media is a key component to the way we interact, whether in front of the TV, at a sporting event, or at a conference or annual meeting.
Think of social media as an extra layer to your event — a stream of content that can add tremendous value for delegates. By infusing social media technology and strategy into your meeting plans, you can enhance many aspects of the event, including (and not limited to) networking, onsite engagement, experience capture and customer service. In fact, social media updates from your meeting and attendee engagement can also extend to those that are following from afar. This social interaction allows them to be a part of the experience and also see what they may be missing so they can plan to attend the next meeting. These activities don’t have to coincide with the meeting’s duration; in fact, a successful social media implementation begins well in advance of the event, and continues beyond its conclusion.
BeFore the MeetingRemember how sports movies from the 1980s all had the obligatory “training montage” scene where the hero transforms into a superstar in a short amount of time? Use the weeks leading up to your meeting as a social media training “boot camp” and transform your attendees into social media superstars. Don’t just promote registration and educational sessions. Educate
attendees on how to get the most out of the onsite social media experience by sharing resources and encouraging pre-meeting practices like these:
• Publish a Twitter 101 guide for your meeting.
• Host a social media training Webinar.
• Post a list of attendees, speakers and industry influencers to follow and engage with.
• Tease onsite contests and social media meet-ups.
• Make sure attendees know meeting Wi-Fi details in advance.
• Share your meeting hashtag for attendees to use when they post.
• Consider providing sample social media posts to give them an idea of how they can share their experience.
• Make it easy for attendees to download and adopt your meeting mobile application.
• Invite attendees and speakers to share their social media handles with one another in order to forge connections before the event begins (this will also spark some great word-of-mouth promotion for your event).
• Encourage attendees to upload a current picture to their Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook profiles to get a jump on name and face recognition with fellow attendees.
By giving attendees these basics, they will
Making association Meetings More social
P l a n n e r P e r s P e c t i v e s
Twitter et al. can increase engagement before, during and post-event By Tim Hendrickson, Dan McDonnell
and Amanda Wood-Darvill
Use the weeks leading up to your meeting as a social media training “boot camp” and transform your attendees into social media superstars.
1111 Event Center Dr. NE, Bemidji, MN 56601218.441.4000 | www.TheSanfordCenter.net
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For more info contact: Kristi Anderson, Convention Sales Manager 218.441.4013 • [email protected]
42 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
Virtual networkingTaking Stock in the Tools Available to Attendees By Sharla Warren
Participating in a face-to-face conference is an
investment, and it is essential for meeting planners to provide attendees a great return on that investment. A major part of the return is the interaction among colleagues, and fortunately, multiple social media tools and mobile apps have been developed that enhance networking. Following are suggestions on how planners can foster the use of these tools, from common ones such as linkedin and Facebook to lesser-known options.
From the time attendees register, there are opportunities to help them engage. Encourage them to tweet, or post on LinkedIn and/or Facebook, that they just registered for the conference. Using instagram, provide a fun, downloadable icon to post that says they registered and remind them that they can also use this image to post on twitter and Facebook.
Create a LinkedIn group and invite registered attendees and even past attendees to the group. Start discussions prior to the event about topics to be presented at the conference, and be prepared to initiate some of the posts to encourage online pre-conference networking. Use a private Facebook page for a group or segment of the attendees, or a LinkedIn group page to serve as a blog spot for a small-group discussion board.
Numerous mobile applications or matchmaking services (e.g., tripBuilder, converve, DoubleDutch, Pathable and spotMe) also allow attendees to engage with each other prior to event. Many apps allow attendees to search for other attendees and in-app message them prior to the event. This is an extremely helpful way to enable attendees to contact people they may be interested in meeting onsite. Companies such as Pathable and Converve offer ways for attendees not only to search and filter based on interest, but also to request and schedule meetings.
Having created an active and engaged community that is excited about the conference, continue to encourage networking and sharing during the event. Twitter can facilitate this goal. The more that attendees comment on topics being discussed, the more other attendees (along with their followers) associate with the person who posted the comment. The Twitter “poster” increases awareness of who they are and their interests. This is also a valuable tool to help increase conference brand awareness. Twitter
be oriented with your organization’s social media channels before the event and ready to join the conversations and activities onsite.
During the MeetingDuring the meeting itself, limit any barriers to social media participation that you can. For example, don’t force attendees to scramble to download apps or ask around for Wi-Fi connectivity options. Attendees should arrive onsite with the tools they need and clear communications about how to connect. Ensure that your meeting hashtag and any other details around social media meet-ups and networking are clearly spelled out in your meeting materials, mobile app and meeting signs.
On the subject of hashtags, the creation of a meeting-dedicated hashtag is a great way to promote and encourage that extra “layered” conversation during the meeting. While we mostly associate Twitter with hashtags, Facebook and other social media channels are now using hashtags as well. This expanded adoption of hashtags provides a powerful indexing tool for meetings. Hashtags
allow attendees to create sidebars, meet like-minded individuals and capture their experience. As the meeting host, you will be able to listen in on the conversations, which is extremely valuable for a few reasons:
• You can identify and respond to customer service requests and issues.
• You can re-tweet or “favorite” great tweets from attendees to give them some visibility and kudos for participating.
• You can digest powerful quotes, testimonials and photos that resonate and use them in future marketing.
Another onsite suggestion is to facilitate “Tweet-Ups.” These social media meet-ups are a great way to encourage networking and provide on-the-spot social media training and troubleshooting. The connections made at your meeting (both in person and via social media) can last year-round, and help plant seeds for a vibrant, active online community between meetings.
aFter the MeetingAfter your meeting ends and everyone heads back to
Curate top tweets and discussions from social media and share them with your online community following the event.
43Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
display services such as Projectorfy, tweetwall, tweetWallPro, tweetBeam, visible tweets and tweetwally are just a few tools that can display tweets during an event so all attendees see them. Post a Twitter wall in meeting rooms, or if there is concern that live tweets might be too distracting during presentations, use the foyer, lobby or registration area to set up a display.
There are also myriad mobile applications that facilitate social interaction during the event. Some mobile apps have chat boards and eliminate the need for Twitter, for example. Some have the ability to alert an attendee that a person he or she wants to meet is nearby. Others have powerful search features that enable the user to search and message other attendees during the conference, and some have all of these options. Price ranges vary, so be sure to evaluate which application provides attendees with the best ROI.
A great free tool that is easy to use is Foursquare. When there are multiple tracks, Foursquare quickly shows attendees the location of other participants. Often, multi-day conferences have official and unofficial parties after presentations are finished, and attendees use Foursquare to determine where the best networking opportunities are taking place.
Another tool that can help attendees share data is cardMunch. This is a free iPhone app that allows attendees to quickly scan business cards and pulls the information into LinkedIn.
With all of these suggestions comes one caveat: We know that some attendees are not comfortable with technology and never will be, so it’s seldom a good idea to rely solely on technology to promote
networking. Be creative and find other ways to help attendees engage with each other, such as small-group receptions or dinners, and brainstorming sessions for likeminded attendees.
Sharla Warren, CMP, is Vice President, Conference Services with eventPower, a Leesburg, VA-based meeting services company. She has 17 years of conference management experience and has been part of the eventPower team since 2000. In addition to commercial and association clients, she has managed numerous government contracts and is a member of ASAE as well as MPI. Prior to eventPower, Warren worked at Cohn Communications, where she planned and sold exhibit space for PMEXPO, the largest one-day property management and real estate tradeshow in the nation.
Tim Hendrickson, Digital Marketing Manager, SmithBucklin, provides strategy and community management for clients in the healthcare and business trade industry practices.
Amanda Wood-Darvill, Director, SmithBucklin Marketing & Communications, has more than 10 years of experience developing and managing strategic marketing programs.
Dan McDonnell, Coordinator, SmithBucklin Marketing & Communications, provides social media and digital marketing strategy and support for SmithBucklin technology and business trade associations.
Companies such as Pathable and Converve offer ways for attendees not only to search for colleagues and filter based on interest, but also to request and schedule meetings.
work, continue the conversation! Curate top tweets and discussions from social media and share them with your online community following the event. Tools like Storify can help you capture the full meeting experience and organize social media posts in an interesting narrative. This is also a great way for members who were unable to attend to get a virtual experience, encouraging them to attend the next event.
Go beyond the post-event survey by using social media to gather meeting feedback. Sift through all of the tweets on the meeting hashtag to find out what people loved, and what they thought could be improved. Bring these to your full team when debriefing your event or planning for next year’s meeting.
Social media may, at times, seem to be replacing or subverting face-to-face connections in our world. However, savvy meeting planners can use it as a tool to build engagement and attendance — at the meeting as well as in the virtual world.
44
Can you imagine how exciting it is to be in on the cutting edge
of new drugs before they go to market? Perhaps it will be a cure for Alzheimer’s or cancer or a rare disease that few have heard of.
Planning pharmaceutical and medical meetings is also exciting, but clearly the scope of work has changed dramatically, and over the last five to eight years in particular. Most planners now work in conjunction with procurement and compliance departments to make sure that the company’s SOPs are followed. This can be a challenge because standards sometimes vary within departments, and within countries where the company may operate meetings. However, when healthcare providers (HCPs) attend meetings (known as investigator meetings), there are strict guidelines that must be observed. In addition to the corporate standards, the planner must also be committed to comply with all state and federal laws that impact interactions with HCPs.
Medical meetings are educational, containing serious content, and a far cry from the meetings of the past that combined work and play. Gone are the five-star hotels, doctors traveling with their spouses, entertainment, lavish meals and gifts. Today, meetings are often at three- or four-star hotels and conference centers, offering modest meals and are of shorter duration.
On average, it takes 8-10 years to get a new drug to market, nearly a billion dollars in cost and no guaranty that the drug will be successful. Much is at stake for
the pharmaceutical company. In 2008, due to a greater cry for transparency from the makers of pharmaceuticals, the Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) strengthened the guidelines for interactions between HCPs and pharma companies. PhRMA is comprised of pharmaceutical and biotech companies devoted to inventing medicines to allow patients to live longer and healthier lives. The strengthened guidelines (voluntarily adopted and self-regulatory) were designed to encourage socially responsible business conduct with complete transparency.
The goal has been to create an industry of trust and transparency built around a compliance culture to mitigate risk, address regulatory requirements, increase efficiencies and reduce costs. Calls for increased transparency in the financial relationships between physicians and the industry also resulted in the inclusion of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This bill required pharma
companies to record any physician payments or benefits beginning on Aug. 1, 2013 and to submit their first federal reports on March 31, 2014. These payments are known as TOVs (transfers of value). Any TOV over $10 must be reported to the government. HCPs had 45 days to dispute what was reported about them.
As a meeting professional, you will need accurate systems in place to store tracking documents and have a team that is responsible for logging the aggregate spend data. The pharmaceutical company’s legal and
Medical Meetings in transition
P l a n n e r P e r s P e c t i v e s
Planners must — and will — adapt to a more regulated industry
By Judith R. Johnson
Facilities & destinations 2014 superBook
“Under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, planners must be prepared to produce any and all reports on transfers of value to healthcare providers who attend meetings. Clearly it’s no longer business as usual.”
45Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
audit departments are now generally part of this internal process. The reporting records will have to be electronic, easily downloadable and searchable. HCPs and the general population will be able to see the spend that is associated with them online, so it must be accurate. Outside vendors such as hotels and transportation companies will need to assist in compliance by having the correct billing formats.
As a planner, you may be required to utilize the company’s software or as an outside planner, you may need to purchase your own along with additional staff to accurately track data — all of which can be very costly. Planners must be acutely aware that there are fines and potential jail time for inaccuracies. This new regulation is expected to present formidable challenges, since most companies currently use multiple systems and multiple vendors to capture HCP-related payments.
Clearly it’s no longer business as usual. The planner now manages HCP contracts and honoraria payments along with travel expenses, W-9s and other types of forms. Equally important are security and risk mitigation strategies along with disaster-recovery plans for each meeting. Planners must be prepared to produce any and all reports as needed. You will likely coordinate the planning process with multiple vendors, which is known
as integrated supplier strategy. In short, the scope of work today in medical meetings is that of project management rather than simply logistics or event management.
Knowledge and flexibility are the keys to success. There may be increased costs and additional burden to you, the planner, and little margin for error. But, as we all know, meeting planners are smart, savvy and adaptable. They will deal with the changes, implement strategies and continue to add value to both the stakeholders and the participants.
A 40-year meeting industry veteran, Judith R. Johnson, CMP, is President and CEO of Rx Worldwide Meetings, Inc. Founded over two decades ago in Dallas, TX, and now with a second location in the United Kingdom, the company focuses solely on pharmaceutical and medical meetings. Johnson has spoken at industry-related events including the MPI WEC, the Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners’ Forum, Global World Congress and the DIA (Drug Industry Association). She currently serves on the TEMM (Travel Event Meeting Management) program at Richland College, as well as advisory boards for Loews Hotels, Associated Luxury Hotels(ALHI), Carmel/Monterrey, CA, and Hyatt Hotels.
Athens, GeorGiA
300 North Thomas St. ▼ Athens, GA ▼ ClassicCenter.com ▼ 706.208.0900
Newly renovated spaces in the heart of downtown Athens, GA
Hosting groups up to 6,000 • Accommodating 275 booths and 30 breakout rooms
2,100 seat performing arts theatre • Home of the University of Georgia
Walking distance to all that downtown has to offer: restaurants, shops and over 1,500 hotel rooms
Making this unconventional convention center the choice for conventions, meetings and special events!
AnYthinG BUt ConVentionAL
46
A 25-year meeting industry veteran, Kathy Kolander has planned the annual
convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) for 10 years. Her Appleton, WI-based company, ProSessions, has other clients including the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association and the Texas Bankers Association. The 2015 LWMS Annual Convention will be held in Rapid City, SD, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The venue includes the 10,400- capacity Barnett Arena (currently under a proposal to be expanded to 15,000-20,000 seats), the 41,000-sq.-ft. Rushmore Hall, the 15,000-sq.-ft. LaCroix Hall and a 1,741-seat theater. “The Midwest location is important for this group,” says Kolander, “and the hands-on CVB helped us to coordinate the hotel bids, the convention center dates and everything we needed to make an informed decision on having the convention in Rapid City.”
How is the LWMS 2015 Annual Convention shaping up? What is the schedule like?
We expect about 800 attendees. The program begins with a Thursday evening service and
ends with a Sunday morning service that we open up to the public. It will feature mission speakers, workshops, devotions, entertainment and a banquet.
What are some of the challenges you find with planning religious conventions?
They often have many elderly participants on a fixed budget, so affordable lodging is critical.
That comes into play at the site selection stage. Fortunately, Rapid City has hotels in a variety of price points located near the Civic Center, such as the Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza, Howard Johnson Rapid
City and the Hotel Alex Johnson. One of my biggest concerns is getting hotels to block double rooms for us and be willing to guarantee double room requests. My ladies can have three or four people sharing a room — if they book a room with two beds they need a room with two beds. The Rapid City Convention Bureau rep understood this and helped convey the requirement to the hotels so that they only proposed the type of rooms I needed.
How did the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center help you
control costs?
We are diligent in obtaining competitive bids for outside services, and the Civic Center is very
flexible in working with our outside suppliers. They also worked with us on rental fees, providing a sliding scale based on food and beverage expenditures.
Many religious groups have dietary restrictions, and while Lutherans do not, are your attendees
still particular about catering?
Definitely, we need to take care to ask them specifically what kinds of foods they want
available. Individuals still have allergies and medical needs that we need to address for them.
From a planner’s career perspective, do you feel it is valuable to learn how to manage religious
conventions?
There is certainly work available, but the compensation is typically less than for corporate
meetings. On the other hand, there can be a personal commitment to planning the events; in my case, I am a member of the LWMS. In addition, religious groups are comprised of some of the nicest people you’ll meet, who appreciate all you do for them.
kathy r. kolanderpresident, prosessions
r e l i g i o u s M e e t i n g s
Facilities & destinations 2014 superBook
In Conversation With . . .
By George Seli
47Facilities & DestiNatiONs 2014 superBOOk
Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview Photoview PhotoviewP H O T O V I E W
(Above): RCMA’s multi-faith diversity is affirmed in the Opening General Session, where representatives of 10 different religious backgrounds offered an expression of “blessing.”
(Right): President/CEO Dr. Harry Schmidt provided a moment for vision casting during the RCMA Business Session.
(Right): Newly elected RCMA Board Chairman Melvin Tennant (right) presented a $10,000 RCMA donation to Mission Possible Foundation representatives.
(Above): A massive assembly line of Emerge Conference attendees prepared “hygiene packs,” provided by various national hotel chains, for a nearby homeless shelter.
(Above): The National Railroad Museum was the backdrop for the Opening Reception.
(Left): A uniquely designed “family style” meal fostered networking and camaraderie between attendees.
(Above): Hundreds of participants experienced the traveling Holocaust exhibition “When Humanity Fails.” RCMA member Joel Weinberger, Coordinator of Services for Yeshiva of Los Angeles and Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles, opened the exhibit.
Photo
s courtesy o
f RC
MA
, Joshua C
lark Hend
rick
Emerge Conference 2014Snapshots of the Religious Conference Management Association’s annual meeting,
held Feb. 4-6 at the Sacramento Convention Center
47 Facilities & DestiNatiONs 2014 superBOOk
48 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
seated dinners of up to 165 guests or receptions of up to 200, and affords floor-to-ceiling views of the Hudson River. Also available is the 247-seat Allison and Howard Lutnick Theater and the Space Shuttle Pavilion, suitable for receptions of up to 400 guests. www.intrepidmuseum.org
The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary in Long Beach is one of the most unique meet-ing and special event venues in Southern California. Construction began on the ship in 1930, and she made her maiden voyage in 1936, departing from Southampton, England. Deployed as a troopship during WWII, she resumed regular passenger service across the Atlantic in 1947. The Queens Mary’s final cruise, in 1967, brought her to Long Beach, where she remained. Marrying tradition and modern
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The USS Intrepid aircraft carrier is a National Historic Landmark and the centerpiece of this museum, which also features the
Enterprise (the world’s first space shuttle), the USS Growler (the oldest existing nuclear-missile carrying submarine), the British Airways Con-corde (the fastest commercial aircraft ever to cross the Atlantic) and 27 authentically restored aircraft. Receptions for up to 3,000 guests can be held at the Pier, and receptions for up to 1,600 can be staged on the Flight Deck, which offers majestic views of Manhattan and the Hudson River. Hangar 3 offers 12,000 sq. ft. of event space, equipped with built-in special-event lighting, drop-down screens, and sound-system capabili-ties, and can accommodate seated dinners for up to 1,000. The Great Hall is the perfect space for
‘Decked Out’ for Corporate Events
A tangible encounter with our nautical past, panoramic ocean views, event spaces with no need for theming or décor — all of these advantages are reaped by planners who bring their groups on board a historic ship. While tourism is the major source of revenue for these iconic, decommis-
sioned vessels, corporate functions are also an important part of their business, and they are generally well prepared to host groups via numerous private-dining options, meeting rooms, open-air venues, and even theaters and exhibit halls. Some boast advanced AV capabilities, while still giving attendees the sense of being transported back in time to the ship’s naval or cruising heyday. Following is a selection of famed ships that have also made a name in the meetings market.
49Facilities & Destinations 2014 superBook
USS Constellation
The last all-sail ship built by the US Navy provides a spectacular view of Baltimore’s historic waterfront and offers a distinctive venue for corporate hospitality outside of advertised visiting hours. Located on Pier 1, the USS Constellation can accommodate 250 guests, and smaller groups can utilize the Captain’s Cabin for a more intimate setting. There are also opportuni-ties for larger groups to tent the pier area next to the ship if the guest count exceeds 250. Attendees can explore the decks below at their own pace or take a guided tour; uniformed crewmembers are readily available to answer questions. A live can-non firing culminates the activities. www.historicships.org/constellation.html
USS Lexington
Commissioned in 1943, USS Lexington CV-16 served longer and set more records than any Essex Class carrier in the history of the U.S. Navy. During WWII she saw action from Tarawa to Tokyo, earning the name “Blue Ghost” from Tokyo Rose after repeatedly defying reports that she had been sunk. Today, the USS Lexing-ton Museum, in Corpus Christi, TX, is a unique
technology, the ship offers over 80,000 sq. ft. of event space in 14 Art Deco salons, the largest being the Grand Salon with a capacity of 700. A 45,000-sq.-ft. Exhibit Hall is available, as well as the 70,000-sq.-ft. Queen Mary Dome, adjacent to the ship. Groups can also enjoy private, ocean-view dining at the award-winning Sir Winston’s Restaurant & Lounge. www.queenmary.com
The Royal Yacht Britannia
The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company ship-yard in Clydebank, Scotland, on April 16, 1953, and served the Royal Family for over 44 years, finally being decom-missioned in 1994. Today, the world-renowned ship serves as an exclusive evening events venue permanently berthed in the historic Port of Leith, Edinburgh. Kings and queens have dined in the State Apartments, and the stylish and versatile Royal Deck affords magnificent views over the Firth of Forth. Dinners for up to 196 and receptions for up to 450 can be accom-modated. Voted the United Kingdom’s “Most Excellent Dedicated Venue” by Condé Nast Johansens, Britannia is owned by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and all surplus funds made go toward her long-term maintenance. www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
during World War II, she became the site of the Japanese surrender on Sept. 2, 1945. In 1998, the U.S. Navy donated her to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a private nonprofit organization. The larg-est function space is the open-air Pier Foxtrot 5, which accommodates 3,000 for a reception, 1,000 for a seated banquet and 2,000 theater style. The Fantail (1,000 reception, 400 banquet, 500 theater) and The 01 Deck (150, 80, 100, respectively) are both
covered. The Bow accommodates 150 reception or theater style, and the Captain’s Cabin is available for up to 22 guests. www.ussmissouri.org —AB
venue for a cocktail reception, banquet, gala or teambuilding event. The 40,000-sq.-ft. Hangar Deck accommodates up to 2,600 attendees, and Hangar Bay II has air conditioning and heat so that events may be held throughout the year (capacity ranges from 25 to 750). Attendees can also enjoy the excitement of a jet fighter in action in the Flight Simulator. http://usslexington.com
USS MissouriStanding sentry over historic Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the USS Missouri (BB-63), affectionately known to many as the “Mighty Mo,” is the last U.S. battleship ever built. After joining the battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa
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Adventure Aquarium .........................15Akron/Summit CVB ............................53Albuquerque Convention Center.....69Alliant Energy Center of Dane County ......................................54Austin Convention Center ................71Baton Rouge CVB ..............................37Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex ........................39Boston Convention & Exhibition Center ...............................19Branson Convention Center .............55Charleston Civic Center ....................35Cox Business Services Convention Center ............................75Colorado Springs CVB ......................73Daytona Beach Area CVB .................40Fairplex ...............................................77
George R. Brown Convention Center ...........................C2Greater Boston CVB ..........................17Greater Columbus Convention Center ............................59Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center ..............C3Hawaii Convention Center ................81Jacob Javits Convention Center ......21Kansas City Convention Center ........60Lake George NY’s Adirondacks ........27Meadowlands Exposition Center .....23Miami Beach Convention Center .....43Midwest Airlines Center ...................C4Mobile Convention Center .................3Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center .....................63Morial Convention Center ................45Norfolk CVB .......................................33
Oklahoma City CVB ...........................83Oncenter ............................................24Orange County Convention Center ............................47Oregon Convention Center ..............85Positively Cleveland ...........................57Providence Warwick CVB ..................25Puerto Rico Convention Center .......91Rapid City CVB...................................65Rhode Island Convention Center .......9Rochester Riverside Convention Center ............................29Sacramento Convention Center .......87Salina Bicentennial Center ................62Savannah Area CVB ...........................49Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center ..............................7SMG ......................................................5Valley Forge Convention Center ......31
Facilities & Destinations SuperBook Advertiser Index
51Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
with the Orthodox Union, gives a couple of instruc-tive examples. “Suppose you are hosting an event with 40 observant attendees, and the hotel staff have determined that 50 pieces of kosher meat will be needed. But then a quarter of the way through
the event they realize they have another two hours to serve food and all of the meat has been con-sumed. There is a great potential of a chef or other staff going to the non-kosher kitchen and supplementing.”
In a situation where only a few diners are observant, the hotel may order prepared kosher meals, yet the in-house catering staff can still inadvertently compro-mise the kosher quality of those
meals. “The food is going to come double wrapped and sealed, because it’s heated in the oven and must maintain its kosher status,” Schreier explains. “But the staff in the hotel, who are trained to make the best presentation possible to the customer, may try to do the customer a favor and break the seals, and when the observant person receives that plate he’s not go-ing to touch it.”
Educating the hotel’s in-house catering staff is criti-cal, and Schreier suggests one way to achieve that: “Have someone from the supervising agency come in and give a primer [on kashrut]. We’re not granting graduate degrees, but just explaining the do’s and don’ts. It’s very restrictive and very surprising, but the more the staff becomes engaged in the topic, the bet-ter chance of it being effective.”
Some properties, particularly those with regular Jew-ish clientele, have longstanding relationships with kosher food suppliers and supervising agencies, and in these cases, a planner can have greater confidence that meals will meet the standards of kashrut. For
Meeting hosts have long done due diligence in asking about attendees’ dietary require-ments, including those based on ethical
and health concerns (e.g., vegetarianism and veg-anism), and food allergies and sensitivities (e.g., gluten-free). Among the most complex dietary strictures are religious ones, and complying with food and beverage requests in that area can be challenging. For instance, Jewish dietary law (kashrut) goes well beyond the prohibition of pork and shellfish, and contains rules that if not ad-hered to precisely could result in attendees not partaking in their meal. Among the laws are those forbidding meat from animals that have not been slaughtered according to Jewish ritual (schechita), wine and grape juice produced without rabbinic supervision, using non-kosher cooking utensils, and mixing meat and dairy.
When a reputable kosher caterer handles the F&B function, planners can be assured that all of these requirements will be met, and that their observant attendees will enjoy the dining experience without concerns. Ritz-Carlton is a recent example of an upscale hotelier that has partnered with such an or-ganization. Brooklyn-based kosher consultancy MD Destinations, certified by the Orthodox Union (the world’s largest kosher supervision agency), is provid-ing onsite rabbinical supervision, equipment and guidance to create kosher events at six Ritz-Carlton properties in Florida, two in Atlanta, GA, one in the Cayman Islands and one in New York City.
However, if a hotelier is simply bringing in kosher ingredients or meals without such oversight, plan-ners should be aware that there is a risk of breaching kashrut. Rabbi Dov Schreier, Rabbinic Coordinator
religious Meetings
What It Takes for Hoteliers and Planners to be
Kosher Ready
Kashrut may seem “very restrictive and very surprising, but the more the [catering] staff becomes engaged in the topic, the better chance of it being effective.”
52 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
An understanding of what makes foods halal, i.e., permissible under Islamic law, is likely less widespread than knowledge
of kosher. Evidence comes from the halal food in-dustry, which “is still in its infancy in the USA. It is often referred to as the little brother, or cousin of the kosher food industry,” says Sara Sayed, Director of Marketing and Communications for Cedar Rapids, IA-based Midamar Corporation, a privately owned business with more than 200 halal food products. In addition, “there is not a substantial halal presence on standard menus at most hotels. Certain destination hotels near hospitals or universities that are frequented by international guests offer halal menus.” However, planners with attendees who observe Islamic law can take comfort in the fact that “most upscale caterers are familiar with halal,” says Sayed. And with about two weeks’ notice, hotels that lack relationships with such caterers will be able to acquire halal-certified products themselves for meal preparation; the products are available at all major distributors, she notes.
Similar to kashrut, Islamic dietary law forbids the consumption of pork and blood, requires that meat come from an animal that has been ritualistically slaughtered, and requires proper sanitation of equipment to prevent the mixing of halal and non-halal foods. Unlike kosher meals, halal meals must be free of alcohol. “A minute percentage is permis-
Hosting Halal Dinerssible if it’s not detectable in the finished product; so there are ethyl alcohols that are used as sol-vents and flavor carriers in the food technology world. But it is not the type that is consumed for inebriation,” explains Timothy M. Hyatt, Manag-ing Director, Islamic Services of America (ISA), a full-service halal certification organization. Even the use of wine or beer in the cooking process is frowned upon. “While the alcohol may cook off, there is still the intention of using it in the first place; it’s better not to do that intentionally and knowingly,” says Hyatt.
According to Hyatt and Sayed, there are several misconceptions regarding halal. “Even Muslims in some cases do not understand that non-meat products run the risk of having forbidden ingredi-ents due to processing,” says Hyatt. “For example, were the French fries cooked in a pure vegetable oil or in an animal fat? So all foods should have undergone a process where there was halal com-pliance, if not ideally halal certification.” However, there are bogus certifications, Sayed warns. “One red flag is a supplier that offers a caterer the same pricing as traditional non-halal products.” Planners in particular should be aware that not only Muslims demand halal. “Many people of other faiths like halal products because of the extra layer of oversight,” says Sayed, “and the fact that halal is produced in small batches and sourced from small family farms.”
example, the Caribe Hilton in Old San Juan, PR, has a five-year relationship with a local synagogue, whose rabbi, Mendel Zarchi, will personally bring kosher meals to the hotel culinary staff, who then simply
reheat the dishes. “That’s what the ‘very’ Orthodox want,” says Executive Chef Mario Ferro, a 20-year vet-eran of the hotel. Ferro also has a supplier for kosher-certified meats that he orders from when preparing meals in house. He typically orders two weeks in advance, and says he needs a minimum of eight days’ advance notice to prepare meals for a group with ob-servant diners. “We need one day to clean the kitchen and give it to the rabbi to ‘kosherize’ over another day,” Ferro explains. Executive Chef Aaron Hagerdorn at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis similarly asks for a week’s notice to have vendor-prepared meals ready for a meeting group’s observant attendees.
The advantage to working with a hotel that has a dedicated kosher kitchen is “more peace of mind, to know that everything that we use is kosher and has only been used for kosher.”
53Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
Thus, it’s important for planners to inquire about the notice chefs require to deliver kosher meals. Prior to that, of course, planners should determine their kosher food needs by asking attendees, “Do you want a kosher meal?” Schreier recommends that they also ask, “What level of supervision would you like the food to have?” Observant attendees may require kosher meal preparation at the hotel to be supervised by someone who keeps kosher. If that requirement is not communicated to the staff, a well-meaning chef may make a special effort to purchase kosher ingredi-
ents and new cooking utensils, and end up preparing a meal that the attendees cannot accept, due to the lack of supervision.
For groups with a significant number of attendees who keep kosher, Hagerdorn can utilize the Hy-att’s Kosher Kitchen, which debuted last June and features special equipment (utensils, glassware, plates, etc.) for use in preparing and serving kosher meals. “The local mashgiach [supervisor of kashrut] and I designed equipment that can be koshered [an intense cleaning process] pretty easily,” says Hager-dorn. “He comes in whenever we do a kosher event and oversees all of the product that we purchase, making sure it comes from approved kosher ven-dors and prepared according to the kosher laws here within our hotel.” For the event planner, the advan-tage to working with a hotel that has a dedicated kosher kitchen is “more peace of mind, to know that everything that we use is kosher and has only been used for kosher,” Hagerdorn explains. “And it’s given us the ability to have a kosher function going on in one part of our hotel, while we’re still tending to our other guests; we don’t have to shut our main kitchen down.” —GS
Mario Ferro, Executive Chef with the Caribe Hilton, San Juan, Puerto Rico, has many years of experience in catering to meeting attendees who keep kosher.
DealCenter, LLCTake the work out of trade show networking340 Royal Poinciana Way-Suite 317/#345Palm Beach, FL 33480(866) 430-3023; Fax: (201) 624-7316www.deal-center.com
The DealCenter is a turnkey product for trade show, conference or expo organizers. DealCenter, LLC works with trade show, expo or conference management companies to provide an online meeting system that enhances the peer-to- peer networking at the event for attendees and exhibitors. The DealCenter team also provides on-site management of the physical DealCenter or meeting area as well as all technical and customer support.
