Smart Meetings | Latest Destinations

Bellevue, Washington (Bellevue, Wash.)

2009-06-29T19:28:09Z

Centrally located nine miles east of downtown Seattle and at the base of the Cascade Mountain Range, Bellevue has endless attractions and impeccable views.

“We like to characterize ourselves as the center of everything,” says Brenda Dotson, CMP, director of sales for the Meydenbauer Convention Center. Along with nearby must-sees in Seattle such as Pike Place Market and the famous Space Needle, Bellevue offers close proximity to the mountains, and is within 15 minutes of the region’s wine country. “People that visit Bellevue can take advantage of everything without the hustle and bustle of the larger cities,” she says.

Aside from local attractions, the city has a lot to offer in the way of meeting space. “The convention center is modern and spacious, light and airy,” Dotson says. The center also serves as a solid focal point for the city’s walkable downtown. “[There’s] a real sense of community in the downtown core,” she says. “It’s all very safe and friendly with an urban feel.” And once groups have visited, that feeling sticks with them, she adds. “[Meeting planners] like the feeling their group gets when they come here. They feel that they are part of the city, and can enjoy the Pacific Northwest without getting lost.”

MAJOR MEETING VENUES

The backbone of meetings in Bellevue is the upscale, modern Meydenbauer Center, which offers a total of 54,000 sq. ft. of event space, including the 36,000-square-foot Center Hall, nine meeting rooms, a 3,500-square-foot theater and a brand-new 2,500-square-foot Executive Conference Suite. “The center [has] a lot of opportunity for clients to make it their own,” Dotson says. “There are also a lot of warm interior elements.”

The Westin Bellevue grand deluxe suite.

Warm and welcoming seems to be the theme of downtown, which hosts the headquarters for high-tech giants such as Microsoft and Expedia, and there are several major meetings hotels within walking distance of the convention center. The largest is the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, which is currently undergoing a $185-million expansion to be completed this month. The new development includes a second tower, bringing its guest room total to 733 and meeting space to more than 60,000 sq. ft., including an 18,000-square-foot ballroom and a 120-seat auditorium.

The hotel is also a part of the Bellevue Collection, an area that offers acres of premium shopping and dining. The Bellevue Collection was designed by Kemper Development and is made up of Bellevue Place, Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square, which encompasses more than 250 stores, 19 restaurants, a cinema with an IMAX theater and Lucky Strike Lanes bowling lounge.

Across the street, as part of the stylish Lincoln Square, The Westin Bellevue offers 337 guest rooms and 7,226 sq. ft. of meeting space, making it a great one-stop-shop for attendees.

In the heart of downtown, the full-service Hilton Bellevue Hotel provides 353 guest rooms and 60,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The property’s 21 meeting rooms make it ideal for any size group; the largest space is the Bellevue Grand Ballroom for up to 1,000 attendees.

The closest hotel option to the convention center is the Courtyard Bellevue Downtown Seattle Hotel by Marriott. The 241-room property features 3,888 sq. ft. of meeting space, and is also within walking distance of the Bellevue Arts Museum and Bellevue Downtown Park.

With a renovation completed in 2008, the 178-room Sheraton Bellevue offers 11 meeting rooms, including a 2,556-square-foot ballroom, with crisp, coastal décor. A plus for business travelers is the property’s complimentary shuttle service to anywhere within a five-mile radius.

For smaller groups, The Village Bellevue is a great offering that thinks a bit outside the box. The affordable venue was designed for entrepreneurs and meeting planners that may not need a large hotel property. Located downtown, the facility provides nine meeting rooms for up to 20 attendees, as well as private offices and a lobby for up to 60; rooms are available for hourly or full-day rental.

UNIQUE VENUES

The brand-new Residence Inn Seattle Bellevue/Downtown opened last October with 231 guest rooms and 3,200 sq. ft. of meeting space. What makes it unique, however, is their Microsoft Experience Lounge, which was created specifically for the property. The lounge provides guests with a work and play space featuring all of the best products that Microsoft offers, including four Xbox units, three laptops and a 42-inch plasma TV. “Microsoft is in our backyard, and that is such a great feature,” Dotson says. “Marriott is testing [this partnership] here and at a handful of properties.”

Lucky Strike bowling lanes.

Close by is the Bellevue Arts Museum with stunning modern architecture and several intriguing exhibits. The largest event space is The Forum, on the museum’s first-floor lobby, and it’s ideal for receptions for up to 450. Other options include the outdoor Court of Light, off of the museum’s third floor, for up to 300, and the auditorium, for up to 90 attendees.

As Bellevue is home to nearly 100 parks, outdoor event space abounds. One popular venue is the historic Robinswood House Estate. Its original pioneer homestead features 1,420 sq. ft. of indoor space, English gardens, outdoor patios (also available for group rental) and sweeping views of the 60-acre Robinswood Park.

FUN ACTIVITIES

In addition to options in Bellevue that include live jazz, pubs and upscale billiard lounges, you can experience the hip downtown of Seattle, just nine miles away. Groups can take advantage of the metropolis for a couple of hours or a full day. Along with Pike Place Market and the Space Needle, there are more than 36 museums, the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

To see Bellevue from a different perspective, the family-owned Argosy Cruises runs nine water vessels for private and public cruises around Puget Sound. With a variety of boats, the company can offer just about any type of water event imaginable. The largest, The Royal Argosy, can accommodate a maximum of 700 guests, and group packages include a scenic tour and customized, private dining. Smaller vessels are well-suited for groups of less than 50, and theme cruises are available, including such fun options as Breakfast with The Beatles or Murder Mystery.

Meeting-goers can also visit the wine country of Woodinville, just 15 minutes from downtown Bellevue. The area offers meeting space in both boutique and large wineries, and tasting rooms that welcome groups at more than 40 wineries.

Vancouver, Canada (Oh! Canada)

2009-06-29T19:21:31Z

British Columbia and Alberta have long been known for their unsurpassed beauty, sophisticated cities and rugged, Olympic-quality landscapes, from Calgary’s selection in 1988 to Vancouver’s in 2010. But the two provinces have grown in the past few years, adding top-notch meetings infrastructure to their myriad options for outdoor pursuits.

And, oh, yes, there’s that once-again favorable dollar exchange rate. “Every destination is sharpening its pencils right now,” says Janice Greenwood-Fraser, manager, travel media relations for Tourism British Columbia. “We are sensitive to that, and making sure we’re competitive. The exchange rate does provide a little advantage.”

BRITISH COLUMBIA

First, a little geography. Western Canada begins with the hundreds of inlets and islands that fringe the Pacific coast of British Columbia. The largest of these is Vancouver Island, a surprising 19,356 square miles and home to Victoria, B.C.’s capital city.

But aside from its charming urban anchor, the island encompasses a diverse array of natural attractions ranging from old-growth forests and endless beaches to snow-capped mountains and rolling farmland and vineyards. It’s an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, with a mild climate year-round, due to the warming currents of the Pacific and the shelter offered by the Coast Mountains to the east.

On British Columbia’s mainland, the city of Vancouver dominates as the international business hub of the province, with a striking skyline and a reputation for being one of the world’s most scenic and livable cities. Less than 30 minutes by air from Seattle, it enjoys an eclectic mix of cultures, from Pacific Rim to First Nation, plus easy access to the vineyards of Okanagan Valley and the world-class mountains of Whistler. Next door is the burgeoning city of Richmond.

Vancouver

The buzz du jour, of course, is the rapidly approaching 2010 Olympic Winter Games (February 12-28) and the 2010 Paralympic Games (March 12-21). Because of these hugely popular international events, the city has gone through explosive growth the past few years, with significant improvements to its infrastructure that will impact meetings long after the last gold medals and crowds have gone home.

Vancouver's skyline.

The city’s hotel stock, for instance, has expanded and renovated. Last fall, the 119-room Shangri-La Vancouver became this Asian luxury hotel group’s first North American property. Occupying the first 15 floors of a new, 60-story landmark building, the Five-Star hotel can host up to 110 guests for meetings.

Thus far this year, Kor Hotel Group’s first Canadian property, the Loden Hotel, opened with 77 guest rooms, a fitness center and a spa, plus a 1,600-square-foot penthouse suite suitable for meetings. The 415-room Fairmont Pacific Rim is scheduled to open in late 2009, becoming Greater Vancouver’s fourth Fairmont property. Conveniently, it’s located right next to the convention center.

Recently, the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver marked the completion of its $20-million renovation, which encompassed all 372 guest rooms and 23,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, as well as a new lobby, restaurant and bar. And Pan Pacific Vancouver added to its enticements with its 8th-floor terrace and heated saltwater outdoor pool, the only one of its kind in Vancouver.

Among the transit projects are the new Canada Line, a rapid-transit line linking Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver and Richmond City Center, and completion of improvements to the gorgeous Sea to Sky Highway connecting Vancouver to Whistler. “The highway is looking good,” Greenwood-Fraser says. “It’s due to be fully completed by this August.”

But the biggest improvement is the debut last April of the expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, a $720-million project that tripled the size of the center, which now offers a total of 473,523 sq. ft. of meeting space. Designed to meld seamlessly into the existing structure’s design, it features a six-acre living roof and a host of eco-friendly features that meet LEED standards for sustainability. This past July, the center became the first-ever repeat winner of the International Association of Congress Centres’ award for the “World’s Best Convention Centre.”

The city also received accolades from Fast Company magazine for “using the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as a catalyst for environmental change” (see Tourism Vancouver’s website to learn more about the city’s carbon offset credits for visitors).

While the convention center is being used for members of the press during the Olympics, there are also other new and renovated existing venues that meeting groups should consider for meetings and trade-show functions. There’s the new Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park, a 6,000-seat stadium that will also feature multipurpose meeting rooms. There are also BC Place and GM Place, stadiums that will be used for the games’ opening and closing ceremonies.

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Just 50 minutes from Vancouver is Tradex –Trade & Exhibition Centre. This facility has 120,000 sq. ft. of column-free exhibit space and hosts more than 90 events a year, drawing from the Fraser Valley and the lower mainland of B.C.

RICHMOND

Richmond, a city of 185,000 residents just to the south of Vancouver, actually plays a major role in the city’s raison d’etre—it’s home to Vancouver International Airport. But, while Richmond is only 25 minutes from Vancouver Convention Centre, it’s also a meetings destination in its own right, offering more than 130,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Some properties are airport-centric, such as the convenient Hilton Hotel Vancouver Airport and the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, among others. Some are stand-alone hotels with other draws, such as the River Rock Casino Resort Hotel, hosting Western Canada’s largest casino (see News sidebar on page 90 about its expansion).

An attractive harborside city, Richmond has a variety of neighborhoods and activities, many maritime related. The Fisherman’s Wharf area features attractions like the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and the Britannia Heritage Shipyard. Golden Village, a four-block area, is metro Vancouver’s “modern” Chinatown, with shops, bubble tea cafes and restaurants.

A site that will put the city on the radar with sports enthusiasts worldwide is the brand-new Richmond Olympic Oval, which will be the long-track speed-skating venue for the Winter Olympics. Post-games, the 512,000-square-foot waterfront facility will become a community nexus for ice, court and track sports and special events. Be sure to contact Tourism Richmond for more information about this and other Richmond meeting opportunities.

VICTORIA

Known as the “Garden City” for its multitude of dazzling gardens in bloom year-round (not the least of which is Butchart Gardens, set on 55 magnificent acres), Victoria celebrates its heritage as a former British colony. In Old Town, you’re likely to see horse-drawn carriages, pioneer homes and 19th-century shop fronts. Yet, from a hospitality industry standpoint, there’s nothing anachronistic about it.

The Victoria Conference Centre, which is located just steps from the Inner Harbor, hotels and restaurants, provides 73,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 16 meeting rooms. It expanded not long ago to include the historic, glass-roofed Crystal Garden building, directly across the street.

The city is ideal for meetings of 1,500 delegates, many of whom can be housed in hotels within walking distance of the center. One nearby hotel, the Five-Star Hotel Grand Pacific, features 304 guest rooms and 10,000 sq. ft. of its own meeting space, including a 3,000-square-foot waterfront ballroom.

Another conference option is Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, the 7,000-seat home of the Victoria Salmon Kings, a professional hockey team, and numerous world-class concerts.

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler.

For a resort experience, there’s Bear Mountain Resort, on 1,300 acres and encompassing The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa, with 156 guest rooms, and a 6,600-square-foot conference facility. With the recent opening of The Valley Course, joining the existing Mountain Course, the resort now boasts 36 holes of Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-designed golf.

Minutes from Victoria International Airport and ferry terminals is The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa in Sidney, on the Saanich Peninsula. This boutique waterfront hotel has 55 guest rooms and 2,046 sq. ft. of meeting space, including an ocean-view boardroom.

One thing to keep in mind when meeting here: While Victoria is tucked into the southern tip, the remainder of the island is its playground. In fact, Victoria is known as Canada’s Fittest City, as residents take advantage of the mild climate to pursue outdoor activities year-round, from hiking and biking to kayaking and golf—so be sure to factor in some free time for your attendees as well.

WHISTLER

If you build it, they will come—at least, that was the thinking in the late 1960s when the alpine village of Whistler was developed with the goal of someday hosting Olympic competitions. While it has taken until 2010, probably a few decades longer than originally anticipated, the dream comes to fruition next February, when the resort will be hosting nordic, alpine and sliding events with some of the best athletes in the world.

In the intervening years, however, Whistler became a popular resort destination with the kinds of upscale amenities that put it on the map for visitors and business groups alike. The home of both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains—which offer the longest ski season in North America—it has more than 90 restaurants, 3,200 hotel rooms and over 5,000 other lodging accommodations, from condos to chalets, all of which feed an internationally recognized conference industry.

Chief among its meetings venues is the centrally located TELUS Whistler Conference Centre, which can easily be reached on foot from any accommodations within the village. The center underwent a $12-million modernization a few years ago that upgraded its environmental elements and increased its meeting space to 65,000 sq. ft. Its 16,500-square-foot ballroom can be divided into three separate spaces.

New to Whistler is the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which showcases both of these First Nations cultures, with its architectural style and its collections of art, artifacts, textiles and images. Adjacent to Four Seasons Resort Whistler, the center has 30,400 sq. ft. of space that can be used for unique private events, which can include Squamish and Lil’wat people greeters, traditional song, dance, drumming, craft demonstrations and interactive learning experiences.

