Northeast Meetings + Events Fall/Winter 2023

WATERSIDE ADVENTURES

REVITALIZING

State Theatre New Jersey

Feature // Reconnect, Reenergize, Recommit

BY SHELLEY LEVITT

National Harbor, Maryland, boasts myriad meeting and conference options.

Update

People Profile

Sheila Alexander-Reid wants meetings to leave an impact on both Philadelphia and attendees.

Casinos & Gaming

Combine business with pleasure at these world-class venues.

PHOTO COURTESY LODGE AT SPRUCE PEAK / GUILLAUME GAUDET

Crystal Springs Resort

PHILADELPHIA Discover

MOVING MEETINGS FORWARD

THE EAST COAST’S PREMIER VENUE

The PA Convention Center o ers flexible meeting space with a million square feet including seven exhibit halls and 528,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space.

PLENTY OF ROOM

Philadelphia has more than 42,000 hotel rooms with over 14,000 located in the heart of Center City.

A NETWORK OF CONNECTIONS

Enhance your meeting by leveraging the expertise of the PHLCVB’s business development divisions focused on Life Sciences, Diversity and Sports.

Cultivate Connection

» IN AUGUST, I toured the new headquarters of Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland. The ambitious project—21 stories and nearly 800,000 square feet—was six years in the making. Like other journalists on the tour, I was eager to hear how construction plans had pivoted as remote and hybrid work became dominant during those years.

The answer, from Anthony Capuano, Marriott’s CEO, was surprising. “Honestly, we didn’t make a dramatic set of changes. I think the only thing we really did of note was take some number of fixed workstations and repurpose those to have even more collaborative spaces than we had originally planned. As our business evolves, more and more of our work will involve multidisciplinary teams working on projects, whether that’s for an hour, a day, or a year.”

A few weeks earlier I heard something along the same lines from Leo Glazer, Moxy Hotels’ area general manager—a role that includes overseeing New York City’s Moxy East Village, where I stayed. “With more and more people working remotely, we want Moxy Hotels to be a place where people can get together,” Glazer says, “whether that’s to host a vintage clothing pop-up, hold a board meeting, or strategize startup plans. … Everything is designed to be flexible, functional, and easy to activate.”

The takeaway here is to embrace opportunities for connection. Whether you’re designing your own workspace, planning a small meeting, or developing a conference, leave room for cubby-hole spaces and pockets of time where people can connect outside of the formal meeting schedule and conference rooms. Then, step back and watch the creative sparks fly.

SHELLEY LEVITT Editor

slevitt@greenspring.com

The Best of All Possible Worlds

With affordable guest rooms, polished decor, practical amenities, and premium meeting space attached to the hotel, the Element Philadelphia makes for the perfect event site. The largest property by the Element by Westin brand is adjacent to W Philadelphia and shares its meeting space, and also features large studio-like guest rooms with kitchens, access to laundry facilities, and a hot-and-cold complimentary breakfast that rivals those found in the club rooms of four-star hotels.

The 295-room W and 460-room Element both opened in spring 2021, bringing 755 much-needed guest rooms to Center City, with the Pennsylvania Convention Center just five blocks away. Jessie Tettemer, director of marketing for the two hotels, says each appeals to a different business guest. “Element is perfect for guests who want to maintain their healthy habits while they are away,” she says. “We have a spacious, well-equipped 24/7 gym that’s flooded with light and offers terrific city views, a borrow-a-bike program, breakfast with gluten-free options, a build-your-own yogurt parfait bar, as well as eggs and sausage, and a complimentary wine, beer, and cheese ‘Restore’ break between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. in our lobby. And the in-room kitchen, which includes filtered water, is a great plus if you are traveling with your family.” Production and performance companies often chose Element for their cast and crew, Tettemer notes.

As a high-end property, W Philadelphia appeals to business travelers with a larger budget. But whether groups are staying at the W or Element, or splitting between both hotels, they share the same well-appointed, luxurious meeting space, floor-to-ceiling windows, eco-friendly linenless tables, and on-site audiovisual production throughout.

The 45,000 square feet of event space across three floors provides 27 meeting rooms and a 5,500-square-foot ballroom (capacity of 500). Nooks and crannies, with moveable soft seating abound, offering attendees a chance to step out of a meeting room to take a call or break for an intimate confab with a few colleagues. Next door to the W and accessible through the hotel lobby, Dolce Italian is another place to gather; private and semiprivate dining rooms accommodate 12 to 30 guests while the main dining room—available for buyout—seats 100.

GIFTING WITH PURPOSE

The best possible holiday gift is one that delights the recipient and benefits the life of the artisan who created it. Choose a gift from MudGirls Studios or Peace by Piece International, and that is what you will achieve.

Based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, MudGirls is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing economically disadvantaged and at-risk women with the skills and training to transition out of poverty and onto a pathway of self-sufficiency. “We use clay as our vehicle to change lives through their own creations and sales of functional art and aesthetic utilitarian objects,” says Dorrie Papademetriou, the group’s founder and designer.

Peace by Piece International, based in Los Gatos, California, has a similar mission for people around the world. Rather than selling to the consumer market, Peace by Piece focuses on corporate gifting and on items that can be customized with a company’s logo, branded colors, or marketing message.

mudgirlsstudios.org pbpinternational.com

A cutting board from Peace by Piece International

A bowl crafted by MudGirls Studios

The Strategy Boardroom at Element Philadelphia

THREE TIPS FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

BY CATHY PAPER

» WHERE DID THE TIME GO? It has been more than two years since the pandemic began, and networking has evolved into a hybrid of in-person and on-screen communication. Yet, building relationships remains the same. Be clear, consistent, and kind, and you will build powerful and engaged relationships.

As events return to in-person, it’s beneficial to use your new online skills to grow a network. Building your habits to combine on- and off-screen connections results in stronger relationships and, therefore, more success.

For example, if you are not a fan of using social media to expand your connections or maintain your existing relationships, consider these tips to overcome your hesitation, increase engagement, and build rapport. Online connections are here to stay. People research one another, email each other, and use social media platforms to blur the lines between personal and professional in many industries. Don’t worry though, in-person connections will always remain powerful, too.

Here are three tips to give your networking confidence a boost.

Be Clear. Know why you want to have a network and be intentional about what level of network you can maintain. A network isn’t about having a large number of relationships; it’s about having quality relationships that allow you to get things done. Often, people don’t think about their network until they want a job or need to increase sales.

As you head out to events, know why you want to build connections. This includes knowing what you bring to the relationship.

And it’s not all about you; it’s a two-way street. Being intentional about whom you want to meet with, whom you want to support, and why, comes from clarity—it can range from the individuals you want to meet at an event to how often you want to go online and use social media.

Be Consistent. How do you show up? What do you say? How do you find common connections and things to talk about? I see people go on LinkedIn every single day and never make a comment on other posts. To increase and deepen your connection, say more. One line on a connection’s post can show that you are interested. An authentic, personal comment can go farther than just a thumbs up with no context.

To ensure you are making these connections, create a LinkedIn habit and use it every day at the same time.

Be Kind. Networking can seem like it’s all about you and what you want, especially when you’re feeling isolated or disconnected, which is now a common feeling for many people since the start of the pandemic. Imagine what you can do for another person. If you have spent time on social media in the past two years, you know that there are people who post a lot but are missing what I refer to as “online empathy.” Empathy can show up as an emoji, which can add more depth to the connection.

This world of building a network on- and off-screen is so important. It drives business and performance. Being clear, consistent, and kind can create an individual that others want to be in a relationship with and do business with.

Marriott International Debuts Global Headquarters

After six years of planning, designing, and construction, Marriott International celebrated the opening of its global headquarters in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 19, 2022.

The 21-story, 785,000-square-foot building will be home to corporate associates supporting over 8,100 hotels in 139 countries and territories around the world. Marriott’s campus, which includes the new Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ hotel next door, will also serve as a global hub for research and development, featuring its Innovation and Design Lab, a premium test kitchen and beverage bar, as well as “model” hotel rooms in the adjacent Marriott hotel. It is here where new concepts, design elements, service approaches, and amenities will be tested for potential use across the company’s portfolio of 30 brands.

“Unveiling our new global headquarters is an exceptional way to celebrate our 95 years of culture and innovation,” says David Marriott, chair of the board for Marriott International. “This campus honors our storied history and roots in the local community, while showcasing Marriott’s exciting next chapter of growth as we remain dedicated to our purpose of connecting people through the power of travel.”

Don’t be a scaredy-cat when networking on and off the screen.