UrbanRide421 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 (800) 525-5750; Fax: (212) 202-9638 www.urbanride.net
Chief Executive Officer: Jeremy MilikowSenior Vice President: Mitch Bornstein, SVP
‘Leading Global Provider of Meeting & Event Transportation’
UrbanRide is a global provider of ground transportation for meetings & events, and uses the top-of-the-line sedans, SUVs, vans, minibuses and motorcoaches. We provide our clients with IMS, our software that enables meeting planners to better manage transportation for their meetings, conferences, conventions, tradeshows & other events. We work exclusively with meeting & event planners and our customer service is the best in the business. UrbanRide is a one-stop solution for meeting & event transportation.
Keppler Speakers4350 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203(703) 516-4000; Fax: (703) 516-4819www.kepplerspeakers.comSenior VP for Sales and Marketing: John Truran
With Keppler Speakers, creating memorable meetings never felt so easy. With over 25 years of experience, we provide you solid, seasoned expertise, making speaker selection stress-free by managing all of the details. Keppler Speakers saves you precious time by matching you with speakers who are right on target. From proven performers to dynamic rising stars, our speakers bring fascinating, real stories and a gift for inspiring audiences.
93Facilities & Destinations 2009 SuperBook
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“Our company ethos is Integrity, Clarity and Reliability. POTHOS works in a forthright manner that considers transparent communication as the cornerstone to a successful relationship with our guests and travel partners.”
POTHOS, Inc. is a globally recognized strategic meeting management company and corporate travel agency that specializes in using cutting-edge technology and resources to compete with much larger companies at a value, offering clients cost savings and efficient personal event planning services. POTHOS, Inc. specializes in the following 3 core competencies: 1. Full Service Strategic Meeting Management; 2. Full Service Corporate/VIP Travel Management; 3. Logistics – Freight & People. POTHOS, Inc. is your ONE source for meeting, travel and logistics. Achievement of goals and objectives, ROI and ROO are the basis of our strategic approach.
The C.W. Allen Group, LLC 5130 Cyrus Circle, Birmingham, AL 35242(205) 263-0555 Fax: (205) 263-0557www.cwallengroup.comDirector of Industry Relations: Jackie Jones
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54 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Philadelphia was arguably the site of the most significant meetings ever held in America. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in the Assem-
bly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) and adopted the Declara-tion of Independence. And on Sept. 17, 1787, 41 delegates met in the same room for the signing of the Constitution. Both meetings were directly responsible for the creation of the United States and its government. Well over two centuries later, in February 2014, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) has launched a marketing campaign that highlights the city’s bold, forward-thinking spirit, PHL: Here for the Making. Partnering in the campaign are the City of Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Select Greater Philadelphia, Philadel-phia Industrial Development Corporation, Penn-sylvania Convention Center (PCC) and Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association. Especially with the latter two involved, the marketing message will surely reach the meetings industry.
“PHL: Here for the Making is the first time in the history of the city that we have been able to use a campaign that is encompassing of different sectors in Philadelphia, whether it’s manufactur-
New convention center management and hotel projects reenergize this historic meeting site By George Seli
PhiladelPhia
55Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
ing, arts and culture, or conventions,” says Julie Coker, Senior Vice President of the PHLCVB’s Convention Division. With regard to meetings, the message is about “making memories for your convention attendees, making history. Because many of the medical conventions that take place here make announcements from the floor that are
very significant to their attendees.” Indeed, the medical industry is so prominent in the Philadel-phia area that meetings in that sector can account for 45-50 percent of all of the city’s annual convention bookings.
According to the latest statistics released by PKF Consulting, Center City Philadelphia had a hotel occupancy rate of 73.4 percent and an ADR of $169.45 for 2013; occupancy this year is likely to remain relatively flat, while ADR is expected to increase to $171.84. As always, conventions will significantly contribute to occupancy. In fact, the PCC got off to a strong start in 2014 with its busi-est January in five years, thanks to four associa-tions holding citywide conventions: American Economic Association, US Lacrosse, National Soccer Coaches Association of America and American Library Association. The city expects an economic impact of over $195 million this year from conventions held by organizations such
The medical industry is so prominent in the Philadelphia area that meetings in that sector can account for 45-50 percent of all of the city’s annual convention bookings.
PhiladelPhia
Dilworth Plaza, beside The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia.
56 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
assisted us with getting that approved by the city.” The PHLCVB also helps planners build attendance with a data-mining tool developed in cooperation with Select Greater Philadelphia, a division of the Chamber of Commerce. “We look at potential exhibitors as well as attendees, let’s say in a 200-mile radius of the city, and we can provide their contact information to our plan-ners, who can then reach out to those folks via either an email blast or telemarketing,” Coker explains.
as the National Association of Letter Carriers and National Society of Hispanic MBAs in the summer, and the American Society of Nephrol-ogy and American Society of Cell Biology later in the year. “What’s different about our conven-tion bookings in 2014 compared to 2013 is their size,” notes Coker. “We did larger groups in 2013, groups that have more rooms on peak nights, than what we’ll actually see in 2014.”
Among the largest conventions the city hosted in 2013 was the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, held in November. Kate Hurst, Director, Con-ferences & Events, was quite pleased with the USGBC’s partnership with the PHLCVB: “They were able to assist with anything that we needed help on, such as working with city officials and understanding what could and couldn’t be done at the convention center,” Hurst says. “For example, we brought in pedicabs and the CVB
(Left): At the launch of the PHL: Here for the Making campaign are (l-r) Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Director of Commerce; Olivia Brown, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton; Jack Ferguson, President & CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau; Carla Cabrera, Regional Sales Manager at Quatar Airways; Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter; and Nick DeBenedictis, PHLCVB Board of Directors Chairman. (Above, left): Julie Coker, SVP, Convention Division, PHLCVB.(Above, right): Lorenz Hassenstein, GM of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center features 60 percent more meeting and exhibit space.
57Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Greenbuild brought in more than 23,000 del-egates representing every sector of the building industry, as well as green product manufactur-ers and service providers. The PCC accommo-dated the group with more than 679,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (528,000 continuous sq. ft.), two ballrooms totaling 87,500 sq. ft. and more than 75 breakout rooms. In 2012 the facility made strides on the sustainability front by reducing
its electrical costs by 34 percent through more efficient power usage. The USGBC helped the PCC to significantly improve its waste-diversion rate and implemented composting at the facil-ity, which is a contractual piece for Greenbuild, Hurst notes.
SMG ManagementWhile the PCC is a union facility, Coker points out that it will become easier for convention orga-nizers to work with unions now that the center is managed by SMG, which officially took over the building on Dec. 1, 2013. “Our best line of defense is SMG. They manage over 270 venues across the country, many of them union facilities. So you’re talking about a vendor that has really in-depth experience with managing union contracts and union labor. We’re very excited about that,” she says. “SMG has also created a Labor Services
The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Barnes Foundation (below) each offers enriching venues for group events.
“SMG has only been in place at the Center for a few months, but customers are telling us that they like what they see and we are continuing to make improvements and enhancements in a range of areas.”
58 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Apart from the new Labor Services Division, SMG has expanded the PCC’s Event Services Team with additional floor managers, established a Production Services Department, and initi-ated a comprehensive management process that
implements cost-saving measures for customers and assists with event planning.
Hotel UpdatePlanners have long had quality lodging options for their group in Center City, beginning with the 1,332-room Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, connected by skywalk to the PCC and housing 92,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Other major upscale properties include the 757-room Sheraton Philadelphia
Downtown Hotel, with 58,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; the 581-room Loews Philadelphia Ho-tel, with 42,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; and the 300-room Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, with about 26,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Two smaller properties have recently opened that will be useful to large conventions needing to of-fer a wide variety of hotels to their delegates. Last May, a 248-suite Home2 Suites by Hilton opened across from the PCC. The hotel is part of a $60 million mixed-used retail/dining development
Division [with professionals that have experience working for] show contractors such as Freeman.” The division interfaces with unions on behalf of customers, addresses jurisdictional rules, works with customers to estimate and plan for labor needs well in advance of a show to help to keep costs down, and assists with post-show billing and reconciliation, according to the PCC.
“In addition, the new General Manager at the PCC who works for SMG, Lorenz Hassenstein, comes to us with a background of show management experience, so he understands the expec-tations of the customer,” says Coker. Hassenstein comments in a statement: “As someone who worked for years in the industry, I know the stress that comes with putting on, managing and running shows. We want to reduce that level of stress — to the extent possible — and make the job of our customers easier by improving the ease of doing business with SMG and the Center. SMG has only been in place at the Center for a few months, but custom-ers are telling us that they like what they see and we are continuing to make improvements and enhancements in a range of areas.”
In 2016, the 118,000-sq.-ft. Museum of the American Revolution is expected to debut in the historic district.
The National Constitution Center on Independence Mall houses more than 100 interactive and multimedia exhibits and artifacts.
59Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
and features an indoor saline pool. And in Janu-ary, Marriott introduced the 172-room Courtyard Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard, an area known for startup businesses. Offering 1,800 sq. ft. of meeting space, the LEED-certified building is located six miles from Philadelphia Interna-tional Airport and four miles from City Hall.
In addition, four new hotels are in the planning stage:
• A 199-room Kimpton Hotel is being developed on Vine Street along the Benjamin Franklin Park-way, utilizing a building listed on the Philadel-phia Register of Historic Places. The property will house 14,000 sq. ft. of function space and 16,000 sq. ft. of spa and fitness space. Construction is expected to commence in late 2014 or early 2015, with completion in 2016 or 2017.
• A 700-room W and Element Hotel by Westin is slated to open in 2017. The property will offer 41,000 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space, an 8,600-sq.-ft. restaurant and a 185-space parking garage.
• In the fall, developers plan to break ground on a 47-story tower at Broad and Spruce Streets across from the Kimmel Center, with completion expected two years thereafter. An SLS Interna-tional mixed-use luxury boutique hotel and condominium tower will offer 149 guestrooms occupying 11 floors.
• Comcast Corporation and Liberty Property Trust have announced plans to develop the Com-cast Innovation and Technology Center on Arch Street in Center. The proposed 59-story, 1,121-foot tower would house a Four Seasons hotel with more than 200 rooms and a top-floor restaurant.
Distinctive Offsite VenuesPhiladelphia is well known for its historic build-ings, museums and cultural institutions that can accommodate meeting groups, a prime example being the National Constitution Center. Plan-ners can rent the 12,000-sq.-ft. Grand Lobby, set against the backdrop of Independence Mall, a rooftop terrace, private dining room, auditorium and other facilities. And in 2016, the 118,000-sq.-ft.
The Franklin Institute’s imposing statue can preside over a group dinner or reception.
60 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Institute for meetings and opening recep-tions,” Coker notes.
“One of the exciting developments is Dilworth Plaza, which is right in front of City Hall,” Coker adds. “That space is being completely renovated as a sustainable green public space, opening in September. Meeting planners will have the ability to tent the area and use it for recep-tions or openings sessions [maximum capacity of 8,000].” Located between the PCC, Avenue of the Arts and the beginning of the Benjamin Frank-lin Parkway, the new Dilworth Plaza will feature an outdoor café, programmable fountain fed by rainwater and a lawn surrounded by shaded seat-ing areas. A specially commissioned work of art by internationally recognized artist Janet Echelman will be integrated into the fountain. Indeed, Phila-delphia is known for its public art, with more than 3,500 murals, sculptures and mosaics on display.
Raising Its ProfileAs its new marketing campaign demonstrates, The City of Brotherly Love continues to work to broad-cast its appeal as a destination for tourists, entrepre-neurs and meeting groups. One meeting that city officials are particularly interested in drawing, due to its economic and civic benefits to the region, is the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and on March 28 the Board of Directors of the Pennsylva-nia Convention Center Authority voted to support that effort. The DNC has not been held in Philadel-phia since 1948, and like many convention groups, the U.S. Democratic Party would do well to take a fresh look at this city, steeped in American history as well as its own future.
Museum of the American Revolution is expect-ed to debut in the historic district.
Perhaps less familiar than Philadelphia’s histori-cally themed spaces is a mid-sized arena that associations may consider for special events: The Global Spectrum-managed Liacouras Center. Located on the Temple University Cam-pus along the Avenue of the Arts, the Center offers over 10,000 seats (about half that of the Wells Fargo Center) as well as a variety of meet-ing and banquet spaces. “We held our plenary celebration and party, featuring a keynote by Hilary Clinton and a performance by Bon Jovi, at the Liacouras Center,” Hurst notes. “We did end up shuttling, but it was only about a mile up the
street from the Convention Center, which made it really convenient.”
The USGBC staged its Plati-num and Gold Member Recep-tion for about 500 delegates at the LEED
Platinum-certified Barnes Foundation, which opened its new building in May 2012 on the Ben-jamin Franklin Parkway. Home to one of the finest private collections of early French-Modern and post-impressionist paintings in the world, the in-stitution also includes pieces of antique furniture, pottery and African sculpture, as well as a historic 12-acre arboretum and a 10,000-specimen herbar-ium. The Foundation complements several other top-tier art museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rodin Museum of Art.
Embodying Benjamin Franklin’s spirit of dis-covery and invention is The Franklin Institute, where a seated dinner for 400 or reception for 600 can be staged beside the famed 20-ft. statue of the great man himself. Three theaters are also available (seating 150, 280 and 350), as is a 1,896-sq.-ft. fifth-floor conference center and a 2,115-sq.-ft. rooftop deck suitable for receptions. “Many of our science groups use The Franklin
Dilworth Plaza is undergoing a $55 million renovation and will reopen in September with the capacity to accommodate outdoor functions.
A City of Icons: The Liberty Bell at Independence National Historical Park, and The Thinker at the Rodin Museum of Art.
61Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
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VOTE for the top Conference Centers, Small to Mid-Size Meeting, University or Special Event Venues, and/or Hotels and Resorts your group has used for its meetings in the last three years. Please base your vote(s) on the following criteria:• Attractiveness and functionality • Technological capabilities • Quality of staff and conference planner • Team Building• Food & Beverage/Catering • Lighting
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62 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
recognizes these stellar suppliers with prime site and top destination awards, based on nominations by our readers. As clients of these meeting hosts, our readers are tuned into many of
their desirable features, including accessibility, marketability, high-tech meeting spaces,
customer service, entertainment options and much more. Winning an award thus signals the highest client satisfaction on many levels.
Ballots for the awards of excellence are available in F&d print publications, including
the SuperBook, Planner Guide and Mid-Market Review, and at
Facilitiesonline.com. Ballots are received throughout the year,
and the list of award winners appears in the F&d
SuperBook. The Prime Site Award is given out in three categories: Convention Centers, Conference Centers, and Hotels & Resorts. The Top Destination Award
is given to convention & visitors bureaus or
similar entities that promote meeting destinations.
We hope that advocacy for the meetings industry continues, and that evidence for the industry’s value accumulates every year. Meetings do “mean business,” in the sense of being economic catalysts. And our Awards of Excellence winners mean business when it comes to ensuring the success of corporate and association gatherings.
thus far, 2014 has seen strong support for the value of meetings to the U.S. economy, both in terms of activism and
evidence. January saw the launch of “Meetings Mean business,” an industry-wide campaign that brings together planners and major hospitality organizations to advocate for the role of meetings in creating jobs, driving business growth and improving communities. And in February, the convention industry council (CIC) released data that backs up the economic benefit of meetings: During the 2012 calendar year, 1.83 million meetings were held in the U.S., attended by 225 million participants. The resulting contribution to the GDP — $115 billion — surpassed that of the air transportation, motion picture, sound recording, performing arts and spectator sport industries, the CIC reported.
What explains today’s vigorous meetings activity? Companies and associations have a variety of objectives to fulfill with these events, but they also see numerous opportunities to partner successfully with destinations and meeting facilities across the country and internationally. The best sites not only vie for group business, they also offer — and work to maintain — a product that deserves that business. Each year, Facilities & Destinations
401.456.0200 | [email protected] | RhodeIslandComplex.comThe Dunk and Convention Center are managed by SMG and The Vets by PFM.
Exceed expectations at your next meeting, convention, performance or special event by choosing the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex. Collaborate with our experienced staff to design a meeting or event that meets your group’s specific needs. The variety and flexibility of our space allows us to make your event one of a kind. Strengthen your next event by selecting the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex.
Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA
The Javits Center, New York, NYMassMutual Center, Springfield, MAMeadowlands Exposition Center,
Secaucus, NJOncenter/Nicolas J. Pirro Convention Center,
Syracuse, NYPennsylvania Convention Center,
Philadelphia, PARhode Island Convention Center,
Providence, RIRochester Riverside Convention Center,
Rochester, NYWildwoods Convention Center,
Wildwood, NJ
Top Destination Award WinnersAtlantic City CVA, Atlantic City, NJGreater Boston CVB, Boston, MAGreater Hartford CVB, Hartford, CTPhiladelphia CVB, Philadelphia, PAVisit Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PAProvidence/Warwick CVB, Providence, RIValley Forge CVB, Valley Forge, PA
NortheastPrime Site Award WinnersAtlantic City Convention Center,
Atlantic City, NJBaltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MDBoston Convention & Exhibition Center,
Boston, MAConnecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
Situated on the famed Wildwoods Boardwalk, the Wildwoods Convention Center boasts a 75,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall (page 80).
The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford offers over 140,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space and is located across from the new Front Street District (page 77).
64
Providence’s walkable downtown includes the Rhode Island Convention Center and numerous cultural attractions (page 80).
66 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Top Destination Award WinnersEvents D.C., Washington, DCVisit Norfolk, Norfolk, VAOcean City CVB, Ocean City, MDVirginia Beach CVB, Virginia Beach, VAGreater Wilmington CVB, Wilmington, DE
SoutheastPrime Site Award WinnersBirmingham-Jefferson County Convention
Center, Birmingham, ALDurham Convention Center, Durham, NCGreater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County
Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FLGeorgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA
Jackson Convention Complex, Jackson, MSKnoxville Convention Center, Knoxville, TNMiami Beach Convention Center,
Miami Beach, FLMobile Convention Center, Mobile, ALNew Orleans Morial Convention Center,
New Orleans, LAOcean Center, Daytona Beach, FLOrange County Convention Center,
Orlando, FLOwensboro Convention Center,
Owensboro, KY
Mid-AtlanticPrime Site Award WinnersCharleston Civic Center, Charleston, WVHampton Roads Convention Center,
Hampton, VAGreater Richmond Convention Center,
Richmond, VARoland E. Powell Convention Center,
Ocean City, MDVirginia Beach Convention Center,
Virginia Beach, VAWalter E. Washington Convention Center,
Washington, DC
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is Alabama’s largest facility of its kind, offering 220,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space (page 93).
Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center is the nation’s second-largest convention center, featuring 2.1 million sq. ft. of exhibition space (page 98).
Virginia Beach’s 35 miles of ocean and bay beaches are complemented by a LEED Gold-certified Convention Center (page 89).
You rule.
540,000 sq. feet of space
1600 hotel rooms
40 - three and four-star restaurants
Interactive science center
250 registered historic sites
Within a 2-hour drive of 23 million people
Front Street District located across
from the Connecticut Convention Center
includes: New Spotlight Theaters
and Capital Grille.
Infinity Music Hall*
Ted’s Montana Grill*
Nix’s Seafood*
*Coming Spring 2014
Hartford, ConneCtiCut
For centuries, Connecticut has been a haven for
revolutionary thinkers. A place of great history, beauty
and energy that attracts leaders, cultivates courageous
ideas and inspires bold deeds. Where better than in its
heart - at the epicenter of the largest population base
in the country - to purposefully create a destination for
people to meet. It’s not merely a convention center,
but a convention kingdom. And you are royalty.
To explore your kingdom, call 860.249.6000 or visit ctconventions.com
and tHis is Your kingdom.
68 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Top Destination Award WinnersChattanooga Area CVB, Chattanooga, TNColumbia Metro CVB, Columbia, SCGreater Ft. Lauderdale CVB,
Ft. Lauderdale, FLGreensboro Area CVB, Greensboro, NCJackson CVB, Jackson, MSKnoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation,
MidwestPrime Site Award WinnersAlliant Energy Center, Madison, WIBridge View Center, Ottumwa, IACentury Center, South Bend, INClay County Events Center, Spencer, IAGreater Columbus Convention Center,
Columbus, OHThe Conference Center at United Wireless,
Dodge City, KSDeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MIDuke Energy Convention Center,
Cincinnati, OH
Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, FL
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Savannah, GA
Shreveport Convention Center, Shreveport, LA
TD Convention Center, Greenville, SCVicksburg Convention Center, Vicksburg, MSWilmington Convention Center,
Wilmington, NC
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
The Wilmington Convention Center is the largest convention venue on North Carolina’s coast (page 98).
The Greater Columbus Convention Center and entertainment district is located within an hour’s flight of the majority of the U.S. population (page 106).
The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center spans 330,000 sq. ft. alongside the Savannah River (page 98).
When you book your next meeting at the Austin Convention Center, the movers
and shakers are already here. With six entertainment districts and a safe and walkable downtown, it’s easy
to enjoy our famous live music. Andwith more than 250 venues, honky-tonks
and dance halls, everybody leaveswith their toes tapping.
[512] 404-4200www.austinconventioncenter.com
More than 250 live music venues nightly
Awarded LEED® Gold CertificationFirst convention center in TX
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70 Facilities & destinations 2014 superbook
Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS
RiverCenter, Davenport, IASaint Charles Convention Center,
Saint Charles, MOSaint Paul RiverCentre, Saint Paul, MNSanford Center, Bemidji, MNSeaGate Convention Centre, Toledo, OHSwiftel Center, Brookings, SDTinley Park Convention Center,
Tinley Park, ILWisconsin Center, Milwaukee, WI
Top Destination Award WinnersAkron/Summit CVB, Akron, OHPositively Cleveland/Greater Cleveland CVB,
Cleveland, OHGreater Des Moines CVB, Des Moines, IAVisit Detroit/Detroit Metro CVB, Detroit, MIVisit Indy, Indianapolis, INLittle Rock CVB, Little Rock, ARVisit Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WIMeet Minneapolis/Greater Minneapolis CVA,
Minneapolis, MNGreater Omaha CVB, Omaha, NERapid City CVB, Rapid City, SD
Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, INIowa Events Center/Hy Vee Hall,
Des Moines, IAKansas City Convention Center,
Kansas City, MOKansas Expocentre, Topeka, KSMcCormick Place, Chicago, ILMinneapolis Convention Center,
Minneapolis, MNMonona Terrace Convention Center,
Madison, WI
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
The Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, WI, offers lake views and 85,000 sq. ft. of function space (page 108).
Greater Des Moines is the home of the Iowa Events Center and 417-room Des Moines Marriott Downtown (page 106).
A recent $275 million expansion of the Indiana Convention Center nearly doubled its size to 566,600 sq. ft. of exhibit space (page 108).
We host meetings, wedding receptions, conferences, sportingevents, concerts, rodeosand so much more!
Full service including set up of tables,chairs, audio visual equipment, soundtechnician plus Swiftel Center Catering and full liquor license.
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NVLos Angeles Convention Center,
Los Angeles, CAMoscone Center, San Francisco, CAOregon Convention Center, Portland, ORPalm Springs Convention Center,
Palm Springs, CAPasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CAPhoenix Civic Plaza Convention Center,
Phoenix, AZReliant Center, Houston, TXSacramento Convention Center,
Sacramento, CASalt Palace Convention Center,
Salt Lake City, UTSands Expo Center, Las Vegas, NV
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CAThree Rivers Convention Center,
Kennewick, WA
Top Destination Award WinnersAmarillo CVC/Chamber of Commerce,
Amarillo, TXAnaheim/Orange County VCB, Anaheim, CAAustin CVB, Austin, TXBoise CVB, Boise, IDColorado Springs CVB, Colorado Springs, COVisit Denver, Denver, CO
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
Fairplex is a convention and entertainment destination, home to the 244-room Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center (page 121).
The LEED Platinum-certified Oregon Convention Center is just an eight-mile light rail trip from Portland International Airport (page 121).
Anaheim is home to Angel Stadium (above) and the Anaheim Convention Center, housing 813,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (page 121).
WestPrime Site Award WinnersAnaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CAAustin Convention Center, Austin, TXColorado Convention Center, Denver, COCox Convention Center, Oklahoma City, OKFairplex, Pomona, CAFort Worth Convention Center,
Fort Worth, TXGeorge R. Brown Convention Center,
Houston, TXHawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, HILas Cruces Convention Center
Las Cruces, NM
Convent ion & V is i tors BureauA K R O N / S U M M I T
Puerto RicoPrime Site Award WinnersPuerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan, PR
Top Destination Award WinnersMeet Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
CanadaPrime Site Award Winners
Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, OntarioOttawa Convention Centre, Ottawa, OntarioScotiaBank Convention Centre,
Niagara Falls, OntarioVancouver Convention Centre,
Vancouver, BC
2014 Facilities & DestinationsAwards of Excellence
More than 2,500 guestrooms are in walking distance of the Phoenix Convention Center, with 312,500 sq. ft. of exhibit space (page 126).
The Puerto Rico Convention Center welcomes groups of up to 10,000 to Old San Juan (page 135).
The Ottawa Convention Centre, opened just a few years ago in Ontario, offers 192,000 sq. ft. of function space (page 135).
The Crystal Bridge, part of the Myriad Botanical Gardens in meetings-friendly Oklahoma City (page 121).
Fort Worth CVB, Fort Worth, TXGreater Houston CVB, Houston, TXLas Vegas CVA, Las Vegas, NVOklahoma City CVB, Oklahoma City, OKOmaha Convention & Visitors Bureau,
Reno, NVSacramento CVB, Sacramento, CATeam San Jose, San Jose, CASedona Chamber of Commerce, Sedona, AZVisit Spokane/Spokane Regional CVB,
Spokane, WAVisit Tucson/Metro Tucson CVB, Tucson, AZ
A Convention Center with a difference.
See the difference for yourself. Fly in, check in, and get to your meeting in a half-hour. Located just one short mile from the Palm Springs International Airport, you’ll find a world-class facility, over 1,600 hotel rooms, 150,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and a desert setting you just won’t find anywhere else. It’s not often that the outside of your meeting is every bit as inspiring as the inside. But it is here. Come see for yourself!
PalmSpringsCC.comCall us toll-free: (800) 333-7535
Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel
Riviera Palm Springs
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76 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
NortheastAtlantic City CVA ................................... 77Connecticut Convention Center .......... 77David L. Lawrence Convention Center 77The Javits Center ................................... 80MassMutual Center ............................... 80Meadowlands Exposition Center ......... 80Pennsylvania Convention Center ......... 80Providence Warwick CVB ...................... 80Rhode Island Convention Center ......... 80Rochester Riverside Convention Center .............................. 80
Wildwoods Convention Center ............ 80
Mid-AtlanticChesapeake Conference Center .......... 89Visit Norfolk ............................................ 89Ocean City CVB/Roland Powell Convention Center .............................. 89
Greater Richmond Convention Center .............................. 89
Virginia Beach CVB ................................ 89
The Classic Center ................................. 93Durham Convention Center ................. 93Georgia World Congress Center ......... 93Miami Beach Convention Center ......... 93Mobile Convention Center ................... 93New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center .............................. 93
Orange County Convention Center .............................. 98
Owensboro Convention Center ........... 98Palm Beach County Convention Center .............................. 98
Visit Savannah ........................................ 98Sun Life Stadium .................................... 98Vicksburg Convention Center .............. 98Wilmington Convention Center ........... 98
MidwestAkron/Summit CVB/ John S. Knight Center ....................... 106
Bridge View Center ............................. 106Century Center .................................... 106Clay County Events Center ................. 106Greater Columbus Convention Center ............................ 106
The Conference Center at United Wireless Arena ....................... 106
Greater Des Moines CVB .................... 106Indiana Convention Center ................ 108Kansas City Convention Facilities....... 108Little Rock CVB .................................... 108Monona Terrace Convention Center . 108RiverCenter .......................................... 108The Sanford Center ............................. 108St. Charles CC ...................................... 108Swiftel Center ....................................... 108Wisconsin Center ................................. 116
WestAnaheim/Orange County VCB ........... 121Austin Convention Center .................. 121Colorado Springs CVB ........................ 121Cox Convention Center ...................... 121Fairplex ................................................. 121Oklahoma City CVB ............................. 121Oregon Convention Center ................ 121Palm Springs Convention Center ....... 126Phoenix Convention Center ............... 126Sacramento Convention Center ......... 126Three Rivers Convention Center ........ 126
Canada & CaribbeanCalgary TELUS Convention Center .... 135The International Centre ..................... 135Ottawa Convention Centre ................. 135Meet Puerto Rico ................................. 135Puerto Rico Convention Center ......... 135Sheraton Puerto Rico .......................... 135Montego Bay Convention Centre ...... 135
Director of Sales & Marketing: Michelle HughesThe Spotlight’s On The NEW Connecticut Convention Center
The views are stunning, the space is immense, and the ease of booking an event is superior. 205,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibit space, dramatic riverfront setting, accessible to 23+ million people within a 2-1/2 hour drive; 19 meeting rooms; 40,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; 180,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space/140,000-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall; 3,200-seat ballroom; attached to 409-room Marriott Hotel; 700 rooms (downtown); 6,500 rooms (within 30 miles). Attractions: The Old State House; Wadsworth Atheneum; Mystic Seaport & Marinelife Aquarium; Foxwoods Resort Casino; Mohegan Sun Resort; Essex Valley Railroad.
ConneCtiCut
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David L. Lawrence Convention Center1000 Ft. Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 325-6174; Fax: (412) 565-6104www.pittsburghcc.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: Debbie SmuckerBuilt Green. Working Green. Every Day!
In downtown Pittsburgh’s cultural district, within steps of theaters, cinemas, galleries, restaurants and 2,500 hotel rooms, just across the bridge from PNC Park & Heinz Field, the environmentally smart, SMG-managed, 1.5 million-sq.-ft. facility features 313,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 37 loading docks, 53 meeting rooms, a 31,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, two 250-seat theaters. The building’s dynamic architectural design offers breathtak-ing views, open terraces, suspended roof structure. Technology: 1Gb circuit with DS3 backup, fiber optic backbone network, multi-mode fiber, CAT6 (copper) cabling, video conferencing, wireless Internet access.
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We know you want ample meeting and hotel space, a convenient location, and a compact, walkable downtown. We’ve got all that and something more. In the Creative Capital, exhibit space becomes more than tradeshow screens and potted plants. Let us inspire you to meet with a new perspective ... in Rhode Island.
401-456-0200 [email protected] GoProvidence.comProvidence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau
Meet with a New Perspective ...