INLAND B.C.

About four hours east of Vancouver you’ll dis-cover one of British Columbia’s biggest surprises: the Okanagan Valley, Canada’s wine country. Surrounded by scenic mountains, it encompasses pristine lakes, forests, orchards and vineyards, which enjoy long warm summers and short, mild winters, good for the grapes at its 80 wineries.

Kelowna is the area’s principal city and serves as a gateway not only to the vineyards but also to sandy beaches on the shores of Okanagan Lake. You can golf nine months out of the year here, a definite plus for the meetings groups that want to take advantage of the “wine country lifestyle.”

Vineyard in Kelowna.

Although Kelowna doesn’t have a dedicated conference center, the 19,000-square-foot Kelowna Memorial Arena serves up some meeting and event space. The Delta Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort and Conference Centre is another option, with 390 guest rooms in addition to 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

ALBERTA

East of B.C. is the province of Alberta, whose most dominant geographical feature is the north-south run of the Rocky Mountains, a truly majestic grouping of jagged peaks interspersed with glacier-fed lakes and verdant valleys. In addition to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Alberta is home to two magnificent national parks, Banff and Jasper, that continually preserve the region’s beauty and attraction—a huge impetus for the region’s strong green sensibility.

Alberta is also home to two of Canada’s most vibrant cities: Calgary, once the site of the 1988 Winter Olympics, and now an urban boom- town, and Edmonton, a sophisticated yet casual city with a lively arts scene. Add the resort town of Banff, and there’s an engaging trio of major destinations to consider.

“What you’ll see in all three destinations is some new construction and renovations that will open them up for larger meetings,” says Brian Slot, director of meetings conventions and incentive travel, The Americas, for Travel Alberta. “There was a big push in 2007 and 2008 to do these expansions, which will open a lot of doors for us.”

Oh, and there’s another plus to meeting in Alberta: no provincial sales tax, which allows budgets to go further here, says Jan Desrosiers, senior manager, sales, for Tourism Calgary.

CALGARY

To the south, Calgary hums with construction fueled by oil and gas revenues. It’s the largest city in Alberta, with massive skyscrapers and gleaming corporate headquarters. Yet it hasn’t lost any of its Western cowboy vibe, as evidenced by the yearly Calgary Stampede, a two-week celebration of all things cowboy held in July. But, that culture is still very close to the surface here, as the area is surrounded by rolling foothills and open ranges where cattle feed and round-ups are part of daily life.

The city is primed for meetings, with the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, offering more than 130,000 total sq. ft. of meeting and function space spread among two large buildings and several pre-function spaces. It’s connected indoors to three Four-Star hotels, the Hyatt Regency Calgary with 355 guest rooms and 31,105 sq. ft. of meeting space; the Marriott Calgary, with 374 guest rooms and 4,000 sq. ft.; and The Fairmont Palliser, Calgary, with 405 guest rooms and 21,000 sq. ft. of function space. With the softening of the economy, the city is “now more competitive with rates and space availability,” Desrosiers, of Tourism Calgary, says.

The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts.

The Metropolitan Conference Centre, located in the heart of the hotel district, is an additional choice for group functions. It has 23,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with a 5,200-square-foot ballroom and a 290-seat theater among its offerings.

After March 2010, Vancouver will join Calgary as former Olympic sites that have reconfigured and repositioned themselves as meetings and events venues, as well as community sports facilities. Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park, only a short distance from downtown, can provide space for up to 250 attendees in a variety of meeting rooms, cater Western barbecue dinners for a crowd or work with you to create team-building activities.

And, of course, there’s the Calgary Stampede Roundup Centre, which completes its new conference portion at the end of 2009. It offers, as they say, “450,000 square boots of space.” The center throws a wide lasso around a variety of venues, from meeting rooms to theaters, arenas to Ranahans, a restaurant/bar with seating for 234 in the main room and a private dining room for 40.

EDMONTON

To the east of the Rockies is Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city and “a fresh Canadian experience different from other destinations,” says Glenn Duncan, managing director, tourism development for Tourism Edmonton. “We’re a major city (more than 1 million residents), serviced by the fastest-growing airport in the country.”

And the pretty city, set in a scenic river valley, is just that. It’s well-known for its festivals, which range anywhere from food and jazz to rodeo and Indy racing, and its arts scene. Opening in early 2010, the Art Gallery of Alberta will wrap up a major renovation to become an 85,000-square-foot facility housing more than 5,000 contemporary and historic artworks, while the renowned Royal Alberta Museum is also expanding, with a 250,000-square-foot addition scheduled for completion in 2011.

The Westin Edmonton.

As for meeting space, the city provides more than 1 million square feet, according to Brent Beatty, senior manager, business travel, for Edmonton Tourism. Conventions and larger events (700 of them annually) zero in on the Shaw Conference Centre, the largest of its type in Alberta. The Shaw, which recently received its BOMA green certification, has 23 meeting rooms and an 80,000-square-foot exhibition hall.

Lodging options include the 14 properties that comprise the Edmonton Downtown Hotel Group located in the heart of the city. There’s a wide variety, ranging from The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald to The Westin Edmonton to the newly opened Matrix Hotel.

Not in downtown, but easily accessible via light rail, is Project Evolution.09, the $160-million expansion of the Northlands exhibition facility. One hall has opened already; the remainder is due to open this fall. When completed, the 522,071-square-foot AgriCom will be the largest trade and consumer show facility outside of Toronto.

BANFF/LAKE LOUISE

Just 90 miles northwest of Calgary (and within easy pre- and post-distance) is Banff, a resort town right in the midst of one of the most spectacular national parks in North America. It’s convenient to Calgary’s airport, which will quickly put you into the rugged wilderness for a wealth of outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, white-water rafting and all manner of other water sports.

A coveted incentive destination, Banff is an area where pristine lakes beckon, wildlife proliferates and deluxe accommodations are the norm. The town itself is a small community, but deceptively low-key, as it harbors meetings resorts such as The Fairmont Banff Springs, with 768 guest rooms and 76,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and the Rimrock Resort Hotel, featuring a Five-Diamond restaurant, along with 346 guest rooms and 18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. At nearby Lake Louise, there’s The Fairmont Lake Louise, the picture postcard for this alpine treasure; it offers 564 rooms and 36,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Right in the heart of the national park is The Banff Centre, a unique 43-acre facility with superb mountain vistas. It’s an arts, cultural and educational institution as well as a conference center, with more than 60 meeting facilities, lecture theaters and auditoriums to complement the 400 guest rooms. The center is currently in the home stretch of construction on the Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation, a $10-million expansion with more than 21,000-square-feet of learning space.

Denver, Colorado (No Fences)

2009-06-30T19:34:47Z

Those pioneers poured into the region and planted themselves in tents and teepees, eager to stake their claim on possible riches, as well as the future. In the process, they created cities such as Denver and Colorado Springs (don’t worry, you can still find bits and pieces of the Wild West at wonderful places such as Papa Jack’s western clothing store in Denver, if you need a quick old-time fix).

But, beyond its colorful past and the majestic views provided by the Rockies, the state remains off the radar for some planners. “What’s really interesting is that we are such an unknown to so many people,” says Rachel Benedick, vice president of sales and services for Visit Denver, the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

And just as people are unsure of what Colorado has to offer in the way of entertainment, dining and hotels, so too are many people unaware of what the Mile High City can provide in the way of meeting venues for groups. “Everyone still has this vision that we are a cow town, but the city has a lot to offer from an urban and cosmopolitan view,” she says. “A lot of people just haven’t been to Denver. And if they have, they think of Denver 15 years ago. But we have the amenities [of big cities] like Chicago and New York, just on a smaller scale.”

Denver’s neighbor to the south, Colorado Springs, is also no slouch in the meetings department, specializing in small- to medium-size groups. “We are the second largest city in the state,” says Kathy Reak, director of national sales for Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, the Convention & Visitors Bureau. And one more stereotype she’d like to put to rest: “We are not a ski destination.”

Pikes Peak railway.

So, if you had Denver or Colorado Springs pictured as fenced in by the past, think again. Today, the cities come with first-tier amenities, thousands of guest rooms and state-of-the-art meeting venues that will ensure your attendees have the contemporary version of a rip-roarin’ good time.

Getting Your Bearings

As the state is fairly close to the middle of the country, both Denver and Colorado Springs are easily accessible for attendees to fly or drive in from most major departure points. The two cities also share a temperate climate with 300 or more days of sunshine a year—not to mention stunning views of mountain peaks and wide-open spaces for your attendees to enjoy in between meetings.

Situated in the northern/central region, Denver is the state’s hub. Its culture offers the best of both worlds (as the saying goes), with a sophisticated urban setting complemented by a flourishing art scene and a casual, laid-back vibe. Colorado Springs, located 80 miles south of Denver’s International Airport, is famous for Pikes Peak, the most visited mountain in North America. The arts are big here, as well, yet the city still maintains a small-town ambience.

DENVER

The largest city in the state (population 2.6 million), Denver (denver.org) is a real boomtown, as it has seen a huge rise in hotel inventory and overall appeal since 1995, when Coors Field, its baseball stadium, was built downtown. “The renaissance with the hotels, convention center and ball field right in downtown has really been what changed [our] image from a city that rolls up at 5 o’clock,” says Benedick of Visit Denver.

Originally, Denver was three separate towns, all with individual names (which were eventually dropped in return for a barrel of whiskey, which everyone shared). So it’s fitting today that Denver is a city full of neighborhoods surrounding downtown, and that a saloon was the first permanent structure. LoDo (lower downtown) is the new, hip area where Coors Field stands and the Colorado Rockies play, and is a must-see for visiting groups. “There are bars, brewpubs, galleries, clothing stores, boutiques, coffee shops and lots of action,” Benedick says. “It’s a very vibrant downtown, and every time clients visit, they are like, ‘oh my gosh…I had no idea!’” she says.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

There is also the one-and-a-half-mile 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver, with a light rail system that stops at every block for attendees to get around quickly and easily. The light rail connects both ends of downtown, integrating the arts and culture scene with shopping and entertainment. “[Being] walkable translates into savings,” Benedick says. “Attendees don’t have to jump into cabs.” The light rail is currently undergoing an expansion, which will eventually connect the airport with downtown (it is a 119-mile initiative slated for completion in 2017).

That affordability is one key reason that Denver is such an intriguing group destination. “Denver has always been, and will continue to be, a value for meeting planners. It has great drawing power, and often sets attendance records,” Benedick says. “And, of course,” she adds, “we have 300 days of sunshine and the Rockies as our backdrop.”

MAJOR MEETING VENUES

Mike Davison, senior manager of corporate events for T-Mobile USA, recently planned a meeting for 2,500 attendees in Denver and was pleased with the service, venues and overall atmosphere of the city. “There is a great collection of hotel properties in a concentrated area,” Davison says of downtown. “They were all within walking distance of our general session,” (held in the Wells Fargo Theatre). Another advantage to Denver, he says, was that they could send everyone back to their hotels for breakouts, as the hotels all had excellent meeting space. “They were all quality properties.”

The Wells Fargo Theatre worked well for T-Mobile’s general session meeting, as the theater is inside the Colorado Convention Center, which was designed “by meeting planners, for meeting planners.” The center is state-of-the-art and offers 584,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, 63 meeting rooms, a 50,000-square-foot ballroom, a 35,000-square-foot ballroom and, of course, the 5,000-seat Wells Fargo Theatre.

Lobby at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center.

Adjacent to the convention center is the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, with 60,600 sq. ft. of meeting space and 1,100 guest rooms. As it’s in the heart of downtown, the Four-Diamond property offers convenient access to the 16th Street Mall and Larimer Square, for mid-afternoon breaks.

Located on a stretch of the 16th Street Mall is the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. The 1,225-room property provides 133,000 sq. ft. of event space that includes three ballrooms, 48 meeting rooms and plenty of pre-function areas. Formerly the Adams Mark Hotel, it just completed a $70-million renovation of all guest rooms, restaurants, lobby and its ballroom.

Another meetings-friendly option is The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, which provides 202 guest rooms with wonderful views of the city. Along with 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, the property showcases The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Denver, which features eight treatment rooms, a VIP suite, whirlpools and relaxation lounges (a nice way to unwind for your attendees, or a hard-working meeting planner).

Six blocks from the convention center, and a few miles from upscale shopping in Cherry Creek, is the historic and elegant Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. Both a Four-Star and Four-Diamond hotel, it showcases 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 241 guest rooms. The property has been hosting meetings for 116 years and therefore has an ambience that is unparalleled. Today, all meeting rooms come equipped with complete A/V capabilities, videoconferencing options and high-speed Internet.

Brown Palace Hotel and Spa.

Also a Four-Diamond property in the heart of downtown, The Westin Tabor Center, Denver has 430 guest rooms and 24,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 200-seat auditorium. A highlight of the property is a 6,585-square-foot foyer featuring two-story windows; it can accommodate up to 1,000 guests for receptions.

UNIQUE MEETING VENUES

For one-of-a-kind events, it’s well worth the effort to venture about 20 minutes west of Denver to the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, which is truly unlike any other. As the only “naturally occurring” amphitheater in the world, the 300-million-year-old structure is taller than Niagara Falls, and is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

There are several meetings options, including the Heart of the Rock Theater Room, The Rock Room and the Upper Terrace, which showcases panoramic views of the Denver skyline and can accommodate up to 2,000 seated guests.

Back in the city, you can put on a show at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The center has rooms for as few as 50 or as many as 1,000 guests, and as a theater, it comes fully stocked with all the high-tech goodies your group may need—and a few extras you will want. Options include the 10,000-square-foot Seawell Grand Ballroom, with amazing mountain views, as well as 10 individual theaters with a total of 10,000 seats (complete with stages, of course).

Across from the center is the boutique Hotel Teatro. A nice complement to the arts center, the property’s lobby is decorated with unique costumes and photos from past theatrical productions of the Denver Center Theatre Company. The historic hotel offers 110 guest rooms and 8,405 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Event set-up at the Colorado Convention Center.

Step back in time, and get a close-up look at the Rocky Mountains when they were populated by covered wagons, pioneers and miners at the Colorado History Museum. There are several exhibit halls and rooms to choose from, or you can rent the entire museum, which can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

If it’s outdoor space you’re looking for, you can view plants from all over the world at the Denver Botanic Gardens, which can also accommodate up to 300 for a reception. In June, the gardens opened a bistro featuring the first publicly accessible green roof (the only one of its kind in Denver). The green venue can be rented for a half- or full-day meeting where guests can wander through the gardens as they please.