Cathy Paper is the founder of RockPaperStar, a consulting firm that specializes in coaching and training for individuals and teams and improving networking confidence and sales performance. rockpaperstar.com

The Living Room inside Marriott’s new headquarters

Word on the Street in NYC

The

BY SHELLEY LEVITT

» GROUP BUSINESS IS BOOMING in New York City.

According to NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs, the demand for meetings, conventions, and events in the city is strong. The Javits Center experienced a 14% increase in bookings from September through December 2022 compared to the same period last year, and group room nights estimated at nearly 800,000 at the end of 2022.

“We are pleased to say that New York City’s meetings industry is right on track,” says Fred Dixon, NYC & Company’s president and CEO. “With a busy conventions and events calendar and hotel performance consistently trending over

85% occupancy once again and more than 10,000 new rooms in the pipeline, we are confident in the continued comeback of the business travel sector.”

Jerry Cito, NYC & Company’s executive vice president of convention development, agrees. “As the meetings sector continues to rebound, the city is seeing the addition of world-class hotels and event venues, robust offerings from Broadway, [and] attractions and museums across all five boroughs. There is certainly no better time to book a meeting, event, or convention in New York City for those ‘only-in-NYC’ meetings experiences that planners can create for their clients.”

Here is an overview of what’s new in New York City.

PHOTOS: MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL; (OPPOSITE) HARD ROCK HOTEL NEW YORK; PENDRY MANHATTAN WEST

The Lounge at the New York Marriot Marquis offers panoramic views of Times Square.

RENOVATIONS AND DEBUTS, FROM MODEST TO OPULENT

The nearly 2,000-room New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square underwent a massive $134 million renovation. This transformation includes what the property describes as its “next-gen meeting spaces.” The more than 110,000 square feet of modern meeting and event space includes the Broadway Ballroom, with the

largest ballroom stage in the city, and the Terrace on the hotel’s ninth floor—a dramatic open space under a soaring atrium, connecting the Marquis Ballroom to the Jolson, Cantor, and Barrymore rooms. And the service is next-gen, too.

Chris Pirie, the hotel’s destination sales executive, points to a recent large-scale non-fungible tokens (NFT) conference held on the property. “We really boosted

our speed of service on food and beverage with pop-up coffee shops and lots of graband-go boxed options,” he says. “Attendees were working and meeting in small groups throughout the conference, and they didn’t want to stop for sit-down meals.”

A few blocks from the New York Marriott Marquis is the newcomer, Hard Rock Hotel New York . As the flagship for the Hard Rock brand, the property has 446 guest rooms and over 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Venue on Music Row is a bilevel entertainment space equipped with a jumbo LED screen for hybrid meetings and has a capacity of 400. Groups can mingle at an indooroutdoor cocktail party at RT60 Rooftop Bar & Lounge, an expansive bar on the 34th floor that has two outdoor terraces spanning just over 3,000 square feet. Other notable event spaces include the 3,233-square-foot Rock Star Suite, a specialty suite with floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive views of the city skyline; the 2,324-square-foot Sessions Restaurant & Bar in a light-soaked atrium; and the 1,812-square-foot NYY Steak, a refined steakhouse characterized by its Mozambique wood walls, antique bronze-mirrored ceilings, and blue-velvet seating.

For team bonding, groups can take advantage of Breakout, Hard Rock’s state-of-the-art performance facility. Immersive offerings include Learn to DJ, silent disco sessions, and Spin Art Stations, where attendees can create their own vinyl artwork using real LPs with custom labels to commemorate their meeting or event.

Other new hotels include the 180-room Wall Street Hotel , with over 6,500 square feet of elegant event space; the 250-room Ritz-Carlton, NoMad (NoMad refers to the neighborhood just north of Madison Square Park), with a ballroom that can accommodate 283 guests; the posh Aman New York , which sits on Fifth Avenue just below Central Park and includes 83 suites; and the 221-room Radio Hotel in

Terrace of the Rock Star Suite at the Hard Rock Hotel New York

Dining room at Zou Zou’s in Pendry Manhattan West

Washington Heights. Pendry Manhattan West , which is a short walk from the Javits Center and Penn Station, offers 164 stylish guest rooms, over 6,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces, and several restaurant concepts that are worth a visit even if you are not housing your group at the hotel. Zou Zou’s, for example, offers modern Mediterranean cuisine in a vibrant and colorful, high-ceilinged space anchored by a wood-fired hearth in the open kitchen.

For an island getaway that you can reach via the F train, ferry, or tram, consider the Graduate Roosevelt Island hotel. The 224-room property, which sits between Manhattan and Queens on the namesake island, offers 3,800 square feet

of flexible event space, with an additional 15,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space at the adjacent Verizon Executive Education Center. Graduate Roosevelt Island offers creative wellness activities for meeting attendees, either during breaks or in customized classes, with options that include sound baths, “aromatic journeys” through essential oils, and fragrance blending classes.

A SURGE IN STAND-ALONE MEETING SPACE

With remote work here to stay and many New York companies shrinking their office footprint, there’s a pressing need for an alternative to in-house conference rooms where workers can gather for a board

meeting, training session, or brainstorming summit. The company etc. Venues is stepping in to fill this void. The Londonbased operator of urban nonresidential event venues opened meeting spaces at 360 Madison Avenue in March 2020 and at 601 Lexington Avenue in June 2021. In January, etc. Venues will open its third space a few blocks north of Times Square at 810 Seventh Avenue, offering seven meeting spaces across the building’s 22nd and 23rd floors, with the largest room able to accommodate up to 140 theater-style.

NEW ATTRACTIONS

ENGAGE AND AMAZE

New York is home to world-class museums like the Museum of Modern Art,

The Panorama Room at the Graduate Roosevelt Island

the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art—to cite a few. Now, some new cultural institutions are joining these esteemed ranks. The Museum of Broadway creates an interactive and Instagrammable experience of Broadway’s history. “You walk the timeline and then you end up in the middle of a show that changed the future of Broadway,” Julie Boardman, the museum’s co-founder says.

In Soho, the Jackie Robinson Museum chronicles the baseball legend’s trailblazing career and contributions to the civil rights movement. Also in lower Manhattan, housed in a beaux-arts landmark building, Hall des Lumières is a permanent center for custom-designed immersive art experiences. The inaugural exhibition is “Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion,” a journey through the revolutionary art of the acclaimed Viennese

painter. The stunning 30,000-squarefoot, two-level venue is available for private events, including seated dinners for up to 500 and cocktail receptions for as many as 1,500 guests. The venue’s sophisticated audio and visual capabilities offer bespoke branding opportunities.

A BITE OF THE BIG APPLE

There is a wide array of culinary options to choose from in one of the world’s greatest food cities.

Luckily, the destination services team at NYC & Company can help you zero in on the eateries that align with your group goals, interests, and budget. One new group-friendly spot to keep in mind is Pebble Bar, which occupies three levels of a 19th-century townhouse near Rockefeller Center. The top floor of the townhouse is Johnny’s, an event space accessible only by private elevator, and available for daytime meetings, post-conference cocktail receptions, or a late-night after-party.

Another popular option is Manhatta , which recently reopened after closing at the beginning of the pandemic. Perched on the 60th floor of 28 Liberty Street in the Financial District, the dining room offers elevated dishes like grilled lobster and barbecued freshwater eel with bone marrow while the fare is more casual in the bar (burgers, a pretzel version of an everything bagel, and cocktails named after New York City neighborhoods). Manhatta is open for events, with private dining rooms to accommodate up to 40 guests, a ballroom to host 250, or a buyout of the 60th floor for 625 guests.

Too little time and too many dishes to try? A walking food tour is a great way to experience the city’s diverse culinary scene while attendees have a chance to meet and mingle. Food on Foot Tours and Williamsburg Bites Brooklyn Food Tours are just two of the many companies that can arrange private group tours.

Left: Principal exhibition hall at Hall des Lumières Below: Main Gallery at the Jackie Robinson Museum

A Canvas for Events

Cross the Potomac River to National Harbor, Maryland, for a meetings destination that makes planning simple.

BY SHELLEY LEVITT

» JUST ACROSS the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., Maryland’s National Harbor is a meeting planner’s dream. The area is a 350-acre waterfront destination that’s home to eight hotels, more than 3,500 guest rooms, over 1 million square feet of meeting space, 16 special event venues, 40 restaurants, 160 stores, 1.2 miles of shoreline, and a walkable downtown.