Another Way to Frame Exhibit Space
Atlantic City Convention Center1 Convention Boulevard, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 (609) 449-7136; (888) 222-3683 Fax: (609) 345-3685www.atlanticcitynj.com • meetinac.com
Vice President, Convention Sales: Gary Musich Your Northeast Business Address
A year-round destination with all the amenities you expect from a premiere resort; 20,000 first-class hotel rooms (8,000 committable), top entertainment, golf, shop-ping, world-class dining and 11 casinos. The Atlantic City Convention Center is a bright, modern facility accommodating meetings and expos of all sizes, four contigu-ous exhibit halls (486,600 sq. ft.); 32,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space; 109,100 total sq. ft. meeting space; 45 meeting rooms including a 29,400-sq.-ft. ballroom; free WiFi; voice/data communications; green facility – single-roof solar systems, and aggressive recycling and energy-savings programs.
your business is worth $1 million to the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) division of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
The ACCVA and Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) have announced the renewal of a $1 million incentive program designed to attract meetings and conventions to Atlantic City, NJ. The program — which provides for $1 million in incentives each year — is available to new groups or meetings business, or to groups and meetings that have not met in Atlantic City for three years, with arrival dates from 2014 through 2016.The incentive package, funded as part of a collaboration among the 12 casino resort properties, is part of the popular “Do Anything, Do Everything, Do AC” marketing campaign, designed to bring attention to all of the city’s attractions and activi-ties, and to help continue the city’s quick post-Sandy rebound. Atlantic City provides meeting planners with a wide choice of options and amenities, with access to a great Convention Center as well as a variety of hotel accommodations and amenities, coupled with the best entertainment and attractions on the East Coast. The Atlantic City Convention Center has 486,600 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibition space plus 45 meeting rooms, pre-function areas, an onsite audiovisual provider, full food service operations, full-service business center, covered garage and concierge desk. Convention services include attendance building, special event planning, spouse trips, transportation planning and a restaurant reservation cart. A “Show Me Your Badge” program provides exhibitors and attendees discounts at restaurants and retailers. Local hotels and resorts throughout the area also have first-class meeting and expo facilities. Atlantic City offers more than 20,000 first-class guestrooms (9,000 committable). On the horizon, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City is in the middle of construction of a new $125.8 million conference and meeting facility with 125,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and two 50,000-sq.-ft. pillar-less ballrooms.Since April 1, meeting planners find it easier than ever to reach Atlantic City, with new air service by United Airlines direct from United’s hubs in Houston and Chicago to Atlantic City International Airport (ACY). ACY is also served by Spirit Airlines from Ft. Myers, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Detroit.When it comes to dining, choose from casual or gourmet, submarine sandwiches or ethnic specialties, celebrity chefs or Boardwalk grab-and-go. You’ll find big-brand steak house chains and national “family” eateries, plus popular local restaurants. There’s always something new, too. A new Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville complex at Resorts Hotel Casino features a 400-seat Margaritaville Café, beachside LandShark Bar & Grill, and Five O’Clock Somewhere Bar. Tropicana offers six all-new new eateries. The famous Steel Pier is phasing in a three-part, $102 million renovation project including a 200-ft. Ferris Wheel that will operate year round, new rides, restaurants, a nightclub and more. The new Revel Hotel Casino includes expansive convention facilities and nearly 1,900 guestrooms, as well as a large variety of resort amenities. Golden Nugget resort replaces Trump Marina, with more than $150 million in renovations creating all-new public areas, guestrooms, convention space, lounges, showroom and restaurants. Bass Pro Shops is building an 86,000-sq.-ft. “Best of Bass” retail attraction, with a targeted spring 2015 opening. Arts and culture take center stage at the new Arts Garage, featuring regional artists and crafts people, as well as the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey. Under the new Tourism District Master Plan, enhancements throughout the city are being phased in, including art installa-tions, beach volleyball courts, new lighting, highly visible ambassadors throughout the city and a nightly 3-D light and sound show projected on the façade of Boardwalk Hall.For more information, including details on the $1 million incentive program, visit www.MeetinAC.com or call (888)-222-3683.
the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast’s newest, most ideal location for tradeshows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion that demands a dramatic riverfront setting. The Connecticut Convention
Center overlooks the beautiful Connecticut River at Adriaen’s Landing, Hartford’s exciting riverfront district. Adriaen’s Landing is home to many new attractions for the Capital City. The anchor of this rapidly developing area is the beautiful 540,000-sq.-ft. Connecticut Convention Center.
With over 140,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, a 40,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 25,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space, the Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The venue also features exceptional demographics and highway access at the crossroads of New England, where interstates 84 and 91 meet. With a prominent visual presence on Hartford’s historic skyline, the center’s 110-ft. glass atrium dramatically rises 10 stories above a grand public plaza and a tree-lined riverfront esplanade.
The Connecticut Convention Center has been constructed to spare no detail in making every function accom-modating. From offering award-winning food and beverage service led by our in-house executive chef and culinary team, state-of-the-art rigging, wiring and WiFi, to flexible spaces, abundant prefunction areas and ample onsite sheltered parking, the facility has taken every facet of hosting an event into consideration. That includes the attached AAA Four Diamond 409-room, Marriott Hartford Downtown hotel, which offers an additional 13,500 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Meeting space: Our exhibit space is 140,000 sq. ft. (divisible into two halls). The ballroom is 40,000 sq. ft. (divisible into three rooms) and there are 14 meeting rooms totaling 25,000 sq. ft. and two executive boardrooms.
accommodations: With first-rate accommodations at numerous hotels (up to 1,600 hotel rooms within Hartford and 6,500 rooms within a 15-mile radius) and unparalleled service, Hartford truly has it! The expanded Bradley Inter-national Airport is conveniently located 15 miles away. Hartford is located midway between Boston and New York and easily accessible by rail, bus or car, making it simple for travelers coming into the Greater Hartford area. Get on board the Dash, a free, public transportation service for simple access throughout the city. Also offered is the Brad-ley Flyer, a convenient, economical mode of transportation from Bradley International Airport to our Capitol City.
airport and transportation: If you’re flying, the newly expanded Bradley International Airport is only 12 miles from Hartford and serves 19 commercial carriers and nearly 300 national and international flights daily, including direct flights to Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas and Dallas.
Dining and F&b: The Connecticut Convention Center is proud to provide its own exclusive, in-house catering services — something very few convention centers can offer you directly. With an ambitious approach to food and beverage service, our commitment to culinary excellence has earned us accolades in the meetings and conventions industry. Our certified executive chef will personally oversee every detail of a dining experience and customize any menu you desire, from a 10-person coffee break to a spectacular banquet for 9,000! Our award-winning food and beverage team is highly experienced in convention and upscale dining services. First and foremost, we listen to our clients to create successful events. We’ll help you coordinate memorable food and beverage experiences with weddings, conventions, ethnic and themed events, or high-profile corporate events.
across from the conven-tion center:New Front Street District• Spotlight Theaters and Bistro• Capital Grille Restaurant• Ted’s Montana Grill opening in Spring 2014• Nix’s Seafood opening in Spring 2014• Infinity Music Hall opening in Summer 2014
Connecticut Convention Center
80 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001(212) 216-2000; Fax: (212) 216-2588www.javitscenter.com
SVP Sales & Marketing: Doreen GuerinMarketplace for the World
New York City is the cultural, finance, fashion, publishing and entertainment capital of the world with 28,000 restaurants and 100,000+ hotel rooms citywide. The Javits Convention Center’s glass-enclosed structure, located in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, stretches five city blocks and divisible into 10 self-contained halls. The addition of a column-free exhibit hall increases the total gross square footage of exhibition space to 840,000 on four levels; 160,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 40 permanent, 53 multi-purpose meeting rooms. WiFi service is available throughout building.
new york
PAGE3
MassMutual Center 1277 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103(413) 787-6610; Fax: (413) 787-6645www.massmutualcenter.comDirector of Sales: Monique Messier At the Center of it All, is the Center for it AllStanding in the heart of Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley, the MassMutual Center is the region’s most diverse meeting and special event venue. The facility boasts over 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space including a 40,000-sq.-ft. flexible exhibit hall, nine fully functional meeting rooms totaling 24,500 sq. ft., a 15,000-sq.-ft. elegant ballroom, eight breakout rooms, spacious pre-function areas, an 8,000-seat arena and a theater that accommodates 3,600 attendees. The MassMutual Center is steps away from 900 hotel rooms. Nearby attractions include Yankee Candle Village, Six Flags New England, The Springfield Museums and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Regional General Manager: Robin Cuneo Everything you need, exactly where you want it. Your cost effective alternative to NYC
With an outstanding location five miles outside Manhattan, the Meadowlands Exposition Center is accessible to public transportation and major highways and only minutes from Newark Liberty Airport. 61,000 sq. ft. of continuous exhibition space; five seminar rooms. 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibition space, including five meeting rooms; theater seating: 6,000. Internet, Wifi, and all audio/visual needs; onsite decorator. Catering for up to 5,000. 1,500+ hotel rooms. Free park-ing. Attractions: MetLife Stadium, IZOD Center, Meadowlands Racetrack, Secaucus Outlet Center, 25+ restaurants, 16 movie screens, health club.
new jersey
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Pennsylvania Convention Center1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107(215) 418-4700www.meetphl.comSenior Vice President, Convention Division: Julie Coker The Complete PackageThe LEED-certified Pennsylvania Convention Center features one million sq. ft. of sale-able space, the ability to host two major tradeshows simultaneously, 82 meeting rooms, 528,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, two ballrooms (including the 55,408-sq.-ft. Terrace Ballroom) and a Grand Hall housed in the historic Reading Railroad train shed. More than 9,000 hotel rooms are within a 15-minute walk of the center, whose North Broad Street entrance connects to the Avenue of the Arts and Museum Mile. Nearby are the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, Franklin Institute, and other major cultural institutions.
Pennsylvania
PAGEC2
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau 10 Memorial Boulevard, Providence, RI 02903 (401) 456-0200www.GoProvidence.comVice President of Sales & Services: Kristin McGrath, CDME
Providence, RI is known for stellar restaurants, rich history, natural beauty and stunning architecture. The city’s compact downtown area makes it an extremely walkable city, with the Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC), hotels, restaurants, and eclectic shopping all within blocks of each other. Attractions include Bank of America Skating Center, Culinary Arts Museum at JWU, Providence Performing Arts Center, RI Philharmonic, WaterFire Providence, and more. T.F. Green Airport is 10 miles from the RICC, which offers 167,000 sq. ft. of function space, including 137,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 23 meeting rooms. Within one mile of the RICC are 2,200 hotel rooms.
rhode island
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Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment ComplexOne Sabin Street, Providence, RI 02903(401) 458-6000; Fax: (401) 458-6500www.riconvention.comSenior Director of Sales and Marketing: John J. McGinn, CEM Complex includes Rhode Island Convention Center, 13,000-seat Dunkin’ Donuts Center, 1,900-seat Veterans Memorial Auditorium; conveniently located in the heart of downtown Providence. Convention Center: 137,000 sq. ft. total meeting/exhibit space; main exhibit hall: 100,000 contiguous sq. ft.; 23 meeting rooms and pre-function space; 20,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; accommodates groups 10-5,000; 5,500 hotel rooms in the Greater Providence area, with 2,200 within one mile of Complex. Attractions: Culinary Arts Museum at JWU, Museum of Art at the RI School of Design, Providence Bruins (AHL Affiliate of Boston Bruins), Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence Place Mall, RI Philharmonic.
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Rochester Riverside Convention Center123 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14564(585) 232-7200; Fax: (585) 232-1510www.rrcc.comExecutive Director: Joseph A. Floreano, CFE“Do it better at the Rochester Riverside where you and your event are always the center of our attention!”Convenient upstate N.Y. location, scenic Genesee River setting. 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibition space; 22 meeting rooms; 10,028-sq.-ft. ballroom; 49,275-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall; 5,000-seat theater; dedicated Internet connection over fiber optics; wireless access throughout facility; 1,100+ hotel rooms in a trio of major hotels con-nect to thevenue, surrounded by entertainment districts with restaurants, cafés, pubs, dance clubs, music halls, theaters. Rochester offers planners a compact con-vention district and New York State’s only one-stop convention facility.
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Wildwoods Convention Center4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260(800) 992-9732; (609) 846-2656www.WildwoodsNJ.comDirector of Sales & Entertainment: John Lynch Where Special Events HappenOffering 260,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space, the Wildwoods Convention Center is adjacent to the shops, eateries and amusement rides of Wildwoods boardwalk and five miles of free beaches. More than 8,000 hotel rooms are located within minutes of the center, and onsite parking is available for more than 700 vehicles. Groups of 100-10,000 have at their disposal a 75,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall with a translucent fiber-glass roof, a 6,600-sq.-ft. outdoor deck and 11 loading bays. Catering is provided by Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food services. The local area is home to a variety of sports bars and nightclubs.
new jersey
Whether it’s 5 miles of powdery white beaches outside — the East Coast’s largest FREE beaches, or 260,000 square feet of flexibly accommodating meeting/event space inside, the Wildwoods Convention Center offers plenty of room for groups to roam!
• Modern amenities
• State-of-the-art communication services
• Catering/concession services
• Adjacent to Wildwoods world- famous boardwalk and 5 miles of FREE beaches
• Over 8,000 hotel rooms nearby
• Convenient on-site parking for over 700 vehicles
spaces wide open
wildwoods convention centeranything’s possible.
To schedule your next event, call us at 800-992-9732 or visit us at WildwoodsNJ.com/cc
PAGE19
Pick.le n. (pi-kəl):1. a difficult situation2. an article of food that has been preserved in vinegar3. an event requiring a dynamic location… like NOW!
Pittsburgh is that dynamic location!
1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 | www.greenfirst.us | www.pittsburghcc.com
313,000 sq. ft. of Exhibit spacE | 31,600 sq. ft. ballroom | 53 mEEting rooms
Need a meeting site fast without being gouged? Don’t know where to turn? Then you are in a pickle!
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center can help with our CMP (customized meeting packaging). We know there is more to a meeting than space so let us know your needs; we’ll customize a package for you. Contact Debbie at 412.325.6174 or [email protected] to resolve your pickle.
82 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
northeast / new york
655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001(212) 216-2335javitscenter.com
Venue: This state-of-the-art metropolitan structure combines soaring steel and glass, cutting-edge technology and efficient services to make the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center the premier venue for meetings and events. Flex-ibility is a major benefit, as floor-to-ceiling acoustical dividing walls can create up to 10 individual halls, which in turn can accommodate 150 to 5,000 attendees. Various event spaces such as the 15-story Crystal Palace and the River Pavilion provide stunning views that have served as backdrops for 80 major annual tradeshows and conventions, as well as 70 special events every year. A total of 102 meeting rooms round out the convention center’s ability to handle any type of event.
location: Stretching five city blocks, the Javits Center is located on Manhattan’s West Side with Times Square, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center and the Theater District just minutes away and within walking distance. The extension of the 7 Subway will be completed in the coming months and connect the Javits Center to all major transportation hubs in New York City. With three major airports, world-class rail terminals in proximity and more than 100,000 hotel rooms in the NY metropolitan area, the Javits Center is an ideal venue to host an event.
recent improvements: The Javits Center’s $465 million renovation and expansion project is near completion. We added a column-free, 110,000-sq.-ft. structure known as Javits Center North to the inventory. Among the improve-ments are a new roof, painting the interior structural space frame, new high-energy efficient rooftop mechanical units, replacement of the curtain wall with new low-e glass, and replacement and upgrade of the main building’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting and life-safety systems. This is in addition to a 6.75-acre green roof that will be the largest of its kind in the Northeast. The renovation will reduce the facility’s annual energy efficiency by 26 per-cent, ultimately allowing it to achieve LEED Silver status. We are also entering the final phases of installing a cutting edge and high density WiFi network and an enhanced bandwidth wired (fiber and Cat 6) infrastructure to support interactive multimedia applications and a compelling menu of telecommunication services.
staff: The Javits Center is much more than a versatile space. With more 3,000 skilled professionals, ranging from event solutions managers and in-house service managers to carpenters, cleaners, electricians and teamsters, we strive to make every event a success by raising service standards to a new level. Together, the convention center’s staff works closely with you during every stage of the event —from planning to the grand finale.
Meetings and events: 102 total meeting rooms. The Special Events Hall seats up to 3,200 for meetings and up to 1,700 for banquets.
banquets and receptions: The Crystal Palace (65,000 gross sq. ft.), River Pavilion (45,000 gross sq. ft.), Special Events Hall (30,000 gross sq. ft.), Javits Center North (80,000 gross sq. ft.). Onsite kitchens are equipped to pre-pare up to 10,000 meals simultaneously.
registration area: 65,000 sq. ft., accented with terrazzo floors and soaring glass ceilings.
Food services: Centerplate, our exclusive caterer, is one of the largest hospitality companies in the world with more than 140 venues in North America alone. At the Javits Center, Centerplate offers a range of cuisines at varying price points for meetings — large or small — conferences, banquets, receptions and tradeshows. There are also three permanent and several mobile food kiosks as well as a full-service Starbucks outlet located on the concourse level (next to Super Shuttle).
business center: FedEx Office, located on the concourse level, is open during show hours and most move-in and move-out days.
american express open® business lounge: Located on the 4E terrace on the south side of the Crystal Palace, the lounge offers American Express Open® card members and those who apply for the card onsite business amenities, such as free WiFi, refreshments, computers and comfortable seating.
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
MARKETPLACE FOR THE WORLD
Vital FactsTotal Exhibition Space:840,000 gross sq. ft.
Total Meeting Space:28,050 gross sq. ft. permanent; 132,000 gross sq. ft. flexible.
83Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
northeast / rhoDe islanD
10 Memorial BoulevardProvidence, RI 02903 (401) 456-0200GoProvidence.com
Culinary excellence, a rich history, and the convenience of a walkable downtown make Providence, RI a memo-rable meeting destination. Known as the Creative Capital, Providence was recently named a top dining destina-
tion by readers of Travel + Leisure in its “America’s Favorite Cities” poll. This fall, Saveur magazine named Providence one of the noteworthy small dining destinations in the world, as part of its 2013 Culinary Travel Awards. The city offers an array of arts and cultural offerings for meeting attendees, including multisensory art installation WaterFire, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Providence.
In the heart of downtown Providence lies the Rhode Island Convention & Entertainment Complex — comprised of the Rhode Island Convention Center (RICC), the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and the Veterans Memorial Audito-rium (The Vets). The RICC consists of a 100,000-contiguous-sq.-ft. exhibition hall, a 20,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 23 meeting rooms and the Rotunda Room which provides spectacular views of the city. The Complex is conveniently located within one mile of 2,200 hotel rooms, and a total of 5,500 rooms are available in the Greater Providence area.
Ample meeting space, hotel rooms and entertainment options are all within easy reach of the RICC. At one end, it’s connected via skybridge to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, the area’s premier multi-use entertainment events arena. At its other end, the RICC is attached to the 564-room Omni Providence, and Providence Place, a downtown mall that is truly a destination for shoppers.
The 14,000-seat Dunk is home to the AHL Providence Bruins and the Big East Providence College men’s basketball team, and hosts sporting events, major concerts, family shows and tradeshows. The Dunk features 31,000 sq. ft. of arena space, a ceiling height of 90 feet, a 25,000-sq.-ft. concourse, a 12,000-sq.-ft. lobby, two party suites, two loges, five meeting/hospitality rooms and more.
The Vets is an intimate theater with a grand proscenium stage. This 1,900-seat historic performing arts venue offers superb acoustics and uncompromising sight lines, and now, following a multi-million dollar renovation, a backstage that will leave performers feeling pampered. The Vets also features a spectacular glass-enclosed space that is ideal for hosting elegant corporate events, speaking engagements and more.
Rhode Island also offers many unique event venues, such as the opulent mansions of Newport and the stunning RISD Museum in Providence. The museum houses more than 91,000 works of art, ranging from Greek sculpture and French Impressionist paintings to contemporary multimedia art.
Nearby Warwick, RI features miles of scenic coastline and additional hotel, dining, shopping and entertainment choices. Warwick’s T.F. Green Airport is only 10 minutes from downtown Providence and was recently named the 4th best airport in the country by Travel + Leisure readers. T.F. Green’s eco-friendly InterLink hub provides passengers with an array of transportation options. Conveniently housing a rental car facility, public transportation options, and rail service to Providence, Boston and beyond, the InterLink offers travelers ease, affordability and accessibility.
The award-winning Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau is eager to work with planners to make their next meeting or convention a success. Whether attendees are exploring exhibit space at a tradeshow or a gallery opening, or meeting in or stepping out on a ballroom floor, they can meet with a new perspective ... in Rhode Island.
Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors bureau
84 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
northeast / new Jersey
355 Plaza Drive Secaucus, NJ (201) 330-7773mecexpo.com
With great facilities, nearby sports, plenty of shopping, low hotel rates and the Big Apple only minutes away — why wouldn’t you meet here? Almost any size or any type of group will find the perfect
accommodations and hospitality at the SMG-managed Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. The Meadowlands is only minutes from New York City, the Capital of the World; and it is in relative proximity to three major international airports. Then there are five major hotels within walking distance of the facility with fabulous room rates that are about one third less than New York City’s rates. Finally, rounding out its appeal are a stadium, an arena and even a racetrack three miles away as well as movie theaters and dozens of restaurants. Located in the Harmon Meadow Complex of the Secaucus community, the Meadowlands Expo Center also offers great demographics and it maintains a group-friendly facility with liberal work regulations. This cuts red tape, has added value on planning budgets, and allows planners to hand-carry merchandise and set up their own displays. technological capabilities: Technological capabilities at the Center include T1, ISDN, Internet and satellite up-link support. Teleconferencing and simulcasting to other locations are also available. And, on the exhibit floor, the electricity is “flown from the air.” Also of note is a newly designed website that informs the public about upcoming events at the center. This website features the latest technology, allowing the user to access a virtual tour of the facility and gain more specifics about the building, services and the surrounding area.professional service: Onsite is a professional staff to work one-on-one with planners with special needs and budgets. Plus, there are event coordinators, in-house decorators and other support personnel to make any event flawless. For food and beverage, the Meadowlands has also renovated and restructured its operations to better suit the individual needs of each event held at the facility. There are three food concession stands, all of which also have been recently renovated. hotel partners: Five national chain hotels are within walking distance of the Meadowlands Exposition Center. Together they total approximately 1,000 guestrooms, and there are another 1,500 rooms in the nearby area. Some of the major properties include: Holiday Inn, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hyatt and Courtyard by Marriott.things to see & Do: During free time, meeting attendees can enjoy some 40 restaurants and a wide range of shopping opportunities — including the Secaucus Outlet Center with over 100 shops and the equally popu-lar Jersey Gardens Mega Mall. More than that, the Meadowlands is three miles from New MetLife Stadium Stadium, IZOD Center and the Meadowlands Racetrack; and who would miss out on a short trip to the Big Apple, only minutes away? All in all, this is one of few facilities in the country that has the world’s greatest city at its feet.transportation: Part of the Meadowlands’ attraction to meeting planners is that it can be easily reached by three international airports: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International Airport. And, only 12 minutes from the facility is the Teterboro Jetport. For driving enthusiasts, Newark is also in proximity to major interstates includ-ing the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. Also, both the New York and New Jersey transit system schedule stops right at the door.
meadowlands exposition center
Vital statsFor groups that range from 5,000 at a banquet to a tradeshow with almost 400 exhibit booths, the Meadowlands Exposition Center offers:• 61,000 sq. ft. of con-tiguous, dedicated exhibit space with 20-ft. ceilings
• Accommodations for 336 large exhibit booths or 392 standard booths
• Two drive-in doors and four loading docks on street level for easy access
• Seating for up to 6,000 attendees, concert or theater-style
• Catering for up to 5,000 people
• Large, all-purpose lobby for registration, recep-tions or additional exhibit space
• 6,000 free parking spaces
• Five carpeted meeting rooms totaling 3,578 sq. ft.
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northeast / new york
123 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14564 (585) 232-7200 Fax: (585) 232-1510www.rrcc.com
Conveniently located in the heart of Rochester, NY, the Rochester Riverside Convention Center enjoys a scenic setting on the Genesee River with outdoor patios and balconies providing wonderful views. It also offers the
convenience of enclosed walkway connections to large hotels and parking garages.
technological Features: Located in a community known around the world for its high-tech expertise, the Rochester Riverside gets high marks for handling all types of technology needs. The Riverside Convention Center has upgraded to a dedicated Internet connection over fiber optics to meet all of the growing number of technical requirements our custom-ers have. This service is available wireless throughout the facility and is scalable from 5 MB to 1 GB.
other Features: “We routinely offer services not found at most other convention centers,” says Executive Director Joseph A. Floreano, CFE. “One example is our in-house food and beverage operation, including two pastry chefs. In addition, our Riverside Productions and Riverside Catering divisions can even assist groups utilizing space in other places throughout the region. Basically, we are New York State’s only one-stop convention facility.” With Rochester’s 12 colleges and universities, world-famous corporations, and growing number of high-tech firms, there are also plenty of local speakers and other resources available from this combination of educational, business and research expertise. Personalized service and a can-do attitude are additional features that meeting planners really appreciate. Accord-ing to Dr. Steven E. Schopp, Executive Administrator of the New York State School Music Association, “What I most enjoy about working with the Rochester Riverside Convention Center — aside from a general professionalism that is the rule rather than the exception — is the friendly, positive attitude of staff at every level. These are people I like to work with and that, combined with a first-class facility, make the Riverside an outstanding convention venue.”
hotel rooms: More than 1,100 rooms in a trio of major hotels connect with the Rochester Riverside Convention Center to create a compact convention district in the center of the city. There is a 362-room Rochester Plaza; 465-room Radisson, which has completed a $6 million renovation of its facility; and a 336-room Hyatt Regency. Delegates also enjoy the con-venience of walking between hotels and the Convention Center in minutes using the enclosed skywalk system or scenic riverside walkway.
pier 45: Experience the eclectic atmosphere of Pier 45. Rochester Riverside’s newest dining experience, located on the city’s spectacular waterfront along the shores of Lake Ontario. You’ll find everything from a light tapas-style menu to a full dinner service, large-scale gourmet desserts, a fully stocked custom bar and an inviting veranda that accommodates both planned events and impromptu get-togethers.
nearby attractions: Several entertainment districts surround the Rochester Riverside with restaurants, cafés, coffee houses, pubs, dance clubs, music halls, theaters and more. Rochester also boasts numerous museums, including the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography & Film, the Susan B. Anthony House and the acclaimed Strong National Museum of Play.
Destination Features: Rochester is the northern gateway to the magnificent Finger Lakes region with its rolling hills, lush valleys and 11 namesake lakes. It is also a region becoming famous for its more than 100 vineyards, excellent wines and numerous “wine trails.” With the recent addition of the New York Wine and Culinary Center in nearby Canandaigua, the wineries and farmer’s markets of the Finger Lakes region offer delegates meeting in Rochester wonderful day-trip options for pre- or post-conference enjoyment.
Distance to airport: The Greater Rochester International Airport — 150 flights daily — is an easy, stress-free, 10-minute drive from the Rochester Riverside Convention Center’s front door.
rochester riverside Convention Center
NEW YORK STATE’S ONLY ONE-STOP CONVENTION FACILITY
86 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
Whether it’s 50 or 5,000 attendees, theRochester Riverside Convention Center is perfect for your meeting or convention.
585.232.7200 • www.rrcc.com
The perfect place to meet Rochester, New York
RRCC ad 083013.pdf 1 8/30/13 11:48 AM
Whether it’s 50 or 5,000 attendees, theRochester Riverside Convention Center is perfect for your meeting or convention.
A one-of-a-kind, year-round multi-purpose facility located in southern New Jersey, the Wildwoods Convention Center is ideal for meetings, concerts, public shows and of course, conventions. Situated directly
on the world-famous Wildwoods Boardwalk, and offering breathtaking beach and ocean views, this state-of-the-art, 260,000-sq.-ft. location stands as one of the most unique venues on the entire East Coast.
With configurable exhibit, ballroom, meeting and pre-function space, as well as a staff of experienced event-planning professionals, the Wildwoods Convention Center is perfect for gatherings of 100 or 10,000. A quick look inside, however, and it’s easy to see that flexibility isn’t all that makes this state-of-the-art location so special.
Rising high above the Convention Center’s 75,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, a magnificent translucent flexible fiberglass Teflon roof provides a unique canopy over all the action below. At the back of the Convention Center, a windowed floor-to-ceiling wall opens to a stunning 6,600-sq.-ft. outside deck overlooking the beach. Along the east and south side of the exhibit hall, dramatically large windows present amazing oceanfront vistas. For those in the mood for a stroll between gatherings, a boardwalk extension connects guests right to the water’s edge. Outside, 11 loading bays, onsite parking for over 750 vehicles and plenty of additional parking nearby lend a distinct logistical advantage.
When it comes to feeding its guests, the Wildwoods Convention Center provides incomparable event catering, food service and concession needs. Whether it’s an event requiring four-star cuisine, a black-tie charity gala or simply a fun food affair, Delaware North Companies, the Center’s exclusive catering service group, is able to exceed the demands of even the most discriminating tastes. A global leader in hospitality and food service, Delaware North has earned a reputation for serving fine quality, innovative cuisine and providing impeccable service at some of the world’s premier sports, entertainment, resort and banquet venues.
Impressive as the Center may be on the inside, it might just be what attendees discover right outside the doors that really sets this ultra-modern facility apart. With over nine million visitors each year, the Wildwoods are one of the top family vacation destinations in America. The area offers a colorful combination of surf, sand, sights and sounds that’s been drawing families for generations — all ready to enjoy before, during and after meetings.
Often voted as among the best in the country, the Wildwoods’ beaches are considered by many to be some of the most beautiful on the Atlantic Coast, not to mention among its largest. Stretching on for five spacious miles, Wild-woods’ beaches offer plenty of room for everything from surfing to boogie boarding to body surfing to reading in the shade. Even better, unlike most seashore resorts today, the Wildwoods beaches are absolutely free to enjoy.
Sitting majestically atop the Wildwoods’ spectacular beaches is the world-famous Wildwoods boardwalk. Aptly called “two miles of smiles,” it’s packed from end to end with food, souvenirs, unique shops, arcades, carnival-style games of chance and more amusements than Disneyland — including world-class roller coasters and three beach-front waterparks. Complementing all of the chills and thrills are over 400 tasty eateries serving everything from traditional fair and fresh seafood to gooey, sweet and crunchy treats of every variety.
After the sun goes down, the Wildwoods come alive with neon-lit action and excitement. Relax with friends at one of Wildwoods’ many dance clubs, Irish pubs, lounges, sports bars or hot spots. When it’s time to turn in for the night, the Wildwoods have accommodations to fit virtually every taste and budget — over 8,000 hotel, motel and bed and breakfast rooms in all — located within minutes of the Wildwoods Convention Center. For those seeking more traditional accommodations, the Wildwoods also have a variety of condominium and apartment options.
THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUPEssential Planning Tools
FacilitiesDestinations & TM
Chesapeake Conference Center900 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 382-2500 www.chesapeakeconference.comExecutive Director: Troy Thorn It All Happens HereLocated 15 minutes from Norfolk International Airport, the Chesapeake Conference Center is an elegant multipurpose entertainment, conference and banquet facility housing 37,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the 20,000-sq.-ft. Ward Ballroom, two promenades total-ing 14,000 sq. ft., and 10-plus meeting rooms. Sales and service specialists help planners design, coordinate and execute events, from meal planning to décor to entertainment. Tech features include 22 high-speed ports throughout and free WiFi. Within walking distance are 650 moderately priced hotel rooms. The Center is located in the Greenbrier Corridor of Chesapeake, offering many shopping and dining options within one mile.
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VisitNorfolk 232 East Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510(757) 664-6620; (800) 368-3097 Fax: (757) 622-3663www.visitnorfolktoday.comVice President of Sales and Marketing: Donna Allen
Located in the heart of the Virginia waterfront, this compact meetings destination features hotels and convention facilities suited for any need. Norfolk has a sparkling waterfront dotted with trendy restaurants, arts districts, museums, attractions and shopping. Getting around is easy with Virginia’s first light rail system, The Tide. The city offers 5,400 rooms and 500,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space including Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, Norfolk Plaza, Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, the Norfolk Scope and more. Attractions: MacArthur Center Mall, Chrysler Museum Glass Studio, Hermitage Foundation Museum, Norfolk Tides AAA Baseball and Virginia Zoological Park.
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Roland E. Powell Convention Center4001 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842(800) 626-2326; Fax: (410) 289-0058www.ococean.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: R. Frederick Wise, CHAE
Ocean City, Maryland offers some of the world’s best golf courses, a free beach, seasonal festivals, and fishing. Its con-temporary convention center is currently expanding to 214,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibition space with 25 meeting rooms including two executive boardrooms; a 45,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall (76,000 sq. ft. total exhibit space); and a 30,000-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom with 35-ft. ceilings and panoramic bay-views. Offers wireless Internet and 1,000+ free parking spaces. Ocean City Information & Welcome Center onsite; catering and beverage services; 9,500 hotel rooms and 29,000 rentable condos. Located 28 miles from Salisbury-Ocean City Airport.