COLORADO SPRINGS

As the state’s second largest city, Colorado Springs proves that being number two is not too shabby. Founded in 1871, the city has a rich history in mining and was a stop for settlers during what the city calls the “Pikes Peak or Bust” gold rush. Though no actual gold was found in Colorado Springs (it was about 60 miles away), men, women and children still traveled to the Pikes Peak region to seek their fortune.

Suite at The Ritz-Carlton, Denver.

Today, the city boasts a metro population of 554,585 and is home to several major meeting venues and entertainment options. “The neat thing about Colorado Springs is we have about 50 attractions right here in the city,” says Reak from the CVB. “There are plenty of things to see and do, and with 300 days of sunshine or more, you can really get outside and enjoy the natural beauty.” Another plus, the city is known for its ability to offer first-tier amenities at second-tier rates, she says.

MAJOR MEETING VENUES

Although Colorado Springs doesn’t have a traditional convention center, the Colorado Springs World Arena provides 180,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. In addition to its main arena (a multipurpose facility with 7,343 fixed seats), the facility can host smaller, private dinners or meetings in the Penrose Club, Wigand Room or the Arena Bar.

The Phil Long Expo Center is another main venue, offering 92,000 sq. ft. of contiguous floor space for trade shows and events. There is also a 4,500-square-foot atrium for small or mid-size meetings of up to 300 guests.

As far as hotels go, The Broadmoor is the biggest game in town. The property is located near Cheyenne Mountain and is the longest-running Five-Diamond and Five-Star winner. The hotel is located on 3,000 beautifully landscaped acres and offers 700 rooms and suites, 44 cottage bedrooms and 185,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space. In between meetings, The Broadmoor has no lack of activities for your attendees, including an award-winning spa, two swimming pools, three hot tubs, 54 holes of championship golf and six tennis courts.

Currently undergoing a $13-million renovation of its guest rooms, meeting rooms and public space, Cheyenne Mountain Resort has 316 guest rooms and suites in eight residential lodges, and each room has its own private balcony (most showcasing breathtaking views of the mountain). The resort has more than 40,000 sq. ft. of function space, consisting of 38 meeting rooms, including a tiered amphitheater. Meeting rooms and conference suites can accommodate from 10 to 600, and each dedicated space is supported by the most technologically advanced audiovisual systems.

Fresh from a $12-million renovation, the Crowne Plaza Hotel Colorado Springs has more than 48,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 500 guest rooms, and is situated just a few miles from Old Colorado City for shopping and entertainment options. As part of the remodel, all guest rooms feature 32-inch flat-screen TVs and wireless high-speed Internet access.

Pool at the Crowne Plaza Colorado Springs.

In the foothills of Pikes Peak, the 273-room Colorado Springs Marriott finished a renovation within the past year and provides 24,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The interior shows off warm tones, and guests can enjoy the mountain views near brick fireplaces.

Another option is the Four-Diamond Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs, with 292 guest rooms (many with mountain views) and 27,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. The property is also home to Colorado Springs’ first brewery, which is available as a fun group activity (probably best suited for the end of the day).

Santa Fe, New Mexico (Muy Caliente!)

2009-06-29T18:26:30Z

And while it’s a cliché to call a destination “unique,” since most places offer up something distinctive, New Mexico is alone at the farthest end of the scale. There really is no place quite like it.

It begins with the landscape of rugged mountains, plains and canyons, forests and mesas, in shades of deep browns, reds and greens. In fact, those same colors are a surprising match to the various chili peppers that are an unofficial symbol of the state, and the main ingredient to the mole, pico de gallo and salsa verde (among others) that are found on many a dinner plate here.

Clustered together in the northern half of the state, the cities of Albuquerque (the largest), Santa Fe (the artiest) and Taos (the funkiest) are the perfect embodiments of the New Mexico flavor. Here you’ll find ancient adobe pueblos and Spanish haciendas next to modern architecture. All share a common background and history, and are essentially made up of three distinct cultures—the Native Americans who have inhabited the land for millennia, the Spanish (and later Mexicans) who first arrived in the 16th century, and the American settlers from the 1800s (followed by a steady stream of artists beginning from the turn of last century, captivated by the dramatic light and color in the land and sky).

Encantado Resort, Santa Fe.

The landscape in the area is also a melding—of snow-capped peaks, rose-tinted desert plains and even densely forested mountains, with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (part of the Rocky Mountains) and Rio Grande slicing through from north to south. With so much open land—the sparsely populated state is the fifth largest in size and 36th in population—the terrain is a year-round hit with outdoor enthusiasts, from skiers and snowboarders in the winter near Taos, to river rafters, hikers and mountain bikers the rest of the year.

This combination of cultural offerings and outdoor recreation, all uniquely New Mexican, offers meeting-goers a full range of flavors, both figuratively and literally, along with the kind of affordability you can only find in second- and third-tier destinations. Of course, these cities of New Mexico play second fiddle to no place when it comes to making for the type of meeting or event your attendees will be talking about for a long time to come.

Rail Running

Possibly the hottest news in the area these days is its most modern offering. The popularity of the Rail Runner Express has skyrocketed after the commuter rail recently extended service between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. “Rail Runner was an instant success,” says Steve Lewis, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It was set up as a commuter train, but the government entity that runs it is finding it’s popular with tourists, leisure travel [and groups] between the two cities.”

For less than a 90-minute ride from downtown Albuquerque to downtown Santa Fe, your attendees can travel through some of northern New Mexico’s breathtaking landscape and arrive for a day trip in either city. “With a lot of people, their whole conference is in Albuquerque,” says Mary Pat Kloenne, director of sales at the Santa Fe CVB. “But last night, there was a group of 1,000 people who wanted to take the Rail Runner up for dinner on the plaza [in Santa Fe].” Not to be overlooked, the city of Taos is soon to offer shuttle service between the rail station in Santa Fe and downtown Taos.

Albuquerque

The largest city in New Mexico with a population of more than 500,000, Albuquerque is at the crossroads of two major interstates. It’s also home to the state’s biggest airport in the Albuquerque International Sunport, so getting to this commercial hub is as easy as ABQ (no groaning, please). And you’ll be glad you did, with Albuquerque’s long and interesting history, and a burgeoning cultural and arts scene. Besides that, you’ll find a picturesque setting with the Rio Grande flowing through downtown and the nearby Sandia Mountains offering an array of outdoor recreation options.

Though its glory days have passed, an 18-mile stretch of the fabled Route 66 makes its way through the city (now Central Avenue), with vestiges from its heyday as the road west in the neon-signed restaurants and kitschy motels that can still be found along the roadside. The route also rolls through the historic Nob Hill district, home to one of the first centralized shopping areas in the West, and today a popular destination with a number of boutique shops, trendy restaurants and high-end art galleries.

And while Albuquerque has all the benefits of any large, modern city, it also has the advantage of offering groups the kinds of deals found only in smaller market destinations. It’s long been considered an affordable place for meetings, something AAA has agreed with, ranking it as the second most-affordable city in the U.S. But don’t wait too long. Currently undergoing a growth spurt as the sixth-fastest growing city in the country, Albuquerque may eventually be too big to be considered second-tier. Until that day, you’ll appreciate the charm of a distinctively southwestern city with a rich history, yet organized in a way that lets you easily discover its many attractions.

Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum.

“I think people don’t understand our weather, which is one of our major aspects,” says Linda Brown, vice president of convention sales and services at the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re 5,000 feet high, so we have four seasons, a very mild summer, but also mild winters, and 310 days of sunshine a year. So a lot of people think of us as a Denver, but we would be a mild Denver. We don’t have traffic jams, and the airport is close to hotels and the convention center, so you can hop in a cab and be at the airport in 10 minutes.”

Brown describes Albuquerque as having four main hubs—downtown, Old Town, the airport area and Uptown—with hotels clustered together within each of these areas. Downtown is where you’ll find the main business district, including the 600,000-square-foot Albuquerque Convention Center. Central Avenue is located here as well, and is at the center of a vibrant nightlife scene—one that’s both easy to navigate and truly walkable. Just to the west is Old Town, which has been at the heart of the city since its founding in 1706, and has the centuries-old adobe buildings to prove it. Now the primary location of the city’s thriving cultural scene, the area is home to seven museums and numerous shops and galleries.

The quadrant around the airport is known for the University of New Mexico’s many facilities, both sports and academic, including the Student Union with 20 meeting rooms and an 11,197-square-foot Grand Ballroom. And the latest addition to the Albuquerque scene is ABQ Uptown, an outdoor shopping mall and dining district that opened in November of 2006.

Hot-air ballooning in Albuquerque.

“They loved it,” says Mona Eskridge, president of Eskridge & Associates, who organized an event in Albuquerque this past March for the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations, a group of around 250. “Usually with this group, I have a couple early arrivals before and a couple after. My numbers were up prior to the show, and then I had a nice size carryover after. We had more attendees than in San Diego, so the numbers were definitely up. As far as air travel, it was very convenient for the attendees.

“It was extremely cost effective as far as overall budget, we came in way under budget,” Eskridge says. “I’d never worked in Albuquerque before. It’s a hidden jewel, not enough planners know about it. It’s exclusive but attainable, and there are a lot of options to do off-property.”

Major Meeting Venues

With the city organized into four main districts, hotels and meetings venues are also found primarily in these areas. Downtown’s main attraction is the Albuquerque Convention Center, which recently upgraded its lighting and audiovisual system, and has the attached 287-room DoubleTree Hotel with 7,587 sq. ft. of meeting space. Across the street is the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, offering 381 rooms and 26,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. The biggest news downtown is the summer opening of Andaluz after a $30-million renovation. Formerly the historic La Posada de Albuquerque Hotel, the Andaluz will have 109 guest rooms and 7,346 sq. ft. of meeting space, while offering high-end luxury.

Lobby at Andaluz.

Located in the heart of the Uptown shopping and dining district, the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown recently completed a $20-million renovation. The hotel offers 295 guest rooms and 17,000 sq. ft. of revamped function space, including 12 meeting rooms with built-in A/V screens and wireless Internet. Also recently renovated, the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel has 411 guest rooms and 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. And just 15 minutes north of downtown is the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, a secluded property a mile from the main road, and offering 350 guest rooms and 21,650 sq. ft. of meeting space, including 50,000 sq. ft. of outdoor function space.

Unique Venues and Attractions

Albuquerque has a number of interesting and eclectic attractions that also double as venues for group functions, starting with the 650-seat KiMo Theatre, a historic property built in 1927 for touring vaudeville acts and silent films, and located on Central Avenue in downtown—perfect for awards ceremonies. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Old Town was until recently known as the National Atomic Museum, and ties in New Mexico’s atomic history with nearby Los Alamos. The museum has a total of 30,000 sq. ft. of reception space and can be booked for group tours.

Rafting on the Rio Grande, Santa Fe.

A must-see if your group wants to experience and learn about the area’s native culture, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center offers year-round art and dance demonstrations, as well as featuring the finest art displays from each of New Mexico’s 19 pueblos. The center also includes restaurant/banquet facilities with the Pueblo Harvest Café, for a further taste of Indian culture. And if you can’t make it for the largest ballooning event in the world at the International Balloon Fiesta in October, you can still check out the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum near Balloon Fiesta Park. The museum offers 9,850 sq. ft. of meeting space as well as catering.

Santa Fe

For art lovers, Santa Fe is something of a mecca, worthy of a pilgrimage to a town that celebrates its art and culture like no other. And the city has an opera, symphony, dozens of museums and hundreds of galleries to draw from. It’s no wonder painters, sculptors and photographers have been coming to the area since the turn of last century, including such famed artists as Georgia O’Keeffe.

“We have more than 240 galleries, and are the third largest art city in the U.S. behind New York and L.A.,” says Kloenne, of the Santa Fe CVB. “Santa Fe is a great alternative to those groups who feel uncomfortable going to Las Vegas this year. And we’re a good alternative for those groups who would otherwise go overseas.” In mid-June, American Eagle began offering daily direct flights from Dallas, making it that much easier for attendees to reach the city.

The oldest state capital in the country (established in 1610), and the highest at 7,000 feet, Santa Fe also has plenty of big city sophistication for such a small population (72,000). More than 100 galleries can be found along Canyon Road, while Museum Hill south of downtown has four top-tier museums, including the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture. You can also shop the informal Indian Market at the Santa Fe Plaza for jewelry and other arts and crafts.

Presidential Patio at Eldorado Hotel & Spa.

Meeting Venues

The big news in Santa Fe is the unveiling last winter of the new LEED-certified Santa Fe Convention Center, which resembles more of a large hacienda than a typical steel and glass conference center. It offers 72,000 sq. ft. of total space and is operated by the Santa Fe CVB, finally giving them a sizable venue (the previous center was a mere 10,000 sq. ft.). “The convention center is our new pride and joy. We worked for 25 years to get it, and feel all grown up now that we’ve moved here,” says Lewis of the Santa Fe CVB. “It’s a marvelous place, the greenest municipal building in downtown, both appealing and very functional.”

The other significant meetings property in the area is the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder located just 15 minutes outside the city. The convention hotel is above a casino and features 395 guest rooms and suites, and 66,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. With the addition of “Golf” to their name, a highlight of the resort for duffers is the 36-hole Towa Golf Club, designed by Hale Irwin and Bill Phillips. There’s also the 16,000-square-foot, native-themed Wo’ P’in spa, with 11 treatment rooms and numerous spa services, to please your guests. Just outside of town is the Encantado, an Auberge Resort that opened in August 2008 and features 65 casitas and 4,360 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Albuquerque Convention Center.

Unique Venues and Attractions

When a destination is nicknamed “The City Different,” you know there’s bound to be plenty of venues out of the ordinary. And there’s certainly nothing commonplace about the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, which features a stunning collection of paintings from the iconic artist, and can accommodate groups up to 250.
Just opened in May is the New Mexico History Museum, which offers a state-of-the-art, interactive exhibition of the state’s history, from its early indigenous people through 400 years of Spanish colonization. Another alternative is the downtown Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, an example of pueblo revival architecture and available for groups up to 350.