Convenient to the area’s three airports, a quick drive from D.C., or a scenic ride on the water taxis operated by City Cruises Washington DC, National Harbor was developed and is managed by one entity, Peterson Companies, and it has quickly been embraced by planners.

“National Harbor opened in 2008, so we are just approaching our 15-year anniversary,” says Deborah Topcik, the destination’s director of marketing. Cvent’s ‘Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States’ ranks National Harbor ahead of many long-established meeting destinations, including St. Louis, Salt Lake City, and Fort Worth.

“Other than Disney Parks, you are not going to find anything on this level by one

developer,” Topcik adds. This centralization means branding opportunities abound. The jumbo screen at the waterfront and banners throughout the destination are available to display a corporate logo, welcome attendees, and show a video. Entertainment is, likewise, sprinkled throughout National Harbor, including The Capital Wheel, which offers stunning views of landmarks in the district, Maryland, and Virginia as riders soar 180 feet above the Potomac in climatecontrolled gondolas. In keeping with National Harbor’s friendliness to groups, logos or company colors can be displayed on the Wheel’s 1.6 million LED lights.

Here is a look at three National Harbor properties for meetings and events.

GAYLORD NATIONAL RESORT AND CONVENTION CENTER

The largest nongaming hotel and convention center on the East Coast, the AAA-Four Diamond Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center offers 1,996 rooms and over 600,000 square feet of convention space, including five ballrooms, 101 conference and breakout

rooms, and an 11,000-square-foot private event pier. The vast property also includes three full-service restaurants, two grab-and-go options, four bars, and a 20,000-square-foot spa.

While large conventions like Super MAGFest, a four-day video gaming event, and Katsucon, the annual threeday anime convention, buy out the entire property, the site “can usually host up to 30 groups at a time,” says Patrice Clayton, the resort’s public relations manager. She adds, “We offer everything under one roof, including our gorgeous 19-story atrium that feels like an outdoor venue. And we are extremely flexible. For example, we turned our exhibition space into a fullsized basketball arena for a girls basketball tournament.” marriott.com

MGM NATIONAL HARBOR

Sheila Hession, executive director of sales at the 308-room MGM National Harbor, encourages meeting planners to do on-site inspections. Step into the lobby of this $1.5 billion casino resort with 1.7 million square feet of space that’s set on more than 30 acres, and it’s easy to understand why.

The Capital Wheel illuminates the glistening waterfront skyline of National Harbor.

The heart of the lobby is the Conservatory, a 15,000-square-foot space that is transformed into a seasonal display four times a year. For fall, that display included an 18-foot-tall cornucopia; a 24-foot birch bridge in the shape of a crescent moon; and 18,800 flowers, plants, pumpkins, and gourds. Simply put, the property is stunning, with the casino tucked out of view.

The more than 50,000 square feet of meeting space here includes a state-of-theart 3,000-seat theater, which has hosted performers such as Bruno Mars and shows such as Cirque Dreams Holidaze; the MGM Grand Ballroom (capacity of 1,800); a multitude of boardrooms and meeting rooms; and more than a half dozen restaurants and lounges that are available for private events. Attendees might want to explore the property’s impressive art collection, which includes “Portal,” an iron archway sculpted by musician Bob Dylan.

“I’d like planners to know that we are a fully integrated resort that allows them the ability to customize their events,” Hession says. “Whether it’s branding in

the meeting space, utilizing our various outdoor terraces or the Potomac Plaza for meals or receptions, or a buyout of one of our many restaurants and lounges, we are not just another cookie-cutter property.” mgmnationalharbor.mgmresorts.com

AC HOTEL NATIONAL HARBOR

One of more than 100 hotels in Marriott’s AC collection across the country, the AC Hotel National Harbor offers 192 guest rooms and six event spaces that have a total footprint of 7,253 square feet. The modern, light-filled property can provide spillover space for citywide gatherings,

or host meetings for small groups, like boards of directors, who may be coming to National Harbor for a single night or just for a meeting and dinner. marriott.com

OTHER MEETING VENUES

National Harbor is a canvas for events. Standout spaces include the Capital Canopy, a tented waterfront canopy located next to the National Harbor Marina and Capital Wheel that can accommodate 250350 guests for standing receptions, seated dinners, fundraisers, and sponsorship activations. The Flight Deck, an outdoor lounge at the foot of the Capital Wheel, can host up to 145 guests and offers some of National Harbor’s most spectacular sunset views. For large-scale events, the Plateau is a wide-open paved space of roughly 210,000 square feet and can accommodate groups as large as 15,000. Restaurants with meeting space are plentiful, including Grace’s Mandarin, Succotash, and the Walrus Oyster & Ale House.

Whatever venue you choose for a National Harbor event, your attendees will be able to enjoy the Show Your Badge perk, a mobile passport that provides a curated collection of deals and discounts at participating retailers, restaurants, and attractions. nationalharbor.com

The atrium of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

Radiant autumnal display at the MGM National Harbor Conservatory

VENUE

EPO R T National Harbor

2023

Casinos & Gaming

Across the United States, casinos furnish planners with one-stop shopping for their meeting and event needs.

PHOTO: ADOBE / STUDIO ROMANTIC

Casinos Do It All

By Todd R. Berger

At the beginning of 1978, casinos could only be found in Nevada—no other state had legal gaming. On May 26, 1978, Resorts Casino Hotel opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a year and a half after the state’s voters approved a referendum legalizing gambling in the city to bolster the economy in the area.

A year later, the Seminole Tribe opened the first Native American-owned casino in the United States, the Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida. Initially a bingo hall, it soon expanded to include gaming machines and poker. During the 1980s, as Native American casinos spread, several state governments pursued court cases to try to shut them down. The tribes argued in court that their status as sovereign nations (per an 1831 U.S. Supreme Court decision classifying Native American tribes as “domestic dependent” nations) made them exempt from state laws against gambling. Finally, in

1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians (480 U.S. 202 [1987]) that gambling on tribal lands did not fall under the legal jurisdiction of the states. The next year, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which allowed tribes to open casinos on tribal land in states that already permitted legalized gambling. By 1996, 25 states had legal casinos.

Around the same time period, the Mirage opened in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1989. This ground-breaking casino resort was the largest hotel in the world when it opened, commencing the era of casinos making money through nongambling activities, including, at The Mirage, shows featuring white tigers and the magic of Siegfried & Roy, a volcano, and an aquarium. The idea was to make customers feel like they already struck it rich with a Polynesian theme, ostentatious opulence, and free food. Built by Steve Wynn and today owned by Hard Rock International, the Mirage fundamentally changed the Las Vegas Strip.

Within a few years, more spectacular, themed resorts appeared up and down the Strip and nearby, including Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, and Paris Las Vegas, both owned by Caesars Entertainment.

The latest style of casino resorts, the rise of Native American gaming, and the spread of gambling across the country ushered in a new era of casinos that provided the perfect setting for gatherings and conventions of all varieties.

Today, 44 states (all except Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Utah) have casino gaming resorts that cater to meetings and events. Almost anywhere in the United States you wish to meet, there is likely a casino resort that can fulfill—and exceed—all your event needs.

Agua Caliente Casinos

Cathedral City, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage, California

Founded: 2001 (Rancho Mirage), 2003 (Palm Springs), and 2020 (Cathedral City)

Size: 23,500 Capacity: 1,000 aguacalientecasinos.com

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Founded: 2003 Size: 49,000 square feet Capacity: 3,500 borgata.mgmresorts.com

Caesars Entertainment

Founded: 1937 Caesars Entertainment has more than 60 casino resorts in 17 states and 2 million square feet of meeting space across its destinations. Event spaces include the new CAESARS FORUM on the Las Vegas Strip, which has the two largest pillarless ballrooms in the world. caesars.com

Spotlight on Casino Resorts

ilani

Ridge eld, Washington

Founded: 2017

Size: 30,000 square feet Capacity: 2,500 ilaniresort.com

e Mirage

Las Vegas, Nevada

Founded: 1989 Size: 90,000 square feet Capacity: 8,650

Monarch Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk, Colorado

Founded: 1997 Size: 5,000 square feet Capacity: 250 monarchblackhawk.com

MotorCity Casino Hotel Detroit, Michigan

Founded: 1999 Size: 67,500 square feet Capacity: 10,000 motorcitycasino.com

Pechanga Resort Casino Temecula, California

Founded: 2002

Size: 274,500 square feet Capacity: 7,000 pechanga.com

Quechan Casino Resort Winterhaven, California

Founded: 1996 Size: 20,000 square feet Capacity: 2,300 playqcr.com

Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City, New Jersey

Founded: 1978 Size: 64,000 square feet Capacity: 1,350 resortsac.com

Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood Hollywood, Florida

Founded: 1979 Size: 120,000 square feet Capacity: 5,000 seminolehardrockhollywood.com

Sky Ute Casino Resort Ignacio, Colorado

Founded: 2008

Size: 19,000 Capacity: 2,000 skyutecasino.com

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Founded: 1998 Size: 70,000 square feet Capacity: 13,000 soaringeaglecasino.com

We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Fort McDowell, Arizona

Founded: 2006 Size: 25,000 square feet Capacity: 2,000 wekopacasinoresort.com

Wildhorse Resort & Casino Pendleton, Oregon

Founded: 1995

Size: 11,000 square feet Capacity: 1,000 wildhorseresort.com

MOTORCITY CASINO HOTEL MONARCH CASINO RESORT SPA

PECHANGA RESORT CASINO

The Cash Cow

From slot machines and blackjack tables to horse races and bingo, there are a variety of ways to gamble. As a means of entertainment for some, casinos are an unconventional-yet-effective way to generate immense revenue, some of which is funneled back into society.