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Greater Richmond Convention Center 403 North Third Street, Richmond, VA 23219(804) 783-7335www.richmondcenter.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: Linné DiIorio Where Virginia Meets the WorldThe Greater Richmond Convention Center is Virginia’s largest meeting and exhibi-tion facility. The contemporary facility features 178,159 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, a 30,550-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom, 50,000 sq. ft. of additional meeting space and a 258-seat, auditorium-style lecture hall. Wireless Internet access is available throughout facility and webcasting options are available. There are 650 hotel rooms adjacent to the center with thousands more nearby. The Historic Richmond Region encompasses more than 400 years of American heritage.
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Virginia Beach CVB2101 Parks Avenue, Suite 500, Virginia Beach, VA 23451(757) 385-4700; (800) 700-7702; Fax: (757) 437-4747www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com/meetingsVice President of Convention Sales & Marketing: Al Hutchinson Recognized for its great value and commitment to hospitality, Virginia Beach is centrally located on the East Coast, just 20 minutes from Norfolk International Airport and Amtrak, with more than 10,000 hotel rooms citywide and 7,000 rooms within three miles of the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Planners have endless options for fresh seafood and dining, downtown shopping, entertainment and unique offsite venues including Oceanfront, Chesapeake Bay and Town Center areas of the destination. The LEED-certified Virginia Beach Convention Center features a 150,000 sq. ft. column-free exhibit hall, 31,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 29,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and over 2,200 free parking spaces.
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90 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
MiD-atlantic / Virginia
900 Greenbrier Circle Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 382-2500chesapeakeconference.com
Money magazine ranked Chesapeake as one of the country’s top 100 best places to live, and a great place to live also makes for a great place to visit.
Chesapeake’s central location in the mid-Atlantic is within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population. Served by interstate highways, an international airport in neighboring Norfolk, and two executive airports nearby, Chesapeake is easy to get to and impossible to forget.
If you thought that having breathtaking Coastal Virginia as the backdrop for your next meeting was as good as it gets, think again. Add in delightful shopping, an amazing variety of restaurants, lively festivals and more than 112,000 acres of parks and natural areas, and you end up with one unbeatable event destination.
The award winning Chesapeake Conference Center is located in the Greenbrier corridor of Chesapeake within a mile of the city’s best shopping and entertainment, adjacent to the Chesapeake Marriott, just 15 minutes from Norfolk International Airport, and two minutes from Interstate 64. Once here you will find ample free parking for quick and easy access to the building.
An elegant multipurpose entertainment, conference and banquet facility, the Chesa-peake Conference Center is capable of handling all types and sizes of events, from family celebrations to corporate conventions, casual gatherings or black tie affairs. Our talented culinary staff ensures exceptional cuisine through a variety of meal options for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as concessions for sporting events and concerts. Our spacious 20-ft. ceilings and a warm neutral palette throughout offer a perfect backdrop for endless décor possibilities that can be tailored to match the mood of any event.
All 39,000 sq. ft. of the Center are equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, dedi-cated high speed connectivity, and free (yup, seriously! — free) WiFi access. For trade-shows the center can handle up to 200 exhibit booths.
Our professional sales team of event planners will be delighted to assist with all the cater-ing, service and equipment needs for every event. From meal planning, décor design, to entertainment, we take the stress out of doing it all yourself.
The location. The amenities. The personal service. It all happens here. Call the Chesa-peake Conference Center today at (757) 382-2500 to learn how we can transform your next event from ordinary to extraordinary.
Chesapeake Conference Center
91Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
MiD-atlantic / MarYlanD
4001 Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 21842 (800) 626-2326www.ococean.com
eVerYtHing’s better at tHe beacH!
Especially when that beach is in Ocean City, Maryland. Ocean City, MD is “The East
Coast’s Number One Family Resort,” with waves of activities and events. With 10 miles of white sand and waves, a three-mile boardwalk, night-life, 17 championship golf courses, restaurants, shopping and more, there’s no end to the fun when the meetings are over.
And in addition to our great beach, Ocean City’s Roland E. Powell Convention Center is getting even better. The center is currently expanding to add 14,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, as well as renovating and expanding the Grand Ballroom by 18,000 sq. ft. and offering 25 meeting rooms, giving you more options for your next conference, as well as beautiful panoramic bay views. The expansion will be complete this fall and the well-equipped convention center will be fully functional in the meantime.
The center also features onsite food and beverage service along with full-service catering by Centerplate, a veteran convention staff, free WiFi service throughout the center, and free parking for more than 1,000 cars and buses.
Ocean City offers business travelers a choice of accommodations, including 9,500 hotel rooms and more than 29,000 rentable condos; of these, 4,850 are year-round committable rooms.
Every season offers a reason to make your next meeting a vacation. So plan your next convention in Ocean City, where you’ll find everything you want — whether you’re in meetings or on the beach. For more informa-tion, contact the Ocean City Convention Center’s sales team at (410) 289-2800 or (800) OC-OCEAN or visit ococean.com.
Roland E. Powell Convention Center
GO FROM BOARDROOM TO BOARDWALK.Ocean City, MD's Roland E. Powell Convention Center is the perfect site for your conference or convention and now offers even more options for your next event.
• 214,000 sq. feet of flexible space
• Newly renovated ballroom and expanded exhibit space
• 25 meeting rooms
• New 1,200-seat performing arts center coming Winter 2015
• Beautiful panoramic bay views
• Full-service catering with customizable menus
• Waterfront promenade and outdoor terrace, perfect for receptions
Ocean City, MD is just a short drive from most major East Coast cities and offers a variety of accommodations, including 9,500 hotel rooms and 25,000 rentable condos.
And after your event is over, be sure to enjoy OC's 10 miles of free beach, three-mile boardwalk, 17 championship golf courses, restaurants, nightlife, shopping and more!
1-800-OC-OCEAN
FOR BOOKING INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION: OCMDCONVENTIONCENTER.COM
OCO-2014-18737 Facilities_&_Destinations_2013_7x4.75.indd 1 3/24/14 11:41 AM
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MiD-atlantic / Virginia
2101 Parks Ave., Suite 500, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 • (757) 385-4700; (800) 700-7702 • VisitVirginiaBeach.com/meetings
A meeting destination that rivals many others, Virginia Beach is the perfect balance of coastal charm and big-city amenities. Offering a plethora of unique and exclusive meet-
ing locations, such as the Virginia Beach Convention Center, the nautical city is the ideal location to bring people together year-round. With a primary focus on providing extraor-dinary service, the sales and service staff is ready to accommodate any need and has the tools and facilities to make every meeting a success.
Virginia Beach offers venue options for planners who want to step out of the ordinary and venture into the extraordinary. Boasting the first convention center in the country to achieve LEED® Gold Certification for Existing Buildings, the resort city continues to elevate industry standards for sustainability. This world-class facility features more than 500,000 square feet of space, including a 150,000 square foot, column-free exhibit hall, 29,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 31,000 square foot ballroom. The exhibit hall - divisible by four - features 40-foot ceilings along with 10-foot by 10-foot grids permanently etched into the floor to facilitate exhibit set-up. Each of the four hall subdivisions are supported by services including: meeting room suites, concessions, and pre-function and registration spaces. Manned by expe-rienced professionals, the facility offers competitive rates and is situated just blocks from one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most beautiful beaches.
At the Virginia Aquarium, discover a distinctive venue for parties, special events, business functions and more. From an intimate, sit-down dinner for 20 of your closest friends to a cocktail reception for 2,000 of your best customers, the Virginia Aquarium can accommodate any event. The cultural centerpiece of the city, the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts is in a class by itself. A performing arts venue with theatre-style seating for 1,300, the Sandler Center proudly boasts a Grand Lobby, perfect for catered events. Flanked by grand staircases and illuminated by an exqui-site chandelier, the three-story lobby is an ideal place for a banquet or reception. During your event, step outside of the Sandler Center and enjoy a performance in the facility’s outdoor performance plaza, capable of accommodating up to 400 guests.
The Virginia Beach CVB not only prides itself on excellent venue options but on the services offered by a well-trained and experienced staff always prepared to provide exceptional service to meeting planners. Planners can now get acquainted with the staff via the “Meet the Team” feature on the Virginia Beach Meetings website. Unique and distinctive photos and bios are designed to express all of the individual personalities comprising the dynamic group of people that work to create meetings and events unlike any other.
When the meetings are over, Virginia Beach is the perfect getaway for adventure lovers year-round. For those who enjoy an active lifestyle, Virginia Beach offers a variety of sports, fitness and outdoor activities. The city has more than 18,600 acres of state parks and wildlife refuges, over 121 navigable miles of waterways and 35 miles of ocean and bay beaches to explore. Just minutes from the oceanfront, Town Center rises with upscale shopping, dining and entertainment, providing the perfect urban downtown experience. Other local attractions include The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium, Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research & Enlightenment and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art to name a few. Planners have endless options for fresh seafood and dining, downtown shopping, nautical fun and entertainment.
Centrally located, Virginia Beach is a mere 20 minutes from Norfolk International Airport, with multiple daily de-partures and non-stop destinations, and 45 minutes from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. It is a four-hour drive from Washington, D.C., and seven hours from New York City and also can be reached via an Amtrak station in the neighboring city of Norfolk. With more than 10,000 hotel rooms citywide and over 7,000 rooms located within 3 miles of the convention center accommodation options are plentiful.
Virginia Beach CVB
smart Facts• The destination offers over 10,000 hotel rooms citywide and more than 7,000 rooms located within 3 miles of the convention center.
• Attractions in the city range from outdoor wildlife adventures to performing and contem-porary art shows.
• Virginia Beach is the first destination in the Com-monwealth to be certified by the Virginia Green campaign with more than 120 hospitality businesses located within the city – including restaurants, accommodations, events and attractions – now certified.
• Virginia Beach offers 35 miles of pristine beaches and mild year-round temperatures
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The Southeast
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex2100 Richard Arrington Boulevard NorthBirmingham, AL 35203(205) 458-8400; Fax: (205) 458-8438www.bjcc.orgDirector of Sales and Marketing: Susette Hunter
Alabama’s largest convention facility, one of the best values in the South, offers 220,000 sq. ft. meeting/exhibition space including a 111,000-sq.-ft. main exhibition hall, 174,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, 74 meeting rooms, 15,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 18,000-seat arena, 2,800-seat concert hall. 3,800-sq.-ft. broadcast studio – live TV capabilities, satellite uplink capabilities. Medical Forum: 10-story tower features high-tech meeting rooms, fully-equipped demon-stration lab. 1,000 hotel rooms nearby. Attractions: Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, award-winning Robert Trent Jones Golf trail courses.
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The Classic Center300 North Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601(706) 208-0900www.classiccenter.comDirector of Sales: Maureen Baker Be ImpressedThe Classic Center convention center and performing arts theater in vibrant downtown Athens completed its $24 million expansion in February 2013. The expansion doubled the size of the center’s exhibit hall to 56,000 sq. ft. and included construction of a new 8,000-sq.-ft. atrium. The center can now accommodate groups of up to 6,000. Overall func-tion space of 110,590 sq. ft. includes a 55,610-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall and a 17,000-sq.-ft. ballroom. The theater seats 2,100. With 2,443 hotel rooms citywide, Atlanta is home to the Georgia Museum of Art, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 55 restaurants, and 40 taverns and nightclubs.
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Georgia World Congress Center285 Andrew Young International Boulevard NW, Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 223-4200www.gwcc.comDirector of Sales: Mark Adams The Complex that Makes Event Planning SimpleThe Georgia World Congress Center, the fourth-largest convention complex in North America, features 1.4 million sq. ft. of prime exhibit space, 12 exhibit halls, 104 meet-ing rooms, three auditoriums and two grand ballrooms, including the 1,744-seat Sidney Marcus Auditorium and 33,000-sq.-ft. Thomas Murphy Ballroom. New, state-of-the-art digital signage will be installed at the GWCC, which is adjacent to the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park. The campus is also in proximity to the CNN Center, Philips Arena, the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.
GEORGIA
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Durham Convention Center301 West Morgan Street, Durham, NC 27701(919) 956-9404www.durhamconventioncenter.comGeneral Manager: Jennifer Noble Downtown Durham’s Premier Meeting & Event DestinationThe Durham Convention Center offers 35,000 sq. ft. of flexible space to accommodate from 5-1,500 meeting attendees. The venue houses a 14,500-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom, a 1,800-seat theater and eight meeting rooms that can be converted into 17. The Durham Convention Center is located steps away from the Carolina Theater and near the Durham Performing Arts Center, a nationally respected arts center. Attendees can enjoy unique restaurants, shopping, art galleries, museums or a baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. A 189-room Marriott is available for groups, and a 125-room 21C hotel and 53-room Durham Hotel are opening soon.
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New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center 900 Convention Center Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 19107(504) 582-3023 • www.mccno.comDirector of Sales: Keith Levey Any Meeting, Any SizeLocated within walking distance of the Warehouse/Arts District and the historic French Quarter, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center houses 140 meeting rooms located directly above 1.1 million sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, a 4,000-seat confer-ence auditorium/theater, two ballrooms, three restaurants and a VIP dining suite. The 60,300-sq.-ft., column-free Great Hall, with 25,400 sq. ft. of pre-function space, debuted last year. Additional features of The Great Hall include the 4,660-sq.-ft. Rivergate Room, complete with a 4,400-sq.-ft. rooftop terrace and indoor balcony, and a 5,700-sq.-ft. Mosaic Room. The Louis Armstrong International Airport is just 14 miles away.
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Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center One South Water Street, Mobile, AL 36602(251) 208-2001www.mobileconventions.comDirector Sales & Marketing: Cheryl Ann Gee Service, Style, SuccessWinner of numerous architectural awards, the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center takes full advantage of its waterfront setting with outdoor terraces, riverwalks and expansive riverfront windows affording panoramic views from pre-function areas. The facility offers 319,000 sq. ft. of function space, including a 100,000-sq.-ft. Main Exhibit Hall, 15,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 18 breakout rooms. Mobile Bay is home to numerous unique attractions such as USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park, the Gulf Coast Exploreum, Bellingrath Gardens and Home, Civil War Trail and more.
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Miami Beach Convention Center 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 14303(305) 673-7311; Fax: (305) 673-7435www.MiamiBeachConvention.com Director of Sales and Marketing: Ileana Garcia
Spanning four city blocks of palm tree-lined streets and located in the heart of the electrifying and historic South Beach/Art Deco District, the Miami Beach Convention Center is truly an event planner’s paradise. With white sandy beaches just a few blocks away, terrific Lincoln Road shopping, award-winning restaurants and an exciting nightlife scene, the Convention Center is the choice for your next meeting, convention or tradeshow. Function space includes 502,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit space split into four halls, a 21,252-sq.-ft. ballroom, 70 breakout rooms and a 430-seat theater. The Convention Center is surrounded by 3,000 walkable hotel rooms and is just 11 miles from Miami International Airport.
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2100 Richard Arrington Jr Boulevard NorthBirmingham, AL 35203 (205) 458-8400www.bjcc.org
The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is Alabama’s foremost conven-tion, meeting and entertainment center. Events and meetings of all types can be
accommodated in its five buildings: Arena, Concert Hall, Theatre, Exhibition Halls and Ballroom. The complex also includes a large center piazza used for outdoor events.
The Exhibition Halls cover 220,000 sq. ft. of generous space for presenting expan-sive tradeshows and exhibitions. For smaller tradeshows or exhibitions, the halls are divisible into seven different configurations.
The Convention Complex also offers full catering service for any size group. The onsite caterer offers everything from casual box lunches to elaborate cocktail recep-tions and formal dinners.
Two skywalks and an interior corridor stretching over 1,000 feet connect the BJCC exhibition halls, meeting rooms and arena with the adjacent 757-room Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. Alongside the Sheraton is the all-new Westin Birmingham Hotel, complete with 294 rooms which connect to the Sheraton via skywalk. These luxury hotels combine to offer a total of 1,051 rooms and provide convenient access for patrons attending conventions, meetings or events.
The BJCC has an Uptown Entertainment District that includes eight restaurants with cuisines from upscale fine dining to good southern cooking to a premier coffee shop with full service bar. They even have a flavor south of the border.
The BJCC offers videoconferencing, satellite teleconferencing, in-house Ethernet for event use, microwave and satellite connectivity, wireless access to an exhibitor network, as well as a fully staffed, broadcast-quality studio with pre- and post- production capabilities.
BIRMINGHAM-JEFFERSON CONVENTION COMPLEX
Details•Total Exhibition Space = 220,000 sq. ft. with 20-30 ft. ceilings
•Number of Meeting Rooms = 90
•Largest Ballroom = 15,552 sq. ft.
•Banquet Seating Capacity = 8,800 seats
•Event Space = 2,800-seat Concert Hall, 1,000-seat Theatre and 18,000-seat Arena
220,000 Exhibition Space | 90 Meeting RoomsNow Open! UpTown Entertainment District | www.uptownbham.com
96 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
soutHeast / georgia
285 Andrew Young International Boulevard NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 223-4200 www.gwcc.com
The Georgia World Congress Center opened its doors in 1976 as the first state-owned and operated major convention center in the United States, featuring 350,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. Today, the facility’s
exhibit space spans 1.4 million sq. ft., making the GWCC the fourth-largest convention complex in North America. In 2010, Frank Poe, a 38-year convention center veteran from Dallas, was appointed as the second Executive Director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, whose campus also includes the Georgia Dome and the iconic Centennial Olympic Park.
At the GWCC, planners have at their disposal 12 exhibit halls and 104 meeting rooms. The GWCC houses two ballrooms: the 33,000-sq.-ft. Thomas Murphy Ballroom, seating 2,560 for dinner and 4,500 in theater mode, and the 25,722-sq.-ft. Georgia Ballroom, seating 2,010 for dinner and 3,680 in theater mode. The latter features theatrical AV and a balcony overlooking the West Plaza and Georgia Dome. Also available is the 1,744-seat Sidney Marcus Auditorium and a 34-seat Executive Boardroom with teleconferencing and table connections for broadband and AV.
ONsite is the GWCC’s in-house AV provider, and Convention Center Long Distance (CCLD) is the exclusive telephone and Internet provider. Anywhere within the GWCC campus, CCLD can install phone, modem and high-speed Internet lines. Levy Restaurants, an F&B industry leader, is the exclusive caterer. Among many din-ing options at the GWCC, Levy manages Terraces Restaurant, a fine-dining establishment available for private functions. The GWCC and Levy Restaurants donate over 30,000 lbs. of leftover food to a local food bank every year.
Sustainability is a key initiative at the GWCC. In 2013, the facility increased the amount of single-stream recy-cling collected and diverted from landfills by 12 percent over 2012, and partnered with Sterling Planet to offer clients the opportunity to offset the electrical consumption of their events with renewable energy credits and to offset the carbon associated with attendee travel.
Apart from its outstanding meeting facilities and service providers, the GWCC offers groups a prime location in downtown Atlanta, near the CNN Center, Philips Arena, the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. Part of the GWCC campus is the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park, which features a 1,200-seat amphi-theater, lush landscaping, fountains, monuments and attractions. It’s an ideal place for attendees to recharge between sessions.
There are nearly 30 hotels within one mile of the GWCC, offering groups lodging options in a variety of price points. Major choices include the 1,569-room Atlanta Marriott Marquis, the 1,070-room Four Diamond Omni Hotel at CNN Center and the 495-room Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia.
Georgia World Congress Center
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One S. Water Street, Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 208-2100mobileconventions.com
The Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center anchors a lively downtown offering world-class accommodations, lush parks and squares, retail shops, restaurants, museums and art galleries.
The 300,000-sq.-ft. Center offers 18 meeting rooms, two ballrooms, and two exhibit halls totaling 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. Winner of numerous architectural awards, the Center takes full advantage of its superb waterfront setting with terraces and riverwalks, while the prefunction area’s expansive windows afford magnificent views of passing ships on the Mobile River.
The Center has also mastered the requirements of accessibility, flexibility and liberally placed amenities to accommodate a variety of conventions, meetings, trade and consumer shows. From service-corridor access to conveniently located registration lobbies, the state-of-the-art facility offers all services neces-sary to ensure the success of every event. Within walking dis-tance are six hotels that offer more than 1,100 sleeping rooms, including the AAA Four Diamond, 363-room Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, which is connected via SkyWalk to the Convention Center. Accommodations include reason-ably priced hotel chains, a historic inn, a bed & breakfast and a modern high-rise. Three regional airports service the Mobile Bay area: Mobile Regional Airport, Pensacola Regional Airport and Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. All three airports are within driving distance of the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center.
Mobile Bay is home to numerous one-of-a-kind attractions for guests to discover, including Alabama’s top-rated USS ALA-BAMA Battleship Memorial Park and the Gulf Coast Explore-um and IMAX Theater. The beautiful Bellingrath Gardens and Home, Alligator Alley, 5 Rivers: Delta Resource Center, Hank Aaron Stadium, Civil War Trail, Oakleigh Historic District and several museums are also favorites of our visitors. In addition, the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf Coast opened last fall. Attendees can now enjoy more than 90 exhibits dedi-cated to the Gulf Coast’s rich maritime traditions. Guests can also play on several award-winning golf courses.
Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center
98 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
29
FOR YOUR NEXT CONVENTION OR MEETING, LOOK TO THE CITY
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WHERE A STREAMLINED AIRPORT AND LACK OF TRAFFIC
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RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTLIFE JUST A FEW MINUTES’ WALK
FROM YOUR HOTEL, YOU’RE OUT EVEN FASTER.
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Meeting & Event Venues
23-46 11/10/08 5:28 PM Page 29
The #1 News & Information Source for Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers
The nation’s second-largest convention facility, featuring seven million sq. ft. of combined meeting and public space in two remarkable facilities. 74 meeting rooms, 235 breakout rooms; 62,182-sq.-ft. multi-purpose room; 2,643-seat Chapin Theater and a 160-seat lecture hall. 2.1 million sq. ft. of exhibition space, 1.1 million sq. ft. of which is contiguous; two 92,000-sq.-ft. general assembly areas; three full-service restaurants; eight food courts; and three business centers. Surrounded by 115,000 hotel rooms.
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Owensboro Convention Center501 West 2nd Street, Owensboro, KY 42301(270) 687-8800; Fax: (270) 687-8959www.owensborocenter.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: Laura A. Alexander
The Owensboro Convention Center is a new, state-of-the-art, multipurpose meeting facility located on the banks of the Ohio River. The facility boasts 92,000 sq. ft. of usable space consisting of a 44,000-plus-sq.-ft. exhibition hall, and over 48,000 sq. ft. of additional ballroom and meeting spaces. The center will also feature a large outside space that overlooks the Ohio River. There are 270 rooms located within one block and more than 1,100 rooms within a five-mile radius. Attendees can explore the International Bluegrass Music Museum, the Owensboro Museum of Science and History, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art and Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens.
KEnTUCKy
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Visit Savannah101 East Bay Street, Savannah, GA 31401(877) SAVANNAH; (912) 644-6424; Fax: (912) 644-6499www.SavannahMeetings.com www.SavannahVisit.comVP Business Development & Services: Jeff Hewitt Savannah is a convention city capable of hosting large, high-level meetings, conventions and special events. Welcome to Savannah, est. 1733, waiting to charm you with tree-filled squares and perfectly preserved historic buildings. Savannah has the capacity to accommodate large groups in its convention, exhibit and meeting facilities, the largest being the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. Total event space: 330,000 sq. ft.; exhibit space: 100,000 sq. ft.; ballroom: 25,000 sq. ft.; pre-function space: 6,600 sq. ft.; meetings rooms: 13; 14,000 hotel rooms citywide.
GEORGIA
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Sun Life Stadium347 Don Shula Drive, Miami, FL 33056(305) 943-6316www.sunlifestadium.comSpecial Events Manager: Cara Cambria Make Your Event as Legendary as Our VenueSun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins and spectacular events, offers 24,000 sq. ft. of prime meeting space (up to four meeting rooms) and more than 100,000 sq. ft. of total exhibit space including a 48,000-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall. Six hundred theater seats can be accommodated in each of the four meeting spaces; audiovisual and WiFi available. Sun Life Stadium is equidistant from Miami International Airport and Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Recent events include a Monster Truck Show, Jazz In The Gardens Festival and the SunCon Trade Show.
FLORIDA
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Palm Beach County Convention Center650 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33401(561) 366-3000; (561) 366-3030www.pbconventioncenter.comDirector of Sales and Marketing: Maria Walker
Conveniently located in downtown West Palm Beach, just minutes from I-95, Florida’s Turnpike and Palm Beach International Airport, the Palm Beach County Convention Center houses a 100,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, 22,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 21,000 sq. ft. of flexible breakout space divisible into 19 rooms. An award-winning culinary department presents the finest F&B service. High-tech features include a 5MB Internet connection, 52-in. LCD screens and exhibit-floor fiber optic connections. Nearby attractions include CityPlace, a $600 million shopping, dining and entertainment complex; the nationally acclaimed Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts; and Worth Avenue.
FLORIDA
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Vicksburg Convention Center1600 Mulberry Street, Vicksburg, MS 39183(601) 630-2929www.vicksburgccevents.comSales and Marketing Manager: Julie Ford Going Beyond Your Expectations! Located in a scenic Mississippi River city, the Vicksburg Convention Center offers over 50,000 sq. ft. of function space, including 25,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (17,000-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall), a 2,400-seat theater and 10 breakout rooms. The entire facility is equipped with WiFi and all meeting rooms have audiovisual equip-ment preset. Surrounding the center are 2,526 hotel rooms. Attendees can visit Vicksburg National Military Park, numerous casinos, the historic downtown, Outlet Mall and antebellum homes. Outdoor recreation and outstanding southern cuisine are highlights of Vicksburg.
Wilmington Convention Center 515 Nutt Street, Wilmington, NC 28401(910) 251-5101www.businessmadecasual.comSales & Marketing Manager: Holland SoucyBusiness Made Casual At 107,000 sq. ft. of total space, Wilmington Convention Center is the largest convention venue on the North Carolina coast. Opened in 2010, the LEED-certified Center regularly hosts state and regional conventions, social events and banquets catered by SAVOR. Facilities include a 30,000-sq.-ft. Exhibit Hall, 12,000-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom plus 15,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space, a 12,000-sq.-ft. event lawn and 5,784 sq. ft. of meeting space. Local attractions include The Battleship North Carolina, the Henrietta III Paddleboat, and Wilmington Water Tours, complementing more than 200 downtown shops and 40 restaurants.
MISSISSIPPI
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900 Convention Center BoulevardNew Orleans, LA 19107(504) 582-3023www.mccno.com
The impressive 1.1 million-sq.-ft. New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, which so perfectly complements the city’s walkable hotel packages, is now more attractive than ever to groups large and
small. In recent years, the Center has undergone $140 million in upgrades including a 60,300-sq.-ft. divisible Great Hall ballroom, 25,400-sq.-ft. multi-use pre-function space, 4,660-sq.-ft. junior ballroom, complete with a 3,420-sq.-ft. rooftop terrace, a 980-sq.-ft. indoor balcony and a 5,700-sq.-ft. executive club lounge, and hotel-like appointments throughout. A new pedestrian plaza provides a grand sense of arrival to all attendees and serves as a seamless connection to New Orleans’s famous walkable hotel packages.
The Convention Center’s vast lobby features comfortable furniture groupings in over 150,000 sq. ft. of space for registration, information kiosks and sponsor banners. Attendees will enjoy learning the origins of unique New Orleans words via an interactive QR code on the “Word Wall.” The lobby’s decorative banners feature iconic New Orleans images of art, music, food, history and architecture, and purple-coated “Fleur de Lis Am-bassadors” greet attendees at every entrance.
The Center — the sixth largest convention center in the nation — boasts a 1 gigabyte fiber optic Internet back-bone that is 100 percent redundant, providing meeting planners with unlimited technological opportunities to extend programming to attendees and exhibitors.
Comfortable furniture groupings and digital, flat-panel audio/video information systems are strategically placed throughout the main lobby, meeting room levels and in pre-function areas. In addition, key card access and fully integrated, digital signage system with screens were implemented in all 140 meeting rooms and throughout public space.
Our highly qualified and experienced production team offers a full menu of integrated services for all of your lighting, audio, video and rigging needs in-house or to support your selected contractor. The Center offers a full suite of HD video equipment for a variety of satellite broadcast, presentation or recording formats and the trained personnel to design, capture and edit your program onsite.
The Convention Center’s full-service UPS Store provides show management, attendees and exhibitors a full range of services including large-image, onsite printing of meter boards, directional signs and banners; in-bound and out-bound small package handling; and a satellite mobile kiosk for printing, packing and shipping.
The Center’s food service contractor, Centerplate, is committed to providing the essence of the New Orleans food experience, operating three onsite restaurants featuring live local music and menus of iconic Louisiana dishes by award-winning chef Donald Link.
Every amenity at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is conveniently located under one roof: 140 meeting rooms located directly above 1.1 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 4,000-seat theater, 60,300-sq.-ft. column-free Great Hall, 30,000+ sq.-ft. ballroom, onsite business center, three restaurants and a VIP dining area. And, in walking-friendly New Orleans, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is literally just steps away from the Warehouse/Arts District and the historic French Quarter, where the old-world charm of fine restaurants, first-class hotel rooms and unique cultural experiences are around every corner.
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
West Concourse 9800 International DriveSouth Concourse 9899 International DriveNorth Concourse 9400 Universal Blvd.Orlando, FL 32819(407) 685-9800 (800) 345-9800 Fax: (407) 685-9876www.occc.net
orlanDo’s orange countY conVention center unlocks tHe secret to Meeting success: It’s simple: superb hospitality, flawless service and total convenience. These elements define the at-tendee experience, affecting how they feel, how well they’re able to network and how they perceive the event as a whole. If any one of them falls short, so does the event.
One venue that recognizes this reality is Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Here, tropi-cal ambiance and colossal space (seven million sq. ft. in two buildings, connected by an open-air pedestrian walkway) are just the beginning. The OCCC also offers an outstanding level of service — one that has cemented the Center’s position among the world’s premier meeting and tradeshow destinations.
occc serVices: OCCC’s broad offering of show management and exhibitor services, ranging from catering to telecommunications, is considered one of the finest in the convention industry, and contributes to the Center’s reputation as one of the best places in the country to hold a meeting.
The Center’s marketing executives and sales managers are dedicated to providing clients with an experience that is flawless from beginning to end. For every size and type of event, these seasoned professionals provide solutions that exceed everyone’s expectations, and will ensure that your needs are communicated efficiently during the client-servicing process.
OCCC’s event managers are certified meeting professionals with the highest level of industry experience. They will assist show managers with planning the logistical details of their convention, tradeshow or special event. Serving as the main conduit for OCCC communication and information — before, during and after the show — these dedicated team members ensure the most complete, productive and enjoyable experience for both show planners and attendees.
For the optimum exhibitor experience, OCCC show managers and exhibitors turn to the Center’s exhibitor services department. Individual exhibitor service representatives assigned to every OCCC event will ensure total satisfaction. Beyond the services offered on the show floor, this team can provide custom Web pages hosted by the OCCC, bonus amenities for your Top 20 exhibitors, and coordination of pre-event meetings. For maximum convenience, the OCCC’s exhibitor mobile connection brings the capabilities of a service desk directly to the show floor, where roaming EMC representatives will respond to exhibitor requests on the spot, so they never have to leave their booths for assistance.
occc’s partners: The OCCC is proud to be the only convention center in the country to partner with one of the world’s most famous theme parks — Universal Orlando Resorts®. With offices onsite, Universal Orlando Resort® is always available to help show management and their exhibitors plan dynamic entertainment and events. From theme park tickets to private events at the theme parks, plus entertainment and networking opportunities at a variety of amazing onsite venues, OCCC’s Gold Key Partner will help make any Orlando meeting experience unforgettable.
our connections keep getting better: Orlando, Florida, a city already renowned for its world-class hospitality, entertainment and business offerings, has added to its appeal with a number of new developments in the Orlando County Convention Center district. New pedestrian bridges now conveniently connect groups to 5,098 luxury hotel rooms and exciting entertainment and dining options.