Taos

Just up the highway from Santa Fe is the decidedly quirky town of Taos, with a population of 4,700 (heavy on the artists) and no nickname required. While it’s somewhat isolated and not as easy to get to as the other cities, the extra effort pays off handsomely with a charmingly eccentric downtown and main plaza, along with its breathtaking setting surrounded by the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Or as D.H. Lawrence said, “You cannot come to Taos without feeling that here is one of the chosen spots on earth.” Those same mountains are also a lure for skiers and snowboarders in the winter (five alpine resorts are within an hour away), and hikers, rock climbers and mountain bikers in the summer.

Ballroom at El Monte Sagrado.

“Taos is unique. It gives you the flavor of something almost European or exotic, without the expense,” says Jeanne Kitzman, sales and marketing manager for the Taos Convention Center. “We have a central plaza, which is quite authentic. And around it there are lots of little and intriguing properties. If you have a group looking for the Hyatt Regency, we’re not the place. But if you’ve got a group that’s looking for something authentic and interesting, we’re it. We’re the little brother to Santa Fe, but the feeling here is more authentic.”

One of the top sights that should be on any to-see list is the Taos Pueblo, a traditional adobe apartment-like structure that’s been in continuous use as a residence by Native Americans for more than 1,000 years, and is a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town also has more than 50 galleries near the plaza, with a number of high-end restaurants helmed by top chefs.

Suite at Hilton Santa Fe.

Venues and Attractions

The primary venue for meetings and events in town is the Taos Civic Plaza & Convention Center. Located near the plaza in the Taos Historic District, the convention center offers 23,655 sq. ft. of total function space, and is within walking distance from a number of hotels. That would include the historic Hotel La Fonda de Taos on the plaza, with 24 guest rooms and suites, and meeting space for groups up to 70. Another option is the El Monte Sagrado, which offers 84 guest rooms and suites and 7,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and includes the Four Diamond-rated De la Tierra Restaurant.

Irvine, California

2009-06-30T19:38:57Z

No one here is advocating that a meeting in Southern California in the summer should emphasize pleasure over business, but the bounty of outdoor recreation available is an inescapable fact for any group, and frankly one that should be embraced and incorporated into event schedules to make the most of your SoCal summer meeting. Not just that, but keeping your attendees holed up inside a meeting room all day without any outdoor playtime as reward is borderline cruel and unusual.

Because one thing you won’t find outside are gray clouds. As the song goes, “it never rains in Southern California,” which holds true for each of the main regions—metro Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Palm Springs and the Inland Empire. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year in any area of the Southland—beaches, mountains or deserts—it’s as close to a sure bet your event will see nothing but blue skies, while the outdoors beckons with warm summer days and nights. The fabulous weather has become a signature of the region, a draw for corporate groups and an attendance driver for association events.

“The weather is a big factor,” says Elaine Cali, vice president of communications for the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, on the appeal of the region. “It ties in with that lifestyle that Southern California still holds, the brand of Southern California. It’s the casual lifestyle, and the scenery that people expect to see—the palm trees and ocean—with lots of things for people to do and see.”

Hotel Shangri-La spa in Santa Monica.

And the options for doing and seeing are dizzying. With more than 180 miles of coastline from Los Angeles to San Diego, the grand expanse of beaches and waterways along the Pacific Ocean is never far away. Depending on your locale, you can simply step out your hotel door from the many oceanfront properties in San Diego and Orange County. Or for inland meetings, it’s a 90-minute drive from places like Palm Springs or Riverside.

Once there, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what to do. Surfers ride the waves in every bay and beachhead along the coast, with structured lessons for the curious beginner available in many areas. Beach volleyball is king in Southern California, with professional matches (and large crowds) and a seemingly unlimited number of sandy courts and nets available to the public, with organized tournaments making for a great group activity. Meeting-goers can also take advantage of boat trips and fishing excursions with numerous private charters. There’s also regular ferry service to Catalina Island on the Catalina Express, a mere 90-minute trip from Dana Point, San Pedro and Long Beach.

Inland adventures are just as plentiful and popular. Golf is a year-round sport in Southern California, and many of the world-class courses can accommodate groups for full- or half-day outings, golfing demonstrations and tournaments. The various canyons and state and national parks are easily accessible—often found just beyond city borders—and provide for a host of activities, with hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding all readily available. And warm days mean cool comfortable evenings for exploring the cultural side of things, from a starry stroll to local restaurants to a cruise through the arts and nightlife scene of cities large and small.

Of course, meetings are the focal point for any group, and the facilities in Southern California are many and varied, from some of the largest convention centers in the country, to urban, boutique hotels and Five-Star, secluded resorts. The area is served by two major airports—Los Angeles and San Diego International—as well as several smaller ones, including John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Palm Springs International Airport and LA/Ontario International Airport in the Inland Empire. And getting from point A to B is a snap on Southern California’s famed freeways, as well as on miles of light rail and metro systems in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

But while the types of groups that assemble in Southern California are as diverse as the attendees who fill their rolls, once there they all share the common experience of great weather, superb attractions and fun activities. And with all the area has to offer, any attendee will find something to enjoy, especially in the summertime when the sun shines brightest.

“Even though they shouldn’t have, a lot of people went to the beach,” half-jokes Deidre Irwin Ross, CMP, director of conference services for the American Library Association in Chicago, who held their annual event in Anaheim in June 2008. “I saw a lot of tan librarians walking around. But really, they stayed on the show floor and spent time with the exhibitors, then went out,” she says.

Pool at the Riviera Resort & Spa, Palm Springs.

So, put the top down on that rental convertible, and enjoy your Southern California meeting. And though meetings aren’t meant for R&R, of course, a planned outing or built-in free time will keep your group refreshed, revived and that much more responsive to the business at hand. Oh, and don’t forget the sunblock.

Lounging in L.A.

A major international destination such as Los Angeles has something for satisfying just about any taste or preference, from the obvious (beaches) to the surprising. (Horseback riding in L.A.!? Just mosey down to the coastal city of Palos Verdes and Wagon Wheel Ranch for one-hour to full-day and moonlight rides.) And while the urban amenities you’ll find in L.A. are second to none, with world-class museums and leading-edge arts and cultural offerings, one of the most common images of the city is of fabulous people lounging in swanky venues.

The Kress in Hollywood.

Fortunately, lounging is a sport anyone can participate in, and for groups, the latest trend in L.A. is taking your event to the roof, often combining a jigger of arts and culture with your apple martini. The fourth-floor rooftop of the Petersen Automotive Museum is one such venue, with classic muscle cars from the ’60s and Ferraris from the ’50s, as well as great views of the Hollywood Hills for groups up to 250. Another is the Target Terrace atop the newly opened Grammy Museum in downtown’s burgeoning L.A. LIVE district, with music lectures and performances a popular accompaniment to events for groups up to 350. Or you can head to Hollywood and The Kress, the latest and hottest of the area’s new clubs, with four floors available in any combination for groups, and a rooftop featuring fire pits and private cabanas.

For a day at the park, you’ll find a surprising amount of green space in L.A., such as the spacious Griffith Park just north of downtown and offering a number of hiking trails. If you want more action-packed fun in your park, then Universal Studios Hollywood is the place to be, with numerous attractions including the Simpsons Ride and new Creature from the Black Lagoon. For groups, the park also features a number of indoor theaters and outdoor studio lot space for themed events, while nearby NBC Universal (nbcuni.com) is now hosting The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brian.

Major and Unique Venues

As something of a no-brainer, hotels throughout Los Angeles have incorporated outdoor or rooftop space into their properties, attracting hordes of the hip and beautiful on warm summer nights. The Standard Downtown LA has the Standard Rooftop Bar (for up to 240), definitely on the see-and-be-seen list, as well as 207 guest rooms and 12,00 sq. ft. of total meeting space. The Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City features a roof garden, and comes with 451 guest rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Nearby is the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, with 482 guest rooms and 60,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. And at the edge of L.A. LIVE downtown is the Los Angeles Convention Center, with 720,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, and numerous meeting rooms totaling 147,000 sq. ft.

For a uniquely historical experience, the de-commissioned Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach at the southern end of Los Angeles County, features the Queen Mary Hotel with 314 staterooms and more than 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Baseball in San Diego

Some of California’s cities have a reputation for being not so pedestrian friendly, but San Diego is definitely not one of them. It all starts downtown in the state’s southernmost city with Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres major league baseball team, and at the heart of numerous hotels, restaurants and shops—all an easy stroll away. Besides attending baseball games (group packages are available), the park, built in 2004, has more than 20 venues available for private events, from the clubhouse to center field, for groups of 50 to 40,000 (for stadium buyouts). Just adjacent to the park is the San Diego Convention Center along the city’s waterfront, with 615,701 sq. ft. of total exhibit space.

Another decidedly walkable part of San Diego is the Gaslamp Quarter, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with more than 100 shops, restaurants, galleries and nightclubs. A baseball’s throw from the park and bordering the convention center, the quarter is an ideal place to spend an evening under the stars after a long day of meetings. Or, it’s a great way to cap an afternoon spent at one of the city’s beaches, or partaking in one of San Diego’s many outdoor attractions. Number one on that list is the famed San Diego Zoo, a short distance from downtown in Balboa Park and featuring more than 4,000 animals and thousands of exotic plants. Ride the Skyfari aerial tram for great views of the zoo (and surrounding Balboa Park) or take advantage of the venue options for private groups up to 4,000, including the Elephant Mesa and Mombasa Island Pavilion.

Banquet room in the Disney Animation Building.

Major and Unique Venues

San Diego has some 131 hotels with meeting facilities, and downtown enjoys the lion’s share with properties such as the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, offering 1,190 guest rooms and 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. You can also take your attendees to a livelier place such as the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter, which features the Rock Spa and Nobu restaurant, and plenty of action outside its front door. The Hard Rock has 420 guest rooms and 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Farther north in San Diego, the La Jolla Shores Hotel is one of the few in the county located directly on the beach. For surfers, it’s a dream location, and for groups, the hotel’s 128 guest rooms and 7,500 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space make for an ideal retreat-like setting on the edge of the city.

Continuing north, The Grand Del Mar is one of San Diego’s top luxury properties, with a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, 249 guest rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Nearby is the 4,100-acre Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, with 37 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Surfing in The O.C.

Some destinations are forever fated to be tagged with an unofficial brand (e.g., Seattle: coffee on a rainy day; Phoenix: but it’s a dry heat!). Mention Orange County, and an image comes to mind of surfing along beautiful beaches (and all other manner of seaside activities) under sunny skies and warm breezes. The coastal cities and towns that make up the more than 40 miles of coastline in The O.C. have been attracting surfers and beach-goers since the sport first landed on our western shores, and standing tallest among those locales is Huntington Beach.

Officially dubbed “Surf City USA,” the evidence is found in the city’s International Surfing Museum with exhibits of some of the legends, as well as its hosting of the U.S. Open of Surfing and Surf City USA Marathon. Your group can even learn to surf like the pros at Corky Carroll’s Surf School, enjoy a sand-castle building competition (with professional guidance) or sit by a bonfire after dark. Other O.C. coastal communities include Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa, the latter represented by the Costa Mesa Conference and Visitors Bureau.

But The O.C. has a lot more going for it than just surfing. “I think [attendees] are surprised because the terrain is so diverse,” says Cali, from the Anaheim/Orange County VCB. “I think they’re not sure what to expect if they haven’t been here before, that the Anaheim Convention Centeris so close and walkable [from the hotels] and close to Disney, and there’s so much variety accessible to them.” The center is the largest in the area with 813,000 sq. ft. of event space.

Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa.

You’re never far from the happiest place on earth in The O.C., with Disneyland Resort centrally located in the city of Anaheim, an easy drive from all points (or shuttle from some hotels). Another resource for planning events in the area is the Irvine Chamber Visitors Bureau.

Major Venues

Besides the theme parties groups can hold in Disney and its California Adventure Park, there are plenty of nearby options beginning with the massive Anaheim Convention Center, with 813,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, including a 38,000-square-foot ballroom and 51 meeting rooms. Just adjacent are the 1,572-room Hilton Anaheim, which just completed a $70-million renovation throughout the property, including its 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and the 1,030-room Anaheim Marriott with 82,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, which is finishing its own $22-million renovation. For a venue that combines business and pleasure, the nearby bowling alley at Strike Orange County offers meeting space, team-building events and 30 glow-in-the-dark bowling lanes.

In Newport Beach, The Balboa Bay Club & Resort is set on 15 acres of bay front near the tony Fashion Island shopping district, and has 160 guest rooms and suites and 23,000 sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor event space. The largest property in Huntington Beach is the Four-Diamond Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa, with 517 guest rooms, including 57 suites, and more than 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Located across from the beach, the hotel also offers two-hour surfing lessons from on-staff surf pros.

Golfing in Palm Springs

Most people wouldn’t think that a destination with “desert” in its name would be home to so many championship-level golf courses, but Palm Springs and its sister desert communities have been attracting professional and amateur golfers alike for decades.

“We have over 120 courses in the valley itself, between the eight cities, most of which are open to the public,” says Rick Leson, director of sales at the Palm Springs Convention Center. “Most courses are very willing to work with people, with a wide variety to please anybody. You can find a course where everyone can feel comfortable.”

And while summer can push temperatures up, making day golf uncomfortable for some, there’s still plenty of opportunity to get in a full round. “In summer, you have to just adjust your hours,” Leson says. “You learn to adjust a little bit, get up earlier in the morning, taking advantage of the coolness. But because we’re so close to the mountains, when the sun goes down at 7 it feels like a 15-degree difference.”

The Grand del Mar golf course, San Diego.

One sure way to cool off is to take the aerial tramway from the base of the mountains to a 14,000-acre alpine forest. Or simply wait until night, when it’s a pleasure to be in the desert under clear star-lit skies. With a cluster of hotels, restaurants, shops and galleries near the convention center, attendees can easily and comfortably stroll from one place to another.

Meeting Venues

Besides large properties such as the Wyndham Palm Springs Hotel with 410 guest rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space (and soon to be reflagged a Renaissance after current renovations are complete), the area also has a number of hip and newly renovated hotels. The now swanky Riviera Resort & Spa was completely renovated at the end of 2008, and features 406 guest rooms and 45,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space. And the Parker Palm Springs, a popular hotel for the out-of-town glitterati, has 144 guest rooms and villas, and 5,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. Though not a hotel, the beautifully designed Palm Springs Convention Center is the center of attention every January for the Palm Springs Film Festival opening-night gala with a who’s who of Hollywood heavyweights (Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, etc.). The center offers a total of 261,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space.