Of course, the success of a casino depends on gamblers’ confidence in their luck and their willingness to wager. Apparently, people are indeed increasingly confident in their abilities as, according to the American Gaming Association, gambling revenue has risen 21% since 2019, reaching a lofty record of $53 billion in 2022. Nearly $30 billion of that revenue came from 460 tribal casinos across 28 states. With so much money funneling into casinos, taxes on casino revenue are a primary financial resource supporting state and local programs.

By Ava Diaz

Gaming wasn’t always a catalyst for societal advancement. Following the 1929 stock market crash and the construction of Hoover Dam beginning in 1931, Nevada’s economy was in dire need of economic stimulation. Operating as a small railroad town, Las Vegas was soon gaining traction from the infiltration of construction workers moving to Boulder City, 25 miles down the road, to build the dam. Gambling trips to Las Vegas became routine for workers. With

MGM Resorts International’s New York-New York Hotel & Casino under construction in 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada PHOTOS:

increased popularity and a sudden cash flow, Nevada’s government legalized gambling in 1931 to quickly generate funding to restabilize the state’s finances. Gambling was much later legalized in select states across the country.

To regulate the gambling cash flow, state and federal governments intervened in both commercial and tribal gaming. For tribal gaming, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Gaming

Regulatory Act of 1988 to create a legal basis for the operation of casinos (in states that allowed gaming within their borders). The tax revenue from these establishments helped fuel steady employment, provide consistent cash flow for reservations, and create lively regional attractions. Some tribes with state compacts pay fees based on their revenue to state and local governments. As for commercial casinos, many states

implemented taxes based on gross revenue (after winner payouts) to maximize casino money rerouted into state coffers.

To combat a negative backlash over states’ revenue from gambling, 23 out of the 24 commercial gambling states designate a portion of their casino tax revenue to fund research and treatment for gambling addiction, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in Washington, D.C. Many commercial gaming states also use some of their tax revenue to fund public programs and services, including education, economic development, infrastructure, and the fine arts (anywhere from 20% to 90% of state funding goes toward state art agencies in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, and West Virginia).

For tribes with state compacts, the breakdown of contributions awarded to the state varies based on need. The State of Arizona, for example, allocates 88% of its tribal gaming revenue to infrastructure improvement for schools, trauma and emergency care, wildlife conservation, and tourism. The remaining 12% is distributed to community service and public safety programs in cities and counties of the tribes’ choosing. Though the allocation of funds varies from state to state, the influx of money that filters through casinos provides states with a constant stream of revenue.

At casinos, there is fun to be had by all. Gambling, to some extent, can benefit individuals as a means of entertainment and the potential for winnings. Coming full circle, the money spent can work its way back into their lives through improved services and renovations of sites made possible by casino revenue.

Above: Hoover Dam under construction in 1936, before Lake Mead filled. Left: Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino on Fremont Street in 1950

The Green Future of Casinos Is Now

By Todd R. Berger

Thirty miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada, among the Joshua trees and greater roadrunners of the Mojave Desert, 323,000 solar panels covering the equivalent of 484 football fields glisten in the sun. This 100-megawatt solar array provides 90% of the electricity for 13 MGM Resorts International casinos and 36,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas, including ARIA Resort & Casino, MGM Grand Las Vegas, and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Away from the glittering lights of the Las Vegas Strip, the sunshine collected by these panels spotlight a sustainable future for casinos worldwide.

MGM Resorts International solar array outside Las Vegas, Nevada PHOTOS:

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Many casino properties are making sustainability a priority. Caesars Entertainment repurposes and recycles just about everything at its casinos, including used soap, towels, and dice. Caesars’ hotels also conserve energy by turning off lights and air conditioning in unoccupied rooms. Visitors to Caesars Palace, Flamingo Las Vegas, and Paris Las Vegas who order a glass of Zinfandel are served a vintage directly from a keg rather than a bottle.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides guidelines on its website that focus on green initiatives for tribal casinos, and, certainly, many across the country embrace sustainability. Chumash Casino Resort, operated by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in Santa Barbara County, California, has sharply cut electricity usage in its complexes. The tribe built new facilities in 2004 that included doublewalled insulation, a reflective rooftop, and a wastewater treatment plant that reclaims water; the improvements saved the tribe 18% in energy costs. Similarly, Michigan’s Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel implemented skylights to provide natural light and replace electric lighting as early as 2008, reducing energy use by a stunning 50%.

As MGM Resorts International did outside Las Vegas, many tribal casinos also turn to the sun for energy generation and to efficient lighting for energy conservation. In addition to being the first solar-powered casino in Southern California, Harrah’s Resort Southern California—operated by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians—has a wastewater treatment plant that generates reclaimed water for cleaning and irrigation, and a biodigester that turns food waste into water. At many casinos, tribal or not, much more efficient LED lights are largely replacing incandescent bulbs, not an insignificant trend given casinos’ tendency to use lights on everything from slot machines to video displays.

Some casinos take measures to improve life for other inhabitants of their region. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California— with casinos in Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, and Cathedral City—partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to monitor endangered peninsular bighorn sheep through data collected from high-frequency collars. The Tulalip Tribes in Washington, which run two casinos north of Seattle, operate a salmon hatchery on tribal land that raises and releases 11.5 million juvenile salmon each year.

The tribes—including the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, and other allied bands—also actively manage the habitat of the Salish Sea (including Puget Sound) to support several species of clams, shrimp, and Dungeness crabs.

The sustainability landscape for casinos has evolved dramatically in the last few decades. Many casinos now measure environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria alongside the financial bottom line. Often, casinos see setting ESG goals as essential to saving money and increasing profit. Those that do embrace sustainability will be able to thrive as society evolves toward a greener future.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California was the first casino in the southern part of the state to use solar power.

FIND THE PERFECT SETTING for your gathering at Agua Caliente Casinos. No ma er which of the three premier properties you choose—Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, or Cathedral City—your event is sure to exceed expectations.

Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage has a variety of venues for your next event, including a 13,000-square-foot conference center that’s perfect for larger groups and a scenic outdoor event lawn, complete with dramatic views of the San Jacinto Mountains. For a more intimate venue, book the private Wine Room at The Steakhouse. Awarded four stars by Forbes Travel Guide, the renowned restaurant o ers gourmet steaks and seafood alongside fine wines.

Agua Caliente Palm Springs, in the heart of downtown, is where luxury meets laid-back. The Cascade Lounge is a swanky venue complete with a stage, dance floor, central bar, and elegant booth seating. The Steakhouse is also available for booking premier group dining.

Agua Caliente Cathedral City is the newest property in Agua Caliente’s collection. The 12,000-square-foot Agave Caliente Terraza is an outdoor entertainment space nestled among stunning skies and picturesque mountain views. Hosting your next corporate or private event there guarantees a unique experience.

BORGATA HOTEL CASINO & SPA in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is a top-of-theline destination to host meetings and events—with an added flare of excitement for everyone who a ends.

As the premier casino resort on the East Coast, Borgata is just a one-to-twohour drive away from Philadelphia or New York City, and the amenities will wow a endees in a variety of ways. Multiple slot machines and table games can be found on the casino floor to appeal to any gamers. The fine-dining outlets spread across the property can be reserved for a team meal a er a day of meetings and are sure to delight everyone’s taste buds. With skilled chefs across the property, catering for an event has never been easier.