Orange County Convention Center
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SEATINGNew furniture groupings throughout concourse areas offer attendees a more comfortable and relaxing place to rest and regroup.
DESTINATION LOUNGECutting edge destination lounges will provide technology-focused and sophisticated networking and rejuvenation environments.
DIGITAL SIGNAGEA new sponsorship opportunity awaits show management with the roll out of dozens of digital advertising screens.
occc.net
TO LEARN MORE:On these Capital Improvement Projects and to discover what the Orange County Convention Center can do for you, call our Sales Department at 1-800-345-9845 or e-mail [email protected] .
$187.5 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTSIn February 2013, the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando
embarked on a five-year plan to refurbish its 2.1 million sq. ft. facility.
BUILDING FOR THE
SEATINGNew furniture groupings throughout concourse areas offer attendees a more comfortable and relaxing place to rest and regroup.
DESTINATION LOUNGECutting edge destination lounges will provide technology-focused and sophisticated networking and rejuvenation environments.
DIGITAL SIGNAGEA new sponsorship opportunity awaits show management with the roll out of dozens of digital advertising screens.
occc.net
TO LEARN MORE:On these Capital Improvement Projects and to discover what the Orange County Convention Center can do for you, call our Sales Department at 1-800-345-9845 or e-mail [email protected] .
$187.5 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTSIn February 2013, the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando
embarked on a five-year plan to refurbish its 2.1 million sq. ft. facility.
BUILDING FOR THE
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101 East Bay Street Savannah, GA 31401(877) SAVANNAH (912) 644-6424SavannahMeetings.comSavannahVisit.com
Meet in Savannah for a one-of-a-kind experience that mixes historic architecture, cultural attractions, coastal cuisine and scenic beauty with successful conventions, meetings and special events. Savannah’s eclectic sophis-
tication will enthrall your attendees, and 22 park-like, moss-draped squares placed throughout Historic Downtown will make them feel relaxed and focused. Elegant accommodations within blocks of abundant meeting venues make gatherings in Savannah a step above the rest. Select Savannah as your host city and your event attendance is sure to increase.
The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, situated on the Savannah River, offers a modern, spacious venue for your next meeting, convention or special event. With a total of 330,000 sq. ft., the facility offers 100,000 sq. ft. of prime exhibit space and 50,000 sq. ft. of flexible space. Up to 21 breakout rooms are in the space, including 13 meeting rooms, four executive boardrooms, a 25,000-sq.-ft. grand ballroom and a state-of-the-art auditorium. A 45-by-30 ft. hanger door allows large equipment and aviation-oriented tradeshows to be displayed in the center’s exhibit hall. Additional meeting facilities located throughout downtown Savannah include the Coastal Georgia Center and the Savannah Civic Center.
There are a variety of convention hotels throughout Savannah including The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa (403 rooms), Savannah Marriott Riverfront (383 rooms), Hyatt Regency Savannah (347 rooms) and the Hilton Savannah Desoto (246 rooms). Nearly 5,000 rooms are available at various hotels in the Historic Meetings District and more than 15,000 total hotel rooms in the greater Savannah area. All hotels and meeting spaces in the Historic Meetings District are located within walking distance to numerous high-style boutiques, galleries, restaurants and more.
Located just 20 minutes from downtown, the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is one of the busiest in the Southeast. With 35 daily non-stop flights via American, Delta, Jet Blue, United and US Airways from Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC, it’s easier to get here than ever before. The low-cost CAT shuttle and DOT shuttle are available for quicker travel, including a direct route from the airport to downtown. As one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the country, many of our visitors prefer to explore Savannah by foot, taking time to enjoy the details.
With more than 45 cultural attractions, Savannah draws meeting attendees craving a diverse experience. Trolley, Segway and walking tours covering history, hauntings, architecture and food will fill down time with excitement and entertainment. Meeting attendees also are sure to enjoy Savannah’s palate-pleasing, coastal cuisine and farm-to-table fare served at restaurants throughout the city.
As your host city, we will work closely with Savannah’s hospitality industry and business community to meet and exceed your requirements. Our Southern hospitality combined with the array of services found in Savannah will help you create an expertly executed event for any size group. We look forward to welcoming you!
To plan your meeting in Savannah today, contact Jeff Hewitt at (912) 644-6416 or at [email protected].
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347 Don Shula Drive Miami, FL 33056(305) 943-6316sunlifestadium.com
Home of the Miami Dolphins and University of Miami Hurricanes, Sun Life Stadium has hosted five Super Bowls, two World Series, four BCS National Championship Games, the NFL Pro
Bowl, Wrestlemania, World Cup Friendlies and other spectacular events. Global concert tours such as U2, Madonna, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake have taken center stage here and, in 2014, One Direction will be added to this list of renowned acts.
This legendary venue is also an ideal setting for corporate and social events, as well as tradeshows and product launches.
Its Club Level has stunning floor-to-ceiling windows similar to those found on cruise ships and a lush interior featuring HD televisions, comfortable seating, multiple meeting rooms and luxury restrooms. Guests arriving to the stadium walk through the Grand Plaza where they are greeted by the majes-tic statue of Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Marino. They then enter through the hotel-like lobby that has high ceilings, polished tiled floors and oversized TVs that broadcasts the event logo or a personalized message.
The Club Level has 24,000 sq. ft. of premium space (one quadrant) but a total of 96,000 sq. ft. between all four quadrants. This flexible space can accommodate banquets, theater-style meetings, stages and runways, as well as booths for tradeshows. Additional display space is available on other levels of the stadium. The property also has audiovisual equipment and WiFi.
Planners looking for a unique setting or experience are able to draw on the excitement of the very exclusive Miami Dolphins Locker Room, the Gallery of Legends museum or the LIV Sun Life night-club.
The Dolphins Locker Room, which has also served as the locker room for Super Bowls and College Football Championships, is awe-inspiring for all who step into it. For a truly unforgettable experi-ence, each locker is personalized with the guest’s name along with their very own jersey. After dress-ing up in their Dolphins gear, they can enjoy teambuilding activities.
The Gallery of Legends is another distinctive venue complete with memorabilia including the Super Bowl trophies, Don Shula’s desk as he left it upon retiring and other Hall of Fame items. Enjoy a tour or host a breakfast, lunch or dinner in this historic setting. Add a Dolphins legend as a speaker to make it that much more special.
Another unique area that is available for events is the LIV Sun Life nightclub, which is modeled after the famous LIV nightclub in the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach. Overlooking the field, LIV Sun Life features two premium bars, eight cabanas, a DJ booth, state-of-the-art party lights and a dance floor. This nightclub is perfect for unwinding with colleagues or guests after a day of meetings or for hosting a reception or party.
Sun Life Stadium is conveniently located between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Both international airports are a short 20-minute ride and most major tourist hotspots are no more than 30 minutes away.
Learn more about this legendary venue at SunLifeStadium.com or by sending an email to [email protected] or calling (305) 943-6316.
Sun Life Stadium
MAKE YOUR EVENT AS LEGENDARY AS OUR VENUE
Chillax!
Call our sales team today866.822.6338
vicksburgevents.com
Meet in Vicksburg!
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John S. Knight Center77 East Mill Street, Akron, OH 44308(330) 374-8900; (800) 245-4254; Fax: (330) 374-8971www.johnsknightcenter.orgVP of Sales: Dirk Breiding The Center of All America® City
Akron – set among the rolling hills of the Old Connecticut Western Reserve and along the shores of the Ohio and Erie Canalway. The John S. Knight Center is downtown Akron’s showcase for great events. State-of-the-art video conferencing and streaming systems, onsite skilled support/service staff, full-service catering; 16 meeting rooms; 12,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; 30,000-sq.-ft. exhibition hall (41,000 sq. ft. total exhibit space); 12,000 sq. ft. of banquet space; an additional 12,600 sq. ft. of meeting space; 22,000-sq.-ft. lobby, highlight-ed by distinctive glass rotunda and spiral staircase; two hotels – 339 rooms – within 1 1⁄2 blocks; 5,400 county-wide.
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The Midwest
Bridge View Center102 Church Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501(641) 684-7000www.bridgeviewcenter.comExecutive Director: Larry Gawronski Where Great Events Create Lifetime ExperiencesLocated along the banks of the Des Moines River, the 92,000-sq.-ft. Bridge View Center fea-tures a 30,000-sq.-ft. multi-purpose exposition hall, five breakout rooms totaling 7,000 sq. ft. and a 665-seat theater. Bridge View Center offers pipe, drape, tables, skirts and linens for up to 120 tradeshow booths; plentiful free, onsite parking; and a riverfront plaza just outside the atrium-style lobby. Approximately 500 convention/guest hotel rooms are available. Located ust across the river lies downtown Ottumwa with a variety of quality hotel accom-modations. Nearby attractions include the Beach Ottumwa, America Gothic House, Wapello County Museum, Antique Air Museum and Wapello County Trails.
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Clay County Regional Events Center800 West 18th Street, Spencer, IA 51301-3156(712) 580-3000; Fax: (712) 580-3003www.SpencerEvents.comGeneral Manager: Scott HallgrenDelivering Outstanding ExperiencesSpencer, Iowa ... delivering outstanding experiences in a small-town location! Each September we’re home to the World’s Greatest County Fair. The Clay County Regional Events Center offers full-service facilities — 7,600-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom, divisible into six meeting rooms, and a 24,000-sq.-ft. arena/exhibit hall (130 10 ft.-by-10 ft. booths, seats 2,500; 31,580 sq. ft. total exhibit space); wireless Internet throughout. AV equip-ment located onsite; in-house lighting package featuring special up-lighting, deco-rative lights, and other special effects or impact lighting. 249 hotel rooms nearby.
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Greater Columbus Convention Center400 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215(614) 827-2500; (800) 626-0241; Fax: (614) 827-2659www.columbusconventions.comA Perfect Destination: From the Inside Out.The SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center is located in the heart of the Columbus High Five entertainment area, within 550 miles of two-thirds of the U.S. population. Exhibitor-friendly facility welcomes 2.5 million+ annually to the country’s 15th largest city. 1.7 million-sq.-ft. venue offers four contiguous exhibit halls (410,000 sq. ft. total exhibit space), 65 meeting rooms, three ballrooms – including 74,000-sq.-ft. Battelle Grand, the largest multipurpose ballroom in Ohio. Onsite Food Court & Shops, ARAMARK catering, The UPS Store & Business Center. 2,950 committable hotel rooms downtown; 23,952 citywide. Dozens of restau-rants, bars, theaters and galleries within walking distance.
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United Wireless Arena and Conference Center4100 West Comanche, Dodge City, KS 67801(620) 371-7390www.unitedwirelessarena.comExecutive Director: Rick Reno We’re Entertaining the Southwest at United Wireless Arena and Conference CenterBuilt in one of the Wild West’s most historic areas, the United Wireless Arena and Conference Center is a $40.3 million multipurpose facility that offers a 6,800-sq.-ft. ball-room, 23,800 sq. ft. of exhibit space, eight breakout rooms and a 4,000-seat arena. The Conference Center is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual and WiFi. Nearby attrac-tions include the adjacent Boot Hill Casino, Horse Thief Reservoir, Dodge City Raceway Park, Legends Park, Historic Santa Fe Depot and Dinner Theater, Santa Fe National Historic Trail Ruts and the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
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Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau400 Locust Street, Suite 265, Des Moines, IA 50309(800) 451-2625www.catchdesmoines.comDirector of Sales: Margie Marble
Greater Des Moines is an affordable, accessible destination offering state-of-the-art facili-ties, including the Iowa Events Center and 417-room Des Moines Marriott Downtown. The Center houses 226,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 150,000-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall, 28,800-sq.-ft. ballroom and 37 meeting rooms. Construction will begin in fall 2015 on a 450-room convention hotel. Major local attractions include the Court District (entertainment venues; farmers’ market), Prairie Meadows, Adventureland Park, Iowa Hall of Pride, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Blank Park Zoo, Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater and Des Moines Performing Arts.
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Century Center South Bend120 South St. Joseph Street, South Bend, IN 46601(574) 235-9711www.centurycenter.orgDirector of Sales & Marketing: Crista Tompson Unique Architecture. Exceptional Experiences.The Century Center, built on the banks of the West Race canal, overlooks the St. Joseph River and is attached to the 11-acre Island Pavilion, completed in May 2013, as well as the 292-room DoubleTree by Hilton, renovated in 2013. The Century Center features over 75,000 sq. ft. of convention space, including a 25,000-sq.-ft. Convention Hall that can be split into two smaller halls, 41,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 700-seat theater, 16,640-sq.-ft. ballroom and 18 meeting rooms. The 12,000-sq.-ft. Discovery Ballroom can be separated into two equal halls. Free basic WiFi available. Main entrance renovated in 2013, lighting retrofit completed in 2013 and carpet replacement completed in 2014.
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Bridge View Center provides all catering and concession needs with their onsite kitchen. Wireless internet is available throughout the building. The facility is managed by VenuWorks, a full-service facility management company with over 50 venues across the country.
102 Church Street Ottumwa, Iowa 52501 Phone: 641.684.7000
Fax: 641.684.6305 www.bridgeviewcenter.com
“Where great events create lifetime experiences!”
Theater 665 Seats 2 star dressing rooms, choral
dressing room and green room.
30 line fly rail with 1500 lbs. max.
ETC Express 24/28 lighting console.
Expo Hall/Arena Capacity 2,500 30,000 sq. ft. 32 ft. high ceilings Newly expanded overhead door 23 ft.
wide x 14 ft. high
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Indiana Convention Center100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46225(317) 262-3400www.ICCLOS.comDirector of Sales and Marketing: Linda Addaman
The Indiana Convention Center is surrounded by 7,100 hotel rooms by major brands such as Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Hilton and Conrad. The walkable downtown is in proximity to more than 200 restaurants and clubs, as well as such points of interest as the State Capitol, Union Station, Circle Centre Mall, Victory Field and Bankers Life Fieldhouse. A recent $275 million expansion of the Center nearly doubled its size to offer 566,600 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space in 11 halls, as well as 71 meeting rooms, 49 loading docks and three ballrooms. Connected to the center is Lucas Oil Stadium, offering an additional 183,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 12 meeting rooms.
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Kansas City Convention Center 301 West 13th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105(800) 821-7060; Fax: (816) 513-5001www.kcconvention.comDirector of Sales: Gemma Zook An energetic city forged by a rich history, Kansas City has a central location, is highly affordable and is brimming with eclectic cuisine, swinging jazz, one-of-a-kind museums, a thriving arts scene and fantastic shopping. 1 million-sq.-ft. Kansas City Convention Center accommodates everything from mid-sized meetings to citywide conventions – 388,800-sq.-ft. column-free exhibit space, 142,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, 46,484-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art Grand Ballroom, 48 meeting rooms. Arena houses 7,316 permanent seats, 2,405 seats on risers plus capacity for 1,000 theater-style on main floor. 946 guestrooms nearby; 3,500 downtown hotel rooms, 26,000 citywide.
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Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau426 West Markham, Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 370-3224; Fax: (501) 374-2255www.littlerock.comVP Marketing and Communications: John Mayner
A capital city with a national airport, Little Rock offers non-stop or one-stop service from most of the U.S. and many international cities, as well as more than 9,000 hotel rooms citywide. Its Statehouse Convention Center Ballroom offers nearly 83,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and the 18,362-sq.-ft. Wally Allen Ballroom. The downtown River Market entertainment district is adjacent to the Convention Center. What is more, Little Rock CVB’s Convention Services department has recently teamed-up with Marketing and Communications to assist meeting planners with attendance stimulation through customized, technologically cutting-edge strategies.
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Monona Terrace Convention CenterOne John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI 53703(608) 261-4100; Fax: (608) 261-4049Sales/Event Services Manager: Laura Cornell, CMPwww.mononaterrace.comWhere business and inspiration meet.Located in heart of Madison’s vibrant downtown on the shore of Lake Monona. Frank Lloyd Wright-designed, spectacular five-level structure features public promenades, meeting rooms with striking lake views, extensive rooftop gardens and the attached 240-room Hilton Madison (1,000+ rooms within walking distance); 250,000 sq. ft., including 85,000 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibit space; 23 meeting rooms; 40,000-sq.-ft. main exhibit hall; 5,540-sq.-ft., 320-seat Lecture Hall; 14,000-sq.-ft. ballroom. The 68,000-sq.-ft. of rooftop gardens available for events. Wireless access throughout – Internet 2 access; business center, gift shop, art/exhibit area and expansive areas for registration/information needs.
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RiverCenter/Adler Theatre136 East Third Street, Davenport, IA 52801(563) 326-8500; Fax: (563) 326-8505www.riverctr.comDirector of Sales: Kaye Tilton, CMP. . . The Center of Exceptional Events.Experience the light and industrial feel of the RiverCenter and the appeal of the historic Art Deco Adler Theatre. 100,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space includes 12 meeting rooms, a 33,400-sq.-ft. ballroom, 46,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, executive boardroom, and a 2,400-seat theater. State-of-the-art audio-visual equipment; entire facility wireless ready. Personalized event coordination, in-house catering. 351 hotel rooms attached via sky-walk. Davenport is part of the The Quad Cities, an affordable Midwest destination. Attractions include River Music Experience, Figge Art Museum, Bucktown Center for the Arts.
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St. Charles Convention Center One Convention Center Plaza, St. Charles, MO 63303(636) 669-3000; Toll Free (877) 896-7222; Fax: (636) 669-3001www.stcharlesconventioncenter.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: Bill Nicely
The St. Charles Convention Center is an exceptional venue for your next successful event. The facility’s 154,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space encompasses a Grand Ballroom, Junior Ballroom and 17 breakout rooms. Total exhibit space of 76,533 sq. ft. includes a 27,600-sq.-ft. Exhibit Hall that expands to 35,700 sq. ft. A new wireless network can simul-taneously accommodate over 2,000 devices. The Center is attached to a 296-room Embassy Suites; 578 hotel rooms are within walking distance and 1,422 within five minutes. Local attractions include Historic Main Street shopping and dining, Anheuser Busch Brewery, Six Flags Amusement Park, Ameristar Casino and Hollywood Casino.
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Sanford Center1111 Event Center Drive NE, Bemidji, MN 56601(218) 441-4001www.thesanfordcenter.netConvention Sales Manager: Kristi Anderson It IS the Region’s PREMIER Event Space!Founded in 2010, the Sanford Center is a 185,000-sq.-ft., 5,000-seat multipurpose facility located in Bemidji, northern Minnesota’s hub of social, cultural and recreational events. Its George W. Neilson Conference Center houses a 10,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and four Lakeview Rooms spanning 4,000 sq. ft. with panoramic views of Lake Bemidji’s south shoreline. The Sanford Center offers groups an in-house Event Design group and in-house AV rigging equipment. A connected 121-unit Country Inn & Suites opened April 2014. Nearby attrac-tions include the Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox roadside statues, headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park, and Lake Bemidji State Park.
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Swiftel Center824 32nd Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006(605) 692-7539www.swiftelcenter.comDirector of Sales & Marketing: Jenny Hammrich Midwest Hospitality at Its Best
The Swiftel Center has established itself as one of South Dakota’s premier event centers for meetings and entertainment. Over 40,000 sq. ft. of function space includes a 30,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall, a 7,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and six breakout rooms. In-house catering service available. Surrounding the center are 567 hotel rooms. Nearby attractions include South Dakota State University Division 1 Athletics, Children’s Museum of South Dakota, South Dakota Ag Heritage Museum and South Dakota Art Museum.
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CENTURY CENTER
SOUTH BEND
Century Center Convention CenterUnique Architecture. Exceptional Experiences.
574.235.9711 CenturyCenter.org
75,000 Square Feet of Flexible and Unique Meeting Spaces
Located in the heart of downtown South Bend
Connected to the 291-room DoubleTree by Hilton
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400 North High Street Columbus, OH 43215(614) 827-2500 (800) 626-0241columbusconventions.com
The SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center is strategically located in the center of the country, Ohio, ColumbUS, and a vibrant entertainment district. Located within a one-hour flight or a day’s drive of the
majority of the nation’s population, the 1.7 million-sq.-ft. facility is one of the busiest in North America, the proud recipient of multiple Prime Site Awards and other accolades, and has become the venue of choice for clients from across the street and around the world.
Owned and developed by the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, the Greater Columbus Convention Center will embark on a full-scale exterior and interior renovation later this year that will significantly enhance the guest experience.
The venue currently offers 410,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 65 meeting rooms and 114,000 sq. ft. of ballroom space, including magnificent 74,000-sq.-ft. Battelle Grand, known as the largest multipurpose ballroom in Ohio, which includes five different configurations, 24,000 sq. ft. on the mezzanine, floor-to-ceiling windows and a signature LED-ceiling lighting system capable of projecting thousands of different color combinations to augment the event décor. The Grand Ballroom measures 25,000 sq. ft., while the Terrace Ballroom offers 15,000 sq. ft. of space. The four contiguous exhibit halls encompass 336,000 sq. ft. with dozens of loading docks and an exhibitor friendly environ-ment augmenting the move-in experience. ARAMARK is the exclusive facility caterer, with the popular Food Court & Shops being the home of quick-service food establishments, unique shops and exhibitor service providers.
Our parking garages and surface lots now feature new ticketing systems to enable faster, smoother transactions, especially upon exiting. The GCCC offers 3,370 parking spaces. Construction of an additional multi-level parking garage commencing later this year to replace an existing surface lot will bring available onsite parking spaces to more than 4,000. The venue is connected by enclosed walkway to the Hyatt Regency, Drury Inn, The Lofts, Crowne Plaza and Hilton hotels. The Greater Columbus Convention Center is just minutes from Port Columbus International Airport and nestled across from the Short North Arts District, home of the monthly Gallery Hop and annual HighBall Halloween: Masquerade on High. Just west of the facility is the Arena District, which includes Nationwide Arena — the host of a variety of internationally known performers and the Columbus Blue Jackets National Hockey League team — as well as an array of restaurants, live music venues and Huntington Park, named “Ballpark of the Year” upon its debut, and where the Columbus Clippers Triple A baseball team plays.
The convention center offers free WiFi in meeting rooms and public spaces and a variety of amenities ranging from Scooterbug rentals and massage chairs to SegAway Tours of Columbus and two Welcome Centers staffed by friendly concierges within the building. Columbus is the first community to be designated an Experience Dedi-cated™ Destination (EDD) by The EXPERIENCE Institute. Guests can complete a quick five-question survey about their visit to our city or scan the Quick Response Code (QR Code). Many of our employees have successfully com-pleted the Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) program, which enhances both customer-service skills and provides a wealth of information regarding our city’s history, attractions and amenities to share with our guests. Digital meeting room and exhibit hall show office signage, new public bicycle racks, a CoGo bicycle-sharing program station near the facility, a business center operated by our own staff, mobile-device charging stations and complimentary mobile ap-plications developed for Android, iPhone and iPad devices, with branded, premier and custom options are available. All meeting room tables are now dressed with complimentary table cloths, while meeting rooms and ballrooms now feature hotel-quality solid wood doors that operate in conjunction with our magnetic lock system.
The Greater Columbus Convention Center already welcomes 2.5 million guests throughout the year, and with our complete facility renovation to commence later this year, we’re excited about the future in ColumbUS!
Greater Columbus Convention Center
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400 Locust Street,Suite 265 Des Moines, IA 50309(515) 286-4960(800) 451-2625catchdesmoines.com
Catch Des Moines. Breathtaking venues. Thai chicken pizza. An artful vibe, sculpture and live jazz music. Every-thing you expect to find in a city. Big box stores. Boutique gems. Des Moines is a city where you can do it all.
Catch the “suite” spot. The Iowa Events Center’s trio of meeting and event spaces is perfection for any group. Hy-Vee Hall, connected to the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, boasts the state’s largest ballroom, 150,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 37 meeting rooms — suited for anything from conventions and tradeshows to sporting events. Connected via skywalk is Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center, a 17,100-seat venue for sports action, entertainment and other unique ventures.
Catch four miles of climate control. Downtown Des Moines’ network of skywalk links hotels and restaurants to vari-ous meeting and entertainment destinations. Stroll the skywalk from the luxurious and intimate Suites of 800 Locust Hotel & Spa to a world-renowned restaurant to a Broadway show at the Des Moines Civic Center.
Stay at the Embassy Suites Des Moines Downtown. Then browse local Historic East Village shops in the open air. Host a group outing on the Principal RiverWalk, which opened June 2013. The 1.2-mile loop is linked to Gray’s Lake, a center for 300 miles of trails winding throughout Central Iowa. Also connected are landscaped public spaces, public art and other points of interest such as the Long Look Garden, Brenton Skating Plaza and the Hub Spot.
Des Moines is thrilling entertainment. Catch live horse-racing, big name shows, casino gaming and event space within one property. Prairie Meadows has everything you need, from luxurious rooms to catering and entertainment — and anything in between! Catch rollercoaster waves at Adventureland amusement and water park, equipped with private gazebos and intimate cabanas. Keep it casual with a catered picnic lunch. Or grab a bite at the nearby, world famous Jethro’s BBQ ‘n Jake’s Smokehouse Steaks. Try your fortune with the Adam Emmenecker Challenge as seen on the Travel Channel’s Man v Food. Then experience Iowa’s outdoor legacies at Bass Pro Shops for afternoon amusement.
With a little free time, head to the Western suburbs. Prime shopping. Department stores. Vintage finds. Browse the charming railroad district of Historic Valley Junction. Peruse street front shops within West Glen Town Center. Hit up both local loves and national chains at Valley West Mall and Jordan Creek Town Center.
Des Moines is delicacies. Local flavor. Meat and potatoes. The Chicken Spiedini at Latin King — an Iowa best kept secret. A juicy porterhouse steak at 801 Chophouse, cooked to perfection. The biggest cinnamon roll you could ever imagine — catered in from the Machine Shed. Assemble the crowd and sample the citrusy and piney Des Moines India Pale Ale, plus other craft beers at Confluence Brewing Company.
Catch triple-A lineups. A ballgame April through September with the Iowa Cubs, Des Moines’ minor league baseball affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Arena football March through July with the Iowa Barnstormers. Or a race weekend June through September at Iowa Speedway, including two NASCAR Nationwide weekends. Host your event over-looking the action — each with its own one-of-a-kind view. Or catch a behind-the-scenes tour for an unforgettable experience.
Des Moines is a meeting planner’s haven. A family excursion. A couple’s retreat. Des Moines is everything you don’t expect to find in a city. Des Moines is a city where you can catch it call.
Catch Des Moines.
Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau
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100 South Capitol Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46225(317) 262-3400www.ICCLOS.com
With $3 billion in new tourism-related infrastructure, Indianapolis offers a world-class desti-nation for major conventions, meetings and events. Its centerpiece is the Indiana Con-
vention Center (ICC), which recently underwent a $275 million expansion that nearly doubled its size to 566,600 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space in 11 halls. Also available are 71 meeting rooms, three ballrooms and 49 loading docks. Connected to the ICC is Lucas Oil Stadium, offering an additional 183,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 12 meeting rooms, a retractable roof, and seating for 63,000. Whether your event is a reception, a convention or a tradeshow, the ICC is the ideal venue for an unforgettable experience.
The ICC is located in the heart of downtown, and over half of the city’s nearly 7,100 hotel rooms are within six blocks of the facility, many connected by climate-controlled walkways. The city’s hotel portfolio includes upscale brands such as Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Hilton and Conrad, with the largest property being the 1,005-room JW Marriott Indianapolis with 104,227 sq. ft. of meeting space. A short walk from any of the downtown hotels is White River State Park, where attendees can spend their free time.
Indianapolis’ walkable downtown is accessible to more than 200 restaurants and clubs. Also in proximity are the State Capitol, Union Station, Circle Centre Mall, Victory Field, Bankers Life Fieldhouse and, of course, Lucas Oil Stadium, home field for the Indianapolis Colts and site of the 2012 Super Bowl. “The Racing Capital of the World” is also home to the 101-year-old Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its Hall of Fame Museum, both National Historic Landmarks. Basketball is another traditional sport here, and the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse is the site of the 1954 “Milan Miracle” that inspired the basketball film Hoosiers. Two downtown landmarks, Monument Circle and Indiana War Memorial Plaza, are among America’s great urban spaces, and the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument houses the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum.
Indiana Convention Center
INDIANAPOLIS OFFERS A WORLD-CLASS DESTINA-TION FOR MAJOR CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS
116 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
Wisconsin Center400 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203(414) 908-6001; Fax: (414) 908-6010www.wcd.orgDirector of Sales & Marketing: Trace Goudreau [email protected] Milwaukee – easy-to-get-to, easy-to-navigate, visitor-friendly meetings destination known for its hospitality and beautiful Lake Michigan location. The Wisconsin Center, home to the $1.4-million Burke Family Collection of integrated and commissioned art, features 32 meeting rooms, a 37,506-sq.-ft. ballroom, 189,695 sq. ft. of total exhibit space; 4,100-seat Milwaukee Theatre and 12,700-seat U.S. Cellular Arena. Ballroom equipped with built-in rigging points and high-amperage power sources, complete Wi-Fi, audio-visual, satellite, video conferenc-ing and remote network capability throughout facility. 1,543 hotel rooms connected by skywalk; 3,359 in downtown area; 15,000+ in immediate metro area.
Wisconsin
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The Facilities Media GroupFacilities & Destinations SuperBook
For more information about the Kansas City Convention Center, please call 816-513-5000 or visit
www.kcconvention.com
29
FOR YOUR NEXT CONVENTION OR MEETING, LOOK TO THE CITY
THAT IS THE NBA’S NEXT JEWEL IN THE CROWN.
WHERE A STREAMLINED AIRPORT AND LACK OF TRAFFIC
MEAN YOU’RE IN FAST. AND WITH THE BEST
RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTLIFE JUST A FEW MINUTES’ WALK
FROM YOUR HOTEL, YOU’RE OUT EVEN FASTER.
IT’S OUR MEET & GREET, OUR NICE & EASY. OUR
VISITOKC.COM
Facilities & Destinations Planner Guide
THE #1 SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS OF CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS, ENTERTAINMENT
& SPECIAL EVENTS.
MEETING & EVENT PLANNERS...NEED MARKET DATA?
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THE FACILITIES MEDIA GROUPEssential Planning Tools
Facilities & Destinations
CONFERENCEComprehensive Directory of Conference Centers,
College & University Conference Facilities, Meeting & Boutique Hotels, Small-to-Mid-Size
Meeting & Event Venues
23-46 11/10/08 5:28 PM Page 29
The #1 News & Information Source for Booking Agents, Promoters, Talent Buyers,
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117Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
MiDWest / Missouri
301 West 13th Street, Suite 100Kansas City, MO 64105 (816) 513-5000kcconvention.com
With a creative energy all its own, Kansas City is anything but business as usual. It’s a convention destination where friendly people, affordable prices and a central location are a given. Where
creativity can be found around every corner. A place with a spirited personality and a genuine heart that’s a breath of fresh air. We’d like you to meet Kansas City. To friends, it’s just KC.
Great meetings happen at the Kansas City Convention and Entertainment Facilities. The eight-square-block convention and special events facility can accommodate every need with 388,800 sq.-ft. of column-free exhibit space on one floor; 48 state-of-the-art meeting rooms; a 2,400-seat fine arts theater; an arena that seats more than 10,700 people and a unique outdoor festival plaza. And not only is it all in one location, the complex is connected to major downtown hotels and parking by skywalks and underground walkways.
Encompassing more than 800,000 sq. ft., the Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Facilities can serve all your meeting needs under one roof. One of America’s largest green ballrooms — the 46,484-sq.-ft. Grand Ballroom — is certified LEED silver, boasting waterless plumbing, energy-efficient heating and cooling, and one of the most sophisticated lighting systems in the world. That’s enough to make other cities turn green with envy.