Wine Tasting in the Inland Empire

Just outside L.A. and San Diego’s backdoor is its very own wine country in the Inland Empire (made up of San Bernardino, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear, Riverside, Ontario and Temecula). Found primarily in Temecula Valley, a 27-mile span of rolling vineyards at the southern end of the I.E., the SoCal wine country features more than 20 award-winning wineries, including the South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, named the California State Winery of the Year, with 76 villas and more than 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

At the northern end of the Inland Empire you can find all manner of outdoor recreation (hiking, mountain biking, skiing) in the 670,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest, or at the mountain resort areas of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead. For meetings, the Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa has 173 guest rooms and 23,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space, and is near shops and restaurants of Lake Arrowhead Village. In Big Bear, the Northwoods Resort and Conference Center features 147 guest rooms and 9,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

For larger events, the Ontario Convention Center offers 225,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space in its state-of-the-art and eco-friendly facility. And in Temecula Valley, the Pechanga Resort & Casino has 522 guest rooms and 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the Eagle’s View Ballroom atop a 14-story tower.

Park City, Utah (Park City, Utah)

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But don’t tell that to Park City. The one-time silver-mining town just to the east of Salt Lake City (and a mere 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport) is a fun zone by any standards. And the fun is now that much easier to access with a recent change in Utah’s liquor laws which, starting July 1, removes the private club system that required a membership for entry into many bars—a source of confusion for visitors and a factor in Utah’s staid reputation.

Of course, that’s never stopped Park City from having a good time. Besides its rollicking past (the town once had 27 saloons), the area has been attracting sports and outdoor enthusiasts for decades with world-class skiing and snowboarding at its three major resorts—The Canyons Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort, the latter two as primary venues for skiing and snowboarding events during the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Nestled within the Wasatch Mountains, Park City is bustling during ski season, but has just as much to offer in the summer months, with hiking, biking and horseback riding, as well as a long list of outdoor festivals and events. And speaking of events, the town is also home to one of the most famous around—the Sundance Film Festival.
“In the summer, there’s lots of hiking and biking trails, white-water rafting, hot-air ballooning, alfresco dining. The excellent thing about Park City is, the climate is fantastic,” says Ashley Andersen, meeting and convention sales and marketing manager for Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau. “The town kind of slows down a little, so it’s a little bit more relaxed. And obviously Park City is a mountain destination, but it combines the amenities of the mountain-resort town with cultural amenities.”

Lobby at Stein Eriksen Lodge

With such a spectacular setting, and a host of activities to choose from, Park City is an easy choice for impressing your attendees. “We chose Park City because Hill Air Force Base is in Utah, and so we try to show off different parts of the state,” says Aileen Stebly, protocol officer with the Air Force’s 748th supply team management group, whose 30 attendees came from around the U.S. “It was terrific. Between the [Park City] CVB and the Yarrow [Resort], it couldn’t have gotten any better. We have the same group now [at another destination], and they keep saying ‘it’s not Park City.’”

MAJOR MEETING VENUES
While Park City doesn’t have the type of major convention center you’ll find in nearby Salt Lake City, it does offer more than 125,000 sq. ft. of meeting space among its 25 meeting and convention properties, with an additional 60,000 sq. ft. of event space outside of ski season. The Canyons Resort includes the Four-Diamond Grand Summit Hotel, with 358 guest rooms and suites, and a conference center that offers more than 15,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space. You can also take a gondola to the resort’s 4,000-square-foot Red Pine Lodge, a full-service cafeteria located mid-mountain and available for meetings and events.

Adjacent to two golf courses, the Yarrow Resort Hotel & Conference Center has 181 guest rooms and 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, with a range of configurations in its 11 meeting rooms. Besides the Mountain Grill restaurant, guests have access to the private Yarrow Social Club and complimentary shuttle service throughout the city.

For high-end comfort with a touch of Norway, the Five-Star Stein Eriksen Lodge has 180 guest rooms and 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space at one of the highest properties elevation-wise in the area. The Lodge’s Four-Star Glitretind Restaurant offers selections from a 10,000-bottle wine cellar and personalized wine seminars for groups.

A short walk to ski lifts at the Park City Mountain Resort, the Silver King Hotel features 65 guest rooms and suites and 3,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. The Marriott Park City recently completed a renovation of its 191 guest rooms, lobby, ballroom and 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, and serves as the official headquarters for the Sundance Film Festival.

Utah Olympic Park

Just to the south of the town of Park City in Heber Valley—a top golf destination—Zermatt Resort is a slice of Switzerland in the western Rockies. The resort’s hotel properties and villas offer a total of 352 guest rooms, suites and condominiums, and its Matterhorn Conference Center has 28,000 sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space.

UNIQUE MEETING VENUES
In addition to being a major attraction for visitors, one of the more popular venues for meetings and events in Park City these days is the Utah Olympic Park. Host to 14 events during the 2002 Winter Olympics, including ski jumping, nordic combined and bobsled, the park is available for groups to try their hand at luge and bobsled (wheeled during the summer), biathlon shoot and nordic sprint races—ideal for team-building activities. Entertainment can be provided by the Flying Ace All-Stars, with trampoline and free-style aerial shows, while the Quinney Center offers a conference room, auditorium and museum for meetings and events.

During the summer months, a premier venue in Park City is the Eccles Center, an outdoor amphitheater that hosts a concert series (Chuck Berry, Madeleine Peyroux, etc.) and is available for private events. Also in the summer is the Park City Art Festival, a city-wide event sponsored by the Kimball Art Center, which has 3,900 sq. ft. of gallery space.

For a piece of Park City history, the 266-seat Egyptian Theatre, which opened in 1926 on the site of the original 1880s Opera House, is a major venue for the Sundance Film Festival and available for events. Opening this summer in Old Town Park City is the High West Distillery and Saloon, which produces artisan rye whiskey and vodka, and will have space in its new home for private functions.

ACTIVITIES
Finding fun activities in Park City is as easy as stepping outside your door. Depending on your location, that may begin with a stroll along the city’s famed Main Street, with rows of quaint shops, bars and restaurants, including 64 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a popular place in any season, and the locale for many of the town’s summer street festivals.

Event at Eccles Center

While there are plenty of plush properties to enjoy throughout Park City, the best activities are found in the great outdoors, starting with winter sports at one of the city’s three world-class ski resorts. Downhill skiing and snowboarding are the main events, but cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and sleigh rides are also available through any number of outfitters, including Rocky Mountain Recreation of Utah, which also offers summer activities such as horseback riding, wagon rides, and hunting and fishing trips. Park City Outfitters works with groups for fly fishing and hunting.

While Park City has four golf courses, some of the best mountain golfing available is found just to the south of the city in Heber Valley, with its five championship-level courses. And as mentioned above, the Utah Olympic Park offers entertainment and a variety of winter and summer team-building activities for groups.

Monterey, California (A Bay of Its Own)

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A laid-back ambience, fresh ocean air and a unique blend of architectural styles give the area an unassuming, yet elegant feel.However, the curving waterfront is more than a daisy chain of charming towns decorating the Monterey Bay. “There is a lot of history here,” says Bruce Skidmore, director of sales for the Monterey Convention and Visitors Bureau, “and yet it remains timeless.” The city of Monterey, for instance, was California’s capital from 1777 to 1849 (under Mexican and Spanish flags, whose cultural influence the region retains) and an important player in California’s commercial fishing industry.

Today, the region serves as a meeting hub, offering myriad meeting venues, proximity to urban centers, top-notch golf courses and the ocean. The county is home to more than 85 vintners and growers and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which spans 276 miles of shoreline.

As the largest city along the bay, Monterey anchors the region with an array of diverse neighborhoods, meeting venues, cultural attractions and activities. To the south lie Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley, their inland neighbor. Just north of Monterey is Seaside, and at the top of the crescent-shaped bay is the city of Santa Cruz.

MONTEREY
Monterey is chock-a-block with historic buildings spanning from the Fisherman’s Wharf area to Cannery Row, living relics of the area’s once vibrant fishing industry. It’s also a compact city with a host of attractions walking distance from many hotels.

Monterey is also home to the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, and its progressive Seafood Watch Program. It retains its charm (note the absence of strip malls and fast food chains) because of the city’s strict zoning.

As for meetings, Monterey’s ideal meeting size is 70 to 250 rooms per night, with many properties to select from. “We have a lot of options and price points; we have resorts and rates from $100 to $1,000 a night,” Skidmore says. In fact, Monterey has 1,500 committable rooms within a three mile radius that range from luxury to affordable and from ocean-side to course-side to ensure that planners find a property that suits their needs. “It’s all about creating value for the customer,” he says, “people who used to go off-shore and international are now going to Monterey.”

Event set-up at the Portola Hotel

Major Meeting Venues
Located in the historic downtown near Fisherman’s Wharf is the Monterey Conference Center, the city’s largest meeting venue with 61,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, complete with a 19,600-square-foot exhibit hall and a 490-seat high-tech theater. Connected to the conference center are two meetings hotels: Portola Hotel & Spa and the Monterey Marriott. Together with the Hotel Pacific, these four properties make up the Monterey Meeting Connection, an alliance that gives planners access to all four venues with just one point of contact.

The 379-room Portola Hotel has a beautiful atrium that can accommodate up to 250 for a cocktail reception and offers 50,000 sq. ft. of event space (in conjunction with the conference center), Wi-Fi and on-site A/V. The Monterey Marriott features 341 guest rooms and more than 16,000 sq. ft. of event space, including the top floor Ferrantes Bay View Room that can accommodate up 180 for a banquet. The boutique Hotel Pacific is a great fit for smaller groups, featuring 105 suites (with fireplaces) and three meeting rooms.

Nearby, at the entrance of Old Town Monterey, is Casa Munras, a hotel built around the hacienda of Don Esteban Munras (the last Spanish diplomat to California), which dates back to 1824. Located on five acres, it features flower gardens for al fresco events, 3,500 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and the new Sano spa. A short jaunt along the waterfront from Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row is a fun pedestrian-friendly stomping ground for groups, with a host of sights, shops, restaurants and meeting space in one historic milieu. The new 208-room InterContinental the Clement Monterey features more than 15,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, including an oceanfront ballroom that can accommodate up to 150 banquet-style. Also on the row is the 290-room Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa, a Four-Star property set on Monterey Bay with 17,000 sq. ft. of wired event space.

Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa

Farther inland, on Pebble Beach Company’s Del Monte Golf Course, is the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa, fresh from a multimillion-dollar renovation. As the largest hotel in Monterey, it offers 550 rooms, a 12,000-square-foot ballroom, and a new 14,000-square-foot spa and health club. The nearby Hilton Garden Inn Monterey has 204 guest rooms and 6,500 sq. ft. of event space.

Unique Venues and Activities
In addition to hotels and a convention center, Monterey features off-the-beaten-path meeting venues with a local flair. Get your groups outside and on the sand with Adventures by the Sea. Their private Beach House, flanked by grass huts, palm trees and tiki torches, can host up to 1,000 guests for a reception, and offers Monterey-style team-building activities like the Beach Olympics.

Attracting an estimated 8 million visitors a year, Cannery Row is full of history, and its biggest draw is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Here your attendees can meet and mingle with the underwater flora and fauna at one of the largest, and best regarded, aquariums in the country. The conservation-focused aquarium, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, is not only a one-of-a-kind meeting venue, but also an excellent site for team-building activities. The multilevel aquarium can be rented out in wings and is also available for total buyouts, giving your group sole access to this popular site.

For an activity of a different flavor, try the nearby Culinary Center of Monterey. Available for up to 75 participants, the center offers themed classes and team-building activities like chef contests, guaranteed to stir up some competitive spirit. One block over on Wave Street, the new 290-seat Cannery Row IMAX Theater is available for high-definition meetings, product launches and multimedia presentations.

Immerse your group in local history at the Old Whaling Station, with actual whale vertebrae floor tiles; it can accommodate 50 guests indoors. Up the street, the Monterey Museum of Art at La Miranda, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is an ideal canvas for a creative meeting for up to 350 attendees.

Put your attendees in the driver’s seat at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, a combination raceway, driving school and meeting facility. Gather at the Red Bull Energy Center, which can hold up to 500 guests, and fasten your seatbelts for the Skip Barber Racing School, which will instruct your groups on accident avoidance and car control skills in a high-octane environment for all experience levels.

As Jennifer Capasso, public relations manager at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, says “You come here for the golf, then you can go wine tasting, to the aquarium, then go racing, go shopping in Carmel and take a wicked bike ride.” There is no shortage of pre- and post-meeting diversions, and the CVB’s Skidmore says that planners have a hard time selecting which activities to offer their guests. He suggests offering a variety of options such as whale watching, kayaking and a walking tour of Carmel, coupled with some free time for exploration.

Banquet at Quail Lodge

Recreation-minded groups will enjoy Monterey’s proximity to natural parks, each with its own breathtaking vistas and unique wildlife. Accessible from many of the cities in the Monterey Bay area, groups can trek along the oceanfront headlands and see seals and various waterfowl at the Point Lobos State Reserve, then amble between beaches and peaks (camera in hand) at the celebrated Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

Ag Venture Tours is a popular way to take in the area; they offer half- or full-day group tours to area attractions like Big Sur and more agriculturally inspired trips to Carmel Valley wineries and Salinas farms.

PACIFIC GROVE
Connected to Monterey by the one-mile long Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, Pacific Grove, or P.G. as the locals call it, is known as “America’s last hometown.” While the two cities spill into each other near Cannery Row, Pacific Grove has a distinctly small-town feel. It began as a Methodist summer encampment, and today is known for its welcoming spaces and the colorful population of Monarch butterflies that flutter seasonally through the town.
P.G. has a handful of inns and hotels, but the largest meeting venue is Asilomar Conference Grounds, which started out as a YWCA retreat in 1913. Set on 107 acres of protected beachfront land, this rustic, affordable property offers 313 guest rooms and lodges, and 31,000 sq. ft. of function space.

At nearby Point Pinos, you’ll find the circa 1855 Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast. Adjacent to this historic structure is the 18-hole Pacific Grove Golf Links and the Point Pinos Grill. The Grill, with spectacular ocean views, can accommodate up to 150, with buyouts available.