Whether something grand or intimate is needed, Borgata’s event planners help select the ideal location and layout for each event. Business meetings, conventions, and trade shows can all be planned in one of the 11 secluded event spaces away from the casino floor that accommodate groups from 10 to 700. Each space is equipped with the latest technology, which is customizable. Borgata is equipped to make executing an event feel like hi ing the jackpot.

With more than 50 first-class properties spread throughout 20 destinations and 120 sales executives across the country, Caesars Entertainment’s vast empire promises not only a wealth of convenient options, but a commitment to provide unparalleled family-style services. From ideating an event to packing up on the last day, Caesars Entertainment ensures an easy, streamlined level of service to top off its continuously evolving collection of cutting-edge meeting spaces, unforgettable resorts, decadent restaurants, and more. Over the past year, Caesars Entertainment has shown concrete proof of its dedication to providing the best of the best, with massive new additions to its Las Vegas properties and beyond.

Part of the company’s latest evolution, CAESARS FORUM utilized its 550,000 square feet of conference space to host the 2022 NFL Draft, welcoming thousands of ecstatic sports fans. For the high-profile event, the FORUM created an enormous stage and stretched its outdoor space to include the nearby LINQ Promenade parking lot, helping to accommodate the massive audience. Located centrally amid 8,500 hotel rooms at Harrah’s Las Vegas, The LINQ, and Flamingo, CAESARS FORUM provides the two largest pillar-less ballrooms in the world, featuring modern design and flexibility.

The mecca of celebrity chef dining, Paris Las Vegas, welcomed a veritable constellation of star-studded restaurants this year. Sushi

legend Nobu Matsuhisa opened a second Las Vegas location of his eponymous Nobu restaurant at the resort. Next door, Bobby Flay debuted his fast-casual concept, Bobby’s Burgers, bringing a decadent take on burgers, milkshakes, and fries for guests on the go. Vanderpump à Paris—part of reality television icon Lisa Vanderpump’s portfolio—brought with it visions of an old Parisian courtyard. At the tail end of the summer, Martha Stewart’s first-ever dining concept, The Bedford, opened its doors.

In addition to huge new meeting spaces and decadent eateries, Caesars Entertainment has not forgotten to update the backbone of any stay: the accommodations. Harrah’s Las Vegas’ rooms and casino floor have undergone extensive renovations. Meanwhile, Bally’s Las Vegas is undergoing a complete transformation, from its exterior to its rooms and casino floor—preparing to reintroduce itself as Horseshoe Las Vegas by the end of 2022.

FROM HOSTING CONFERENCES and intimate meetings to epic concerts and worldclass entertainers, the ilani in Ridgefield, Washington, has the state-of-the-art facilities and expert staff to make any event a success. With 30,000 square feet of multiuse venue space, endless entertainment options, and a Four Diamond hotel coming in 2023, the area’s premier gaming, dining, entertainment, and meeting destination will help bring your event to the next level.

Equipped to accommodate groups and conventions of various sizes, the resort’s Cowlitz Ballroom can host a crowd of 2,500 for a variety of events. For a more intimate meeting space, the 650-square-foot Cedar Boardroom is perfect for private occasions. The Meeting and Entertainment Center is sure to create a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors.

The ilani is a unique gaming experience unlike any other in the Pacific Northwest, boasting a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor with nearly 3,000 slots and 75 gaming tables— something for everyone. With the casino nearby and pockets of entertainment throughout the resort, ilani provides a unique dining atmosphere—13 restaurant options encompassing fine dining, casual meals, bars, and quick bites for guests on the go.

Monarch Casino Resort Spa

MONARCH CASINO RESORT SPA in Black Hawk, Colorado, is a world-class destination that brings vibrancy to events of all varieties. The breathtaking beauty of the Rocky Mountains with dramatic canyon views presents a unique experience for visitors. Monarch’s meticulous meeting planners are dedicated to flawless execution from the moment you arrive—whether hosting 3 or 250, the resort o ers easily configurable spaces, featuring state-of-theart amenities, scenic views, comfort, and elegance.

Twenty-three floors above Black Hawk, seek solace at Spa Monarch, a place of relaxation and rejuvenation in the form of unique treatment options and spaces—an escape from everyday life. Experience heart-pounding gaming action in the two-level casino area, featuring over 1,000 slot machines, 40 game tables, a live poker room, and the Sportsbook Lounge. The floor is always open, providing easy access to free-time activities.

Five on-site restaurants o er dining options to satisfy any pale e or occasion. For a contemporary atmosphere, enjoy modern Mexican Latin cuisine at Bistro Mariposa. For a luxurious, upscale dining experience, visit Monarch Chophouse. Twenty-Four 7 and The Bu et are perfect options for casual dining, while Java etc. is the place to grab a Starbucks co ee and a quick bite on the go.

FROM

CUTTING-EDGE

PRESENTATIONS to gala banquets, MotorCity Casino Hotel has the facilities to make the extraordinary happen for you. It’s the only place in Detroit that can o er sophisticated boardrooms, 67,500 square feet of flexible banquet and meeting space, and the state-of-the-art 1,500-seat Sound Board theater.

Guests at MotorCity enjoy luxury accommodations with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property, valet parking, and 24-hour fitness and business centers. Add a spa, great dining options, and live entertainment, and you have an incomparable place for meetings and events. MotorCity boasts award-winning meeting professionals, an acclaimed culinary sta , and a friendly and professional event team that will ensure that your meeting is flawlessly executed.

At MotorCity, you can work hard and play harder. When you step onto the awardwinning gaming floor, you’ll find 2,700 slot machines including the latest multi-line video and 5-reel slots, 59 table games, and a 12-table smoke-free Poker Room. Plus, the spacious, two-story FanDuel Sportsbook boasts eight be ing windows, 67 HDTVs, a sports ticker, 54 self-service IGT PlaySports be ing kiosks, multiple bars, and plenty of plush leather seating.

Don’t just meet—be moved by the high-powered hospitality of MotorCity Casino Hotel.

ESCAPE THE BORED ROOM.

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Pechanga Resort Casino

951-770-8551 | pechanga.com

PECHANGA RESORT CASINO is nestled in Temecula’s picturesque Southern California Wine Country, the perfect place to stay and play with 1,090 beautifully appointed guest rooms. Guests are treated to exceptional entertainment, dining, and golf amid 24 hours of gaming excitement. The immense 200,000-plus-square-foot casino features more than 5,400 slots and 130 gaming tables. Encompassing 40,000 square feet is Pechanga’s event center—capable of dividing into five sections for a variety of events.

A world of culinary delights awaits at Pechanga’s award-winning restaurants. Featuring a variety of international cuisines, from fine dining to quick bites for guests on the go, the resort houses eight restaurants and a full-featured food court.

Find relaxation at Spa Pechanga: a two-level, 25,000-square-foot spa featuring 17 treatment rooms, a private pool with cabana massage service, state-of-the-art fitness studio, two indoor hydrotherapy pools, and hair and nail salons. The Cove, Pechanga’s 4.5-acre pool complex, features three main pools including a swim-up bar, floating day beds, and more. The world-class, par-72 golf course, Journey at Pechanga, is ranked one of California’s best, winding through 300 feet of native canyons and ravines.

Quechan Casino Resort

QUECHAN CASINO RESORT is an ideal destination in Winterhaven, California—and is host to casino game favorites, four restaurants, and world-class entertainment. The expansive casino floor is home to a variety of gaming, from trying your hand at blackjack to spinning reels at a slot machine. Quechan Resort Casino has an array of eateries, whether you are seeking a fine-dining experience or a casual sports bar. Close to gaming action and great service, Quechan is the perfect place for hosting meetings and events.

Conveniently located next to Yuma, Arizona, Pipa Event Center is just a quick trip away. The event center is one of the region’s largest venues for weddings, meetings, and special events.

It offers a full-size stage and auditorium with seating for 2,300 and dedicated space for a dance floor. Boasting over 20,000 square feet of space—divisible into six stately rooms ranging from 2,415 to 3,174 square feet—the auditorium can be reconfigured for business meetings, team-building exercises, training seminars, trade shows, formal presentations, luncheons, dinners, banquets, weddings, and more. The expert staff of planners ensures flawless execution to make the most of all occasions.

SOARING EAGLE CASINO & RESORT is the ultimate place to have a winning time and is home to Michigan’s largest gaming floor. Whether you love playing for triple sevens or pu ing on a mean poker face, all guests can win big with one of the largest collections of slot machines and table games in Michigan—something for everyone. Additionally, guests can continue their hot streak over at the bingo hall.

