BEYOND THE BORDER

from Colorado Meetings + Events Summer 2019

by Greenspring Media

INFOGRAPHIC

Autumn Aloft Festival

Glitretind Restaurant Park City Mountain Alpine Distilling

Park City Main Street

BEYOND THE BORDER»

PARK CITY AND DEER VALLEY, UTAH

Located in one of Colorado’s neighboring states, these mountain meeting destinations are rich in options and appeal. BY BETH BUEHLER

THOSE WHO LIVE OR MEET IN SKI TOWNS always seem to know about other great mountain communities. It’s why Coloradoans cross the border to check out the ski slopes, trails, rivers and destinations in Utah and vice versa. As a Colorado native, Park City and Deer Valley have always been on my radar, and I was fortunate to visit last fall with a group of journalists from around the country.

Any Season

With a huge amount of skiing and snowboarding terrain, Deer Valley’s and Park City’s sweet spot remains winter, so if you are looking for better price points and more availability for lodging and venues, consider summer or fall gatherings. Plus, it opens up a window for using more outdoor venues such as Westgate Park City Resort & Spa’s new rooftop deck that holds up to 152 for dinner and 190 standing. This property, located at the base of Canyons Village at Park City Mountain, is one of the largest in the area with 10,000 square feet of function space and 388 condominium-style guest rooms.

Things to Do

I’m a huge fan of integrating local products and businesses into meetings and events, and the Westgate’s location worked well for a hike with two representatives from Utah-based Altra Footwear wearing Altra trail running shoes. This is a fun idea for an incentive trip or any meeting where gifts and outdoor activities are part of the equation.

The wind didn’t allow us to go up in a hot air balloon as planned in tandem with the Autumn Aloft Festival, but we did get to experience the Candlestick portion of the event, which involved the hot air balloon pilots igniting their gas burners for a cool light show on Park City’s Main Street.

However, one of the neatest things about being on Main Street that night was taking part in a new Gin Experience offered by Alpine Distilling and held at their attractive new space on the lower level of 350 Brasserie. In tandem with a four-course meal and explanations from the restaurant’s chef, we learned

about gin, did a tasting and crafted our own gin that was sealed in a bottle so we could take it home.

Spirits weren’t the only things we tasted. Also memorable was the Wine Cellar Experience with a sommelier at Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley. We did a blind tasting of four wines amongst a collection of more than 10,000 bottles of wine worth more than $1 million that was followed by a terrific dinner at the hotel’s Glitretind Restaurant.

Our group completed the fun Mine Trap at Escape Room Park City, which incorporates Park City’s mining history, and wandered through Utah Olympic Park’s museum and watched ski jumpers hurling themselves into a large outdoor swimming pool . Although we didn’t have time to take part in all the activities at the park (things like bobsledding, tubing and zip lining), we did experience the Adventure Park at Park City Mountain.

Another activity that planners should consider including in an itinerary is fly fishing. Park City Fly Fishing Guides successfully got our group of eight on the Provo River and built up enough skill and confidence in everyone to catch at least one trout.

When in Rome (or in Park City in this case), do as the Romans do. Park Silly Sunday Market and any festival in a mountain town are a great chance to get to know a community better and feel a part of it.

Where to Stay and Meet

There are plenty of great venues, attractions and lodging properties to consider, names like Hyatt Centric Park City, Grand Summit Hotel at Canyons Village, Waldorf Astoria Park City, Park City Marriott, Hotel Park City, DoubleTree by Hilton Park City, Montage Deer Valley, The Chateaux Deer Valley, Lodges at Deer Valley and The St. Regis Deer Valley.

This is just a sampling of how your group can experience great mountain communities like Park City and Deer Valley.

Get Connected

PARK CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU visitparkcity.com | 800.453.1360

LODGING»

TRULY DISTINCT PLACES TO STAY M eeting and incentive trip planners: Get ready to be surprised at the diverse range of lodging options available in Colorado from glamping tents, yurts and teepees to overnight accommodations in a jail, train station, castle and replica fort. colorado.com

The 200-acre, family-owned ARAPAHO VALLEY RANCH has cabins, lodge rooms, glamping tents outfitted with southwestern flair, and 20-foot teepees equipped with queensized beds. arapahovalleyranch.com

Constructed in 1902 for coal baron John Cleveland Osgood, REDSTONE CASTLE in Redstone was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and now operates as a unique event location and lodging property. The recently renovated facility has seven specialty suites. theredstonecastle.com

Located along the South Platte River with hiking and cycling trails on property, PLATTE RIVER FORT in Greeley can accommodate up to 37 guests in a variety of luxury suites, courtyard bedrooms and rustic bunkrooms. Adventurous guests also can stay in yurts along the river or in an upscale covered wagon. platteriverfort.com

In Monte Vista, BEST WESTERN MOVIE MANOR is attached to a drive-in theater, providing guests the luxury of watching evening films from the comfort of their own rooms from mid-May to mid-September. bestwesternmoviemanor.com

THE STATION ON THE RIVERWALK hotel in Pueblo is repurposed and reinvented from the same building that once served as the town’s jail and police station. Guest rooms are known as “cells” and the speakeasy-inspired Clink Lounge is a hip spot for casual drinks or events. stationontheriverwalk.com

Overlooking Vail Valley and surrounded by 1,000 acres of working ranchland at 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott, COLLECTIVE VAIL has tent accommodations featuring en-suite bathrooms and plush king-sized beds. collectiveretreats.com

Located in Denver’s historic Union Station, THE CRAWFORD HOTEL provides guests with a bustling yet luxurious downtown experience. Enjoy a panoramic view of the cityscape, easy access to public transportation and all sorts of shops, bars, restaurants, and meeting and event space on-site. thecrawfordhotel.com

MINI TABLESCAPE»

Tying into Blockbuster Shows

When planning a gathering, make sure to check a destination’s calendar of events for festivals, concerts and noteworthy exhibitions. Leslie Heins and Lisa Cook, owners and event architects of Denverbased Affair with Flair, demonstrated how this can be done with a social occasion, which easily could have been a corporate event in conjunction with the Denver Art Museum’s recent blockbuster “Dior: From Paris to the World” that wrapped up in March 2019.

“This was a party that Lisa and I wanted to create to celebrate years of friendship with the special women in our lives. The party was held at a private home.” Heins shares, “We designed everything with David Squires [from DesignWorks] keeping the Dior theme in mind, and Occasions Catering did the food. After the delicious lunch, Arrow Bus Company took everyone to the Denver Art Museum to see the exhibit. It was a great day to celebrate fashion and friendships!”

Another great opportunity is available when DAM presents the most comprehensive U.S. exhibition of Monet paintings in more than two decades with “Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature,” co-organized by DAM and Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany. DAM is the sole U.S. venue with the exhibition running from Oct. 20, 2019 through Feb. 2, 2020.