PEBBLE BEACH
“There is no other Pebble Beach; it is its own destination. We have three great hotels and four great golf courses within a confined community,” says Tim Ryan, senior vice president of sales for Pebble Beach Resorts. Pebble Beach is known as a golf mecca with high-profile championships and events taking place year-round (at press time Ryan was setting up for the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival).

The Inn at Spanish Bay, the Lodge at Pebble Beach and Casa Palmero have a total of 454 rooms and nearly 30,000 sq. ft. of combined meeting space, each property with its own distinct feel. This trio of luxury hotels along the bay is a one-stop-shop for meeting planners. “If you are meeting at The Inn at Spanish Bay, you can also use the other facilities for your event. It’s basically an off-site function, but it’s still on-site. We have some nice venues outside of the hotel but that are still on the property,” Ryan says.

Ryan says that in this sensitive meetings climate their staff has been working especially hard to help customers realize the value of meetings and justify their costs based on their client’s and business’ needs. “We really have to better understand what [information] they need to justify the expense of the meeting and measure the return on their investment,” Ryan says. Not only is Pebble Beach a great meeting facility, he adds, it is a destination, which helps to increase attendance.

Pebble Beach will be hosting the 2010 U.S. Open golf tournament, which means that groups meeting here close to the June event can play on the tournament-ready golf course.

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
Farther south is Carmel-by-the-Sea, an enchanting village and vibrant artistic community. Smaller groups will feel at home in this one-square-mile town sans traffic lights.

One of Carmel’s main attractions is the Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo, the third mission built in California. A historic landmark, it was built in 1771 by Franciscan missionary Father Junípero Serra. Nearby is the Carmel Mission Inn, a posh property with 165 rooms and 4,500 sq. ft. of meeting space to host up to 300 guests.

Groups can also meet at La Playa Hotel, which features 75 guest rooms and five private cottages, only blocks from the beach. This hotel offers complimentary wireless Internet and parking, five meeting rooms and formal gardens.

A few blocks away is the ruggedly-handsome 31-room Mission Ranch. Owned by Clint Eastwood (one of the many famous residents of the county), it has two banquet facilities, the Patio Party Barn and Large Party Barn, with stages and built-in dance floors.

Guest room at Carmel Mission Inn

Carmel Plaza is the focal point of shopping in Carmel, with a combination of upscale shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

CARMEL VALLEY
More low-key and farther inland than its ocean-side counterpart, Carmel Valley is a rural realm of ranches and wineries surrounded by the Santa Lucia Mountains. Sunnier than its coastal neighbors, the valley is known for grapes, amazing outdoor spaces and upscale meeting properties.

Approximately 40,000 acres of vineyards cover the rolling countryside in the area, which makes wine tasting a popular pre- and post-meeting activity. Hiking and horseback riding in the 4,500-acre Garland Regional Park are also popular recreation activities.

Château Julien combines wine and meeting space into one castle-like venue with Loire Valley-like charm. Built in the French-style of the property, The Chai building (adjacent to the main château) can host up 300 guests in the rustic ambience of wine aging in oak barrels.

Event in the Chai Building at Château Julien

Part lodge and part award-winning winery, the 57-room Bernardus offers groups a luxurious adobe-style venue with 4,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space.

The 144-suite Carmel Valley Ranch has a 4,200-square-foot ballroom and numerous tree-lined outdoor spaces for events on its rolling 400 acres. Groups will also enjoy its recently enhanced, 18-hole, Pete Dye-designed golf course and its spa. Also featuring a top-rated golf course, Quail Lodge offers 97 cozy rooms, a spa, more than 6,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art meeting space, plus the Land Rover Experience Driving School.

SEASIDE
From Monterey, travel north to Seaside, a friendly beach town that will be seeing many new developments in the next few years.

Until 1993, Fort Ord functioned as a U.S. Army post. Known as one of the most attractive military bases in the U.S., it is now the site of California State University, Monterey.

For meetings, the 235-suite Embassy Suites Hotel Monterey Bay-Seaside is the largest facility, with 12,500 sq. ft. of event space. A 330-room Fairmont Resort Hotel, part of a mixed-use redevelopment project, is slated to open in 2011, but has yet to break ground.

Seaside is also known for its golf—36 challenging holes at the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses, which are fresh from a $13-million renovation. In addition to attracting club-toting golf enthusiasts, these twin courses also host indoor and outdoor events for up to 300 guests.

SANTA CRUZ
At the northern tip of the crescent-shaped bay lies Santa Cruz, Northern California’s quintessential beach town. “The beach is our biggest draw, people just love being near the beach,” says Christina Glynn, communications director of the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council. But Santa Cruz is more than miles of beaches, Glynn says, as visitors also enjoy the city’s college-town feel (courtesy of the University of California, Santa Cruz), the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Surf Museum (santacruzsurfingmuseum.org) and state parks with imposing redwoods.

Villa at Seascape Resort

Outdoor and water activities abound with kayaking, (for rentals check out Kayak Connection), surfing and guided nature walks through the area’s state parks. Groups who want to get out on the water and stay dry can board the Chardonnay II (chardonnay.com), a 70-foot luxury yacht, which holds up to 49 passengers and offers dining and team-building on the bay.

The 102-year-old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a fun outdoor amusement park with rides, a vintage rollercoaster and games right on the beach. In addition to their meeting rooms, the park added a new terrace that is ideal for private events.

Only steps from the sand is the 165-room Santa Cruz Dream Inn, the city’s only full-service beachfront hotel. Recently renovated and reflagged as a Joie de Vivre property, the retro-glam-style hotel will be offering meeting space and a newly remodeled restaurant, slated to open this month.
Farther inland, off Santa Cruz’s main artery Ocean Avenue, is the 174-room University Inn & Conference Center, which has 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and can host up to 325 attendees.

Near the DeLaveaga Golf Course is the 156-room Chaminade Executive Conference Center. A blend of California and Spanish styles, the Four-Diamond, eco-friendly resort offers custom team-building activities and features 12,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art meeting space, a full-service spa, tennis and volleyball courts.

Just south of Santa Cruz, in Aptos, Seascape Resort is one of the largest venues in the area, with 285 suites and villas and 17,000 sq. ft. of indoor conference space. Overlooking a private beach, with meeting packages that include meals, refreshments, A/V and Internet access, the resort is a good fit for larger groups.

Riverside, California

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What many planners don’t know is that the Inland Empire offers a national forest, sprawling valleys, accessibility from just about anywhere, great price points and those often hard to find wide-open spaces.As well as offering three international airports nearby, the heart of the region also lies at the intersection of several major freeways, making it convenient for attendees.

“For the meeting planner [there is] easy access for the drive market that Southern California is so well known for,” says Amita Patel, CHSP, director of sales for the Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau. Plus, accommodations for groups can be found at various property chains and boutique hotels, both affordable and centrally located near convention centers, as well as historic downtowns.

Though the I.E. may not have all the glamour of its Hollywood neighbor, the region surely has SoCal-like sunshine and all the meeting amenities without the hustle and bustle.

LOCATION IS EVERYTHING
Generally defined as the area between the southern coastal areas of Orange County, Los Angeles and Palm Springs, the Inland Empire is made up of more than 50 cities. Most notably among them, however, are Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, Temecula, Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead. The diverse area spans 60 miles north to south, and is 50 miles wide.

MOUNTAINS
Approaching its 200th birthday in 2010, the city of San Bernardino, to the north, is full of history and welcomes groups with plenty of meeting space. Its past is preeminent as you walk around the quaint, somewhat-quirky downtown, and even more so as you pass icons such as the historic San Bernardino Courthouse, which was built in 1926.

Aside from its history, the region provides endless outdoor entertainment. “[San Bernardino] has great weather year-round, as well as great recreation—from wineries to snow and water skiing, outlet malls and state-of-the-art casinos,” says Mary Casanova-Poland, director of regional tourism sales and marketing for the San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Guest room at Pechanga Resort & Casino

The area also encompasses the San Bernardino National Forest, which spans more than 670,000 acres and includes trails, visitor centers and picnic areas of interest to groups. Near the base of the San Bernardino Mountains is where you’ll find the famous Arrowhead, a naturally carved landmark that for centuries has been a symbol of the San Bernardino Valley to the native Indians, as well as to pioneers and settlers that came later to the region.

The northern part of the Inland Empire features two mountain resort areas: Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. Both are popular year round, as their resort-filled communities welcome guests with towering trees, wide-open spaces and big blue lakes. In addition, both lend themselves well to outdoor activities in the winter (think skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing) and team-building opportunities (horseback riding, trails and fishing) in the summer.

MAJOR MEETING VENUES
The California Welcome Center, located in San Bernardino, serves as a great reference point for meetings groups. “The California Welcome Center provides concierge-style service to educate visitors on the region,” says Casanova-Poland. And with a recent partnership between the center and the local CVBs, the unique venue is now available for group receptions of up to 400 guests. So, in addition to information on nearby hotels, attractions, festivals and restaurants, your group can also be welcomed in true California style.

The largest and most notable venue in the county is the National Orange Show Events Center, which spans more than 120 acres and offers 150,000 sq. ft. of indoor exhibit space and a quarter-mile speedway. The park can accommodate more than 40,000 attendees, with complimentary parking available.

As far as hotels go, a major group hub is the newly renovated Hilton San Bernardino. Located approximately 30 minutes from Lake Arrowhead and the mountains, the 251-room Hilton just completed a revamp of all the guest rooms, and added the all-new Manhattan Grill restaurant. For groups, the property offers 13 meeting rooms, including a 4,998-square-foot ballroom.

If you’re looking for Vegas-style entertainment and gaming without all the fuss, the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino will deliver. Owned and operated by the San Manuel band of Mission Indians, the casino has slot machines, poker tables, bingo games, shopping and restaurants. Great for a day trip or evening event, the center is centrally located, and has welcomed headliners such as the Blue Man Group and comedian Carlos Mencia.

Set-up at the Temecula Creek Inn

They’ve also recently opened the 110-room Hampton Inn & Suites Highland for overnight stays, and the property offers meeting space for up to 40 guests. It’s also less than five miles from the San Bernardino Convention Center and just 15 miles from the Ontario Convention Center. Plus, what was formerly the Hyundai Pavilion is now the San Manuel Amphitheater and seats 65,000. It’s a hot spot for live entertainment, as well as holding the record as the largest amphitheater in North America.

Toward the mountains, the Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa welcomes attendees into an upscale lodge with 173 guest rooms and approximately 23,000 sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor meeting space. The lodge features stunning mountain views and is adjacent to Lake Arrowhead Village, which offers miles of shopping, dining and entertainment.

For doing business amid the forest, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center sprawls over 40 landscaped acres in the San Bernardino Mountains. The property offers 12 meeting rooms, all of which feature outdoor views (some rooms are actually in the woods). The largest venue is 1,512 sq. ft. and can accommodate up to 200 guests. Guest rooms range from suites, single rooms and cottages to the Briar Creek Chalet House. On-site team-building activities also abound with options such as rock climbing, ziplining, a ropes course, tennis, volleyball and softball.

Approximately 25 miles east of Lake Arrowhead is Big Bear, famous for its pristine mountain. The area features several lodging options, including the 147-room Northwoods Resort and Conference Center, with 9,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

INLAND: THE HEART
Right in the middle of the Inland Empire is where you’ll find Riverside. “Riverside is central to almost every major freeway, and we are 20 minutes from Ontario International Airport,” says Debbie Megna, CMP, executive director for the Riverside Convention & Visitors Bureau. Plus, the city is enriched by a history as the state’s citrus capital, selling oranges all over the world. It welcomes attendees into its convention center, which is tucked into the Spanish architectural-styled downtown, with the palm trees and the sunny skies that southern California is known for year-round. “Our city is beautiful; we have a great historic downtown and excellent weather,” Megna says.

Auto Club Motor Speedway

History isn’t lacking westward, either, in Ontario (nor is the great weather). Like most of the cities in the I.E., Ontario has a rich agricultural past, as it has been home to orange and olive groves, as well as vineyards. In fact, the greater Ontario area houses one of the oldest wineries in the region, established in 1839.

The city is easily accessible as it’s located at the juncture of four major freeways, providing a great opportunity for the drive market and day trips to SoCal’s famous attractions. “Most of Southern California’s major attractions are also within 45 minutes, [including] Disneyland, Pacific beaches, Hollywood, mountain resorts and wine tasting,” says Patel of the Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau. Aside from its ideal central location, the city provides 4,355 guest rooms and more than 100,000 sq. ft. of hotel meeting space for groups, as well as an additional 204,000 sq. ft. at the convention center.

MAJOR MEETING VENUES
The Riverside Convention Center can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees in 15 different meeting rooms that total 45,000 sq. ft. The center also provides complete A/V, Internet, teleconferencing and full-service catering.

A major meeting hotel is the Riverside Marriott, which is also right next to the convention center and near numerous shopping and dining options. The hotel has 267 guest rooms, 25 suites and 14,000 sq. ft. of dedicated meeting space.

The historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is a truly spectacular property that originated as a small, 12-room adobe in 1876. Today, the elegant hotel features 15,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and 5,000 sq. ft. of outdoor patio space, as well as 237 guest rooms, including 28 suites. The exceptional hotel and spa features mission-style design and can accommodate up to 150 in unique rooms like the Spanish Art Gallery and the St. Francis Chapel and Atrio, complete with outdoor courtyard.

On a more contemporary note, the Ontario Convention Center encompasses 225,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space in its sleek building, and provides technological services such as wireless Internet access and videoconferencing. Another plus, the center strives to be eco-friendly by using sensor lighting, recycling programs and partnering with environmentally conscious suppliers.

Within steps of the Ontario Convention Center, the Ayres Hotel & Suites is reminiscent of a French chateau and offers 167 guest suites as well as 4,500 sq. ft. of its own meeting space.

Callaway Vineyard sunset

Other meetings venues abound nearby, such as the 299-room Ontario Airport Marriott. The property is less than a mile from the airport and offers 19 meeting rooms with a total of 26,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the 5,900-square-foot Grand Ballroom with space for up to 650 attendees. The newly renovated Doubletree Ontario Airport is also just a few minutes from the airport and provides 482 guest rooms and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Other options are the brand-new Holiday Inn Ontario Airport with 180 guest rooms and 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and the 309-room Hilton Ontario Airport, which recently underwent a $5.5-million renovation and can accommodate groups with 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space.