Ge ing hungry? Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort presents a variety of topnotch, award-winning dining options that will appeal to everyone. Whether seeking a thick, juicy steak at an upscale steakhouse or a casual all-American burger and milkshake, Soaring Eagle has the options to satisfy every pale e.

What’s dinner without a show? When it comes to entertainment, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort has been voted the Best Outdoor Concert Venue in Michigan, and has won countless awards for bringing in top-tier talent to the middle of the state.

YOUR GETAWAY. REIMAGINED.

Escape the world for a while and enjoy endless action and indulgence. Celebrate your winning moments. Taste the good life. Lounge around in plush accommodations. And do it all over again tomorrow. It’s all here at Michigan’s most exciting destination .

We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort

SET AMONG the majestic beauty of the Sonoran Desert landscape, We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort is the jewel of the Phoenix area, located just moments from Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, Arizona. The resort is a stunning state-of-the-art oasis and the latest chapter in the rich history of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. The casino features a spacious gaming floor with hundreds of slots; table games like blackjack, craps, and roulette; and the WKP Sportsbook powered by Betfred Sports. It’s all part of a spectacular resort getaway with numerous amenities and comforts.

Host to a number of eateries for any occasion, We-Ko-Pa showcases an incredible array of flavors from around the world.

A destination dining experience, Ember is the perfect stop for an upscale restaurant atmosphere. More casual options include WKP Sports Bar and Entertainment, Ahnala, and The Market.

The resort also serves those who love the outdoors. The We-Ko-Pa Golf Club is home to two award-winning courses, and Fort McDowell Adventures offers guests the chance to tour the desert landscape on horseback, by kayak, or through guided Segway tours.

Business and pleasure come together in the stunning beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Here, you’ll find 25,000 square feet of meeting space that’s flexible to suit gatherings large and small, as well as a 246-room hotel, unforgettable dining, and more. It’s all in the Valley’s finest AAA Four-Diamond Casino Resort.

WILDHORSE RESORT & CASINO sits 4 miles east of Pendleton among the wheat fields and Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. The resort and casino has two 18-hole golf courses, nine restaurants, a five-screen cineplex, 24 bowling lanes, live music, and multiple indoor-outdoor event spaces with room for 12 to 720 people. It is owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, which includes the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla peoples, and carries on a long tradition of games pertaining to skill and chance from the region’s tribal cultures. The 10-story Tower Hotel has rooms and suites featuring spectacular views of eastern Oregon’s high desert plateaus. Nearby, visitors can tour the world-famous Pendleton Woolen Mills; host events at the Hamley Steakhouse, Western Store, and Saddle Shop; and pick huckleberries or hunt for mushrooms in the Umatilla National Forest. The region also features the Pendleton Round-Up in September, which includes the town’s annual rodeo, as well as brewpubs, wineries, and multiple restaurants and shops along the city’s Main Street.

Sky Ute Casino Resort

UNIQUELY LOCATED amid the diverse Four Corners region of southwest Colorado, Sky Ute Casino Resort is the perfect hub from which to explore the area’s beautiful landscapes. The resort features Las Vegas-style gaming with a familyfriendly atmosphere and easy access to Rolling Thunder Lanes and Arcade and Chimney Rock Playground. Historic downtown Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, and Purgatory Ski Resort are also nearby. The resort features 140 culturally themed rooms and a 25-space RV park, along with on-site dining at Seven Rivers Steak, Seafood, and Spirits—the only authentic steakhouse in southwest Colorado.

PHOTOS: SKY UTE CASINO RESORT

R E CONNECT, R E ENERGIZE, RE COMMIT

From the mountains to the shoreline, the Northeast boasts resorts that will solidify team bonds through inventive and imaginative activities.

By Sh elley L evit t

Stretch your legs and stretch your imagination. Have impromptu brainstorming sessions on a mountaintop or by a lake rather than at an elevator bank. When it comes to strengthening bonds between teams, resorts have always been an appealing alternative for gathering. Today, that’s truer than ever before.

“For the last two years, teams have been working remotely and doing a lot of Zoom meetings,” says Linda Alloco, regional sales director of Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, New Jersey. “They’re eager to be face-to-face again. They want to have sidebar conversations, and they also want activities that can build spirits, [as well as] let them collaborate and compete and have some fun. Right now, I’d say about 90% of our group business is centered on team activities.” Andréa Heffner, director of sales and marketing for Vermont’s Lodge at Spruce Peak, agrees. “Resort properties are doing very well,” she says. “As groups have started coming together again, we’ve all seen the value of getting people away from their normal work environment and into a natural setting where they can engage again with a variety of different spaces and activities.”

We found seven outstanding properties that encourage connection.

PHOTO: GURNEY'S MONTAUK

The beachfront property of Gurney’s Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa

BEACH PLUM FARM

W est C ape May, New J ersey

Located 1.5 miles from the beaches and shopping promenade of the seaside town of Cape May, the 62-acre Beach Plum Farm grows over 100 different types of vegetables, flowers, and herbs and is home to Berkshire pigs, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. In other words, while the property is only a 90-minute drive from Philadelphia and less than three hours from Manhattan, it’s a world apart. That, says General Manager Ed Hackett, is part of Beach Plum’s appeal to planners. “As a working farm we offer some unique ways to bring teams together,” he says. “We have guided hikes and bike tours of the farm, floral arranging, and wreath-making classes, but guests can also get involved in real farm chores, like collecting eggs—we have 1,500 chickens—or spending a few hours planting seeds or harvesting crops.”

The property’s six cottages can comfortably accommodate 16 meeting attendees (each cottage comes with its own golf cart so guests can explore the farm). Additional guests can stay at the nearby Congress Hall hotel; the oldest seaside hotel in the country, it has welcomed guests since 1816. Event space, including the greenhouse, accommodates groups up to 30 for meetings, dinners, and receptions. Most groups stay two nights and are transformed by the experience. “Guests are sometimes a little apprehensive of farm activities when they arrive, but by the time they leave, they are making plans to come back with their families," Hackett says.

STANDOUT TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITY

» Harvest and host Groups separate into small teams, paired with a Beach Plum Farm staff member, and go out to the fields to pick ingredients for a dish they create for the evening’s progressive dinner, with attendees going from cottage to cottage for each course. caperesorts.com

PHOTOS: BEACH PLUM FARM; (OPPOSITE) FILIP WOLAK; WEQUASSETT RESORT AND GOLF CLUB

Guests partaking in agricultural activities

GURNEY’S MONTAUK RESORT & SEAWATER SPA

Montauk, New Yo rk

As the only luxury hotel in the Hamptons located right on the beach—with a 2,000-foot stretch available for private receptions—the 158-room Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa is a sought-out destination for incentive trips and for groups in the finance, technology, fashion, and online media sectors. During the property’s summer high season, “[the] rates are aggressive, and it takes the right group to come then,” says Jonathan Macioce, the property’s general manager. But, he adds, “We’re a four-season resort, and during other times of year, it’s a little quieter around here and that allows the focus to really be on the groups that are in-house. We’re a phenomenal winter retreat, for example, with activities that include s’mores and hot apple cider around the fire pit and, of course, our recently renovated 30,000-square-foot Seawater Spa is something 95% of our groups take advantage of every time of year.”

Event venues include the expansive Spa Deck (capacity of 500), Great Hall (capacity of 300), Top Deck (capacity of 200), Regent Cocktail Club (capacity of 130), and a host of intimate meeting rooms. Activities run the gamut from surf lessons, beach yoga, and beach soccer to mixology and pizza-making classes.

STANDOUT TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITY

» Competitive sandcastle building Groups at Gurney's break into teams and are given tools like sand molds, shovels, and pails to create an award-worthy edifice. An on-the-beach cocktail bar helps break the tension. gurneysresorts.com

WEQUASSETT RESORT AND GOLF CLUB

Harwich, Massachusetts

“We’re a destination within the destination of Cape Cod,” says Kara Lachance, director of sales and marketing for Wequassett Resort and Golf Club. “When guests arrive, they can park their car and stay within our little world.” Set on 27 waterfront acres, the Forbes Five Star property has 120 guest rooms spread across 20 different buildings that resemble Cape Cod-style cottages. “Wequassett has that quintessential New England cape feel, but in a luxurious setting. And we have all these brick pathways that lead to little areas with Adirondack chairs left for you to relax, enjoy your coffee, or have an impromptu meeting," Lachance says.