KANSAS CITY CONVENTION & ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES
THE GRAND BALLROOM• One of the nation’s largest
eco-friendly ballrooms at 46,484 sq. ft.
• Features one of the most sophisticated lighting systems in the world.
With one visit, you’ll know why so many groups choose to return.
Madison, Wisconsin: an inspiring place for smart Meetings.
Madison, Wisconsin, combines exceptional facilities with the intellectual and emotional capital needed for meeting success.
Home to the renowned University of Wisconsin–Madison, the vision of Frank Lloyd Wright, the insight of Aldo Leopold and a majestic Capitol built upon an isthmus alive with cultural arts, engaging intel-lectual pursuits and a wealth of recreational opportunities, Madison is the place for smart meetings.
Monona Terrace, a crown jewel of Madison’s cultural isthmus, is the first convention center in the nation to be LEED-EB-certified at the Silver Level by the U.S. Green Building Council. To earn its Silver certification, the Convention Center invested in initiatives to increase recycling rates, utilize green cleaning products, and adopt clean energy use and conservation. The facility purchases 100 per-cent of its electricity from renewable sources. Monona Terrace has become a symbol of sustainability for the community of Madison and an inspiration to all those who choose to visit the city.
accommodations: More than 8,000 hotel rooms are available to groups in Madison, with 1,000 rooms within walking distance of the Monona Terrace® Convention Center. Accommodation styles run the gamut from first-class convention hotels, such as the 240-room Hilton Madison (the headquarters hotel for the convention center), to limited-service hotels and budget-conscious lodging. Bed and breakfasts are another attractive choice in Madison, and several provide services and amenities appropriate for executive attendees.
convention Facilities: The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace® Convention Center is a touchstone for both the Madison community and groups coming to the city. Sweeping lines and vast, arched windows typify the structure, which offers dramatic sur-roundings for groups. In total, Monona Terrace Convention Center offers 85,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibition space. Highlights of the center include:
• 37,200-sq.-ft. Exhibition Hall that accommodates 212, 10 ft.-by-10 ft. booths.• 13,524-sq.-ft. Madison Ballroom, divisible by four• 7,000-sq.-ft. Grand Terrace serves as pre-function space for the Madison Ballroom or use on its own as a magnificent indoor event space.• 68,000 sq. ft. of rooftop gardens may also be reserved for events.
118 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
MiDWest / Wisconsin
One John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI 53703 (608) 441-3942 • mononaterrace.com
monona terrace convention center
Two Unique Facilities.
Convention Center.
And Historic Theatre.
Working Together.
Art Deco Meeting Industrial.
100,000 Plus Square Feet.
Two Banquet/Exhibit Halls.
10 Breakout Rooms.
Executive Board Room.
Theatre Seating for 2,400.
Midwest Amenities.
Metropolitan Service.
Discover what
first class service
and attention to detail
really means at the unique entity known
as the RiverCenter/Adler Theatre
in Downtown Davenport, Iowa.
ITTAKES
TWO
ITTAKES
TWO
www.riverctr.comwww.adlertheatre.com
400 Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI (414) 908-6000www.wisconsincenter.org
Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Center continues to hone the leading edge of the convention center industry with out-standing service, flexible, comfortable facilities and a setting in downtown Milwaukee, now nationally recog-
nized as a fun, friendly and exciting destination in itself.Owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), the Wisconsin Center faces Wisconsin Avenue, the city’s “Main Street,” and is within steps of leading hotels, retail establishments, attractions, dining, nightclubs, and transportation. It is even connected via skywalk to two major hotels — the Hyatt Regency-Milwaukee and the Hilton Milwaukee City Center. Adjacent neighbors also owned by WCD include the 12,700-seat U.S. Cellular Arena and The Milwaukee Theatre, which opened in 2003 as a new, 4,087-seat theatrical and assembly venue, built in the shell of the historic Milwaukee Auditorium. Both are excellent for convention functions, and all three venues are “green” equipped and operated to minimize environmental impacts.MeetinG & eXhibit space: The Wisconsin Center’s 188,695-gross-sq.-ft. (gsf) exhibit hall is divisible into four halls of 31,000 or 63,000 gsf, with 90-ft. minimum spans between pillars. In addition, 39,360 gsf of meeting space can be divided into 28 breakouts or as few as six meeting/banquet rooms from 5,200 to 8,300 gsf each. A luxurious, 37,500 gsf ballroom is divisible into four smaller rooms and equipped like a concert hall for corporate theater and banquet entertainment. Abundant, well-appointed pre-function areas on all levels serve excellently for receptions, breaks, showcase exhibits and even full-service dining. Power, data and phone connections are plentiful everywhere.hotel inVentorY: The Wisconsin Center is linked by skywalk to two first-class convention hotels: the 484-room Hyatt Regency-Milwaukee and the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center. Seven other hotels are within three blocks or connected by skywalk. Milwaukee has about 3,590 rooms downtown and nearly 15,000 citywide.attractions: Milwaukee is emerging as a top convention and tourist destination, alive with museums, dining, culture, nightlife, promenades and public art. Recent highlights: the Harley Davidson Museum; the newly renovated Mitchell Park Domes; Discovery World; the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion, designed by Santiago Calatrava, now a world-renowned symbol of the city; and Miller Park, among the most fan-friendly baseball parks anywhere. These gems are set among a glittering array of parks, trails, golf courses and lake vistas.FooD & beVeraGe: Levy Restaurants, WCD’s catering and concessions partner, receives consistent praise from banquet and meeting planners. Efficient service is facilitated by the center’s design, but more important are high standards and creativity derived from Milwaukee’s traditions of hospitality and excellence combined with Levy’s well-known commit-ment to a memorable dining experience everywhere they operate.technoloGY: Ranked among the world’s “technologically elite” convention centers, the Wisconsin Center can outper-form almost any external network or ISP connected to it. A skilled, flexible IT staff provides tech users customized, in-show LANs, high-speed connections to corporate WANs, and a wide range of phone and video services. AV provider United Visual offers state-of-the-art projection, sound, lighting and more.accessibilitY: Milwaukee is incredibly easy to get to and get around in! User-friendly General Mitchell International Airport, with a dozen airlines offering non-stop service to over 50 cities, is only eight miles from downtown and O’Hare is just an hour-and-a-half car trip. The newly renovated Amtrak station is just a few blocks away, and the city enjoys a safe and very walkable downtown.
Wisconsin Center
THE WISCONSIN CENTER FACES WISCONSIN AVENUE, THE CITY’S “MAIN STREET”
70 Facilities & DestinationsThe Midwest
Milwaukee’s Midwest Airlines Center continues to hone the leadingedge of the convention center industry with outstanding service, flexi-ble, comfortable facilities and a setting in downtown Milwaukee,now nationally recognized as a fun, friendly and exciting destinationin itself.
Owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), theMidwest Airlines Center faces Wisconsin Avenue, the city’s “Main Street,”and is within steps of leading hotels, retail establishments, attractions, din-ing, nightclubs, and transportation. It is even connected via skywalk to twomajor hotels—the Hyatt Regency-Milwaukee and the Hilton Milwaukee CityCenter. Adjacent neighbors also owned by WCD include the 12,700-seat U.S.Cellular Arena and The Milwaukee Theatre, which opened in 2003 as a new,4,087-seat theatrical and assembly venue, built in the shell of the historicMilwaukee Auditorium. Both offer excellent options for general sessions,entertainment and other functions tied to Midwest Airlines Center conventions.
MEETING & EXHIBIT SPACE The Midwest Airlines Center’s 188,695-gross-square-foot (gsf) exhibit hall is divisible into four halls of 31,000 or63,000 gsf, with 90-foot minimum spans between pillars. In addition, 39,360gsf of meeting space can be divided into 28 breakouts or as few as six meet-ing/banquet rooms from 5,200 to 8,300 gsf each. A luxurious, 37,500-gsfballroom is divisible into four smaller rooms and equipped like a concert hallfor corporate theater and banquet entertainment. Abundant, well-appointedpre-function areas on all levels serve excellently for receptions, breaks,showcase exhibits and even full-service dining. Power, data and phone con-nections are plentiful everywhere.
HOTEL INVENTORY The Midwest Airlines Center is linked by skywalk totwo first-class convention hotels: the 484-room Hyatt Regency-Milwaukeeand the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center, which also boasts an indoor waterpark. Seven other hotels are within three blocks or connected by skywalk. Milwaukee has about 3,000 rooms downtown and over 12,000 citywide.
ATTRACTIONS Milwaukee is emerging as a topconvention and tourist destination. Downtown isalive with museums, dining, nightlife, prome-nades, public art, and the new Harley DavidsonMuseum opening in Summer 2008; theMilwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion,designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, hasbecome a world-renowned symbol of the city;Miller Park is among the most breathtaking, fan-friendly baseball parks anywhere; and these gemsare set among a glittering array of parks, trails,golf courses and lake vistas.
FOOD & BEVERAGE Levy Restaurants, WCD’scatering and concessions partner, receives consis-tent praise from banquet and meeting planners.Efficient service is facilitated by the center’s
design, but more important are high standards and creativity derived fromMilwaukee’s traditions of hospitality and excellence combined with Levy’swell-known committment to a memorable dining experience everywhere theyoperate.
TECHNOLOGY Ranked among the world’s “technologically elite” conventioncenters, the Midwest Airlines Center can outperform almost any externalnetwork or ISP connected to it. A skilled, flexible IT staff provides tech userscustomized, in-show LANs, high-speed connections to corporate WANs, anda wide range of phone and video services. AV provider United Visual offersstate-of-the-art projection, sound, lighting and more.
ACCESSIBILITY Milwaukee is incredibly easy to get to and get around in!User-friendly General Mitchell International Airport, serving 14 airlines andsome 90 cities, is only eight miles from downtown, and O’Hare is just anhour-and-a-half car trip. The newly renovated Amtrak station is just a fewblocks away, and the city enjoys a safe and very walkable downtown.
M I D W E S T A I R L I N E S C E N T E R
Milwaukee is emerging as a top convention and tourist destination.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin(414) 908-6000 • www.wcd.org
MIDWEST AIRLINES CENTER
Accessible,Affordable &
Hospitable
The MidwestAirlinesCenter facesWisconsinAvenue, the city’s“Main Street.”
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70 Facilities & DestinationsThe Midwest
Milwaukee’s Midwest Airlines Center continues to hone the leadingedge of the convention center industry with outstanding service, flexi-ble, comfortable facilities and a setting in downtown Milwaukee,now nationally recognized as a fun, friendly and exciting destinationin itself.
Owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), theMidwest Airlines Center faces Wisconsin Avenue, the city’s “Main Street,”and is within steps of leading hotels, retail establishments, attractions, din-ing, nightclubs, and transportation. It is even connected via skywalk to twomajor hotels—the Hyatt Regency-Milwaukee and the Hilton Milwaukee CityCenter. Adjacent neighbors also owned by WCD include the 12,700-seat U.S.Cellular Arena and The Milwaukee Theatre, which opened in 2003 as a new,4,087-seat theatrical and assembly venue, built in the shell of the historicMilwaukee Auditorium. Both offer excellent options for general sessions,entertainment and other functions tied to Midwest Airlines Center conventions.
MEETING & EXHIBIT SPACE The Midwest Airlines Center’s 188,695-gross-square-foot (gsf) exhibit hall is divisible into four halls of 31,000 or63,000 gsf, with 90-foot minimum spans between pillars. In addition, 39,360gsf of meeting space can be divided into 28 breakouts or as few as six meet-ing/banquet rooms from 5,200 to 8,300 gsf each. A luxurious, 37,500-gsfballroom is divisible into four smaller rooms and equipped like a concert hallfor corporate theater and banquet entertainment. Abundant, well-appointedpre-function areas on all levels serve excellently for receptions, breaks,showcase exhibits and even full-service dining. Power, data and phone con-nections are plentiful everywhere.
HOTEL INVENTORY The Midwest Airlines Center is linked by skywalk totwo first-class convention hotels: the 484-room Hyatt Regency-Milwaukeeand the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center, which also boasts an indoor waterpark. Seven other hotels are within three blocks or connected by skywalk. Milwaukee has about 3,000 rooms downtown and over 12,000 citywide.
ATTRACTIONS Milwaukee is emerging as a topconvention and tourist destination. Downtown isalive with museums, dining, nightlife, prome-nades, public art, and the new Harley DavidsonMuseum opening in Summer 2008; theMilwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion,designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, hasbecome a world-renowned symbol of the city;Miller Park is among the most breathtaking, fan-friendly baseball parks anywhere; and these gemsare set among a glittering array of parks, trails,golf courses and lake vistas.
FOOD & BEVERAGE Levy Restaurants, WCD’scatering and concessions partner, receives consis-tent praise from banquet and meeting planners.Efficient service is facilitated by the center’s
design, but more important are high standards and creativity derived fromMilwaukee’s traditions of hospitality and excellence combined with Levy’swell-known committment to a memorable dining experience everywhere theyoperate.
TECHNOLOGY Ranked among the world’s “technologically elite” conventioncenters, the Midwest Airlines Center can outperform almost any externalnetwork or ISP connected to it. A skilled, flexible IT staff provides tech userscustomized, in-show LANs, high-speed connections to corporate WANs, anda wide range of phone and video services. AV provider United Visual offersstate-of-the-art projection, sound, lighting and more.
ACCESSIBILITY Milwaukee is incredibly easy to get to and get around in!User-friendly General Mitchell International Airport, serving 14 airlines andsome 90 cities, is only eight miles from downtown, and O’Hare is just anhour-and-a-half car trip. The newly renovated Amtrak station is just a fewblocks away, and the city enjoys a safe and very walkable downtown.
M I D W E S T A I R L I N E S C E N T E R
Milwaukee is emerging as a top convention and tourist destination.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin(414) 908-6000 • www.wcd.org
MIDWEST AIRLINES CENTER
Accessible,Affordable &
Hospitable
The MidwestAirlinesCenter facesWisconsinAvenue, the city’s“Main Street.”
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The West
Anaheim Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92803(714) 765-8888; Fax: (714) 991-8963www.meetings.anaheimoc.orgSenior Vice President Convention Sales: Mindy Abel
With ideal weather and walkable attractions and dining, nothing is better than meeting at the largest convention center on the west coast in Anaheim/Orange County. Anaheim Convention Center – 1.6 million sq. ft., including 51 meeting rooms, 38,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; 813,000 sq. ft. total exhibit space. Anaheim Arena seats 7,500. Located in the heart of the Anaheim Resort District, which includes the Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Anaheim GardenWalk. Within walking distance of 12,000 hotel rooms and easily accessible from three major Southern California Freeways. 100,000-sq.-ft. Grand Plaza opened last year.
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Austin Convention Center500 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701(512) 404-4200; Fax: (512) 404-4220www.austinconventioncenter.comDirector of Sales: Lisa Kidder Live Music Capital of the World A LEED® Gold certified, technologically advanced convention center located near down-town’s famous entertainment districts. Multi-level facility spans six city blocks, features 370,967 sq. ft. of meeting/exhibit space, including five column-free, contiguous exhibit halls (256,097 sq. ft. of total exhibit space), seven ballrooms (43,300 sq. ft. is largest) and 54 meeting rooms. Complimentary high-speed, high-density wireless services throughout; onsite engineers; proven track record of handling 7,000 simultaneous connections. Pre-function spaces offer downtown views. New walkway connects 3rd and 4th levels. Nearby 6,000 downtown hotel rooms.
texas
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Cox Convention CenterOne Myriad Gardens, Oklahoma City, OK 73102(405) 602-8500; Fax: (405) 602-8505www.coxconventioncenter.comDirector of Sales and Marketing: Tim Linville Spanning more than one million sq. ft. and four city blocks, this complex is located at the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, a city both accommodating and affordable. Multi-purpose venue hosts everything from intimate meetings to major conven-tions, tradeshows, concerts and sporting events. 27 meeting rooms; 25,000-sq.-ft. ballroom; 100,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall; 15,000-seat arena. Free WiFi available; Internet access speeds up to one Gb; 1,400 of Oklahoma City’s 15,000+ hotel rooms are across the street. From arts and adventure to cowboy culture and family fun, Oklahoma City offers an eclectic mix of heritage and hotspots.
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Fairplex1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Pomona, CA 91768(909) 623-3111; Fax: (909) 623-9599www.fairplex.comDirector of Sales: Melissa DeMonaco-Tapia You Can Do Anything HereAn entertainment and convention destination; home of the world-renowned L.A. County Fair since 1922 and site of 500 consumer and tradeshows annually. Located on 487 beautifully landscaped acres with eight art deco exposition halls, onsite 244-room Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center, Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, McKinley’s Grille, Finish Line Sports Grill and Barretts Equine Sales. Offers 25,000 sq. ft. of column-free indoor exhibit space; eight spacious exposition halls (two additional halls expand total exhibit space to 350,000+ sq. ft.); 800-seat theater. Major horse racing facility with a 10,000-seat grandstand and 5/8-mile race track.
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Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau123 Park Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73102(405) 297-8912 / (800) 225-5652; Fax: (405) 297-8888www.visitokc.comDirector, Convention Sales & Services: Robin O’Connor
Welcome to a city that has tales for your ears and treats for your eyes. Where a stream-lined airport means you’re in fast. And with the best entertainment just a few minutes’ walk from your hotel, you’re out even faster. Cox Convention Center features 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space; 27,500 sq. ft. of flexible convention and pre-convene space; a 25,000-sq.-ft. ballroom (seats 4,000 theater-style); and a 15,000-seat arena (32,000 sq. ft. of floor space). Near revitalized Bricktown, which features new canal-side restaurants, clubs, music venues and attractions, all across the street from three hotels hous-ing 1,600 of Oklahoma City’s 16,000 hotel rooms.
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Oregon Convention Center777 NE Martin Luther King Boulevard, Portland, OR 97232(503) 235-7575www.oregoncc.orgDeputy Director: Matt Pizzuti, CMP Eight miles of light rail from Portland International Airport, the LEED Platinum-certified Oregon Convention Center is ideal for conventions, tradeshows, auctions and banquets. Located in beautiful and lively down-town Portland, it is a favorite destination for many groups because of its world-class amenities, culinary excellence, leadership in sustainability and award-winning customer service. The OCC offers two grand ballrooms, 50 meeting rooms, 255,000 sq. ft. of con-tiguous exhibit space, in-house AV support and other high-tech services, and superior concession and catering offerings. A full-time staff of more than 110 professionals can handle events of 10 to 10,000 attendees.
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Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau 515 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 1300, Colorado Springs, CO 80903(800) 888-4748, ext. 132; (719) 685-7632www.visitcos.comDirector of Convention Sales: Kathy Reak Elevate Your OpportunitiesChoose Colorado Springs as your meeting location and enlist the help of the award-winning staff of the Colorado Springs CVB to ease the planning process. They offer an extensive range of complimentary services. Whether it’s customized site visits, teambuilding ideas or distributing RFPs, they are here for you. Start planning your next event in this unrivaled mountain metropolis. Colorado Springs offers 14,000 guestrooms, 5,000 convention guestrooms and 400,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space.
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West / caliFornia
800 West Katella AvenueAnaheim, CA 92803(714) 765-8888meetings.anaheimoc.org
In the heart of Southern California is Anaheim/Orange County, where you’ll find an energetic metropolitan vibe, world-class meeting facilities and a wide range of activities that make it one of the nation’s most popular meeting
destinations.
anaheim convention campus: With the addition of the Grand Plaza, a spectacular new outdoor event space, the Anaheim Convention Campus continues to evolve. Its broad plazas and outdoor event areas connect the conven-tion hotels with the Anaheim Convention Center in a safe, exclusive group setting. Four convention campus hotels provide a core group-housing inventory of 3,376 guest rooms, and the total grows to 7,456 guest rooms within an easy half-mile walk of the campus. The convention center and hotels can be configured in multiple ways to fit the needs of a wide range of group sizes, program requirements and exhibit needs. The center’s linear design aligns separate plazas, entrance lobbies, meeting facilities and exhibit halls with each of the two hotels.
environments for ideas to Grow: The Anaheim Convention Center offers plenty of configuration options for events, with 1.6 million sq. ft. of space and 51 meeting rooms. Host a massive event in the sprawling 38,058-sq.-ft. ballroom and take advantage of the dedicated registration and pre-function areas that open balcony-style onto the atrium towers. The outdoor plazas of the Anaheim Convention campus flow easily from the convention hotels into the convention center, creating a relaxed access throughout the campus. Anaheim’s moderate, year-round climate creates the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this outdoor space, day or night. A truly unique dining experience can be had at the lunch break or in the evening, after your event breaks. By bringing several of Orange County’s best food trucks to your event, an opportunity for socializing and networking instantly occurs. Other uses of the Anaheim Convention Center’s outdoor space include:
• Concert in front of the Ocean Fountain, or in the Arena Plaza • Dining and cocktail events with mood lighting, tables, chairs and a dance floor • Outdoor games, movies and lounge areas
Anaheim/Orange County also boasts a collection of flexible facilities and venues with unlimited possibilities. Host an award ceremony on stage at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a brainstorming session behind the scenes at Disneyland® Resort’s Hollywood Land, a teambuilding event at the Orange County Museum of Art or an unforget-table reception onboard The Queen Mary®.
Downtown anaheim: A short distance from the Anaheim Convention Center, Downtown Anaheim is enjoying a boom of revitalization that includes revamping historic structures into a new cultural hub, which includes The Pack-ing District and Center Street Promenade. The Packing District is becoming a culinary campus that celebrates the area’s agricultural origins. Putting a modern spin on the traditional “Main Street” commercial center, Center Street Promenade in Anaheim is filled with unique artisan shops, healthy dining options and a regular schedule of live music and entertainment. Whether connecting attendees to world-class dining, entertainment or sports venues, the Anaheim Convention Campus offers much more than meeting space. Learn more at anaheimoc.org/AOC-campus, or call (855) 693-3239.
Anaheim Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau
orange county at-a-Glance Facts • Nine beaches and 42 miles of coastline
• More than 40 champion-ship golf courses
• 55,000 hotel rooms in Orange County
• 7,456 hotel rooms within a half-mile of the Anaheim Convention Center (16,000+ within two miles)
• Home of the Disneyland Resort
• Serviced by four airports, all within a 45-minute drive of Anaheim
• Available shopping options from every price point – from luxury shopping at South Coast Plaza to great deals at the Outlets at Orange
A winner of the Prime Site Award every year since 1995, the Austin Convention Center, a LEED® Gold certified building, has emerged as a leader in the convention and meeting
industry. A premier facility located in the heart of the capital city’s downtown business district, the Center spans six city blocks with 368,980 sq. ft. of exhibit and meeting space. The five col-umn-free exhibit halls totaling 247,052 sq. ft. accommodate 1,289 10 ft.-by-10 ft. exhibit booths. Seven ballrooms ranging from 3,896 to 43,300 sq. ft. in size and 54 meeting rooms and show offices totaling over 58,000 sq. ft., complete the four-story convention center. Ample parking is provided in two parking garages with a total capacity of 1,700 spaces.
technoloGical Features: Rated one of the most technologically advanced convention centers in the country, this gigabit-rated facility moves voice, video and data at over one billion bits per second. The Center’s high-tech capabilities help create the perfect Technology Partner for the annual SXSW international convention. It offers a variety of in-house services including complimentary wireless Internet access, redundant high-speed Internet II access, plug-and-play capabilities, and an onsite technical staff to help with networking needs.
hotels: Austin offers more than 30,000 hotel rooms, with 7,000 located downtown, includ-ing the 800-room Hilton Austin adjacent to the convention center. Additional nearby hotels include: Four Seasons Hotel Austin, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown, Radisson Hotel & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown, Driskill Hotel, Omni Austin Hotel Downtown, Intercontinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, and the new W Austin and Hyatt Place Downtown Austin. Coming soon are the 1,012-room JW Marriott (2015) and the 326-room Westin Austin Downtown (2016).
austin by niGht: After conventions and meetings wrap up each night, attendees may choose to enjoy Austin’s entertainment districts — Second Street, the Warehouse District and famous Sixth Street. The Austin Convention Center is just down the street from the city’s vibrant nightlife, where visitors can also enjoy everything from fine dining in four-star restaurants to down-home barbecue and authentic Tex-Mex. As the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin echoes with the sound of country, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz and Tejano. On any given evening, one can find live music playing in nearly 200 different venues.
austin by Day: During the day, visitors can enjoy the capital city’s many historical attractions, including the State Capitol, the LBJ Presidential Library, the Texas State History Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art, and many more museums and art galleries. Or, one can experience the beauty of central Texas, captured by downtown’s Lady Bird Lake, bordered by 10 miles of trails enjoyed by runners, walkers and cyclists. Surrounded by three lakes and a network of parks, Austin offers the perfect environment for enjoying the best of nature.
Austin Convention Center
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL CITY’S DOWNTOWN, THE LEED® GOLD CERTIFIED CONVENTION CENTER SPANS SIX CITY BLOCKS.
FAsT FACTs:Facility•Location: Downtown Austin•Total Area: spans six city blocks•Exhibit Space: 246,097
totaling over 58,000 sq. ft.•Technology: Gigabit-rated facility,
wireless Internet access, plug-and-play capabilities
Austin•Hotels: 7,000 downtown hotel
rooms; adjacent 800-room Hilton Austin
•Airport: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, eight miles from facility
•Nearby Attractions: State Capitol, Sixth Street Entertainment District, Warehouse Entertainment District, University of Texas, LBJ Presidential Library, more than 20 museums including The Texas State History Museum, dozens of art galleries and historical attractions, Lady Bird Lake
Contacts•Mark Tester, Director of Austin
Convention Center Department•Paul Barnes, ACCD Assistant
Director – Sales, Marketing and Events
•Amy Harris, Director of Sales
123Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
West / texas
500 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701 • (512) 404-4200 • austinconventioncenter.com
124 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
West / coloraDo
515 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 1300Colorado Springs, CO 80903(800) 888-4748, ext. 132 (719) 685-7632visitcos.com
Picking a memorable destination can be challenging: finding a place attendees want to visit along with a great venue and ample offsite activities. Don’t get overwhelmed with the long list of to-do’s and enlist
the help of the award-winning staff of the Colorado Springs CVB. This breathtaking Rocky Mountain city is brimming with invigorating choices for lodging, sessions, receptions, teambuilding and offsite activities. The vibrant natural beauty of landmarks like Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain and Garden of the Gods Park refresh and inspire.
Colorado Springs is easily accessible. Located just 11 miles from downtown, the Colorado Springs Airport has non-stop service to many major cities and one-stop service to over 1,500 destinations worldwide. State-of-the-art systems and terminal improvements get you through security quickly, and there are a variety of local and national restaurants, retailers and free WiFi to pleasantly pass the time while you wait for your flight. The destination is also just a short and scenic 70-mile drive south of the Denver Interna-tional Airport.
Home to the U.S. Olympic Committee, Olympic Training Center, U.S. Air Force Academy and ProRo-deo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs is the ideal location for exceptional performance, creating a higher ground for attendees to refresh, discover and network. The magnificent views and a 6,035-foot elevation might also have something to do with it.
Recreation is as easily found as the 300+ annual days of sunshine. Because of its location against the Rocky Mountains, the city is protected from harsh weather, meaning mild winters and a comfortable year-round climate. It’s not rare to see light jackets in the summer and shorts in the winter. Horseback riding in North Cheyenne Canon, ziplining over nearby Manitou Springs or hiking the newly opened to the public Manitou Springs “Incline” extreme trail are all opportunities to connect with the prominent splendor of the area.
Take advantage of unique teambuilding activities like racing around the track with the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving at Pikes Peak International Raceway, biking down Gold Camp Road or challenging the team with the Battle of the Bighorn rafting obstacle course. Itinerary building is a cinch with over 55 attractions at your disposal.
If satisfying your taste buds is on the agenda, grab some authentic Colorado cuisine with a walking food and history tour of Downtown or a taste of the city with a Cajun twist at Springs Orleans. Sample the sudsy concoctions at one of the local microbreweries like Trinity Brewing or Bierwerks. Unique shopping and dining abound in the historic and charming shopping districts: downtown Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs.
As you’re seeking the perfect property for overnight stays, breakout sessions or an offsite reception, the region has exclusive options. Lodging ranges from popular brands like Hilton, Marriott and Crowne Plaza to truly Colorado choices like the new Mining Exchange, a Wyndham Grand Hotel and Sundance Moun-tain Lodge. Home to 14,000 guestrooms, the area can certainly accommodate. Gems such as the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Glen Eyrie Castle, AAA Sky Sox Baseball Club, Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and Pikes Peak International Raceway all showcase some of the region’s 400,000+ sq. ft. of flexible meeting space.
Not only is the destination an economical choice, but the staff of the Colorado Springs CVB offers complimentary services with an extensive list of recognitions. The CVB is your single resource for peace of mind and meetings. Whether it’s customized site visits, building suggested itineraries or distributing RFPs, they are here for you. Elevate your opportunities, start planning your next event in this unrivaled mountain metropolis at VisitCOS.com/meet.
Colorado springs Convention & Visitors Bureau
AN ELEVATED MEETING EXPERIENCE
1 Myriad Gardens Oklahoma City, OK 73102 Phone (405) 602-8500
The Cox Convention Center is steps away from the vibrant Bricktown district, featuring a variety of canal-side restaurants, clubs, sports and music venues, plus nearby museums and attractions.
28Kof meetingspace.
100K of exhibit hall space.
15K seat arena.
HOME OF THE
sf.
sf.
126 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
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Facilities&Event Management
Palm Springs Convention Center227 North Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262(760) 325-6611www.palmspringscc.comDirector of Sales: Rick Leson Like No Place ElseLocated just 1.5 miles from the Palm Springs International Airport, the Palm Springs Convention Center is walking distance to 1,600 hotel rooms and just blocks away from the Heart of Downtown and historic Palm Canyon Drive. The PSCC offers 120,000 sq. ft. of carpeted exhibit space, a 20,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 21 breakouts and a lobby with panoramic mountain views. Outdoor function spaces include a 20,000-sq.-ft. Event Lawn and the adja-cent Jackie Lee Houston Plaza. High-speed wireless Internet access is available throughout the facility, and Savoury’s Full Service Catering serves both onsite and offsite events. The PSCC is attached to the 410-room Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel.
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Phoenix Convention Center & Venues 100 North Third Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004(602) 262-6225; (800) 282-4842www.PhoenixConventionCenter.comDirector of Sales: Debbi FosheeA Whole New Angle on Meetings and EventsThe award-winning Phoenix Convention Center is within walking distance of shop-ping, entertainment, sports and theater venues, and just 15 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport. More than 2,500 guestrooms are within walking distance of the facil-ity, including 1,000 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown and more than 1,200 at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency. The PCC boasts nearly 900,000 sq. ft. of function space, including 312,500 sq. ft. of continuous exhibition hall space, three ballrooms (46,000, 45,000 and 28,000 sq. ft.), and a 21,000-sq.-ft. Executive Conference Center.
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Sacramento Convention Center1030 15th Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814(916) 808-5291; Fax: (916) 808-7687www.sacramentoconventioncenter.com Small-town friendly with big city amenities, city hosts 6+ million visitors annually. Located in the heart of downtown, the Sacramento Convention Center features 31 meeting rooms; two 10,000-sq.-ft. registration/pre-function areas; Exhibit Hall – 134,000 sq. ft. contiguous space/divisible into five separate areas; 25,000-sq.-ft. ballroom (1,500 banquet-style/2,500 theater style), divisible into 10 meeting rooms; Activity Building is a fully carpeted, 11,200-sq.-ft. facil-ity with 12 meeting rooms, connected by concourse to the exhibit hall; 4,000-seat Memorial Auditorium; 2,452-seat Community Center Theater. 2,000 hotels within walking distance; 10,000 citywide. Classique Catering; Wolfgang Pucks Express. Attractions: world-class shopping, golf, Historic District, Nimbus Winery Mall, Sacramento Zoo.