UNIQUE VENUES
If you’re looking to break from the chains (hotel chains, that is), there are several unique venues in the I.E., including the Auto Club Motor Speedway, home of the Auto Club 500 and the Pepsi 500 NASCAR races. The track will get your group seriously geared up, and can accommodate up to 400 people in the banquet room and larger groups on the infield.

For a more mellow vibe, Ontario pairs its sunny days with wine making. Though Ontario’s neighbor, Temecula, is widely known for its wine, Ontario has a few wineries of its own available for group rental. Though its original winery is in Los Angeles (as it has been since 1917), the San Antonio Winery has a second location in Ontario that includes a wine shop, tasting room and the Maddalena Restaurant. The winery offers full-day business retreats, private tours, cocktail receptions and banquet dinners for 30 people or more.

WINE COUNTRY
Known as the wine country of Southern California, Temecula Valley spans 27 miles at the southern end of the Inland Empire. The region showcases more than 20 award-winning wineries as well as attractions such as hot-air ballooning, where you can take in the rolling hills and blue skies in the quiet of an early morning launch (the 26th annual Balloon & Wine Festival takes place June 5–7 this year). Old Town Temecula is also a draw, as it has more than 640 antique stores and captures the area’s rustic past with old-time storefronts reminiscent of the late 1800s, when the city was established.

MAJOR MEETING VENUES
Just minutes from the wine region, the Four-Diamond Pechanga Resort & Casino offers meeting space for up to 1,800 attendees. The majority of the space can be found inside its two ballrooms. Unique in their own way, the Eagle’s View Ballroom is perched on top of a 14 story-high tower, while the 22,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom includes a large pre-function area and can be divided into thirds for smaller groups. Other options include the 118-seat Hummingbird Hall, which features state-of-the art A/V equipment and the Pechanga Showroom, with stadium-style seating for 1,200. The resort also offers 522 guest rooms and suites, plus eight restaurants, a casino and nightly entertainment.

The Arrowheard Queen

Unlike most resorts in the area, the South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is just that: a resort, a spa and a working winery. Surrounded by 38 acres of vines, there isn’t a bad view of the property. For meetings, the upscale resort has a 7,200-square-foot conference center that holds up to 700 guests, a 1,500-seat amphitheater and a 6,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard. Unique options include barrel rooms and private banquet space, which make up a combined total of more than 15,000 sq. ft. of indoor space.

Also among the vineyards, the Temecula Creek Inn provides 130 guest rooms and suites, as well as more than 8,300 sq. ft. of meeting space. On-site venues include the Yula Ballroom (which has an outdoor patio), the 2,800-square-foot Kiva Ballroom, the 180-year-old Stone House and smaller parlor rooms for up to 20 guests.

Las Vegas, Nevada (Nevada, the Sky isn't Falling)

2009-06-01T17:36:39Z

We prefer, instead, to open our umbrella and showcase all the terrific meeting opportunities throughout the West—in this case, Nevada, a state flavored by its colorful history and successive waves of reinvention. There are plenty of good reasons to plan a meeting in the Silver State now, from lower rates and more available dates to good service—among others. And there’s no better time to make the CVBs your allies.

PAST AND PRESENT
Bordered by five states (Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona and California), Nevada is located in the heart of the American West. Or, given its history, you might say the center of the “Old West,” as it began with vast expanses of open land ripe for cattle and cowboys, and rugged mountains hoarding veins of silver for hard-scrabble miners. Later it grew as a playground for early Hollywood luminaries and, after the harnessing of the Colorado River, for visionaries.

And they’re all present today. The state (population 2.6 million) still features miles of open space, punctuated by an occasional city—and the occasional really large city. Cowboys still roam, miners still dream of striking the big one, Hollywood still retreats here. The Colorado, tamed by Hoover Dam, continues to provide opportunities for growth for still other groups of adventurers.

LAS VEGAS
You needn’t look any further for the progression of the state than Las Vegas and its fabled Strip. What started during World War II with El Rancho (a small, western-themed motor lodge with a gas station, casino and pool) later reinvented itself first as a celebrity oasis and visitor destination, then as one of the country’s premier meetings destinations—for groups of any size. In fact, according to Tradeshow Week, the city hosts 44 of the top 200 conventions in the country.

The reasons for this metamorphosis are the hotel product itself, with some of the largest and newest properties in the industry, top-tier dining offered by world-renowned chefs and entertainment options that go way beyond gaming.

“We have more than 140,000 hotel rooms and 10 million square feet of meeting and event space,” says Michael Goldsmith, CMP, director of convention sales for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. “There’s no better group of value propositions in the world.”

Edge at the Peppermill, Reno

That’s 140,000 hotel rooms and counting. As Goldsmith points out, there’s a “development bonanza” going on right now, fueled by openings such as the Aliante Station, Encore, the Wynn’s sister property, and the M Resort, plus the Hard Rock expansion. While some shovels aren’t hitting the ground on schedule at the moment, Caesars’ expansion is due to debut in midsummer with 110,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, while CityCenter, with its Aria resort, and the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, among others, are slated to open by year-end.

Like the rest of the country, Las Vegas has been impacted by the economy and the skewed perception of meetings. But, says Michael Massari, vice president of meeting sales and operations for Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment, planners should consider Vegas for the same reason they make any meetings choice. Groups are meeting to try to achieve a particular set of objectives, which are monetary for the most part, and planners “should choose the place most likely to achieve those objectives. Las Vegas has the infrastructure, the airport, the product—certainly ours, but also others—to help customers achieve those objectives and provide ROI,” he says. “We think we do that better than most destinations. Our customers have told us that.”

Marci DuBois, corporate meeting and events leader for Taco Bell Corp., says face-to-face meetings are still a necessity, and Las Vegas is a smart and affordable solution.

“We are a global company and while e-mail, voicemail and teleconferencing are important, it is also important to see our partners, employees and franchisees face-to-face on a regular basis,” she says. “It is good for business, and it is good for maintaining relationships. These meetings may look a little different than they have in the past, but we still get together.”

Plus, says DuBois, whose groups stay at The Mirage, “As a meeting destination, Las Vegas provides a great value, not only with room rates but with other ancillary costs.”

Skip Cohen, president of Rangefinder Publishing Company and organizer for the recent Wedding & Portrait Photographers International trade show at the MGM Grand, agrees. “In a down-turned economy, we just experienced the largest-attended convention in our history, up almost 10 percent from 2008.” In fact, Cohen says, “we have a contract going forward to stay in Vegas.”

MAJOR MEETINGS VENUES
The Las Vegas Convention Center tops the chart with 2.3-million sq. ft. of exhibit space. It features 144 meeting rooms (more than 241,000 sq. ft.) accommodating 20 to 2,500 attendees. A grand lobby and registration area (more than 225,000 sq. ft.) link existing exhibit halls with new exhibit halls and meeting rooms, and allows simultaneous set-up, break-down and exhibiting of multiple events.

Guest room at the Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas

The elegant Mandalay Bay Convention Center encompasses 1.7-million sq. ft. In addition to nearly a million square feet of exhibit space, it features three levels of multipurpose meeting and function space, four ballrooms and breakout space for more than 75 concurrent meetings or functions.

The Las Vegas Sands MegaCenter, comprised of The Sands Expo and Convention Center and The Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center, with a combined 2.25 million sq. ft., is another option.

UNIQUE VENUES AND ACTIVITIES
From the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, an aquarium and feline habitat at The Mirage Casino Hotel to Meet Las Vegas, a brand-new, free-standing event space, there’s no lack of out-of-the-ballroom options for groups (be sure to check out our monthly View from Vegas column, by Chuck Kapelke, for other great ideas). Nor is there any lack of activities for pre- and post-meeting fun.

“Even our repeat clients are astonished at how many options there are for activities in the greater Las Vegas area,” says Stephanie Arone, general manager and director of sales and marketing for Activity Planners, Inc., a Las Vegas-based DMC. “Tried and true sights like the Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon continue to be in high demand for group activities, and new exciting attractions like the Grand Canyon Skywalk and Boulder City Zipline, or more low-key locations like the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, ensure that there is something new even for annual visitors to consider with every trip,” she says.

LAKE LAS VEGAS/ HENDERSON
The Strip’s southern boundary is expanding to Henderson, as hotels likewise expand. The second-largest city in the state (surpassing even Reno), Henderson has its own convention center, which currently offers 14,365 sq. ft. of function space, plus an outdoor events plaza with a 200-seat amphitheater.

Henderson is well known for its 12 golf courses and easy access both to Lake Mead National Recreational Area for outdoor recreation and sightseeing or dinner cruises, and Hoover Dam.

But it may be better known for the stellar Lake Las Vegas Resort. Only 17 miles from The Strip, Lake Las Vegas encompasses MonteLago, a Tuscan-like village with condominium units, stone streets and unique shops, plus the Ritz-Carlton and Loews resorts, golf courses, shops and its so-named lake (at 320 acres, the largest manmade lake in the country).

MonteLago’s 177 condominiums are available in the rental pool, and it has 6,127 sq. ft. of meeting space. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas offers 349 guest rooms and 33,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and Loews Las Vegas Resort features 493 rooms and 45,000 sq. ft. of space. An on-site casino gives attendees the fun of Vegas, without the crowds.

LAUGHLIN
Not many Nevada cities are situated riverside, but Laughlin is one of them. On the banks of the Colorado River, the city is known for its water-related activities, from kayaking and jet skiing to cruises on a variety of riverboats and yachts. Its complement of nine casino resorts draw meeting groups with sizeable blocks of guest rooms and function space. The Aquarius Casino Resort, for instance, has 1,907 guest rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space (the property recently finished a $46-million upgrade). The second largest property, the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino, features 1,404 guest rooms and approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of space.

Water fun at Laughlin

RENO
“Even in these economic times, Reno still tends to have a firecracker approach, and have things pop with a splash,” says Philip D’Amico, vice president of convention sales for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.
A round-up of new venues, renovations and expansions bears him out. Since last month, “Play ball!” is a commonly heard phrase around downtown, as the Reno Aces Triple-A baseball team launched its inaugural season in the city’s brand-new baseball stadium. The stadium is the anchor of an $81-million ballpark district that will bring new retail, business and entertainment to the area over the next couple of years.

The city also had a big fall season. Last October, a Scheels mega sporting goods store opened in the $1.2-billion Legends at Sparks Marina project, in nearby Sparks. In November, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa completed a $75-million renovation of guest rooms and lobby space, expansion of its meeting space to 50,000 sq. ft. and opened the Sky Bridge, a 650-foot enclosed walkway that connects directly to the convention center.

And in December, the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino unveiled its $400-million expansion and renovation. The project, which transformed the former property with a Tuscan theme, brings its total guest rooms to 1,600, including a brand-new 600-room all-suite building. “They now have a 62,000-square-foot ballroom, with no columns—the largest ballroom in northern Nevada,” D’Amico says.

MEETING VENUES
As the largest meetings hub in northern Nevada, Reno offers planners a diverse group of venues, starting with the convention center and other city-managed properties. Offering a total of 500,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center can accommodate groups of up to 40,000. And to call it “state of the art” is no exaggeration here—a technology trade show installed and left thousands of feet of T1 and T3 data lines, so connectivity is definitely not a problem.

The Reno Events Center, which seats 7,000 guests, has 118,000 sq. ft. of space for events and conferences, including 56,000 sq. ft. of column-free exhibit space. Tuck your VIPs into one of the private boxes for headliner entertainment or use the hospitality suites for pre-show receptions.

Adjacent to the events center is the all-new, $25-million downtown Reno Ballroom with 27,996 sq. ft. of column-free meeting space that boasts 25-foot-high ceilings. It can host more than 1,900 for dinner and 2,900 for a general session.

Lake Tahoe

In addition to Atlantis and the Peppermill, the city’s two other major hotels have significant meeting and function space. The Grand Sierra, which completed $90 million in renovations, has 1,993 guest rooms and suites and more than 200,000 sq. ft. of convention and meeting space. John Ascuaga’s Nugget offers more than 1,300 guest rooms in two towers (600 of them in the East Tower have recently been refreshed) and 110,000 sq. ft. of ballrooms, exhibit halls and breakout rooms.

UNIQUE VENUES AND ACTIVITIES
If you’re looking for something unique, several options pop immediately to mind. The National Bowling Stadium, downtown, is a fantastical shrine to the sport, due to its striking (pun intended!) architectural design, 78 championship lanes, glass elevators and sophisticated technology. Hold your product launch here, projecting images on its giant, four-story screen, or put some “team” in your team-building, by holding your own private tournament.

The National Automobile Museum (nationalautomuseum.org) features 220 antique, vintage, classic and special-interest vehicles—delight your guests (up to 1,200) with a reception among pristine, restored versions of their favorites.

A reminder of Reno (and Nevada’s) cowboy past is the Reno Rodeo, a 10-day nationally recognized event full of ridin’, ropin’ and wranglin’. It’s held at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, which may actually be a misnomer, as it hosts other sporting events, plus motocross and monster truck rallies. The main arena seats 6,200, and there’s a 20,000-square-foot climate controlled exhibition hall.

LAKE TAHOE
A brilliant-blue, 22-mile-long body of water, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. It’s sometimes a surprise to Californians to realize that parts of Lake Tahoe’s North and South Shores are actually in Nevada—which means Lake Tahoe can offer gaming as well as headliner entertainment, major meeting venues and four seasons’ worth of outdoor recreational fun (think hiking, boating, mountain biking, skiing).

Case in point is Harrah’s/Harveys on the South Shore. Two distinct properties, they’re joined by a convenient underground walkway that allows larger groups to meet, dine and relax in either property, or both. On the North Shore you’ll find Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, with a private beach in addition to meeting space, a spa and a casino.

CARSON CITY/VIRGINIA CITY
About half an hour from Reno is Carson City, Nevada’s capital. A bustling frontier town in the late 1800s, it was full of loggers, railroad men and miners after gold prospectors hit silver in the eastern hills (one find, known as the Comstock Lode, was the largest in world history).

Atlantis Sky Bridge, Reno

Today, you’re more likely to be hitting a golf ball, instead, at any of the area’s nine championship golf courses (dubbed the “Divine Nine”). They’re part of a meetings infrastructure that encompasses 1,700 hotel guest rooms and a variety of meeting spaces for small to mid-size groups.