STANDOUT TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITY

» Oyster farm tours with the nonprofit Wellfleet Shellfish Protection and Tasting (SPAT) is a completely customizable experience that can include an oystershucking competition or an elegant oyster tasting with champagne and all the fixings. wequassett.com

With a championship golf course, a tennis center, a resort pool, lap pool, a private beach, four restaurants, and a wide range of indoor and outdoor event spaces for meetings and receptions, there’s no reason to ever leave the grounds (unless it’s to take the resort’s launch to the Outer Beach, a section of Cape Cod National Seashore only accessible by boat, where a group picnic can be arranged). Evening gatherings can be laid back or luxe. “You can do a fun New England style-clambake with a beach bonfire afterward one night,” Lachance says, “and a seven-course tasting menu in a private dining room off our signature restaurant the next evening.”

Oceanfront suites at sunset

The Twenty-Eight Atlantic restaurant at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club

OMNI BEDFORD SPRINGS RESORT

Bedfo rd, Pennsylvania

You can drive to Omni Bedford Springs Resort in about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, two hours from Washington, D.C., and three hours from Philadelphia. The resort, however, predates the automobile. Built in 1790, it has been hosting meetings and events for more than two centuries. “We’re loaded with rich history, and that alone distinguishes us from any other conference center,” says Jennifer Carter-Blymier, the resort’s director of sales and marketing.

With 216 guest rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting space, multiple on-site restaurants, a 30,000-square-foot spa, and the 18-hole Old Course—rated the second-best golf course in Pennsylvania by Golfweek magazine—Omni Bedford Springs Resort offers meeting planners both a wide array of activities and a beautiful, distraction-free setting. “We’re located in the Alleghany Mountains,” Carter-Blymier says, “and being here is an extremely tranquil experience. We’re not connected to any local attractions, so you’re not going to lose your group to a casino or a bustling shopping district. Instead, everything you need is here on the resort, and we’re dedicated to creating special memories for our clients.”

Take, for example, the dessert course during a recent corporate banquet where the pastry chef placed a chocolate ball before each guest and the instruction to hold the ball up high and then let it drop. “When the ball hit the table, it broke up and in the center was tiramisu,” Carter-Blymier says. “It was an unforgettable moment.”

STANDOUT TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITY

» Domestic demolition Supplied with only foam board and duct tape, teams work together to construct a house capable of withstanding attack. Once built, teams will take to the field, armed with potatoes and air cannons, to determine which structure is most resilient. omnihotels.com

THE LODGE AT SPRUCE PEAK Stowe, Vermont

As Stowe’s only ski-in, ski-out luxury hotel, the 300-room Lodge at Spruce Peak is central to the 2,000-acre Spruce Peak slope-side community. But for all this room to meet, which includes more than 56,000 square feet of meeting space, the feeling here is intimate, says Andréa Heffner, director of sales and marketing. “You’re in a destination where you don’t need to get in a car or even a golf cart to get to your next location. You can just walk across our village green to change environments, perhaps from a ballroom where a meeting is being held to our lawn where you have a Vermont Arctic IPA, play cornhole, and run into other meeting attendees," she says.

The lodge can host anything from a corporate retreat for 10 to a company-wide gathering for up to 250. Groups typically stay a minimum of three nights, Heffner says, spending the time when they’re not in meetings on activities that might include, depending on the season, golf, rock climbing, hiking, zip lining, and mountain biking; water

The Spa Lawn

STANDOUT TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITY

» Mountain rescue team challenge

With groups split into teams of 10, participants navigate some of the same skills that rescue teams must master, including locating an avalanche beacon within the mountain landscape, pulling a litter with an “injured” climber from one location to another, and completing a series of climbing knots. sprucepeak.com

sports like paddleboarding, canoeing, and kayaking; brewery tours; and visits to the town for a hands-on lesson in glassblowing at a local studio. Rates are higher in the peak winter season, when the activity menu includes sleigh rides, dog-sledding, snow biking, ice climbing, and cross-country and downhill skiing.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT

Hamburg, New Jersey

“Two hotels, six golf courses, acres and acres of land, an amazing culinary team, [and] a 1-acre wine cellar that’s probably the best wine cellar on the East Coast. We have it all,” says Linda Alloco, Crystal Springs Resort’s regional sales director. “Instead of being in a standard boardroom all day, you’ve got mountain views, and your attendees can step outside and have sidebar conversations immersed in nature and fresh air.”

Roughly 50 miles from New York City and from Newark Liberty International Airport, the resort, with nearly 400 guest rooms, draws corporate gatherings that include high-end beauty and fashion brands, as well as the usual financial and pharmaceutical off-sites. Typically, groups have meetings in the mornings, leaving the afternoons free for activities. “On their first day here, groups generally want to do an activity, like a scavenger hunt or an introduction to meditation, that everyone can participate in,” Alloco says.

“On the second and third days, they like to be able to choose from several different options, like golf lessons, goat yoga, a challenging hike in warm weather, [or] a build-a-snowman workshop in the winter.”

The resort offers a wide range of meeting venues, from boardrooms to ballrooms, outdoor terraces, and pavilions. Hold an event in the property’s glass-enclosed biosphere, lush with palm trees and other foliage, during the winter and the atmosphere is magical—like being inside a tropical snow globe.

STANDOUT TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITY

» Beehive box building . Led by a local beekeeper, teams build bee boxes with supplied materials while learning how bee colonies develop and more. The completed bee boxes are donated to a local farm where they become the new home of a bee colony. As a thank you for supporting the local bee population, participants receive jars of sweet honey from their sponsored hive at a future date.

crystalgolfresort.com

The Terrace at The Lodge Spruce Peak offers breathtaking views of Mount Mansfield.

Outdoor yoga is provided by Minerals Sports Club at Crystal Springs Resort.

STANDOUT TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITY

» Human ice bowling

With some colleagues functioning as human bowling balls on saucer sleds, teammates take turns hurling them down the ice to knock down a winning number of foam bowling pins. mohonk.com

MOHONK MOUNTAIN

HOUSE New Paltz, New York

“There are a lot of reasons why meeting planners come here,” says Barbara Stirewalt, vice president and general manager of the 267-room Mohonk Mountain House, nestled in the Hudson Valley just 90 miles north of New York City and surrounded by 40,000 acres of forest. “We have dozens of team-building activities that take place in the outdoor world, and I strongly believe that nature sparks creativity and inspires new ways of thinking. We’re on the crest of the Shawangunk Ridge, and there’s a feeling of security and privacy here, which you don’t get when you’re meeting in a giant urban convention center and sharing space with 10 very large groups.”

With 14 meeting rooms that can accommodate a dozen to several hundred guests, Mohonk has some large corporate clients that buy out the property multiple times a year. Between meetings, attendees can enjoy golf or tennis; kayaking or fishing on the private lake; horseback riding (with stables dating back to 1888); wintertime sports like skiing, ice skating, and snowtubing; and much more. For teams that want to give back, options include the build-a-hand workshop where attendees work together to construct state-of-the-art prosthetic devices that are donated to people in need.

PHOTO: MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

A winter landscape encapsulates the natural beauty of the Mohonk Mountain House grounds.

CENTRE’D AROUND YOU.

Make an impact with your next event at Boise Centre. Our versatile meeting and event spaces, modern amenities, and expert event planning team is at your service to ensure an unforgettable event experience. Located in the middle of the city’s energetic, walkable downtown Boise Centre is surrounded by local breweries, restaurants, shops, hotels and is minutes from outdoor adventures. boisecentre.com

• Convenient downtown location

• Numerous direct flights and seven minutes from the airport

• Surrounded by restaurants, breweries, and nightlife

• Over 1,300 hotel rooms within walking distance

• Outdoor activities close by including hiking, rafting, biking, and more

WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?

The pandemic has enhanced our awareness of safety precautions for physical health and in organizational wellness. With digital wallets, consumers have a contactless way to pay for, or access, their event necessities. They also enhance the overall customer experience through efficient, direct transactions from consumer to vendor or vice versa.

SAFETY and FLEXIBILITY are PRIORITY GROWTH by

the NUMBERS

The attention to safety influences how of consumers worldwide choose to make their transactions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Financial Assistants, such as Clerkie and SoFi , monitor how your money is spent. Users can implement these smart aids to track bills, create effective financial strategies, and receive feedback on monetary goals.

Digital wallets are a way to compartmentalize a range of identification. From state IDs and passports to Social Security cards and medical records, users can create an all-in-one solution to ID management.

of users think that contactless payments using digital wallets are the safest bet for financial exchanges.

Super apps , like WeChat , provide users with access to financial resources beyond facilitating payments. Along with processing transactions, they offer other financial resources including tracking various accounts, loan offers, and investing.