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Three Rivers Convention Center7016 West Grandridge Boulevard, Kennewick, WA 99336(509) 737-3700www.threeriversconventioncenter.com Director of Sales: Heather Breymeyer
The Three Rivers Convention Center offers 75,000 sq. ft. of space with a sleek, modern design and a color palette that invokes the natural beauty of the region. The Great Hall offers 21,000 sq. ft. of meeting or exhibit space, divis-ible into four rooms, and accommodates up to 2,100 attendees. Also available are eight breakout rooms and a 14,000-sq.-ft. foyer. The Three Rivers Convention Center is a show-case for leading-edge technology designed to support the telecommunications and audio-visual needs of every event. A state-of-the-art, high-speed network provides wireless voice and data services throughout the facility. There are 700 hotel guestrooms within a half-mile and an attached Spring Hill Suites opening in December 2014.
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OUR CAMPUS Large column-free, air-conditioned exhibit halls ranging from 33,600 to 105,500 sq. ft. and meeting space totaling 375,000 sq. ft.
Building amenities include touch-free restrooms, pre-wired exhibit halls for high-speed Internet and DSL, portable concession stands and ATMs
Outside areas perfect for product demonstrations, automotive, boat and outdoor recreational shows and events
Established and popular location for filming and television productions
Park-like settings, fountains and beautiful landscaping throughout the grounds
Five-eighths mile oval Fairplex Park horse racing track with large, grassy infield ideal for concerts, picnics and festivals, and a 10,000-seat grandstand
Unique barn and horse arenas for horse shows
Historical art gallery and adjoining patio suitable for events and weddings
Historical 40,000-seat Auto Club Raceway and 1,000-ft. drag strip is an excellent location for auto testing, research, filming and driving courses
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum Onsite Sheraton Fairplex Hotel and Fairplex KOA RV Park
Onsite McKinley’s Grille restaurant, Finish Line Sports Grill and Avalon restaurant
Barretts Equine Ltd., site of four prestigious annual national/international equine auctions
Spacious parking for more than 30,000 vehicles
PROXIMITY Just nine miles west of LA/Ontario International Airport
Easy access to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties
Nearby dining, entertainment, theaters, art and recreational destinations
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West / caliFornia
1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Pomona, CA 91768 • (909) 623-3111 • fairplex.com
A hidden gem of Southern California, Fairplex is conveniently centered between the moun-tains, valleys and beaches that define Los Angeles County. The 487-acre campus is ideal
for almost any gathering and is home to more than 300 year-round events facilitating a diverse range of clients. The beautiful historic campus attracts three million visitors annually.
Fairplex shines as one of the most versatile event venues in the region. Indoors and out, in any month of any season, every aspect of the campus is as flexible as it is scenic. Restaurants, a wine pavilion, exposition halls, an urban farm, museums and the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel are just some of the spaces the campus has to offer.
Large column-free exhibit halls are ideal for trade and consumer shows, product demonstra-tions and filming. Each hall is air-conditioned and a historic art gallery and adjoining patio are suitable for a number of events. Picnic Hill, overlooking the entirety of the beautiful property, is also ideal for outdoor gatherings.
The outdoor areas of the campus have been utilized in many ways, from recreational auto shows and sales to a number of festivals including the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits competitions and the world-famous L.A. County Fair. Park-like settings, fountains and beautiful landscaping throughout the grounds ensure a pleasant experience for all guests.
Earlier this year, Fairplex celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Sheraton Fairplex Con-ference Center. Since opening in 2012, the Center has hosted multiple events and companies ranging from Armstrong Garden Center to Cal Spas and an Anheuser-Busch InBev product launch celebration.
The $28 million project was designed with versatility in mind. The 85,000-sq.-ft. space is di-vided into spacious ballrooms, breakout rooms with interactive digital white boards, videocon-ferencing and high-speed WiFi. The facility is IACC certified with Silver LEED certification.
For any event large or small, Fairplex offers a wide variety of dining options ranging from fresh farm-to-table produce grown onsite at McKinley’s Farm to food trucks. Each of its three onsite restaurants offers unique freshly made meals.
Barretts Sales & Racing’s large, grassy infield is ideal for concerts, picnics and festivals. The historic 40,000-seat Auto Club Raceway and 1,000-ft. long drag strip have served as locations for auto testing, research, filming and driving courses.
From music festivals to wrestling tournaments, weddings to business seminars and trade shows to wine tastings, Fairplex offers the best in customer service, event production and customizable space.
They weren’t kidding when they said the possibilities are endless.
Fairplex
FAIRPLEX: A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
128 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
West / oklahoma
123 Park Avenue,Oklahoma City, OK 73102(405) 297-8952visitokc.com
If you’ve never been to Oklahoma City, you may just be surprised by all we have to offer. And if it’s been a few years since your last visit, we know you’ll be amazed by our progress. Over the past two decades, we’ve
transformed our city through more than $5 billion of public and private investment in quality-of-life projects and improvements. We’ve created something special and we can’t wait to show it off.
In the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, the Cox Convention Center boasts more than 150,000 sq. ft. of total meeting space including an impressive 25,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 100,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and additional meeting rooms totaling 27,500 sq. ft. of convention and pre-convene space. The convention center also includes a 15,000-seat arena, making it the perfect venue for convention groups of any size. And the best is yet to come. In 2009, Oklahoma City voters approved funding to build a new $252 million downtown convention center projected to be completed in 2019. The center is slated to include nearly 200,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, a 35,000-sq.-ft. ballroom and 50,000 sq. ft. of additional meeting space.
With 12 hotels and nearly 2,200 rooms within walking distance of the Cox Convention Center, downtown Okla-homa City provides several choices for resting your head. The Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel is connected to the convention center via a second floor sky bridge for easy access. Looking for something with a bit of historic charm? Head two blocks north of the convention center to the historic Skirvin Hilton. This grand hotel opened in 1911 and features original woodwork, flooring and other original architectural details.
For a more unique meeting location, look to Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District located along the Oklahoma River on the southern edge of downtown. The Chesapeake Boathouse offers an event room for meetings as well as teambuilding activities such as dragon boating and kayaking. New to the Boathouse District in 2011, the Devon Boathouse and the Chesapeake Finish Line tower feature event spaces for various-sized groups with stunning views of the Oklahoma River and the downtown Oklahoma City skyline.
Downtown Oklahoma City offers plenty to see and do including the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the Okla-homa City National Memorial & Museum, the Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory and more. Located just steps from the Cox Convention Center, the Bricktown Entertainment District is home to dozens of restaurants ranging from top-of-the-line steakhouses to down home, Oklahoma barbeque. And every-thing is in walking distance from your hotel and the convention center; no busses needed.
With 22 nonstop flights to 19 destinations in the U.S., getting to Oklahoma City is a breeze. The Will Rogers World Airport is conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown. Oklahoma City is located at the crossroads of I-35, I-40 and I-44, making travel quick and easy.
The Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers complete convention servicing and support for groups of any size and can assist in any aspect of meeting planning. An online meeting planner’s guide is available with hard copies available upon request.
So, be amazed at our city’s growth and variety, and make Oklahoma City the destination for your next convention.
For more information, go to www.visitokc.com/meeting-planners
Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau
VISITOKC.COM
NEED THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR BUSINESS THAT’S JUST AS PERFECT FOR PLEASURE?
IN OKLAHOMA CITY, “JUST AROUND THE CORNER” IS NOT JUST AN EXPRESSION.
YOU CAN HOST YOUR MEETING OR CONVENTION JUST STEPS AWAY FROM AN ENTIRE
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. NOW THAT’S AN EASY CHOICE THAT’S HARD TO BEAT.
BUSINESSCASUALBUSINESSCASUALCASUAL
UNI_13-OKC-53_Facilities&Destinations_April-May_Business&Casual.indd 1 2/21/14 9:34 AM
130 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
West / oreGon
777 NE Martin Luther King BoulevardPortland, OR 97232(503) 235-7575oregoncc.org
oregon convention center achieves leeD® platinum certification: The Oregon Convention Center (OCC) is pleased to announce it has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Certified Platinum from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The convention center is only one of two in the United States to hold that distinction and continues what has now become a Portland tradition of achieving the highest levels of sustainable practice. For Portland, the award represents the latest green building milestone in a city that has earned a reputation as one of the most sustainable cities in the country. Indeed, Portland boasts some notable LEED® certi-fied buildings, but rare is one with Platinum status that has more than one million sq. ft. of space and operates 24 hours a day.
ed strong named new general manager for pacificwild catering: OCC welcomes Ed Strong as general manager for pacificwild catering, a premier catering division of ARAMARK Corporation. He will oversee the food & beverage operations at the Metro Visitor Venues, which includes OCC, Portland’5 Center for the Arts and the Portland Expo Center. Ed began his career with ARAMARK 20 years ago at the Binghamton Mets Stadium in upstate New York. He moved to Portland in 1997 and spent seven years working between Portland Expo Center, Civic Stadium and OMSI. He returned to the Expo Center as general manager in 2004, and in 2008 moved into a full-time role as assistant general manager at OCC. Ed has been involved in some exciting special projects during his career that include sup-port management at Woodstock 1994 and Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, and as part of the open management team for Baltimore Ravens Stadium and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium. In 2012, he was recognized by ARAMARK with a Jefferson Award for Outstanding Volunteer work in the community. Ed says that he’s excited at the opportunity to lead the pacificwild team and looks forward to “continuing to bring innovation and creating great guest experiences at all the Metro Visitor Venues.”
oregon convention center and pacificwild catering staff attain top professional designations: OCC and pacific-wild catering wish to congratulate Chef Allan Wambaa on successfully completing the Culinary Institute of America’s ProChef III Certification Program. As the highest level of ProChef Certification, it attests to Chef Wambaa being well versed in a multitude of culinary disciplines and that he demonstrates a keen, strategic application of human resources and financial management. Account manager Raena Mayhew joined an exclusive club within the events industry when she recently received the Certified Meeting Planner designation from the Convention Industry Council. The CMP designation is awarded to those individuals who meet the industry’s highest standards and levels of best practices. Currently, only about 14,000 individuals in 51 countries have earned this special designation since it was established in 1985. Sustainability coordinator Erin Rowland has received the LEED® AP Operations + Mainte-nance (LEED® AP O+M) credential. This credential distinguishes professionals implementing sustainable practices, improving performance, heightening efficiency and reducing environmental impact in existing buildings through enhanced operations and maintenance. It denotes practical knowledge in the LEED® for Existing Buildings: Opera-tions and Maintenance rating system.
new Website project started with completion date in the summer of 2015: The OCC website currently serves as an information source for members of the public inquiring about shows and events at the center, event planners looking for venue information and exhibitors seeking to purchase services. The current structure of the site by these three audiences had been working well but several additions and changes have been identified that will improve user experience and access to information. The new site will have a fresh modern look and present a strong sense of place and connection to the Portland region. Users of the site will be able to find the information they need more easily while being offered connections to the many amenities the venue has to offer.
Oregon Convention Center
131Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
West / arizona
100 North Third Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004(602) 262-6225; (800) 282-4842 • PhoenixConventionCenter.com
Recently named one of the top 10 convention centers in the U.S., the award-winning Phoenix Convention Center is located in the
heart of Downtown Phoenix. The center is within walking distance of major convention hotels, shopping, entertainment, sports and theater venues, has a dedicated stop on the METRO Light Rail line, and is just 15 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport.
Facility features include 900,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibition space as well as Arizona’s largest ballroom — 46,000 sq. ft. with a dedicated street level entrance — plus two multipurpose ballrooms of 28,000 and 45,000 sq. ft. Stacked floor plans accommodate multiple groups simultaneously, and 20 of the 46 convenient loading docks are climate controlled. The facility boasts 99 meeting/breakout rooms, sustainable construction and daily operations, and the LEED-Silver certified West Building.
Understanding the importance of having options in coordinating a convention, meeting or event, our venues accommodate the diverse needs of a thoughtful and unique event plan. The Executive Confer-ence Center features 21,000 sq. ft. of high-end meeting space, a 192-seat lecture hall, a corporate boardroom and 14 additional confer-ence rooms accommodating up to 200 attendees. Symphony Hall is a 2,312-seat concert hall with amazing acoustics and is home to the Phoenix Symphony, The Ballet Arizona and The Arizona Opera. Built in 1929 and recently renovated, the historic Orpheum Theatre pro-vides seating for 1,364 guests and has the unique ability to transform any event into a masterpiece. Complementing your gathering with flavorful and innovative selections, our exclusive catering partner, Aventura, creates an unforgettable culinary experience for your meeting attendees.
Phoenix Convention Center staff and service partners are guest-centered and provide an exceptional experience for clients and visitors. At several points in the center and around downtown, guests will encounter concierge staff, Venue Hosts and Downtown Phoenix Ambassadors who are readily available to answer questions, provide directions or recommend places to go and things to do.
For a whole new angle on meetings and events, book your next event at the Phoenix Convention Center & Venues!
Phoenix Convention Center & Venues
THE CHECKLIST TEST:HAVE YOUR EVERY NEED
ADDRESSED UNDER ONE ROOF.
From the thriving downtown location to nearby hotels
and entertainment to the fl exible space available for
events, the Phoenix Convention Center is often hailed
as the place that covers the needs of meeting planners
everywhere. But, don’t take our word for it. Put us to the
test today to explore everything we have to offer.
The discovery of gold near Sacramento in 1848 started California’s famous “Gold Rush,” bring-
ing thousands of fortune seekers and entrepre-neurs to the area almost overnight. Today, meeting planners discover their own type of gold when they select Sacramento as a meeting destination.
convention center complex: Located in the State Capital of California, the Sacramento Convention Center is just 20 minutes from the Sacramento International Airport, and located in the heart of downtown. The Sacramento Conven-tion Center offers over 134,000 sq. ft. of contigu-
ous exhibit hall space on one floor, and another 61,000 sq. ft. of additional meeting space with 31 meeting rooms on three levels. A 2,400-seat Community Center Theater and 4,000-seat Memorial Auditorium are close by. All three facilities are within walking distance to major downtown hotels, shops, and restaurants. For those driving into town, a Convention Center parking garage is located just two short blocks to the main entrance of the Center.
hotel inventory: Within walking distance of the Convention Center (or a short shuttle ride away) are more than 2,000 rooms and a dozen hotel properties. Only a pedestrian walkway separates the Sheraton Grand and the Hyatt Regency from the entrance to the Center. Several other properties can be found within a few blocks of the Center, including the Marriott Residence Inn at Capitol Park, Holiday Inn at Capitol Park, Best Western Sutter House, Holiday Inn Express, Clarion and Embassy Suites Waterfront.
attractions: With over 600 events and approximately one million visitors annually, we offer something for every-one. Sacramento is strategically located in Northern California — 90 minutes northeast of San Francisco. We offer a wealth of cultural activities, professional sports and a wide range of family attractions. Take time to walk in our city and stroll through Capitol Park. Visit our many shops, relax on a riverboat or water taxi, and don’t forget to experi-ence Old Sacramento where wooden boardwalks, cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages will transport you back in time.
Food & beverage: Award-winning Classique Catering is the celebrated caterer at the Convention Center and man-ages onsite Wolfgang Pucks Express and Starbucks coffeehouse. Classique Catering is a division of Centerplate and pride themselves on excellent service and quality product.
sacramento Convention Center
THIS CAPITAL CITY HAS A CONVENTION CENTER WITH 134,000 Sq. FT. OF EXHIBIT SPACE AND 31 MEETING ROOMS.
“The City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Convention Center offer you the best of both worlds — a diverse city with first-class amenities.”
–Judith a. Goldbar, General manager
TRADESHOWS
fESTivAlS
cORpORATE EvEnTS
7016 W. Grandrige Blvd., Kennewick, WA 99336phone (509) 737-3700 | fax (509) 737-3729email [email protected]
Opening December 2014
Why have your event anywhere else?
Offering an expansive 75,000 square feet of space, the Three Rivers Convention Center is the ideal setting for your next event. Its sleek, modern design and pleasing color palette invoke the natural beauty of the Mid-Columbia region, while its common sense functionality and many high-tech amenities make it endlessly adaptable to any configuration you require.
ExHibiTiOnS
gAlAS
135Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
TRADESHOWS
fESTivAlS
cORpORATE EvEnTS
7016 W. Grandrige Blvd., Kennewick, WA 99336phone (509) 737-3700 | fax (509) 737-3729email [email protected]
Opening December 2014
Why have your event anywhere else?
Offering an expansive 75,000 square feet of space, the Three Rivers Convention Center is the ideal setting for your next event. Its sleek, modern design and pleasing color palette invoke the natural beauty of the Mid-Columbia region, while its common sense functionality and many high-tech amenities make it endlessly adaptable to any configuration you require.
Multi-purpose, newly expanded, fully-equipped venue; 132,000 sq. ft. flexible meeting space; 20,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 65,000+ sq. ft. exhibit space, five foyer areas, 27 breakout rooms. Terrace View Room is elegant fifth-floor rooftop room with private balcony; Olde Scotch Room is a multi-level room with built-in bar and hardwood floor. Full-service electronic infrastructure supports high-speed Internet, telecommunications and elaborate audio-visual displays, with full video-conferencing capabilities, satellite downlink, fiber-optic services; directly connected to 1,100+ hotel rooms; 11,000 hotel rooms citywide. Calgary offers vibrant shopping, dining and entertain-ment; spectacular hiking and skiing in Canadian Rockies.
alberta, canada
The International Centre6900 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4V 1E8(905) 677-6131; (800) 567-1199internationalcentre.comSales Manager, Trade & Consumer Shows: Sandra Martin There’s something happening hereFor over 40 years The International Centre has been home to many of Canada’s largest and most popular events. With 548,000 sq. ft. of versatile exhibit and conference space, the Centre offers an upscale atmosphere, an exceptional culinary experience and a team of dedicated and knowledgeable professionals to ensure the success of your next event. The largest exhibit hall is 125,500 sq. ft. and the largest ballroom is 17,068 sq. ft. A total of 63,500 sq. ft. of meeting space includes 26 meeting rooms. Located three minutes from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, The International Centre is surrounded by more than 10,000 hotel rooms and a variety of great restaurants and attractions.
ontario, canada
Ottawa Convention Centre55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9J2(613) 563-1984; (800) 450-0077www.ottawaconventioncentre.comSenior Vice-President, Sales and Client Service: Paul Keogh Canada’s Meeting PlaceOpened in April 2011, the Ottawa Convention Centre (OCC) is centrally located in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada’s Capital and within walking distance of more than 6,000 down-town hotel rooms, numerous attractions and the ByWard Market. The OCC is directly linked to the Westin Ottawa Hotel and the 180-store Rideau Centre shopping complex. In January the facility received LEED® Gold certification. The OCC offers 192,000 sq. ft. of function space including a 55,741-sq.-ft. multipurpose hall accommodating 6,260 theater style, 4,600 banquet style and up to 400 10 ft.-by-10 ft. booths displays; 22,032 sq. ft. of pre-function space; 28 meeting rooms; and a 19,032-sq.-ft. ballroom.
ontario, canada
Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino200 Convention Boulevard, San Juan, PR 00907(787) 993-3500; (800) 325-3535; Fax: (787) 993-3525www.sheraton.com/puertoricoconventioncenter
Director of Sales & Marketing: Jeremy MarquardtYou don’t just stay here. You belongPlan your event in paradise. Recently opened, superbly situated amidst the Puerto Rico Convention Center District facing the Bay of San Juan, the Sheraton is a truly remarkable landmark, just 10 minutes from international airport. Meeting space: 35,000 sq. ft., nine breakout rooms; 16,290-sq.-ft. ballroom; 1,480 theater seats. Adjacent to Puerto Rico Convention Center. Event staff and onsite catering team. 503 guestrooms. 16 gaming tables, 500 of the latest slot machines, exceptional entertainment options. Numerous dining, shopping and nightlife venues.
Puerto rico
Montego Bay Convention CentreRose Hall, 18 Queens DriveMontego Bay, St. James, Jamaica, West Indies(876) 622-9330; Fax: (876) 622-9360www.mobaycentre.comSenior Sales and Marketing Manager: Michelle Parkes A World Class Convention Centre in the Heart of JamaicaA beautiful, lively island, Montego Bay offers a memorable experience for meeting attendees; excellent hotels, inns and guest houses; and great golf, music and a vibrant culture. With an oceanfront location and breathtaking views, the state-of-the-art Montego Bay Convention Centre features 132,000 sq. ft. of meeting, exhibition, ballroom, and plenary space, including: 56,788 sq. ft. of dedicated exhibition space; 18,845-sq.-ft. ballroom; nine meeting rooms; 6,000-seat theater; a large, full-service kitchen within the facility; and 4,000 nearby hotel rooms.
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Meet Puerto RicoOchoa Building, 500 Tanca St., Suite 402, San Juan, PR 00901 (800) 875-4765; Fax: (787) 725-2133www.meetpuertorico.com Vice President of Business Development and Sales: Joyce Martínez
Puerto Rico offers 1.2 million sq. ft. of state-of-the-art conference facilities, breathtaking natural attractions, championship golfing, resort spas and sizzling nightlife and casinos. The experts at Meet Puerto Rico, MPR, have liaisons to more than 250 members and can arrange luxury group accommodations and itineraries, gather proposals, coordinate site inspections and more. Recent/upcoming hotel openings include the Hyatt House San Juan, Courtyard by Marriott, Hyatt Place Manati and The Hyatt Bayamón & El Tropical Casino. The $29 million Paseo Puerta de Tierra project, a boardwalk linking historic Old San Juan with other popular tourism areas, is expected to open in late 2015.
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Puerto Rico Convention Center100 Convention Boulevard San Juan, PR (800) 875-4765; (773) 654-1758; Fax: (787) 725-2133www.prconvention.com National Sales Director: Rosa M. Luke The Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport is just 13 minutes from the Puerto Rico Convention Center, which is surrounded by 1,887 guestrooms within a three-mile radius, and the attractions of Old San Juan. PRCC features 600,000 sq. ft. of total space and can accommodate groups of up to 10,000. Signature wave-like roofline and a 13-story glass curtain offer spectacular views of the San Juan Bay and area beaches. Offers 152,700 sq. ft. of exhibition space, a 39,500-sq.-ft. ballroom, and 36,200 sq. ft. of additional meeting space, including 15 separate meeting rooms on two levels, divisible into 28 breakout rooms. The PRCC has unveiled a new solar energy array that is one of the largest green initiatives of its kind on the island.
Puerto rico
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caribbean / Jamaica
Half Moon P.O. Box #4058 Rose Hall, St. James, Jamaica (876) 622-9330www.mobaycentre.com
hosting meetings in Jamaica
The Montego Bay Convention Centre has provided another unique selling point for the destination of Jamaica, and is the perfect backdrop for any conference. Jamaica has embarked on its quest to
become the leading conference destination in the Caribbean.
According to Dittie F. Guise, General Manager, Montego Bay Convention Centre, “We are pleased that Jamaica is proving to become a leading MICE destination in the region. We shall certainly con-tinue to work closely with our various industry partners to further enhance the country’s status and reputation as a business tourism destination to reckon with on the global stage. In fact, the Montego Bay Convention Centre has already copped the award as the Caribbean’s Leading Conference and Meeting Facility for the last three years consecutively from the World Travel Awards, so we are on course.”
Montego Bay Convention Centre is ideally located in the elegant Rose Hall resort area. The Conven-tion Centre is in proximity to five major hotels and is a short 15-minute ride from Montego Bay’s world-class Sangster International Airport. With over 350 flights weekly into Montego Bay, including over 90 from non-stop markets, Jamaica is more accessible to visitors than any other Caribbean island.
Montego Bay’s attractive setting, good weather and range of value-for-money to luxury accommoda-tion distinguish it from competing Caribbean islands. In recent years new properties have added significantly to the area’s room inventory and choice of accommodations, further enhancing the area’s capabilities to service large gatherings and conventions.
With sports being an increasingly important complementary activity for MICE market, Montego Bay’s five championship golf courses offer another appealing feature. The city is rated as the Caribbean’s Best Golf Resort and the Rose Hall area’s three championship courses — White Witch, Cinnamon Hill and Half Moon — are situated within a one-mile radius of the Convention Centre and the main hotels. And with a vast amount of teambuilding adventures and countless unique backdrops, the stage is set for many unforgettable events.
In addition to exhibitions, the Montego Bay Convention Centre allow for simultaneous general ses-sions as well as breakout sessions for large groups. Catering to corporate entities, associations and faith-based organizations that hold retreats, workforce gatherings, large meetings, exhibitions and tradeshows using short breaks in holiday destinations, the modern Convention Centre provides space for more than 7,600 attendees in its Banquet Hall, meeting rooms and dedicated exhibition space.
While the Banquet Hall will accommodate up to 2,000 attendees on 18,000 sq. ft. of floor space, divisible into three sections, the meeting rooms will house up to 600 attendees on 9,000 sq. ft., divisible into nine breakout rooms. Additionally, the 57,000-sq.-ft. exhibition space will accommodate 5,000 attendees theater-style, divisible into two halls.
Montego Bay Convention Centre
Why not give your delegates and attendees a new Caribbean experience - they will love you for it. Voted as the Caribbean’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre since 2011, you can expect to be connected with all that will make your event complete and perfect.
Montego Bay Convention Centre, the first of its kind in the English speaking Caribbean is over 142,000 square feet or 13,220 m² of flexible meeting space. The Centre boasts an exhibit space that is divisible into two halls hosting up to 6,000 persons theatre style; a ballroom of nearly 19,000 sq. ft. ; a meeting centre with 9 breakout rooms - all smacked in the middle of over 4,500 affordable hotel rooms along the elegant corridor of Rose Hall.
Meet At The Caribbeanʼs Leading Meetings & Conference Centre
For more information | www.mobaycentre.comMontego Bay Convention Centre | Half Moon P.O. Box #4058, Rose Hall, St. James, JAMAICA | [email protected] | (876) 622 9330
facebook.com/mobaycentre
twitter.com/mobaycentre
Why not give your delegates and attendees a new Caribbean experience - they will love you for it. Voted as the Caribbean’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre since 2011, you can expect to be connected with all that will make your event complete and perfect.
Montego Bay Convention Centre, the first of its kind in the English speaking Caribbean is over 142,000 square feet or 13,220 m² of flexible meeting space. The Centre boasts an exhibit space that is divisible into two halls hosting up to 6,000 persons theatre style; a ballroom of nearly 19,000 sq. ft. ; a meeting centre with 9 breakout rooms - all smacked in the middle of over 4,500 affordable hotel rooms along the elegant corridor of Rose Hall.
Meet At The Caribbeanʼs Leading Meetings & Conference Centre
For more information | www.mobaycentre.comMontego Bay Convention Centre | Half Moon P.O. Box #4058, Rose Hall, St. James, JAMAICA | [email protected] | (876) 622 9330
facebook.com/mobaycentre
twitter.com/mobaycentre
138 Facilities & Destinations 2014 superbook
on location
A convenient island getaway for incentive groupsBy Debi Lander
St. CroixSt. Croix
Sailing off the coast of St. Croix ranks as a day in paradise. Below from left: Christiansted National Historic Site; St. Croix’s pristine, uncrowded beaches; and a private home on a private island.
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St. Croix, largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, enchants visitors with rolling landscapes that
range from dense rainforest, to arid, cactus-covered regions, to soft, sandy beaches. Easterly trade winds help maintain low humidity. Balmy temperatures average at 82 degrees, with winter lows of 75 and summer highs in the 90s.
Since the day Christopher Columbus first arrived on St. Croix more than 500 years ago, sugar and rum have shaped the island’s life and land. Ruins of more than 100 sugar mills and great houses remain strewn over the island. As the sugar industry declined after the 1960s, tourism became the most important industry. St. Croix’s outstanding features include uncrowded, talcum-powder beaches, aquarium-clear turquoise water brimming with tropical fish, tangy fresh Caribbean cuisine and views that even the most seen-it-all, unimpressionable incentive travelers will find mesmerizing.
St. Croix offers certain conveniences for meeting planners: American citizens do not need a passport. U.S. residents need only bring a photo ID and birth certificate (with a raised seal) to get through customs. Plus, the U.S. dollar works as currency. At the same time, St. Croix feels like an international destination with distinctive culture, history and vehicles that are driven on the left hand (British) side of the road.
Attendees can fly through Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta or San Juan and connect to a direct flight to St. Croix. Many more airlines fly into St. Thomas, a neighboring island, with connections via small plane or ferry. Planners can arrange for airport arrivals awaiting baggage to be entertained by quelbe and quadrille dancers. These native folk musicians and dancers perform to lively acoustic sounds guaranteed to make your body sway.
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or balcony sitting area. Adding to the overall luxe mood, gorgeous marble bathrooms come with divided spaces and feature whirlpool tubs.
Meeting Facilities: The Beach Meeting Room offers seating for 80 theater style or 50 classroom style. The space can be completely darkened, contains no obstructive pillars and is air conditioned.
The Terrace is a covered, 140-seat open-air space, and the adjacent Brass Parrot offers spectacular views. The latter is ideal for meetings requiring full meal service with in-side seating for 100, and room for 60 more on the balcony.
The Mermaid (the beach bar/restau-rant) is also an open-air waterfront location that seats up to 125 for casual
functions. An outdoor Grotto, perfect for cocktails, offers poolside and beachfront areas with informal seat-ing arrangements for up to 60 people.
The reconstructed Sugar Mill, on the top of the hill, takes groups back in time with a historical ambiance. Meeting planners should consider this space for small
LODGINGTwo beach resorts on the island, The Buccaneer and the Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort, are out-standing choices for groups.
The BuccaneerThe Buccaneer rests on 340 acres, two miles from Christiansted. The Armstrong family, currently in its ninth generation, has managed the land for nearly 300 years. With an onsite 18-hole, par-70 seaside golf course, the complex feels like a country club at the higher eleva-tions but bestows serene ocean views at the water’s edge. The property comprises three sandy beaches, eight lighted tennis courts, water sports center, fitness center, full-service spa and salon, boutique shops and four restaurants. The hotel offers 138 guestrooms scattered around the sprawling grounds. All guestrooms incorporate a terrace or balcony and small refrigerator. The newest luxury rooms, the Beachside Doubloons, are very spa-cious, open and elegant. They are situated just steps from the beach, and each room has a secluded patio
The reconstructed hill-top Sugar Mill at The Buccaneer hotel takes groups back in time with a historical ambiance.
The Buccaneer resort rests on a hilltop with majestic views of theCaribbean Sea.
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group dinners or cocktail parties. The surrounding lawn offers dramatic ocean vistas.
The Buccaneer received national attention as the host location for ABC’s The Bachelor in 2011. Every Mon-day guests are invited to meet the owner, Elizabeth Armstrong, at a Manager’s Reception featuring Mocko Jumbies (St. Croix’s historically accu-rate costumed stilt performers), steel pan music and rum punch.
The Renaissance Carambola Beach ResortThe Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort and Spa is a Marriott-owned property on Estate Davis Bay near Frederiksted. The 26 buildings are tucked within a lush tropical moun-tain forest, giving the resort a se-cluded feel. Some units sit at the edge of a white-sand beach. Snorkelers who venture out just a little further find the famed “wall,” a drop-off teeming with marine life. At night a riotous tree frog symphony serenades guests.
The Carambola’s 18-hole golf course is located about 10 minutes from the resort. It was designed by
legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones and has served as the site of many LPGA tourna-ments. An onsite dive shop offers scuba lessons and snorkeling packages. The full-service spa and salon tempts guests with massages, facials, mani-cures, pedicures, hair styling and body treatments. There’s also a 24/7 fitness center, tennis and basket-
ball courts, and an especially well-stocked gift shop.