The convenient Plaza Hotel and Conference Center is the city’s newest nongaming hotel, just two blocks from the capital complex. It can host 100–350 people in two meeting rooms. Another property with conference facilities is the Gold Dust West Hotel Casino, with 4,000 sq. ft. (30–200 guests).

The Nevada State Railroad Museum, which showcases 65 locomotives and cars of the famous Virginia & Truckee Railroad and other Nevada railroads, can also host meeting groups for events, and offers train rides as well.

An interesting, nearby off-site is Virginia City, a preserved 19th century silver mining town with wooden sidewalks, saloons and western shootouts. It’s a national historic landmark, and you can arrange for living-history docents to give your groups a real sense of the past along with their lunch and a tour.

ELKO
Nevada may be the “Silver State,” but it’s another rare mineral that’s giving Elko a buzz these days. With gold hovering at about $800 an ounce, the area’s gold mines are thriving. “We’re the nation’s largest gold producer,” says Tom Lester, convention and tourism manager for the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority, which has allowed us “to maintain our guest count and growth better than some other parts of the country.”

The city of Elko is also closely associated with the region’s cowboy past, brought to life each January with the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, a weeklong celebration of rural western life that celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Not limited to poetry, it also encompasses music, food and storytelling, and now attracts thousands of fans annually to the Western Folklife Center (westernfolklife.org).

Of note to planners, the town’s convention center is within a short distance to hotels, restaurants, museums and shopping. With an airy, glass-enclosed lobby (in the high desert, Elko is a four-season destination), the center features not only multiple meeting spaces, but also a 923-seat auditorium. “We do have plans within the next 3–5 years to add another 60,000 sq. ft. to the center, for a total of 110,000 sq. ft.,” Lester says.

The city currently has more than 2,000 hotel rooms to complement its conference space, among them The Red Lion Inn, which is the largest property in town. Plans for a new Marriott and, possibly, a new Hilton are in the works.

Pure nightclub, Las Vegas

Two golf courses offer duffers some post-meeting fun, while more adventuresome attendees will want to head outdoors for ATV trips, gold-mining tours, horseback riding and other dude ranch experiences, plus snowmobiling in winter. A “Wine, Walk and Shop” activity, where groups experience downtown historic Elko, is a planner FAM favorite that can be arranged for your group.

Many planners aren’t familiar with Elko, according to Lester. But, he says, that’s changing as people are discovering, “We’re affordable, easy to work with and have a lot to offer.”

Montana (In a Big Country )

2009-05-27T23:20:16Z

But when you’re the fourth largest state in the country in area, and 44th in population (behind Rhode Island), the great outdoors is your calling card. In fact, sections of the state are so unspoiled they look much as they did when Lewis and Clark journeyed across the length of what would become Montana back in 1805.

With such spectacular nature and fabled western history (the Gold Rush and the Battle of Little Bighorn also took place here), nothing will be ordinary about your meeting or event in Montana, which can be helped along by Travel Montana, as well as the 11 individual CVBs in cities spread throughout the state. And despite so much open space, the many activities available here—fishing, hiking, biking, river rafting, etc.—are often as accessible as walking out your back door. At the same time, several of Montana’s cities, such as Bozeman and Missoula, have seen an influx of big-city migrants, along with their trendy boutiques, art galleries and wine bars—enough to satisfy any culturally minded attendee. In other words, you won’t have to sacrifice comfort and culture for breathtaking beauty. And with no state sales tax, shopping for bargains is that much easier.

Montana’s landscape is diverse and dramatic, with the Rocky Mountains running through the western half of the state, and lesser ranges, prairies and badlands in the east. And given its size and diversity, the climate can be just as varied. Winter is truly a wonderland here, with snow-covered peaks and their corresponding ski resorts offering a full range of outdoor recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, as well as such unique activities as ice fishing and dog sledding.

By contrast, “Summer in Montana,” as the author Tim Cahill wrote, “is like the best piece of pie you ever had.” Besides the explosion of wildflowers and grasslands, summer offers visitors numerous nature activities, while there’s a host of outdoor events and festivals to enjoy. Spring and fall are less crowded but still provide plenty of activities.

Travel Montana has divided the state into six distinct regions, starting with Glacier Country in the northwest—home to Glacier National Park, Missoula and Whitefish, and a popular destination for both summer and winter recreation. To the east, Russell Country is rich with stunning landscapes (a backdrop for fabled cowboy artist Charlie Russell) and dinosaur fossils, with the town of Great Falls found here. Missouri River Country in the northeast is popular for fishing and other water sports. In the southwest, the mining center of Gold West Country has an equally rich history intertwined with the Gold Rush days. Butte and Helena are located here, along with numerous ghost towns, museums and ranches. Yellowstone Country is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, the country’s first and largest (2.2 million acres), with nearby Big Sky, Bozeman and West Yellowstone the region’s main cities. Custer Country in the southeast is named for Colonel George Custer and home to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, with Billings located just to the north.

Big Sky
The name of this city in the southwestern part of the state says it all. As Montana’s nickname, Big Sky Country refers to the state’s wide open spaces and unobstructed views, something you’ll find in spades in the town of Big Sky (no skyscrapers here). Located midway between Bozeman and West Yellowstone, Big Sky is home to the Big Sky Resort, a top ski resort in the region for downhill skiing and snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The resort offers 725 guest rooms, suites and condo units, and the Yellowstone Conference Center with 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting and function space, as well as the Solace Spa. In partnership with Organizational Wide Leadership Solutions, the resort can also work with groups for customized team-building programs. And unlike big-name ski resorts in Utah and Colorado, you won’t have to deal with long lift lines and crowded slopes.

White-water rafting near Big Sky.

But there’s more than snow sports to Big Sky. For outdoor summer activities there’s golf, ziplining, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, fly-fishing and mountain biking. And for truly outsized adventures, the town is 48 miles to the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Thankfully for groups, there are a variety of hotel options in Big Sky, including 320 Guest Ranch, which has 91 guest rooms, cabins and chalets, as well as 4,600 sq. ft. of meeting space. Lone Mountain Ranch has a lodge and cabins for guests and meeting space for up to 45, while the Big EZ Lodge offers 12 luxury guest rooms and meeting space for up to 26.

“These properties accommodate groups of very large numbers to very small numbers, so the variety should give you something to work with,” says Marne Hayes, executive director of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. “Rainbow Ranch is reopening after having to rebuild due to a fire, so their being open again is a great asset to the community. 320 Ranch is also back on the map, so to speak, under new management and doing great things to be more active in the community.”

West Yellowstone
Just to the south of Big Sky is the town of West Yellowstone, located at the entrance of Yellowstone National Park, easily the main attraction for the area. The community itself offers an ideal location for groups who wish to take advantage of the park’s offerings, or just bask in the beauty of the granddaddy of all parks. “Our community is basically seven blocks by seven blocks,” says Marysue Costello, executive director of the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce. “Few groups find it necessary to use shuttle service, as walking is very easy between hotels and meeting venues.”

Horseback riding in Yellowstone National Park.

Those venues include the 123-room Holiday Inn SunSpree with 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including an exhibition hall for conferences and trade shows. The hotel also offers its Snowdesk (dubbed the “Snow Concierge” by AAA) to help groups book snowmobile and snowcoach tours into Yellowstone Park, while assisting with the proper snow wear and pertinent information. Another option is the Days Inn West Yellowstone, which has 116 guest rooms and meeting space for up to 30.

Besides the park, the town also offers the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, a relatively new attraction that lets visitors safely watch grizzlies and wolves in their natural habitat. There’s also the Yellowstone Historic Center for a view of the park from its beginnings to the present, as well as fishing along the Madison and Gallatin Rivers, hunting at nearby wildlife areas and numerous seasonal activities from skiing to white-water rafting.

Bozeman
Once known as the “Valley of the Flowers” by early Native Americans, the city of Bozeman sits at the foot of the Bridger Mountain range and is just up the highway from both West Yellowstone and Big Sky, with nearby Gallatin Field Airport serving all three communities through six major airlines. Bozeman has boomed in recent years, with newcomers arriving from all over, as trendy shops and restaurants have sprung up along the city’s main thoroughfare: the city now has more than 100 shops, bars and restaurants.

There’s also 1,800 hotel guest rooms in the area, with the Bozeman Convention & Visitors Bureau helping groups find just the right hotel and meeting space. In that regard, the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture not only has a full calendar of performances and exhibitions, but its 711-seat theater is available for groups, as well as a ballroom for up to 270, the 1,000-square-foot Weaver Room and Harmon Hall at 1,320 sq. ft.

The Holiday Inn Bozeman is the city’s largest full-service facility, with 178 guest rooms and 6,450 sq. ft. of meeting space, and offers a complimentary shuttle to the downtown shopping district, while the Best Western GranTree Inn has 120 rooms and 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. For something more academic, conference services at Montana State University has meeting and event space for groups as large as 3,000, with A/V and catering provided.

Bozeman offers visitors a number of activities, starting with skiing and snowboarding at Bridger Bowl ski resort just outside of town. A short drive from the city is the Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, which also has conference facilities for groups up to 180. And the Museum of the Rockies is one of the best natural history museums in the state, with dinosaur exhibits and early Native American art.

Billings
In the heart of Big Sky Country, near the Beartooth Mountains and due east of Bozeman, the city of Billings is the economic hub of Montana, with businesses that range from financial services to energy and high-tech. It’s also the largest, which means more guest rooms (3,800) and meeting and event space (750,000 sq. ft.) than anywhere else in the state. It’s served by the Billings Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Billings Hotel and Convention Center is the biggest such facility in town, with 236 guest rooms and suites and 23,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, and recently added a new business center and ballroom. Another major venue is the Crowne Plaza Hotel Billings, offering 289 guest rooms, more than 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and the Montana Sky Restaurant with spectacular views of the city and mountains.

But Billings isn’t all business. The nearby Rimrocks and Yellowstone River, and other areas just outside the city, provide ample opportunity for hiking, biking, fishing, rafting and skiing. One of the more famous attractions in the area is the historic Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, where Lt. Col. George Custer met his end at the hands of the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors.

Guest suite at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake.

Butte
Known as the “richest hill on earth” for the valuable metals mined here over the years, Butte was once one of the largest and most infamous copper mining towns in the U.S., with hundreds of saloons and brothels. And while mining is still a major part of the economy here, the town’s population is a fraction of its peak in 1917 (115,000) and is now as family friendly as anywhere in the state. To learn about the city’s history and main industry, visit The Mineral Museum, with displays of the 27.8-ounce gold nugget found in 1989 just south of Butte, and a 400-pound smoky quartz crystal.

Served by the Butte Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Butte Civic Center has 26,923 sq. ft. of event space, as well as a 5,000-seat theater. The Copper King Hotel and Convention Center offers 143 guest rooms and 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. And the 153-room Fairmont Hot Springs Resort has event space for up to 400, including a 5,500-square-foot conference center.

Helena
The capital of Montana, Helena was the site of a major gold discovery in 1864 that led to the establishment of the town along Last Chance Creek. The “Queen of the Rockies,” as the city is nicknamed, held onto its wealth and today has the fabulous architecture from the period to show for it. The original governor’s mansion from 1888 and the Greek Renaissance state capitol building are both open for group tours, which can be organized with the help of the Helena Chamber and Visitor Bureau.

For meetings, the Red Lion Colonial Hotel is the city’s largest full-service property, with 149 guest rooms and 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the Colonial Restaurant and Martini’s Lounge and Casino. The Best Western Helena Great Northern Hotel has 101 guest rooms and 8,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and is located in the Great Northern Town Center for shopping and dining.

Great Falls
After taking in the “grand spectacle” of what is now Great Falls, Lewis and Clark may not have looked so fondly on the area, having to portage around the numerous waterfalls over 31 laborious days. But the Missouri River that caused the explorers so much trouble today gives the city its moniker of “Electric City,” with five hydroelectric dams in the area. The beauty of the region also caught the eye of western artist Charles Russell, who had a studio here in the 1900s; his paintings are now on view at the C.M. Russell Museum in a collection of more than 12,000 objects and works of art. Other cultural attractions include the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center, one of the premier museums on the duo’s expedition that includes a 158-seat theater available for groups.

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center

Served by the Great Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau, the main meeting venue in town is the Best Western Heritage Inn featuring 233 guest rooms and 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the 12,000-square-foot Atrium Convention Area. The Great Falls Hampton Inn offers 97 guest rooms and 3,000 sq. ft. of conference space, and a short walk away is the Hilton Garden Inn Great Falls, with 118 guest rooms and suites and 4,200 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Flathead Valley
Located in the northwest corner of the state, and encompassing the towns of Whitefish and Kalispell, Flathead Valley is your prime destination for visiting Glacier National Park—a 1,600-square-mile land of mountain ranges and ice rivers, with stunning vistas and primitive beauty. The area offers downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter, and horseback riding, fishing and rafting in the summer months, with a plethora of recreation options in and around Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.

For meetings, Flathead Convention & Visitors Bureau works with groups for retreats and conferences, with a wide variety of property types in the region, from ranches and lodges to cabins and condos. The largest property in the area is the Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell Hotel and Conference Center with 144 guest rooms and 14,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. For a bit of luxury, The Lodge at Whitefish Lake has one of the best spas in the state, with 63 lodges and 20 condo units, plus 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. And Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge offers a dude ranch experience with 45 guest rooms and more than 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The Wilderness Estate at Paws Up near Missoula.

Missoula
The eclectic community of Missoula, in the western part of the state near the Idaho border, is home to the University of Montana and offers a climate that’s surprisingly mild for the region. The one-time trading post is known as the “Garden City” for its lush forests and fields, and the numerous rivers in the area, including the Clark River, which runs through downtown. Also nearby, and available for outdoor activities in both winter and summer, is the Rattlesnake Recreation Area and Bitterroot Range.

Served by the Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau, the main meeting facility in town is the Holiday Inn Downtown at the Park, offering 200 guest rooms and more than 15,400 sq. ft. of recently renovated meeting space.

Another large property is the Hilton Garden Inn Missoula, which features 146 guest rooms and 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. And the Quality Inn & Conference Center Missoula has 81 guest rooms and more than 4,600 sq. ft. of meeting space.