Wearable IDs are most commonly in the form of a smartwatch and, more recently, key fobs. Brands like Apple, Google, and Samsung have created their own means of digitizing on-the-go personal data as a way for users to organize their financials beyond a leather wallet.

BACKGROUND IMAGE: ADOBE STOCK/NABUGU

A NEW VENUE SHOOTS FOR THE MOON

f you are looking for an out-ofthis-world venue in Pittsburgh, consider the Moonshot Museum.

Designed to be inspiring and educational, this new attraction is Pennsylvania’s only museum dedicated to outer space, and it is the first museum in the world to focus on what’s described as “career readiness for the contemporary space industry.”

In a partnership with Astrobotic Technology, the museum is located inside the headquarters of the space robotics company on Pittsburgh’s Northside. The museum will offer installations that show what living on the moon might be like, as well as spacecraft models, including a 1:30scale replica of the Vulcan Centaur rocket that’s scheduled to take the Peregrine Lunar Lander to the moon in early 2023, the first U.S. spacecraft to reach the moon in 50 years.

“The Moonshot Museum is a decadelong dream turned reality. It was designed for the community to literally step into the world of the space industry,” says John Thornton, founding board member of Moonshot Museum and CEO of Astrobotic. “We want young people to see themselves in our work, meet the real people building spacecraft, and discover that there’s a place for them in space.”

The museum is available for private evening events for groups of up to 150.

MGM Music Hall at Fenway Opens

» BOSTON HAS A MAJOR NEW EVENT VENUE and performing arts center with the opening of MGM Music Hall at Fenway. Located immediately behind Fenway Park, the 91,500-square-foot venue might be large, but the interior was designed to offer guests a cozy experience. It includes state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, seating on four levels, three lounge areas—including an open-air rooftop deck with views of the downtown Boston skyline—and numerous food and beverage areas.

“The distinctive configuration of the triangular plot of land was conducive to achieving an incredibly intimate feel and an audiovisual experience that is second to none,” says Jonathan Guila, managing director of Fenway Sports Group Real Estate. “What makes a venue of this size so unique are the four levels of seating, all of which are in proximity to the stage, with the farthest seat only 110 feet away from the large 80-footwide by 40-foot-deep stage.”

During its first opening months, the venue booked an eclectic series of performances that included James Taylor & His All-Star Band, Chris Stapleton, Bruno Mars, Demi Lovato, Adam Sandler, Arcade Fire, and Lil Nas X, among many others.

MGM Music Hall at Fenway, which is LEED Gold certified, has various options for private events, from a full buyout for 5,000 guests or a reception for 1,800 on the venue’s main floor to a dinner for 50 in the Jim Beam Distiller’s Room or the Truly Rooftop. Custom menus and mixology are available.

“The completion of MGM Music Hall will be a significant contribution to Boston’s eccentric music and arts culture,” says Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m excited to see the opportunities and the experiences that this new venue will bring to our city.”

Atlantic City Hosts Inaugural Pickleball Tournament

» PICKLEBALL HAS GROWN in popularity as a tennis alternative for retirees and young competitors alike. Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Kim Clijsters are just three of the professional athletes investing in pickleball teams. With a far smaller footprint than tennis or golf, pickleball can be a great fit for meeting attendees, either as a participatory activity or a spectator experience. In late September, for example, in a partnership with the Atlantic City Sports Commission, the weeklong 2022 Dietz & Watson Atlantic City Pickleball Open brought thousands of fans to the Atlantic City Convention Center.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout and production of the inaugural

Atlantic City Pickleball Open,” says Larry Sieg, Meet AC and Atlantic City Sports Commission president and CEO. “Our teams worked collectively and

collaboratively to put on a world-class event. Pickleball is more than just a sport: It’s a community, and this week-long event proved just that.”

Canoe Place Inn & Cottages includes 20 guest rooms, five rebuilt guest cottages, and, across Shinnecock Canal, 37 luxury residences. The 6-acre property features a 5,087-square-foot Grand Ballroom with soaring ceilings that seats up to 330 guests for dinner. Adjacent to the ballroom is a separate 2,454-square-foot window-wrapped Pavilion and two dramatic spaces for outdoor events. Venues are equipped for sophisticated event production featuring advanced technology, carefully planned load-in logistics, and a central kitchen. The property is also home to the restaurant Good Ground Tavern, bars, a full-service ONDA Beauty spa, and an outdoor pool.

A HISTORIC INN IS REIMAGINED IN HAMPTON BAYS

Canoe Place Inn & Cottages is on the site of America’s oldest inn (Canoe Place Inn), which dates to 1697. It began as a trading station on the East End of Long Island and was transformed into a hotel, which was a station-stop inn that

hosted Revolutionary War soldiers, as well as presidents, and celebrities.

Now, the property has been meticulously restored to preserve its rich history while also featuring contemporary amenities to accommodate modern events.

“From weddings to corporate retreats, engaging programming to unexpected entertainers, our talented team is excited to welcome guests to some of the area’s most talked about events and experiences,” says Maria Lupardo, director of catering and events. “Just 90 miles from New York City and minutes from the North and South Forks of the Hamptons, accessibility is just one of the many highlights of this classic-but-cool canal-front enclave in Hampton Bays.”

canoeplace.com

A Thunderous Gathering for MPI Pittsburgh

Founded in 1981, the Pittsburgh Chapter of Meeting Professionals International is notably active and engaged. Its scores of members meet monthly for virtual and face-to-face events. The setting for September’s get-together was the Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall, a multilevel venue that is available for private events of all sizes.

1. Taylor Bombalski 2. Gina Litterini and Nicole Buse 3. Zinnias Garden entertainers Evan Smith and Mary Grace Potts 4. Molly Evans, Becky Faris, and Melissa Hickman 5. Local fare 6. Jillian Brinling and Irene Hause 7. Lillian Schwartz, Jillian Brinling, and Kayla Delaney 8. Steve Vance, Lillian Schwartz, Jillian Brinling, and Kayla Delaney 9. Debi Arnett and Ashley Dunlap

PHOTOS:

FARIS

Her Philadelphia Story

Sheila Alexander-Reid wants groups to have a lasting impact on communities in need.

Sheila Alexander-Reid was in high school when her family moved to a predominantly white neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland. “The four Reid kids were the only Black kids in the entire school,” she recalls. “It was at times very awkward.” Those early feelings helped shape Alexander-Reid’s commitment to championing diversity and inclusivity, both in the nearly eight years she spent in Washington, D.C., as executive director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, and in her new position as the executive director of PHL Diversity, a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB).

M+E: What attracted you to your new role?

SAR: I’m very proud of the work we did in D.C.—our office played a big role in

BY SHELLEY LEVITT

getting marriage equality passed in the district, for one thing. But moving into diversity, equity, and inclusion, which I’m doing at PHL Diversity, is a way to have a broader impact, not just on the LGBTQIA [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual] community, but also the women’s community, the Asia-Pacific Islander community, indigenous, African American, Latino, and accessible communities.

M+E: How can meeting planners be part of this?

SAR: I’ll say to meeting planners something like, one of the things that’s affecting people of color in Philadelphia is homelessness. How would your attendees like to make an impact in dealing with that issue? That could be doing

a service project like putting together what we call “survival kits,” with things like socks and soap, and distributing them to unhoused people. With these efforts, you’re not just choosing a city based on its monuments, venues, or the price of hotel rooms, you’re coming to a city where your attendees will be able to say, ‘We made a difference.’

M+E: How do meeting planners connect with these opportunities?

SAR: When a planner is considering bringing a group to Philadelphia, the CVB’s sales team will reach out to me, and I’ll in turn reach out to the community. Then, we’ll go back to the planners with opportunities that align with their attendees. My message to planners is, ‘Let’s make meetings matter.’

PHOTO:

get ready for what’s here and

get ready for what’s here and

• 552 lavish guest rooms including 50 suites, plus a rooftop indoor pool, on-site spa and more

• 552 lavish guest rooms including 50 suites, plus a rooftop indoor pool, on-site spa and more

• 60,000 square feet of flexible event space, including a 24,000 square-foot ballroom with 24’ ceilings

• 60,000 square feet of flexible event space, including a 24,000 square-foot ballroom with 24’ ceilings

• Unsurpassed convenience with everything under one roof

• Unsurpassed convenience with everything under one roof Get ready for wow.

Get ready for wow.

For further details or to submit an RFP visit WindCreekBethlehem.com.

For further details or to submit an RFP visit WindCreekBethlehem.com.