All guestrooms are furnished in the “Classic Caribbean Style” with plenty of dark wood, pineapple accents and island art. Rooms include a sitting area, plus private screened-in porch with cushioned seating, refrigerator, and free WiFi. Some rooms feature a fully stocked kitchen and vaulted ceilings.
Meeting Facilities: The resort offers 12,670 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including eight meeting rooms and the terrace and poolside areas. The indoor meeting spaces provide flexible arrange-ments within 8,000 sq. ft. Onsite audiovisual equip-ment includes microphones, Polycom speaker phones, LCD projectors, television monitors, DVD player,
Lounging by the pool is just one way to relax at the Renaissance Carambola Beach Resort.
Guestrooms are furnished in the “Classic Caribbean Style” with dark wood, pineapple accents and island art.
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John F. Kennedy and greatly expanded in 2001 by Bill Clinton, over the bitter opposition of local fisher-men. While the waters off St. Croix are renowned for world-class fishing, a catamaran and snorkel tour to Buck Island may be the quintessential St. Croix expe-
rience. Buck Island Reef National Monument, an uninhabited island about a mile and a half north of St. Croix, spans 19,000 acres but only 176 acres lie above ground. Snorkel-ing and scuba diving are legendary due to the deep grottoes and the wa-ter’s crystal-clear visibility. Accord-ing to the boat captain, “Buck Island is one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean.” The surround-ing coral reef ecosystem supports a
large variety of native flora and fauna, including 250 species of colorful fish, leatherback and hawksbill turtles, and brown pelicans.
The catamaran outing moors near Buck Island in about 12-15 feet of water and participants jump in for a guided tour led by one of the crewmembers. Everyone wears brightly colored flotation vests for safety (you don’t have to inflate them unless needed), but these are a requirement of the park service. Swimmers have up to an hour and a half to explore the land or snorkel near the reef. First-timers should not miss the famous
VCR, portable screens, slide projector, and overhead projector.
The Palm Tree Terrace offers a poolside venue that can accommodate 10 to 200 guests. The boardroom mea-sures 23 ft. by 22 ft. and the table seats 16. The Tamarind room accommodates 50 for cocktails or 40 theater style. Elegant small group dinners can be held in a beachside hut with tiki torch lighting and music provided by the lapping waves on the shore.
ISLAND GROUP ACTIVITIESFor starters, attendees can enjoy walking tours of Christiansted and Frederiksted, the two main cities on St. Croix. Christiansted is the larger of the two and features a picturesque wharf, while Frederiksted, planned in the 1750s by a Danish surveyor, has an excellent deep-sea harbor where cruise ships dock. Many talented artists reside in these towns, displaying their jewelry and arts and crafts. The famed Crucian hook bracelet is fre-quently designed with Larimer, a rare Caribbean gem.
US National ParksBuck Island Catamaran Tours. Buck Island was proclaimed a U.S. National Monument in 1961 by
Uninhabited Buck Island is a favorite snorkeling and scuba spot with great visibility.
Many talented artists reside in Christiansted and Frederiksted, displaying their wares, including the famed Crucian hook bracelet.
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underwater trail that lies at the easternmost point of the reef — one of only three underwater trails in the United States. Afterward, the boat sails to a private beach on St. Croix for a barbeque lunch.
Fort Christiansted. Visitors are often surprised to find a U.S. national park ranger on St. Croix because they forget the islands are U.S. territories. Chris-tiansted National Historic Site was established in 1952 to preserve and interpret the Danish economy and island lifestyles between 1733 and 1917. The seven-acre urban park consists of five structures at the edge of the waterfront: the main Fort, the Danish West India Warehouse, the Steeple Building, Danish Custom House and the Scale House. Tours by park rangers cover the drama and diversity (including the slave trade and sugar cane/rum production) of life during Danish control. Visitors stroll through the Fort and see soldiers’ quarters, detention cells, a dungeon and ammunition storage. The upper-level lookout yields fabulous views, and the entire experience makes for a memorable group outing.
Rum Factory ToursCruzan Rum. This distillery was founded on St. Croix in 1934, after the repeal of Prohibition. Throughout Danish rule, many large sugar estates had their own stills and made their own rum, but assigning a distinctive name
(or brand) for marketing rum was unknown until the 20th Century. Crucian (or Cruzan) rum was originally only a generic reference to the rums distilled on St. Croix. The family-owned company, Cruzan Rum, grew exponentially and in 2008 was acquired by Beam Brands. Although still distilled on island, the rum is now bottled in Florida.
The distillery tour at the Cruzan factory involves stair climbing and stepping on a catwalk. Afterward, Cruzan invites participants to taste the drink and follow the prevailing philosophy of the “Don’t Hurry” island: a place where the pastime is to pass time.
The Captain Morgan Rum Distillery and Visitor Center. Opened on St. Croix in January 2011, the $5 mil-lion center takes about an hour to tour and features a movie theater showing an introductory film, self-guided tour on the history of the rum industry, a tasting bar
and a gift shop for picking up your pirate swag. Plus, your group will get a guided tram tour of the distillery. The tour guides claim the distillery currently produces 20 million gallons per year, but the rum is not bottled
Historic Fort Christiansted as seen from a catamaran tour.
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Morgan TomlinsonProgram CoordinatorMasterplan, Inc.
Based in LaGrange Highlands, IL, Masterplan is a global meet-ing and event management company that coordinated an incentive program in St. Croix for a major U.S.-based alco-holic beverage company that owns a distillery on the island. Two separate waves of about 50 attendees each arrived last February at the Renaissance
Carambola Beach Resort. Morgan Tomlinson, Masterplan’s coordinator for the event, observes, “We’re starting to see incentive groups come back in a big way this year, so we’re doing more busi-ness in the Caribbean than usual.”
What do you find advantageous about planning incentives in the Caribbean? Attendees don’t need to have their passports with them, so it makes travelling a little bit easier. It’s also nice to have the accessibility from all different parts of the continental U.S.; many at-tendees can connect through Miami or Atlanta. And yet the destination really has that island ambiance so you feel like you’re somewhere new, somewhere special.
How would you evaluate the Renaissance Caram-bola Beach Resort as a host for corporate groups?I went on a site visit to St. Croix with a tourism group, and we saw several of the hotels. I would definitely say the Renaissance is one of the best fits for groups. The guestrooms all have great views; even the garden-view rooms have somewhat of an ocean view. The property has the largest amount of meeting space, and it’s very nice to have dinner functions on property and on the beach. And the hotel staff really did a great job of making my group feel important; they were all very attentive to detail.
What was the entertainment highlight of the program?We did one of our dinners at the Palm Tree Terrace and one on the beach. The group enjoyed local enter-tainment, including fire dancers and moko jumbies — stilts walkers who are part of the culture of St. Croix.
What advice would you give a planner bringing a program to the Caribbean for the first time?I would definitely recommend that a planner experi-ence the destination on a site visit first; it makes the planning process much more streamlined. Pre-planning is important, since things in the Caribbean always move a little slower than some city people are used to. It’s just the laidback island culture, which is great and it’s what you want when you’re going to a destination like that. But for planning purposes it’s something to keep in mind. —GS
on St. Croix. The product is finished elsewhere due to high shipping and bottling costs.
CasinoCasino nights can be arranged at Divi Carina Bay Casino, the only casino on the island with gaming tables, video poker, slot machines and musical enter-tainment.
Dinner at Estate Whim MuseumHistory comes alive when attendees tour among the original early-18th century plantation buildings at the 12-acre Estate Whim Museum. The authentic Danish
The Estate Whim Great House
Planners can arrange a memorable candlelight dinner in the Estate Whim great house as a special treat for attendees.
sugar estate dating from the 1700s offers a glimpse into the days when sugar was king and rum ruled. Costumed guides lead tours of the elegantly furnished great house. Sugar factory ruins, a fully restored windmill and tropical gardens can also be explored.
Planners can arrange a memorable candlelight din-ner in the Estate Whim great house as a special treat for attendees. Chandeliers are lit with real candles, creating rosy-hued ambiance cooled by open-air evening breezes.
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NortheastAtlantic City CVA ...........................................15Connecticut Convention Center ............ 67David L. Lawrence Convention Center .81The Javits Center ............................................ 3MassMutual Center ......................................36Meadowlands Exposition Center............85Philadelphia CVB .........................................C2Providence Warwick CVB .......................... 77Rhode Island Convention Center ...........63Rochester Riverside Convention Center ..87Wildwoods Convention Center ................19
Mid-AtlanticChesapeake Conference Center ............29Visit Norfolk ....................................................... 6Ocean City CVB .............................................91Greater Richmond Convention Center .......................................38Virginia Beach CVB .......................................31
SoutheastBirmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex ............................................................95The Classic Center .......................................45Durham Convention Center .....................38Georgia World Congress Center ............ 10Miami Beach Convention Center ...........35Mobile Convention Center .......................97New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center .......................................65Orange County Convention Center ......................................101Owensboro Convention Center .............34Palm Beach County Convention Center .......................................37Visit Savannah ............................................... 103Sun Life Stadium ............................................23Vicksburg Convention Center ................105Wilmington Convention Center ..............25
MidwestAkron/Summit CVB ...................................... 73Bridge View Center .................................... 107Century Center ............................................109Clay County Events Center .....................110Greater Columbus Convention Center ........................................13The Conference Center at United Wireless Arena ................................112Greater Des Moines CVB ...........................21Indiana Convention Center ...................... 115Kansas City Convention Facilities ......... 116Little Rock CVB .............................................. 27Monona Terrace Convention Center ... 118RiverCenter .................................................... 119The Sanford Center .......................................41St. Charles Convention Center ...............38Swiftel Center ..................................................71Wisconsin Center .........................................C4
WestAnaheim/Orange County VCB .................. 7Austin Convention Center .........................69Colorado Springs CVB ...............................C3Cox Convention Center ............................125Fairplex ................................................................11Oklahoma City CVB ................................... 129Oregon Convention Center ....................... 17Palm Springs Convention Center ........... 75Phoenix Convention Center .................... 131Sacramento Convention Center ........... 133Three Rivers Convention Center .......... 134
CaribbeanMeet Puerto Rico ........................................ 4-5Montego Bay Convention Centre..........137
Aruba is small, just 19.6 miles long and six miles across, assuring ease of transpor-tation. While Dutch is the official language, Eng-lish and Spanish are widely spoken. Papiamento, the local language, mixes Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English and African dialects. The Aruban florin is the official currency, but the American dollar can be used everywhere. First impressions often come from the fofoti trees near the airport, the unofficial island mascots. Constant trade winds sculpt the trees into grace-ful, southwesterly bending forms.
A prime lodging choice for meeting groups visit-ing Aruba is the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort
Travelers arriving in Queen Beatrix Inter-national Airport in Oranjestad will have their passports stamped: Bon Bini! Welcome to Aruba – One Happy Island. That slogan reflects the mindset of the Caribbean isle. On Aruba, visi-tors are warmly received, encouraged to relax on white-sand beaches, laze in 80-degree tempera-tures and meet some of the friendliest people in the world. The same experience awaits incentive groups bound for the island, which lies 15 miles north of Venezuela in the tropical waters of the southern Caribbean. The location — just below the hurricane belt — makes the climate dry and eliminates the chance that major storms will disrupt plans.
Planning Incentives Is a Breeze in
Aruba By Debi Lander
on location
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Spa and Casino on Palm Beach — the most highly sought-after address. Here, attendees can stroll two miles of bricked promenades between the sprawling sandy shores and other high-rise hotels. Palm Beach is the ideal spot for sunbath-ing, sunset cocktails or dinner. Afterward, the 12,500-sq.-ft. Hyatt Casino provides exciting eve-ning entertainment.
The Aruba Hyatt staff know how to pamper groups, large or small. In fact, many of the em-ployees have been with the resort over 15 years. Upon arrival, guests are greeted and ushered into the open-air lobby, which seamlessly blends into
the surrounding 12-acre tropical gardens. The resort offers 357 rooms including 24 suites, all with colorful Caribbean accents. The Regency Club floor houses 29 rooms with concierge service and complimentary continental breakfast, evening cocktails and hors d’oeurves. Most rooms contain step-out balconies for admiring the landscape, and all come with graciously appointed bathrooms.
The lush multilevel grounds span fish-filled streams and walkways. Attendees can plunge into family or adults-only pools, or frolic in one that includes an adventurous water slide. The private beach becomes the place to unplug from har-
The Hyatt Regency Aruba’s lush grounds include multiple pools and an expansive beach for R&R.
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tion efforts with the opening of its newly renovated ballroom in October. The 5,300-sq.-ft. Regency Ballroom can accommodate 400 people for a banquet, 450 classroom style, 600 theater style and 650 for a reception. A 3,900-sq.-ft. redwood deck and tent accommodates up to 200 attendees, pro-viding alternative meeting space with an authentic Aruban vibe. Meeting rooms offer individual con-trols for AC, sound, music and microphones.
Spa and SportsAdditionally, Hyatt Regency Aruba offers the 5,200-sq.-ft. ZoiA Spa, opened in 2012. “ZoiA” is a word in the local language, Papiamento, meaning balance and poise. Expert hands and the use of Aruba-inspired, all-natural oils and moisturizers, including Aruba’s homegrown aloe, make for a memorable experience. All treatments are based on four key Caribbean elements — sun, sand, sea and love — and the colors of the Aruban flag — yellow, white, blue, and red.
Incentive participants may also enjoy the Hyatt ten-nis courts, and a championship golf course at near-by Tierra del Sol and Links at Divi. In addition,
ried schedules on chaise lounges, with optional food and beverage service. Onsite dining venues include Ruinas del Mar restaurant, which is great for breakfast, either buffet or off the menu; the outdoor Palms Bar & Grill, the best island spot to sip a Caribbean cocktail and feel sea breezes; and Mexicado, the first authentic Mexican restaurant on the island serving table-side guacamole, multi-ple types of ceviche, traditional and contemporary Mexican dishes, and a broad tequila selection. At Footprints Beach Grill, attendees can enjoy an al fresco dinner under individual huts with their feet in the sand, while chefs grill lobster, shrimp, steak and chicken just steps away on the beach. Each palapa seats four to six people for an intimate, cozy setting, while tiki-torches add a warm glow; the large beach palapa can be reserved for group din-ners and provides a similar ambiance.
Meeting RoomsThe Hyatt offers nine separate meeting rooms and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including open-air courtyards and covered pre-function areas. In 2013, the hotel marked the completion of its multi-year revitaliza-
Dinner cruises aboard a 53-ft. racing catamaran can also be arranged; a fun outing on the “big cat” is guaranteed when rum punch flows and the steel pan beats.
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Red Sail Sports, a full-service dive and water sports facility located steps from the Hyatt beach, offers snorkeling, paddleboats, ocean kayaking, waterskiing, deep-sea fishing excursions for groups, and more. Dinner cruises aboard a 53-ft. racing catamaran can also be arranged; a fun out-ing on the “big cat” is guaranteed when rum punch flows and the steel pan beats.
Island ActivitiesA Jeep or ATV tour along the northeast coast or windward shore showcases a totally different side of Aruba. The tour passes through arid hills, immense cactus fields and some of Aruba’s most striking views of the ocean crashing against the rugged shoreline. The safari tour stops amid sandy dunes at the California Lighthouse, although the structure is no longer safe to climb. Then, it continues to bump along the rutty coastal road, passing a magnificent golf course as well as tiny fishermen
shacks scattered by the sea. Jeeps also stop by the lovely Alto Vista chapel, built by Span-ish missionaries, and stone ruins of the old Burhiribana gold mines.
My tour drove on to the once famous, coral lime-stone Natural Bridge, which collapsed in 2005. Parts of the natural wonder still remain and the views are photo worthy. Next we visited the Natu-ral Pool, a circle of rocks and volcanic stone full of colorful sea life. Here, participants will have the option to take a dip. We finished the outing with a climb of the Casibari Rock formations. Apart from these fascinating tours, planners can arrange for groups to visit the Aloe Museum and Factory, and the Butterfly Farm.
Leaving the island is now a breeze, thanks to a new state-of-the-art building for U.S.-only depar-tures, built by U.S. Customs in 2000. Many flights pre-clear U.S. immigration and customs in Aruba, a boon for those traveling to the States.
For additional information, visit www.aruba.com or www.aruba.hyatt.com.
A 3,900-sq.-ft. redwood deck and tent accommodates up to 200 attendees, providing alternative meeting space with an authentic Aruban vibe.
Gusts and powerful surf create picturesque memories on Aruba’s rugged northeastern shore.
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with numerous hotel and convention center projects in many of their beloved cities and cantons.
GENEVAWhile Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city and its financial hub, Geneva, the second largest, has the distinction of being a hub of interna-tional politics. The UN European headquarters is located here, as is the Palais Wilson, head-quarters of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Culture is also a focus of the city, which is home to 100 cultural associations and has Switzerland’s largest budget for culture. Groups can explore dozens of museums and stroll through Old Town, the country’s biggest historical city and
With the reliability of a fine timepiece, the picturesque country of Switzerland draws travelers from America year after
year. That visitation is on the upswing as of late, with overnights by U.S. residents in 2013 at more than 1.5 million, a 4 percent increase over 2012. Switzerland’s virtues are as evident to the tourist as they are to the meeting attendee, who can enjoy everything from mountaineering to museum tours after business is concluded at a five-star hotel or high-tech conference center. Indeed, the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau reports that the number of MICE groups visiting the country in 2013 saw no decline from 2012. At the same time, the Swiss have been busy improving their meetings infrastructure
Taking meeting groups to Alpine heightsBy George Seli
Switzerland
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the site of St. Peter’s Cathedral, the center of the Reformation movement. The Flower Clock, near the lake, symbolizes the city’s tradition of fine watchmaking and dedication to nature.
Geneva’s many cultural experiences can be complemented with gastronomical ones: The city boasts 1,200 restaurants, including 55 gourmet establishments (eight starred by the Michelin Guide) and 140 exotic food restaurants representing 30 nationalities. The city is also known for its chocolate and wine, with 30 master chocolatiers and 1,400 hectares of vineyards. The Beau-Rivage Geneva, built in 1865, has one of the country’s largest wine cellars, and is among the city’s 15 five-star hotels.
The Crowne Plaza Geneva renovated its 368 guestrooms last year and added two extra floors with 60 new, bigger Club Rooms and a private function room. The hotel offers over 10,700 sq. ft. of function space. The 164-room Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, located on bank of River Rhone, is introducing a new spa and swim-ming pool this year. The Mandarin’s 10 meeting spaces total 2,852 sq. ft. Also of note, the Geneva Convention Bureau, together with some of the city’s major conference hotels, have set up a Green Daily Delegate Rate that includes a donation of 1 CHF per delegate to the Associa-tion pour la Sauvegarde du Léman (Lake Geneva Conservation Society). Following are the participating hotels: the 398-room Grand Hôtel Kempinski Geneva (features an over 7,100-sq.-
On the shore of Lake Geneva lies Chillon Castle, one of Switzerland’s most visited sites and a unique choice for banquets and receptions.
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site; the Kuklos at Leysin, a revolving restaurant powered by solar energy, offering panoramic views of Lake Geneva and the mountains; the
famed Restaurant Hôtel de Ville in Crissier; and cruises on the lake aboard ships such as La Liberté, a replica of a wooden 17th-century galley powered by oars and sails. The canton of Vaud is also home to eight five-star hotels: the Lausanne Palace & Spa, the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, the Royal Plaza in Montreux, the Mirador
Kempinski in Mont-Pèlerin, the Trois Couronnes in Vevey, the Grand Hôtel du Lac in Vevey and the Chalet RoyAlp Hotel & Spa in Villars.
Lausanne, the capital of the canton of Vaud, offers a prime offsite event venue for meeting groups: the Olympic Museum. Reopened last December after a complete renovation, the venue features The Olympic Room, with natural lighting and a capacity of 50 attendees; the Auditorium, with a
ft. ballroom); the 350-room Mövenpick Hotel & Casino Geneva (19 meeting rooms with nearly 13,500 sq. ft.); the 206-room Hôtel Novotel Geneva Centre (five meeting rooms, the largest at 3,200 sq. ft.); the 154-room Hôtel Ramada Encore Geneva (4,300-sq.-ft. Conference Center and a nearly 13,500-sq.-ft. Events Center); and the 167-room Hotel Warwick Geneva (seven meeting rooms, the largest over 2,600 sq. ft.).
CANTON OF VAUDA rapid rail network connects Geneva to other cities in Europe and within Switzerland, including those in the surrounding Lake Geneva Region, which encompasses the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais. The canton of Vaud, in the heart of the region, is one of the largest of Switzerland’s 26 cantons. Nearly 100 castles (14 of which are open to the public) and more than 80 museums are found here. Other attractions include the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
The Beau-Rivage Geneva, built in 1865, has one of the country’s largest wine cellars, and is among the city’s 15 five-star hotels.
(Above): Heart of Old Town, Geneva(Right): The striking exterior of the new SwissTech Convention Center
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capacity of 175; The Galerie, an exhibition area, with a capacity of 200; Club Coubertin, a modular reception room; and a second-floor terrace with a capacity of 80 people. Lausanne also welcomes groups with two fine convention centers: the Swiss Tech Convention Center and the Beaulieu Lausanne Convention & Exhibition Centre. The former facility recently opened on the campus of the Institute of Technology (EPFL). It houses a 3,000-seat auditorium and over 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space with natural lighting. The Swiss Tech Conven-tion Center is also the first fully automated convention center in Europe, and can be converted at the push of a button to accommodate a particular event. Three thousand hotel rooms are in the vicinity. Through 2020, the Beaulieu Lausanne Convention & Exhibition Centre is undergoing a renovation and expan-sion, including an accompanying hotel project, “Taoua Tower”; by 2016 the north halls should be fully renovated. Located a short walk from the city
center, Beaulieu Lausanne is a vast complex of over 500,000 sq. ft. featuring 33 meeting rooms, a theater and a 64,500-sq.-ft. roof covered with local vegetal plants. Also renovating through 2015 is the 196-room Hotel Royal Savoy, which offers 10 meeting rooms.
East of Lausanne is Montreux, famous for its Montreux Jazz Festival and home to the Montreux Music & Conven-tion Center. Opened in 1973, the Center has modernized its tech-nical equipment on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. Its nearly 200,000 sq. ft. is divided into two connected buildings: One, the original building, which after
expansion and renovation is called Miles Davis, accommodates 100-500 attendees. The other, newer building, called Stravinsky, accommodates 300 to 3,000. They each have several separate entrances and can be used simultaneously for multiple events of different sizes, or for a single large event. The Center houses an auditorium
Lausanne welcomes groups to the Swiss Tech Convention Center, which recently opened on the campus of the Institute of Technology.
(Top): The Montreux Music & Convention Centre(Above): The Olympic Museum in Lausanne(Left): Auditorium of the SwissTech Convention Center
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Cathedral, Majorie Castle, Tourbillon Castle and Valère Basilica, home to the world’s oldest play-able organ, dating from the 1400s. In the town of Verbier, groups can find the new 123-room W Verbier, which debuted in December. The alpine resort offers three meeting rooms (maxi-mum capacity 300), a spa, outdoor and indoor pools, fitness center and a gourmet restaurant.
BASELThe capital of the canton of Basel-Stadt and Switzerland’s third most populous city, Basel is located on the Rhine at the Swiss, French and German borders. It is the culturally vibrant home of Theater Basel, Switzerland’s largest orchestra, and a major natural history museum. Basel is also Switzerland’s oldest university city, with the University of Basel founded in 1460.
seating up to 1,800, a conference room for up to 1,200, dozens of small meeting rooms, two exhi-bition halls totaling over 43,000 sq. ft. and spa-cious terraces overlooking the lake and the Alps. Complementing this facility is one of the area’s finest hotels, the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, featuring 15,000 sq. ft. of function space. Built in 1906, this exemplar of the Belle Epoque architec-ture offers 236 luxuriously furnished rooms with stunning views over the lake and the Alps. For a memorable offsite event, planners may consider renting Chillon Castle, an 11th–century fortress on a small rocky island near Montreux.
CANTON OF VALAISValais, the snowiest region in the Alps, is a world-renowned ski destination with 45 peaks. The capital city of Sion is the site of Notre Dame
Last May, Des Moines, IA-based The Principal
Financial Group held an incentive program in Switzerland for the first time in several years, and most of the participants — about 350 agents, spouses and children — had not experienced the destination before, notes Lynne Schueler, Assistant Director, Supplier Relations & Development, with the company’s Meeting Planning Services department. Participants’ first impression of the country was bolstered by their accommodations: the historic Fairmont Le Montreux Palace.
“The Fairmont was really the only choice because of the size of property that we needed. And its location was really well suited for us; the train station is only a block and a half away,” Schueler says. Attendees took rail tours of the country from that vantage point, and even visited the town of Annecy in south-eastern France for a shopping excursion. “It’s been described as a mini Paris,” she notes.
A “Swiss Delight” for The Principal Financial Group
Swiss cuisine was a major focus of the incentive trip, and the Fairmont cooperated with the DMC for the program, Ovation Switzerland, to bring in a Swiss master chef and his staff to stage a culinary team-building event. “On another day we did an activity called ‘Swiss Delight’ where guests toured the Alimentarium Food Museum as well as local wineries,” Schueler relates. Debuting as the world’s first food museum in 1985, the
stately Alimentarium will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Nestlé Group in 2016 after being transformed in the latter half of 2015. Other highlights of the four-night program included steam paddleboat dinner cruises on Lake Geneva and a “Glacier Excursion” ski outing. “Our people overall just loved the flexibility of having so many different options,” says Schueler. The options were determined with Ovation’s expert guidance: “Renato Grieco [Ovation’s Director of Inter-nal Support] was so instrumental in the success of our program.” —GS
Lynne Schueler, Assistant Director, Supplier Relations & Development, Meeting Planning Services, The Principal Financial Group
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When it comes to meetings business, Basel is well pre-pared with The Congress Center Basel, the largest facil-ity of its kind in Switzerland and part of the MCH Group, which also runs convention centers in Zurich and Laus-anne. The Basel facility has 16 meeting rooms on three floors accommodating from 30-3,000 attendees. The adjacent, recently redeveloped Messe Basel offers over 1.5 million sq. ft. of exhibition space. In the facility’s environs are 4,500 hotel rooms, 800 in walking distance. The 145-room Novotel Basel opened in September with about 3,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
ZURICHLocated at the northwest tip of Lake Zurich, this major financial center is home to the Swiss Stock Exchange and the headquarters of most Swiss banks. Yet Zurich also has a strong cul-tural and artistic side, with two of Europe’s most prominent museums located here: the Zurich Museum of Art and the Swiss National Museum. A major part of Zurich’s history of hospitality is The Dolder Grand, whose main building, dating from 1899, was combined with the new, 173-room City Resort in 2008. Among its features are a 4,300-sq.-ft. ballroom, 43,000-sq.-ft. spa and a two Michelin-star restaurant. The new Gallery Lounges, debuting this summer, will offer an additional 7,600 sq. ft. of function space and floor-to-ceiling windows.
And the city is developing new lodging options that will benefit groups. The greater Zurich region alone will have more than 1,600 new hotel rooms by 2015, an increase of 12 percent compared to
2011. Among the new properties is the 245-room Kameha Grand Zürich Glattpark, featuring an events hall for up to 1,500 participants, a confer-ence area with space for 10 to 200, and a rooftop terrace of over 10,000 sq. ft. Kongresshaus Zurich, which offers over 43,000 sq. ft. of meeting space,
two restaurants and views of Lake Zurich, is undergoing a renovation and expansion that will be complet-ed in 2017.
DAVOSSoutheast of Zurich in the canton of Graubunden lies Davos, a municipal-ity on Landwasser River in the Swiss
Alps. It has the distinctions of being the highest city in Europe, at an altitude of 5,120 ft., and the host of the World Economic Forum. Planners who prefer international hotel brands have a new lodging op-tion in Davos with last year’s debut of the 216-room InterContinental Davos, featuring nine small meet-ing rooms with 678 sq. ft. of space. An intriguing offsite venue in Davos is the Kirchner Museum, which features the work of German expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and is available for rental. Attendees can also visit Monstein Brewery, Europe’s highest and cleverly promoted as “The Last Beerstop Before Heaven.”
The greater Zurich region will have more than 1,600 new hotel rooms by 2015.
The Kirchner Museum in Davos showcases the work of German expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
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1] AnAheim Convention CenterAnAheim, CA • www.anaheimconventioncenter.com
This summer, construction is expected to begin on the Anaheim Convention Center’s seventh expansion since it opened in 1967 across from Disneyland Resort. The $180 million project will create a two-level meeting and exhibit space just north of the Hilton Anaheim. Scheduled to be finished by fall 2016, the new facility will offer a total of 200,000 sq. ft. of function space, including 100,000 sq. ft. of column-free exhibit space on the second floor. The Anaheim Convention Center currently offers 815,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 130,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
2] Boise CentreBoise, iD • boisecentre.com
In a signed letter of intent with the Gardner Company, a real estate developer, the Greater Boise Auditorium District has outlined plans to add 43,000 sq. ft. of facilities to the Boise Centre, nearly doubling its current 50,000 sq. ft. Construction is scheduled to start this summer, with completion estimated for the third quarter of 2016. The new facilities will include a 15,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, a 7,000-sq.-ft. commercial kitchen, and an additional 14,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 7,000 sq. ft. of pre-function space.
3] mosCone CentersAn FrAnCisCo, CA • www.moscone.com
The proposed Moscone Center Expansion Project would increase the gross square footage of the Center by about 20 percent, from approximately 1.2 million sq. ft. to 1.5 million sq. ft., and renovate/repurpose the existing facility. The end result would be an approximately 42 percent increase in function space. Designed for LEED Gold certification, the expansion would add 140,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, 28,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, 87,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose space and 178,000 sq. ft. of support space. Plans call for construction to begin in November and be completed in 2018. The Moscone Center currently offers more than 738,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and up to 106 meeting rooms.
4] QueBeC City Convention CentreQueBeC City, QueBeC • convention.qc.ca/en
The government of Quebec has invested $36 million in new meeting spaces for its Convention Centre over the last two years, and in March the Centre debuted the additional function space along with a variety of features including three new entrances, four video screen walls and a concierge. Now able to accommodate 9,000 delegates, the facility has increased its meeting space by 22,874 sq. ft. for a total of 57,874 sq. ft., and increased its pre-function space by 21,173 sq. ft. for a total of 78,251 sq. ft. Eight new meeting rooms (bringing the facility’s total to 38) are complemented by a new clientele lounge, boardroom, Videotron Hall and an outdoor terrace with a view of Old Quebec. Total exhibit space remains 134,500 sq. ft.
5] spokAne Convention CenterspokAne, WA • www.spokanecenter.com
Scheduled for completion in December, the Spokane Convention Center’s $55 million expansion will add 91,000 sq. ft. to the facility, including 20,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (bringing the total to almost 103,000), 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting and ballroom space, and 25,000 sq. ft. of public and back-of-house space. Planners will have at their disposal 10 new meeting rooms, a boardroom, a 12,000-sq.-ft. ballroom situated on the banks of the Spokane River, and a Riverside Terrace. New meeting spaces feature floor-to-ceiling windows and are being built to LEED standards.
stAtus: HOTCAtegory: ExPANDING CONVENTION CENTERSFyi: When demand for space exceeds supply, convention centers often begin developing expansion plans in order to capture the lost business. Moscone Center, for example, has identified a direct spend loss of nearly $2.1 billion for the years 2010-2019 due to space constraints,
while the much smaller Boise Centre has also been operating at capacity for years and forced to turn down lucrative events. Following are three convention centers that will be completing expansion projects, one that recently finished expanding (Quebec City Convention Centre) and one whose project is still in the proposal stage (Moscone Center). Planners do well to stay abreast of these new opportunities for their groups in the highly competitive convention center market.
5 spokAne, WA 3 sAn FrAnCisCo, CA
4 QueBeC City, QueBeC
2 Boise, iD1 AnAheim, CA
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